sutta » sn » sn3 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 3.25

Pabbatūpamasutta

The Simile of the Mountain The Simile of the Mountain

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
At Sāvatthī.
At Sāvatthī.

Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho rājānaṁ pasenadiṁ kosalaṁ bhagavā etadavoca:
King Pasenadi of Kosala sat to one side, and the Buddha said to him,
The Blessed One said to him as he was sitting to one side:

“handa kuto nu tvaṁ, mahārāja, āgacchasi divā divassā”ti?
“So, great king, where are you coming from in the middle of the day?”
“Now where are you coming from, great king, in the middle of the day?”

“Yāni tāni, bhante, raññaṁ khattiyānaṁ muddhāvasittānaṁ issariyamadamattānaṁ kāmagedhapariyuṭṭhitānaṁ janapadatthāvariyappattānaṁ mahantaṁ pathavimaṇḍalaṁ abhivijiya ajjhāvasantānaṁ rājakaraṇīyāni bhavanti, tesu khvāhaṁ, etarahi ussukkamāpanno”ti.
“Sir, there are anointed aristocratic kings who are infatuated with authority, and obsessed with greed for sensual pleasures. They have attained stability in the country, occupying a vast conquered territory. Today I have been busy fulfilling the duties of such kings.”
“Just now, venerable sir, I have been engaged in those affairs of kingship typical for head-anointed khattiya kings, who are intoxicated with the intoxication of sovereignty, who are obsessed by greed for sensual pleasures, who have attained stable control in their country, and who rule having conquered a great sphere of territory on earth.”

“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, mahārāja,
“What do you think, great king?
“What do you think, great king?

idha te puriso āgaccheyya puratthimāya disāya saddhāyiko paccayiko.
Suppose a trustworthy and dependable man were to come from the east.
Here, a man would come to you from the east, one who is trustworthy and reliable;

So taṁ upasaṅkamitvā evaṁ vadeyya:
He’d approach you and say:
having approached, he would tell you:

‘yagghe, mahārāja, jāneyyāsi, ahaṁ āgacchāmi puratthimāya disāya.
‘Please great king, you should know this. I come from the east.
‘For sure, great king, you should know this: I am coming from the east,

Tatthaddasaṁ mahantaṁ pabbataṁ abbhasamaṁ, sabbe pāṇe nippothento āgacchati.
There I saw a huge mountain that reached the clouds. And it was coming this way, crushing all creatures.
and there I saw a great mountain high as the clouds coming this way, crushing all living beings.

Yaṁ te, mahārāja, karaṇīyaṁ, taṁ karohī’ti.
So then, great king, do what you must!’
Do whatever you think should be done, great king.

Atha dutiyo puriso āgaccheyya pacchimāya disāya …pe…
Then a second trustworthy and dependable man were to come from the west …
’Then a second man would come to you from the west …

atha tatiyo puriso āgaccheyya uttarāya disāya …
a third from the north …
Then a third man would come to you from the north …

atha catuttho puriso āgaccheyya dakkhiṇāya disāya saddhāyiko paccayiko.
and a fourth from the south.
Then a fourth man would come to you from the south, one who is trustworthy and reliable;

So taṁ upasaṅkamitvā evaṁ vadeyya:
He’d approach you and say:
having approached, he would tell you:

‘yagghe, mahārāja, jāneyyāsi, ahaṁ āgacchāmi dakkhiṇāya disāya.
‘Please great king, you should know this. I come from the south.
‘For sure, great king, you should know this: I am coming from the south,

Tatthaddasaṁ mahantaṁ pabbataṁ abbhasamaṁ sabbe pāṇe nippothento āgacchati.
There I saw a huge mountain that reached the clouds. And it was coming this way, crushing all creatures.
and there I saw a great mountain high as the clouds coming this way, crushing all living beings.

Yaṁ te, mahārāja, karaṇīyaṁ taṁ karohī’ti.
So then, great king, do what you must!’
Do whatever you think should be done, great king.

Evarūpe te, mahārāja, mahati mahabbhaye samuppanne dāruṇe manussakkhaye dullabhe manussatte kimassa karaṇīyan”ti?
Should such a dire threat arise—a terrible loss of human life, when human birth is so rare—what would you do?”
’If, great king, such a great peril should arise, such a terrible destruction of human life, the human state being so difficult to obtain, what should be done?”

