Nandana Sutta

Translation by Bhikkhuni Uppalavanna

Thus I heard. Once the Blessed One was living in Sàvatthi in Jeta's grove, in the monastery offered by Anàthapiõóika. The Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus from there:

"Bhikkhus, in the past, in the Nandana grove of the thirty two gods, a certain god provided with the five strands of heavenly sensual bliss was enjoying them until the snapping of the fingers and said this stanza:

"They, that have not seen Nandana grove, do not know the enjoyments of the king of gods, and the fame, of the thirty-three gods

Bhikkhus, a certain deity hearing this, replied with this stanza:


 * "You fools do not know the words of the worthy ones,
 * All determinations are impermanent,
 * They are of the nature of rising and falling.
 * Arisen they fade, their complete surcease is bliss."
 * Arisen they fade, their complete surcease is bliss."