Vaṅgīsasaṁyutta 9

Linked Discourses 8.9

1. With Vaṅgīsa

With Koṇḍañña

1 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! I am Koṇḍañña, Holy One!”

Then Venerable Vaṅgīsa thought, “This Venerable Koṇḍañña Who Understood has 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! I am Koṇḍañña, Holy One!’ Why don’t I extoll him in the Buddha’s presence with fitting verses?”

2 Then Venerable Vaṅgīsa rose from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, raised his cupped palms toward the Buddha, and said, “I feel inspired to speak, Blessed One! I feel inspired to speak, Holy One!”

“Then speak as you feel inspired,” said the Buddha.

Then Vaṅgīsa extolled Koṇḍañña in the Buddha’s presence with fitting verses:

3 “The senior monk awakened after the Buddha,

Koṇḍañña, is keenly energetic.

He regularly gains

the blissful meditations of seclusion.

4 Whatever can be attained by a disciple

who does the Teacher’s bidding,

he has attained it all,

through diligently training himself.

5 With great power and the three knowledges,

expert in encompassing the minds of others,

Koṇḍañña, the heir to the Buddha,

bows at the Teacher’s feet.”