Kaliṅgarasutta

Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā vesāliyaṁ viharati mahāvane kūṭāgārasālāyaṁ. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “bhikkhavo”ti. “Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca:

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants, “Mendicants!” “Venerable sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:

“Kaliṅgarūpadhānā, bhikkhave, etarahi licchavī viharanti appamattā ātāpino upāsanasmiṁ. Tesaṁ rājā māgadho ajātasattu vedehiputto na labhati otāraṁ na labhati ārammaṇaṁ. Bhavissanti, bhikkhave, anāgatamaddhānaṁ licchavī sukhumālā mudutalunahatthapādā te mudukāsu seyyāsu tūlabibbohanāsu yāvasūriyuggamanā seyyaṁ kappissanti. Tesaṁ rājā māgadho ajātasattu vedehiputto lacchati otāraṁ lacchati ārammaṇaṁ.

“Mendicants, these days the Licchavis live using wood blocks as pillows, and they exercise diligently and keenly. King Ajātasattu of Magadha, son of the princess of Videha, finds no vulnerability, he’s got no opportunity. But in the future the Licchavis will become delicate, with soft and tender hands and feet. They’ll sleep on soft beds with down pillows until the sun comes up. King Ajātasattu of Magadha, son of the princess of Videha, will find a vulnerability and get an opportunity.

Kaliṅgarūpadhānā, bhikkhave, etarahi bhikkhū viharanti appamattā ātāpino padhānasmiṁ. Tesaṁ māro pāpimā na labhati otāraṁ na labhati ārammaṇaṁ. Bhavissanti, bhikkhave, anāgatamaddhānaṁ bhikkhū sukhumā mudutalunahatthapādā. Te mudukāsu seyyāsu tūlabibbohanāsu yāvasūriyuggamanā seyyaṁ kappissanti. Tesaṁ māro pāpimā lacchati otāraṁ lacchati ārammaṇaṁ. Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘kaliṅgarūpadhānā viharissāma appamattā ātāpino padhānasmin’ti. Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti. Aṭṭhamaṁ.

These days the mendicants live using wood blocks as pillows, and they meditate diligently and keenly. Māra the Wicked finds no vulnerability, he’s got no opportunity. But in the future the mendicants will become delicate, with soft and tender hands and feet. They’ll sleep on soft beds with down pillows until the sun comes up. Māra the Wicked will find a vulnerability and get an opportunity. So you should train like this: ‘We will live using wood blocks as pillows, and we will meditate diligently and keenly.’ That’s how you should train.”