#1. With Vaṅgīsa

Remembering his past as a wandering poet, Vaṅgīsa celebrates the freedom he has found in the DhammaAt one time Venerable Vaṅgīsa was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time Vaṅgīsa had recently attained perfection. While experiencing the bliss of freedom, on that occasion he recited these verses: “We used to wander, drunk on poetry, village to village, town to town. Then we saw the Buddha, and faith arose in us. [Read More]

Vaṅgīsa says the Buddha, like the moon or the sun, outshines the whole world.At one time the Buddha was staying near Campā on the banks of the Gaggarā Lotus Pond, together with a large Saṅgha of around five hundred mendicants, seven hundred male and seven hundred female lay followers, and many thousands of deities. But the Buddha outshone them all in beauty and glory. Then Venerable Vaṅgīsa thought, “The Buddha is staying near Campā on the banks of the Gaggarā Lotus Pond, together with a large Saṅgha of around five hundred mendicants, seven hundred male and seven hundred female lay followers, and many thousands of deities. [Read More]

Vaṅgīsa speaks in praise of Moggallāna and the Saṅgha.At one time the Buddha was staying on the slopes of Isigili at the Black Rock, together with a large Saṅgha of around five hundred mendicants, all of whom were perfected ones. Thereupon, with his mind, Venerable Mahāmoggallāna checked to see whose mind was liberated and free of attachments. Then Venerable Vaṅgīsa thought, “The Buddha is staying on the slopes of Isigili … with five hundred perfected ones. [Read More]

Aññā Koṇḍañña, the very first disciple to realize the Dhamma, comes to visit the Buddha after long in seclusion. Inspired, Vaṅgīsa speaks verses in his praise.At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground. Then Venerable Koṇḍañña Who Understood approached the Buddha after a very long absence. He bowed with his head to the Buddha’s feet, caressing them and covering them with kisses, and pronounced his name: “I am Koṇḍañña, Blessed One! [Read More]

Seeing the Buddha speak on the Dhamma, and the rapt attention of the Saṅgha, Vaṅgīsa comes out with verses in his praise. When asked if the verses were spontaneous, he replies that they were, and the Buddha invites him to speak further.At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery, together with a large Saṅgha of 1,250 mendicants. Now at that time the Buddha was educating, encouraging, firing up, and inspiring the mendicants with a Dhamma talk about extinguishment. [Read More]

On the Pavāraṇā day at the end of the rains retreat, the Buddha invites the Saṅgha to admonish him. But not only is the Buddha faultless, so are all the 500 monks present. Vaṅgīsa is inspired to utter a elaborate praise of the Buddha.At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in the Eastern Monastery, the stilt longhouse of Migāra’s mother, together with a large Saṅgha of around five hundred monks, all of whom were perfected ones. [Read More]

Seeing Sāriputta speak on the Dhamma, and the rapt attention of the Saṅgha, Vaṅgīsa comes out with verses in his praise.At one time Venerable Sāriputta was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time Venerable Sāriputta was educating, encouraging, firing up, and inspiring the mendicants in the assembly hall with a Dhamma talk. His words were polished, clear, articulate, and expressed the meaning. And those mendicants were paying heed, paying attention, engaging wholeheartedly, and lending an ear. [Read More]

The Buddha gives a simple teaching on four qualities of good speech. Vaṅgīsa is inspired to utter a more elaborate set of verses on the topic, praising especially the speech of the Buddha that leads to the Deathless. At Sāvatthī. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants, “Mendicants!” “Venerable sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this: “Mendicants, speech that has four factors is well spoken, not poorly spoken. It’s blameless and is not criticized by sensible people. [Read More]

Troubled once more by lust, Vaṅgīsa turned to Ānanda for support. Ānanda tells him to shift his perception so that beautiful things no longer seem so.At one time Venerable Ānanda was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then Venerable Ānanda robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for alms with Venerable Vaṅgīsa as his second monk. And at that time Venerable Vaṅgīsa became dissatisfied, as lust infected his mind. [Read More]

As a renowned poet, Vaṅgīsa looked down on less skilled mendicants. Ashamed of his conceit, he exhorted himself in verse to be humble and at peace.At one time Venerable Vaṅgīsa was staying near Āḷavī, at the Aggāḷava Tree-shrine, together with his mentor, Venerable Nigrodhakappa. Now at that time Venerable Vaṅgīsa looked down on other good-hearted mendicants because of his own poetic virtuosity. Then he thought, “It’s my loss, my misfortune, that I look down on other good-hearted mendicants because of my own poetic virtuosity. [Read More]