Reading guide
The teaching in one sentence
A laywoman, without ever leaving her household, can attain what monastic teaching usually treats as the province of the ordained: the four absorptions at will and freedom from the five lower fetters, the very definition of a non-returner — and this discourse spells that out through seven successive qualities rather than a single statement.
A deity overhears, and asks a favor
The discourse opens with Nanda's Mother reciting verses of “The Way to the Far Shore” at dawn, overheard by the great king Vessavaṇa passing by on business of his own. He applauds her, reveals himself as her brother in a manner of speaking, and asks a favor in return for the pleasure her recitation gave him: that when she serves the mendicant Saṅgha the next day, she dedicate the religious donation to him.
Sāriputta's question, and the first incredible quality
When Sāriputta asks how she knew the Saṅgha was coming, her answer — recounting the conversation with Vessavaṇa in full — prompts his own comment that it is incredible and amazing she converses face to face with so mighty and illustrious a godling. This exchange itself supplies the first of the seven qualities, before she has claimed anything for herself.
Six more qualities, each introduced the same way
Nanda's Mother then volunteers six further qualities, each opened with the same formula — “this is not my only incredible and amazing quality; there is another” — equanimity at her only son's execution, equanimity at her husband's posthumous revelation of his rebirth, unbroken fidelity to her husband even in thought since their marriage, never deliberately breaking a precept since declaring herself a lay follower, entering all four absorptions at will, and having given up every one of the five lower fetters.
The seventh quality names what all the others point toward
The final quality — no trace remaining of the five lower fetters — is the technical definition of a non-returner, the third of the four stages of awakening. Read backward, the six qualities before it — equanimity through grief, unbroken fidelity and precepts, mastery of the four absorptions — are less a list of separate virtues than the visible signs of a mind that had, in fact, already reached that far.
Closing this chapter, and AN 7's First Fifty
Sāriputta closes the discourse by teaching her further and taking his leave, and with that this chapter, Mahāyaññavagga, and AN 7's entire First Fifty — fifty-three discourses running from AN 7.1 to AN 7.53 — come to an end. The Second Fifty has not yet been mapped or written.
Key terms
The text
The setting: two chief disciples travel through the Southern Hills
§1So I have heard. At one time the venerables Sāriputta and Mahāmoggallāna were wandering in the Southern Hills together with a large Saṅgha of mendicants. Now at that time the laywoman Veḷukaṇṭakī, Nanda’s mother, rose at the crack of dawn and recited the verses of “The Way to the Far Shore”.
King Vessavaṇa overhears her recitation, and makes a request
§2And at that time the great king Vessavaṇa was on his way from the north to the south on some business. He heard Nanda’s Mother reciting, and stood waiting for her to finish. Then when her recital was over she fell silent. Then, knowing she had finished, Vessavaṇa applauded, saying, “Good, sister! Good, sister!” “But who might you be, dearest?” “Sister, I am your brother Vessavaṇa, the great king.” “Good, dearest! Then may my recital of the teaching be my offering to you as my guest.” ‘Good, sister! And let this also be your offering to me as your guest. Tomorrow, the mendicant Saṅgha headed by Sāriputta and Moggallāna will arrive at Veḷukaṇṭa before breakfast. When you’ve served the Saṅgha, please dedicate the religious donation to me. Then that will also be your offering to me as your guest.”
Nanda's Mother prepares to receive the Saṅgha
§3And when the night had passed the lay woman Nanda’s Mother had delicious fresh and cooked foods prepared in her own home. Then the Saṅgha of mendicants headed by Sāriputta and Moggallāna arrived at Veḷukaṇṭa. Then Nanda’s Mother addressed a man, “Please, my friend, go to the monastery and announce the time to the Saṅgha, saying: ‘Sirs, it’s time. The meal is ready in the home of the lady Nanda’s Mother.’” “Yes, Ma’am,” that man replied, and he did as she said. And then the Saṅgha of mendicants headed by Sāriputta and Moggallāna robed up in the morning and, taking their bowls and robes, went to the home of Nanda’s Mother, where they sat on the seats spread out. Then Nanda’s Mother served and satisfied them with her own hands with delicious fresh and cooked foods.
