Majjhima Nikāya — Discursos Médios — 132 — Ānanda and One Fine Night

1So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

2Now at that time Venerable Ānanda was educating, encouraging, firing up, and inspiring the mendicants in the assembly hall with a Dhamma talk on the topic of the summary recital and the analysis of the one who has one fine night.

3Then in the late afternoon, the Buddha came out of retreat, went to the assembly hall, where he sat down on the seat spread out, and addressed the mendicants: “Who was inspiring the mendicants with a talk on the summary recital and the analysis of the one who has one fine night?”

4“It was Venerable Ānanda, sir.”

5Then the Buddha said to Venerable Ānanda, “But in what way were you inspiring the mendicants with a talk on the summary recital and the analysis of the one who has one fine night?”

6“I was doing so in this way, sir,” replied Ānanda.

7“Don’t run back to the past,
don’t anticipate the future.
What’s past is left behind,
the future has not arrived;

8and any present phenomenon
you clearly discern in every case.
The unfaltering, the unshakable:
having known that, foster it.

9Today’s the day to keenly work—
who knows, tomorrow may bring death!
For there is no bargain to be struck
with Death and his mighty horde.

10One who keenly meditates like this,
tireless all night and day:
that’s who has one fine night—
so declares the peaceful sage.

11And how do you run back to the past? …

12And how do you not run back to the past? …

13And how do you anticipate the future? …

14And how do you not anticipate the future? …

15And how do you falter amid presently arisen phenomena? …

16And how do you not falter amid presently arisen phenomena? … That’s how you don’t falter amid presently arisen phenomena.

17‘Don’t run back to the past,
don’t anticipate the future. …

20that’s who has one fine night—
so declares the peaceful sage.’

21That’s how I was inspiring the mendicants with a talk on the summary recital and the analysis of the one who has one fine night.”

22“Good, good, Ānanda. It’s good that you were inspiring the mendicants with a talk on the summary recital and the analysis of the one who has one fine night.”

24And the Buddha repeated the verses and analysis once more.

26That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, Venerable Ānanda approved what the Buddha said.