Ru-Yi Meditation Center
Saṃyutta Nikāya · Discourse 54.9

At Vesālī

Vesālīsutta — Ekadhammavagga

Setting
Vesālī, the Great Wood, the hall with the peaked roof
Speakers
The Buddha and Venerable Ānanda
Form
A full narrative discourse recounting a documented historical episode
Length
2–3 minutes to read
Northern parallel
No individual parallel confirmed by this project's own check
Significance
★★★★★ — records the historical episode behind the canon's own turn toward mindfulness of breathing as a safer practice than the meditation on ugliness

Why this discourse

Confirmed by direct reading, this discourse records a documented and consequential episode. The Buddha had taught extensively on the meditation on ugliness before going on a fortnight's solitary retreat; in his absence, some mendicants developed such horror, revulsion, and disgust toward their own bodies through this practice that they sought out a weapon, and each day ten, twenty, or thirty mendicants died by suicide. On learning this from Ānanda, the Buddha gathered the remaining Saṅgha and taught mindfulness of breathing as the safer alternative Ānanda had explicitly requested.

Reading guide

The meditation on ugliness and its consequence

Confirmed by direct reading, the discourse states plainly, without elaboration, that the Buddha had “spoken in many ways to the mendicants about the meditation on ugliness” and “praised the meditation on ugliness and its development” before his retreat; during his fortnight of solitude, some mendicants, having committed themselves to this same practice, became “horrified, repelled, and disgusted with this body,” leading to what the text records directly as mass suicide.

Ānanda's own explicit request for an alternative

Confirmed by direct reading, when the Buddha asks why the Saṅgha seems diminished, Ānanda reports what happened and then directly requests: “please explain another way the mendicant Saṅgha might be settled in enlightenment” — framing the discourse's own teaching that follows as a direct response to this specific request, not an unprompted new teaching.

Mindfulness of breathing, named by its own effect

Confirmed by direct reading, the Buddha describes this immersion, in contrast to what came before, as “peaceful and sublime, a delectable and blissful meditation,” using the same storm simile already encountered in this book: as an out-of-season storm settles stirred-up summer dust, this practice “disperses and settles unskillful qualities on the spot whenever they arise” — framed explicitly by its own gentleness, unlike the aversion the meditation on ugliness had produced.

Key terms

asubhabhāvanā — “the meditation on ugliness” — contemplation of the body's own repulsive aspects, the practice taught before the Buddha's own retreat
aṭṭīyamānā harāyamānā jigucchamānā — “horrified, repelled, and disgusted” — the mendicants' own reaction to their bodies, leading directly to the episode this discourse records
dasapi bhikkhū ekāhena satthaṁ āharanti — “each day ten...mendicants committed suicide” — confirmed by direct reading as this discourse's own plain, undramatized statement of what occurred
aññaṁ pariyāyaṁ — “another way” — Ānanda's own explicit request, to which mindfulness of breathing is given as the direct answer
santo ceva paṇīto ca asecanako ca sukho ca vihāro — “peaceful and sublime, a delectable and blissful meditation” — the Buddha's own description of this practice, in implicit contrast to what preceded it

The text

Every genuinely translated fragment given in the consulted English source, including the full narrative recounting this documented episode without alteration. Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0, SuttaCentral).

§1So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof. Now at that time the Buddha spoke in many ways to the mendicants about the meditation on ugliness. He praised the meditation on ugliness and its development.

§2Then the Buddha said to the mendicants, “Mendicants, I wish to go on retreat for a fortnight. No-one should approach me, except for the one who brings my almsfood.” “Yes, sir,” replied those mendicants. And no-one approached him, except for the one who brought the almsfood.

§3Then those mendicants thought, “The Buddha spoke in many ways about the meditation on ugliness. He praised the meditation on ugliness and its development.” They committed themselves to developing the many different facets of the meditation on ugliness. Becoming horrified, repelled, and disgusted with this body, they looked for a suicide weapon. Each day ten, twenty, or thirty mendicants committed suicide.

§4Then after a fortnight had passed, the Buddha came out of retreat and addressed Ānanda, “Ānanda, why does the mendicant Saṅgha seem so diminished?” Ānanda told the Buddha all that had happened, and said, “Sir, please explain another way the mendicant Saṅgha might be settled in enlightenment.”

§5“Well then, Ānanda, gather all the mendicants staying in the vicinity of Vesālī together in the assembly hall.” “Yes, sir,” replied Ānanda. He did what the Buddha asked, went up to him, and said, “Sir, the mendicant Saṅgha has assembled. Please, sir, come at your convenience.”

§6Then the Buddha went to the assembly hall, sat down on the seat spread out, and addressed the mendicants: “Mendicants, when this immersion due to mindfulness of breathing is developed and cultivated it’s peaceful and sublime, a delectable and blissful meditation. And it disperses and settles unskillful qualities on the spot whenever they arise.

§7In the last month of summer, when the dust and dirt is stirred up, a large storm out of season disperses and settles it on the spot. In the same way, when this immersion due to mindfulness of breathing is developed and cultivated it’s peaceful and sublime, a delectable and blissful meditation. And it disperses and settles unskillful qualities on the spot whenever they arise. And how is it so developed and cultivated?

§8It’s when a mendicant—gone to a wilderness, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty hut—sits down cross-legged, sets their body straight, and brings mindfulness to the present. Just mindful, they breathe in. Mindful, they breathe out. … They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe in observing letting go.’ They practice like this: ‘I’ll breathe out observing letting go.’ That’s how this immersion due to mindfulness of breathing is developed and cultivated so that it’s peaceful and sublime, a delectable and blissful meditation. And it disperses and settles unskillful qualities on the spot whenever they arise.”

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Self-check quiz

3 questions. Click an answer to see immediate feedback. No score is recorded — this is for your own checking.

Question 1 of 3
What documented episode does this discourse record?
Correct: A. Confirmed by direct reading — the text states this plainly, without elaboration or euphemism.
Question 2 of 3
What does Ānanda explicitly request from the Buddha after reporting what happened?
Correct: A. Confirmed by direct reading — Ānanda's own explicit words, framing what follows as a direct response.
Question 3 of 3
How does the Buddha describe mindfulness of breathing in contrast to what preceded it?
Correct: A. Confirmed by direct reading, using the same storm simile already met elsewhere in this book.
Answered 0 of 3 · Correct 0

Further reading

← PreviousSN 54.8 · The Simile of the Lamp