“Evarūpe me, bhante, mahati mahabbhaye samuppanne dāruṇe manussakkhaye dullabhe manussatte kimassa karaṇīyaṁ aññatra dhammacariyāya aññatra samacariyāya aññatra kusalakiriyāya aññatra puññakiriyāyā”ti?
“Sir, what could I do but practice the teachings, practice morality, doing skillful and good actions?”
“If, venerable sir, such a great peril should arise, such a terrible destruction of human life, the human state being so difficult to obtain, what else should be done but to live by the Dhamma, to live righteously, and to do wholesome and meritorious deeds?”

“Ārocemi kho te, mahārāja, paṭivedemi kho te, mahārāja, adhivattati kho taṁ, mahārāja, jarāmaraṇaṁ.
“I tell you, great king, I announce to you: old age and death are advancing upon you.
“I inform you, great king, I announce to you, great king: aging and death are rolling in on you.

Adhivattamāne ce te, mahārāja, jarāmaraṇe kimassa karaṇīyan”ti?
Since old age and death are advancing upon you, what would you do?”
When aging and death are rolling in on you, great king, what should be done?”

“Adhivattamāne ca me, bhante, jarāmaraṇe kimassa karaṇīyaṁ aññatra dhammacariyāya samacariyāya kusalakiriyāya puññakiriyāya?
“Sir, what can I do but practice the teachings, practice morality, doing skillful and good actions?
“As aging and death are rolling in on me, venerable sir, what else should be done but to live by the Dhamma, to live righteously, and to do wholesome and meritorious deeds?

Yāni tāni, bhante, raññaṁ khattiyānaṁ muddhāvasittānaṁ issariyamadamattānaṁ kāmagedhapariyuṭṭhitānaṁ janapadatthāvariyappattānaṁ mahantaṁ pathavimaṇḍalaṁ abhivijiya ajjhāvasantānaṁ hatthiyuddhāni bhavanti;
Sir, there are anointed aristocratic kings who are infatuated with authority, and obsessed with greed for sensual pleasures. They have attained stability in the country, occupying a vast conquered territory. Such kings engage in battles of elephants,
“There are, venerable sir, elephant battles [fought by] head-anointed khattiya kings, who are intoxicated with the intoxication of sovereignty, who are obsessed by greed for sensual pleasures, who have attained stable control in their country, and who rule having conquered a great sphere of territory on earth;

tesampi, bhante, hatthiyuddhānaṁ natthi gati natthi visayo adhivattamāne jarāmaraṇe.
but there is no place for those elephant battles, no scope for them, when aging and death are rolling in.

Yānipi tāni, bhante, raññaṁ khattiyānaṁ muddhāvasittānaṁ …pe…
Whatever there are, venerable sir, of these head-anointed khattiya kings …

ajjhāvasantānaṁ assayuddhāni bhavanti …pe…
cavalry,
There are, venerable sir, cavalry battles …

rathayuddhāni bhavanti …pe…
chariots,
There are chariot battles …

pattiyuddhāni bhavanti;
or infantry.
infantry battles …

tesampi, bhante, pattiyuddhānaṁ natthi gati natthi visayo adhivattamāne jarāmaraṇe.
But there is no place, no scope for such battles when old age and death are advancing.
but there is no place for those infantry battles, no scope for them, when aging and death are rolling in.

Santi kho pana, bhante, imasmiṁ rājakule mantino mahāmattā, ye pahonti āgate paccatthike mantehi bhedayituṁ.
In this royal court there are ministers of wise counsel who are capable of dividing an approaching enemy by wise counsel.
In this royal court, venerable sir, there are counsellors who, when the enemies arrive, are capable of dividing them by subterfuge;

Tesampi, bhante, mantayuddhānaṁ natthi gati natthi visayo adhivattamāne jarāmaraṇe.
But there is no place, no scope for such diplomatic battles when old age and death are advancing.
but there is no place for those battles of subterfuge, no scope for them, when aging and death are rolling in.