Sāriputta asks how she knew they were coming
§4When Sāriputta had eaten and washed his hand and bowl, Nanda’s Mother sat down to one side. Sāriputta said to her, “Nanda’s Mother, who told you that the Saṅgha of mendicants was about to arrive?” “Sir, last night I rose at the crack of dawn and recited the verses of ‘The Way to the Far Shore’, and then I fell silent. Then the great king Vessavaṇa, knowing I had finished, applauded me, ‘Good, sister! Good, sister!’ I asked: ‘But who might you be, dearest?’ ‘Sister, I am your brother Vessavaṇa, the great king.’ ‘Good, dearest! Then may my recital of the teaching be my offering to you as my guest.’ ‘Good, sister! And let this also be your offering to me as your guest. Tomorrow, the mendicant Saṅgha headed by Sāriputta and Moggallāna will arrive at Veḷukaṇṭa before breakfast. When you’ve served the Saṅgha, please dedicate the religious donation to me. Then that will also be your offering to me as your guest.’ And so, sir, may the merit and the flourishing of merit of this gift be for the happiness of the great king Vessavaṇa.”
The first quality: conversing with a great king of the gods
§5“It’s incredible, Nanda’s Mother, it’s amazing that you converse face to face with a mighty and illustrious godling like the great king Vessavaṇa.”
The second and third: equanimity at her son's death, her husband's rebirth
§6“Sir, this is not my only incredible and amazing quality; there is another. I had an only son named Nanda who I loved dearly. The rulers forcibly abducted him on some pretext and had him executed. But I can’t recall getting upset when my boy was under arrest or being arrested, imprisoned or being put in prison, killed or being killed.” “It’s incredible, Nanda’s Mother, it’s amazing that you purify even the arising of a thought.” “Sir, this is not my only incredible and amazing quality; there is another. When my husband passed away he was reborn in one of the realms of spirits. He revealed to me his previous incarnation. But I can’t recall getting upset on that account.” “It’s incredible, Nanda’s Mother, it’s amazing that you purify even the arising of a thought.”
The fourth and fifth: unbroken fidelity, unbroken precepts
§7“Sir, this is not my only incredible and amazing quality; there is another. Ever since we were both young, and I was given in marriage to my husband, I can’t recall betraying him even in thought, still less in deed.” “It’s incredible, Nanda’s Mother, it’s amazing that you purify even the arising of a thought.” “Sir, this is not my only incredible and amazing quality; there is another. Ever since I declared myself a lay follower, I can’t recall deliberately breaking any precept.” “It’s incredible, Nanda’s Mother, it’s amazing!”
The sixth and seventh: the four absorptions at will, and the five lower fetters gone
§8“Sir, this is not my only incredible and amazing quality; there is another. Whenever I want, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, I enter and remain in the first absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, while placing the mind and keeping it connected. As the placing of the mind and keeping it connected are stilled, I enter and remain in the second absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of immersion, with internal clarity and mind at one, without placing the mind and keeping it connected. And with the fading away of rapture, I enter and remain in the third absorption, where I meditate with equanimity, mindful and aware, personally experiencing the bliss of which the noble ones declare, ‘Equanimous and mindful, one meditates in bliss.’ With the giving up of pleasure and pain, and the ending of former happiness and sadness, I enter and remain in the fourth absorption, without pleasure or pain, with pure equanimity and mindfulness.” “It’s incredible, Nanda’s Mother, it’s amazing!” “Sir, this is not my only incredible and amazing quality; there is another. Of the five lower fetters taught by the Buddha, I don’t see any that I haven’t given up.” “It’s incredible, Nanda’s Mother, it’s amazing!”
Sāriputta teaches her further, and departs
§9Then Venerable Sāriputta educated, encouraged, fired up, and inspired Nanda’s Mother with a Dhamma talk, after which he got up from his seat and left.
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