sutta » sn » sn1 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 1.38

Sakalikasutta

A Splinter The Stone Splinter

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
So I have heard.
Thus have I heard.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati maddakucchismiṁ migadāye.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha in the Maddakucchi deer park.
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Rajagaha in the Maddakucchi Deer Park.

Tena kho pana samayena bhagavato pādo sakalikāya khato hoti.
Now at that time the Buddha’s foot had been cut by a splinter.
Now on that occasion the Blessed One’s foot had been cut by a stone splinter.

Bhusā sudaṁ bhagavato vedanā vattanti sārīrikā vedanā dukkhā tibbā kharā kaṭukā asātā amanāpā;
The Buddha was stricken by harrowing pains; physical feelings that were painful, sharp, severe, acute, unpleasant, and disagreeable.
Severe pains assailed the Blessed One—bodily feelings that were painful, racking, sharp, piercing, harrowing, disagreeable.

tā sudaṁ bhagavā sato sampajāno adhivāseti avihaññamāno.
But he endured unbothered, with mindfulness and situational awareness.
But the Blessed One endured them, mindful and clearly comprehending, without becoming distressed.

Atha kho bhagavā catugguṇaṁ saṅghāṭiṁ paññāpetvā dakkhiṇena passena sīhaseyyaṁ kappeti pāde pādaṁ accādhāya sato sampajāno.
And then he spread out his outer robe folded in four and laid down in the lion’s posture—on the right side, placing one foot on top of the other—mindful and aware.
Then the Blessed One had his outer robe folded in four, and he lay down on his right side in the lion posture with one leg overlapping the other, mindful and clearly comprehending.

Atha kho sattasatā satullapakāyikā devatāyo abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ maddakucchiṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhaṁsu.
Then, late at night, seven hundred glorious deities of the Satullapa Group, lighting up the entire Maddakucchi, went up to the Buddha, bowed, and stood to one side.
Then, when the night had advanced, seven hundred devatās belonging to the Satullapa host, of stunning beauty, illuminating the entire Maddakucchi Deer Park, approached the Blessed One. Having approached, they paid homage to the Blessed One and stood to one side.

Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho ekā devatā bhagavato santike imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:
Standing to one side, one deity expressed this heartfelt sentiment in the Buddha’s presence:
Then one devatā, standing to one side, uttered this inspired utterance in the presence of the Blessed One:

“nāgo vata, bho, samaṇo gotamo;
“The ascetic Gotama is such an elephant, sir!
“The ascetic Gotama is indeed a naga, sir!

nāgavatā ca samuppannā sārīrikā vedanā dukkhā tibbā kharā kaṭukā asātā amanāpā sato sampajāno adhivāseti avihaññamāno”ti.
And as an elephant, he endures painful physical feelings that have come up—sharp, severe, acute, unpleasant, and disagreeable—unbothered, with mindfulness and situational awareness.”
And when bodily feelings have arisen that are painful, racking, sharp, piercing, harrowing, disagreeable, through his naga-like manner he endures them, mindful and clearly comprehending, without becoming distressed. ”

Atha kho aparā devatā bhagavato santike imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:
Then another deity expressed this heartfelt sentiment in the Buddha’s presence:
Then another devatā uttered this inspired utterance in the presence of the Blessed One:

“sīho vata, bho, samaṇo gotamo;
“The ascetic Gotama is such a lion, sir!
“The ascetic Gotama is indeed a lion,

sīhavatā ca samuppannā sārīrikā vedanā dukkhā tibbā kharā kaṭukā asātā amanāpā sato sampajāno adhivāseti avihaññamāno”ti.
And as a lion, he endures painful physical feelings … unbothered.”
sir! And when bodily feelings have arisen that are painful, racking, sharp, piercing, harrowing, disagreeable, through his leonine manner he endures them, mindful and clearly comprehending, without becoming distressed. ”

Atha kho aparā devatā bhagavato santike imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:
Then another deity expressed this heartfelt sentiment in the Buddha’s presence:
Then another devatā uttered this inspired utterance in the presence of the Blessed One:

“ājānīyo vata, bho, samaṇo gotamo;
“The ascetic Gotama is such a thoroughbred, sir!
“The ascetic Gotama is indeed a thoroughbred, sir!

ājānīyavatā ca samuppannā sārīrikā vedanā dukkhā tibbā kharā kaṭukā asātā amanāpā sato sampajāno adhivāseti avihaññamāno”ti.
And as a thoroughbred, he endures painful physical feelings … unbothered.”
And when bodily feelings have arisen that are painful … disagreeable, through his thoroughbred manner he endures them, mindful and clearly comprehending, without becoming distressed. ”

Atha kho aparā devatā bhagavato santike imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:
Then another deity expressed this heartfelt sentiment in the Buddha’s presence:
Then another devatā uttered this inspired utterance in the presence of the Blessed One:

“nisabho vata, bho, samaṇo gotamo;
“The ascetic Gotama is such a chief bull, sir!
“The ascetic Gotama is indeed a chief bull, sir!