Saṁvijjati kho pana, bhante, imasmiṁ rājakule pahūtaṁ hiraññasuvaṇṇaṁ bhūmigatañceva vehāsaṭṭhañca, yena mayaṁ pahoma āgate paccatthike dhanena upalāpetuṁ.
In this royal court there is abundant gold, both coined and uncoined, stored in dungeons and towers. Using this wealth we can bribe an approaching enemy.
In this royal court, venerable sir, there exists abundant bullion and gold stored in vaults and depositories, and with such wealth we are capable of mollifying the enemies when they come;

Tesampi, bhante, dhanayuddhānaṁ natthi gati natthi visayo adhivattamāne jarāmaraṇe.
But there is no place, no scope for such monetary battles when old age and death are advancing.
but there is no place for those battles of wealth, no scope for them, when aging and death are rolling in.

Adhivattamāne ca me, bhante, jarāmaraṇe kimassa karaṇīyaṁ aññatra dhammacariyāya samacariyāya kusalakiriyāya puññakiriyāyā”ti?
When old age and death are advancing, what can I do but practice the teachings, practice morality, doing skillful and good actions?”
As aging and death are rolling in on me, venerable sir, what else should be done but to live by the Dhamma, to live righteously, and to do wholesome and meritorious deeds?”

“Evametaṁ, mahārāja, evametaṁ, mahārāja.
“That’s so true, great king! That’s so true!
“So it is, great king! So it is, great king!

Adhivattamāne jarāmaraṇe kimassa karaṇīyaṁ aññatra dhammacariyāya samacariyāya kusalakiriyāya puññakiriyāyā”ti?
When old age and death are advancing, what can you do but practice the teachings, practice morality, doing skillful and good actions?”
As aging and death are rolling in on you, what else should be done but to live by the Dhamma, to live righteously, and to do wholesome and meritorious deeds?”

Idamavoca bhagavā …pe…
That is what the Buddha said.
This is what the Blessed One said.

satthā:
Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:
Having said this, the Fortunate One, the Teacher, further said this:

“Yathāpi selā vipulā,
“Suppose there were vast mountains
“Just as mountains of solid rock,

nabhaṁ āhacca pabbatā;
of solid rock pushing the sky
Massive, reaching to the sky,

Samantānupariyāyeyyuṁ,
drawing in from all sides
Might draw together from all sides,

nippothento catuddisā.
and crushing the four quarters.
Crushing all in the four quarters—

Evaṁ jarā ca maccu ca,
So too old age and death
So aging and death come

adhivattanti pāṇine;
advance upon all living creatures—
Rolling over living beings—

Khattiye brāhmaṇe vesse,
aristocrats, brahmins, peasants,
Khattiyas, brahmins, vessas,

sudde caṇḍālapukkuse;
menials, corpse-workers, and scavengers.
suddas, Caṇḍālas and scavengers:

Na kiñci parivajjeti,
They spare nothing.
They spare none along the way

sabbamevābhimaddati.
They crush all beneath them.
But come crushing everything.

Na tattha hatthīnaṁ bhūmi,
There’s nowhere for elephants to take a stand,
“There’s no ground there for elephant troops,

na rathānaṁ na pattiyā;
nor chariots nor infantry.
For chariot troops and infantry.

Na cāpi mantayuddhena,
They can’t be defeated
One can’t defeat them by subterfuge,

sakkā jetuṁ dhanena vā.
by diplomatic battles or by wealth.
Or buy them off by means of wealth.

Tasmā hi paṇḍito poso,
That’s why an astute person,
“Therefore a person of wisdom here,

sampassaṁ atthamattano;
seeing what’s good for themselves,
Out of regard for his own good,

Buddhe dhamme ca saṅghe ca,
being wise, would place faith
In the Buddha, Dhamma, and Saṅgha.

dhīro saddhaṁ nivesaye.
in the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha.
Steadfast, should settle faith

Yo dhammaṁ cari kāyena,
Whoever lives by the teaching
“When one conducts oneself by Dhamma, by body,

vācāya uda cetasā;
in body, speech, and mind,
speech, and mind,

Idheva naṁ pasaṁsanti,
is praised in this life
They praise one here in the present life,

pecca sagge pamodatī”ti.
and departs to rejoice in heaven.”
And after death one rejoices in heaven. ”

Tatiyo vaggo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Puggalo ayyikā loko,

issattaṁ pabbatūpamā;

Desitaṁ buddhaseṭṭhena,

imaṁ kosalapañcakanti.

Kosalasaṁyuttaṁ samattaṁ.
The Linked Discourses with the Kosalan are completed.