The title of this discourse has sparked some controversy,
centered on the word "ratta." Modern translators in Asian
vernaculars are unanimous in rendering it as "night," a reading
seconded by Sanskrit and Tibetan versions of the discourse.
Translators working in English have balked at this reading,
however, on the grounds that the title it yields — "Auspicious
One-Night" — makes no sense. Thus I.B. Horner drops the word
"ratta" for her translation entirely; Ven Ñanamoli renders
it as "attachment," yielding "One Fortunate Attachment"; and Ven.
Ñanananda, taking his cue from Ven. Ñanamoli, renders it as
"lover," yielding "Ideal Lover of Solitude."
If we look at idiomatic Pali usage, though, we find that there
is good reason to stick with the traditional reading of "night."
There is a tendency in the Pali canon to speak of a 24-hour period
of day and night as a "night." This would be natural for a society
that used a lunar calendar — marking the passage of time by the
phases of the moon — just as it is natural for us, using a solar
calendar, to call the same period of time a "day." As the verse
that forms the summary of this discourse explicitly mentions one
practicing "relentlessly both day and night," the "night" in the
title of the discourse would seem to be a 24-hour, rather than a
12-hour, night — and so I have chosen to render the Pali idiom into
its English equivalent: An Auspicious Day.
Ven. Ñanamoli is probably right in assuming that
"bhaddekaratta" was a pre-Buddhist term that the Buddha
adopted and re-interpreted in light of his own teaching. The point
of the discourse would thus be that — instead of the play of cosmic
forces, the stars, or the lucky omens — one's own development of
the mind's attitude to time is what makes a day auspicious.
"Yes, lord," the monks responded.
The Blessed One said: "Monks, I will teach you the summary &
exposition of one who has had an auspicious day. Listen & pay
close attention. I will speak."
"As you say, lord," the monks replied.
The Blessed One said:
"And how, monks, does one chase after the past? One gets carried
away with the delight of 'In the past I had such a form (body)'...
'In the past I had such a feeling'... 'In the past I had such a
perception'... 'In the past I had such a thought-fabrication'...
'In the past I had such a consciousness.' This is called chasing
after the past.
"And how does one not chase after the past? One does not get
carried away with the delight of 'In the past I had such a form
(body)'... 'In the past I had such a feeling'... 'In the past I had
such a perception'... 'In the past I had such a
thought-fabrication'... 'In the past I had such a consciousness.'
This is called not chasing after the past.
"And how does one place expectations on the future? One gets
carried away with the delight of 'In the future I might have such a
form (body)'... 'In the future I might have such a feeling'... 'In
the future I might have such a perception'... 'In the future I
might have such a thought-fabrication'... 'In the future I might
have such a consciousness.' This is called placing expectations on
the future.
"And how does one not place expectations on the future? One does
not get carried away with the delight of 'In the future I might
have such a form (body)'... 'In the future I might have such a
feeling'... 'In the future I might have such a perception'... 'In
the future I might have such a thought-fabrication'... 'In the
future I might have such a consciousness.' This is called not
placing expectations on the future.
"And how is one taken in with regard to present qualities? There
is the case where an uninstructed run-of-the-mill person who has
not seen the noble ones, is not versed in the teachings of the
noble ones, is not trained in the teachings of the noble ones, sees
form as self, or self as possessing form, or form as in self, or
self as in form.
"He/she sees feeling as self, or self as possessing feeling, or
feeling as in self, or self as in feeling.
"He/she sees perception as self, or self as possessing
perception, or perception as in self, or self as in perception.
"He/she sees thought-fabrications as self, or self as possessing
thought-fabrications, or thought-fabrications as in self, or self
as in thought-fabrications.
"He/she sees consciousness as self, or self as possessing
consciousness, or consciousness as in self, or self as in
consciousness. This is called being taken in with regard to present
qualities.
"And how is one not taken in with regard to present qualities?
There is the case where a disciple of the noble ones who has seen
the noble ones, is versed in the teachings of the noble ones, is
well-trained in the teachings of the noble ones, does not see form
as self, or self as possessing form, or form as in self, or self as
in form.
"He/she does not see feeling as self, or self as possessing
feeling, or feeling as in self, or self as in feeling.
"He/she does not see perception as self, or self as possessing
perception, or perception as in self, or self as in perception.
"He/she does not see thought-fabrications as self, or self as
possessing thought-fabrications, or thought-fabrications as in
self, or self as in thought-fabrications.
"He/she does not see consciousness as self, or self as
possessing consciousness, or consciousness as in self, or self as
in consciousness. This is called not being taken in with regard to
present qualities.
"'Monks, I will teach you the summary & exposition of one
who has had an auspicious day.' Thus was it said, and in reference
to this was it said."
That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, the monks
delighted in the Blessed One's words.