nisabhavatā ca samuppannā sārīrikā vedanā dukkhā tibbā kharā kaṭukā asātā amanāpā sato sampajāno adhivāseti avihaññamāno”ti.
And as a chief bull, he endures painful physical feelings … unbothered.”
mindful and clearly comprehending, without becoming distressed. ”

Atha kho aparā devatā bhagavato santike imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:
Then another deity expressed this heartfelt sentiment in the Buddha’s presence:
Then another devatā uttered this inspired utterance in the presence of the Blessed One:

“dhorayho vata, bho, samaṇo gotamo;
“The ascetic Gotama is such a behemoth, sir!
“The ascetic Gotama is indeed a beast of burden, sir!

dhorayhavatā ca samuppannā sārīrikā vedanā dukkhā tibbā kharā kaṭukā asātā amanāpā sato sampajāno adhivāseti avihaññamāno”ti.
And as a behemoth, he endures painful physical feelings … unbothered.”
And when bodily feelings have arisen that are painful … disagreeable, through his beast-of-burden’s manner he endures them, mindful and clearly comprehending, without becoming distressed. ”

Atha kho aparā devatā bhagavato santike imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:
Then another deity expressed this heartfelt sentiment in the Buddha’s presence:
Then another devatā uttered this inspired utterance in the presence of the Blessed One:

“danto vata, bho, samaṇo gotamo;
“The ascetic Gotama is truly tamed, sir!
“The ascetic Gotama is indeed tamed, sir!

dantavatā ca samuppannā sārīrikā vedanā dukkhā tibbā kharā kaṭukā asātā amanāpā sato sampajāno adhivāseti avihaññamāno”ti.
And as someone tamed, he endures painful physical feelings … unbothered.”
And when bodily feelings have arisen that are painful, racking, sharp, piercing, harrowing, disagreeable, through his tamed manner he endures them, mindful and clearly comprehending, without becoming distressed. ”

Atha kho aparā devatā bhagavato santike imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:
Then another deity expressed this heartfelt sentiment in the Buddha’s presence:
Then another devatā uttered this inspired utterance in the presence of the Blessed One:

“passa samādhiṁ subhāvitaṁ cittañca suvimuttaṁ, na cābhinataṁ na cāpanataṁ na ca sasaṅkhāraniggayhavāritagataṁ.
“See, his immersion is so well developed, and his mind is so well freed—not leaning forward or pulling back, and not held in place by forceful suppression.
“See his concentration well developed and his mind well liberated—not bent forward and not bent back, and not blocked and checked by forceful suppression!

Yo evarūpaṁ purisanāgaṁ purisasīhaṁ purisaājānīyaṁ purisanisabhaṁ purisadhorayhaṁ purisadantaṁ atikkamitabbaṁ maññeyya kimaññatra adassanā”ti.
If anyone imagines that they can overcome such an elephant of a man, a lion of a man, a thoroughbred of a man, a chief bull of a man, a behemoth of a man, a tamed man—what is that but a failure to see?”
If anyone would think such a one could be violated—such a naga of a man, such a lion of a man, such a thoroughbred of a man, such a chief bull of a man, such a beast of burden of a man, such a tamed man—what is that due to apart from lack of vision?”

“Pañcavedā sataṁ samaṁ,
“Learned in the five Vedas, brahmins practice
Though brahmins learned in the five Vedas

Tapassī brāhmaṇā caraṁ;
mortification for a full century.
Practise austerities for a hundred years,

Cittañca nesaṁ na sammā vimuttaṁ,
But their minds are not properly freed,
Their minds are not rightly liberated:

Hīnattharūpā na pāraṅgamā te.
for those of base character don’t cross to the far shore.
Those of low nature do not reach the far shore.

Taṇhādhipannā vatasīlabaddhā,
Seized by craving, <j>attached to precepts and observances,
They founder in craving, bound to vows and rules,

Lūkhaṁ tapaṁ vassasataṁ carantā;
they practice rough and fervent mortification for a hundred years.
Practising rough austerity for a hundred years,

Cittañca nesaṁ na sammā vimuttaṁ,
But their minds are not properly freed,
But their minds are not rightly liberated:

Hīnattharūpā na pāraṅgamā te.
for those of base character don’t cross to the far shore.
Those of low nature do not reach the far shore.

Na mānakāmassa damo idhatthi,
Someone who’s fond of conceit can’t be tamed,
There is no taming here for one fond of conceit,

Na monamatthi asamāhitassa;
and someone without immersion can’t be a sage.
Nor is there sagehood for the unconcentrated:

Eko araññe viharaṁ pamatto,
Living negligent alone in the wilderness,
Though dwelling alone in the forest, heedless,

Na maccudheyyassa tareyya pāran”ti.
they can’t pass beyond Death’s domain.”
One cannot cross beyond the realm of Death.

“Mānaṁ pahāya susamāhitatto,
“Having given up conceit, serene within oneself,
Having abandoned conceit, well concentrated,

Sucetaso sabbadhi vippamutto;
with a healthy heart, everywhere free;
With lofty mind, everywhere released:

Eko araññe viharamappamatto,
living diligent alone in the wilderness,
While dwelling alone in the forest, diligent,

Sa maccudheyyassa tareyya pāran”ti.
they pass beyond Death’s domain.”
One can cross beyond the realm of Death.