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:
The Blessed One said to him as he was sitting to one side:
King Pasenadi of Kosala sat to one side, and the Buddha said to him,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Evarūpe te, mahārāja, mahati mahabbhaye samuppanne dāruṇe manussakkhaye dullabhe manussatte kimassa karaṇīyan”ti?
’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?”
Should such a dire threat arise—a terrible loss of human life, when human birth is so rare—what would you do?”

“Evarūpe me, bhante, mahati mahabbhaye samuppanne dāruṇe manussakkhaye dullabhe manussatte kimassa karaṇīyaṁ aññatra dhammacariyāya aññatra samacariyāya aññatra kusalakiriyāya aññatra puññakiriyāyā”ti?
“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?”
“Sir, what could I do but practice the teachings, practice morality, doing skillful and good actions?”

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

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

“Adhivattamāne ca me, bhante, jarāmaraṇe kimassa karaṇīyaṁ aññatra dhammacariyāya samacariyāya kusalakiriyāya puññakiriyāya?
“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?
“Sir, what can I do but practice the teachings, practice morality, doing skillful and good actions?

Yāni tāni, bhante, raññaṁ khattiyānaṁ muddhāvasittānaṁ issariyamadamattānaṁ kāmagedhapariyuṭṭhitānaṁ janapadatthāvariyappattānaṁ mahantaṁ pathavimaṇḍalaṁ abhivijiya ajjhāvasantānaṁ hatthiyuddhāni bhavanti;
“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;
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,

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…
There are, venerable sir, cavalry battles …
cavalry,

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

pattiyuddhāni bhavanti;
infantry battles …
or infantry.

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

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

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

Saṁvijjati kho pana, bhante, imasmiṁ rājakule pahūtaṁ hiraññasuvaṇṇaṁ bhūmigatañceva vehāsaṭṭhañca, yena mayaṁ pahoma āgate paccatthike dhanena upalāpetuṁ.
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;
In this royal court there is abundant gold coin and bullion stored in dungeons and towers. Using this wealth we can bribe an approaching enemy.

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

Adhivattamāne ca me, bhante, jarāmaraṇe kimassa karaṇīyaṁ aññatra dhammacariyāya samacariyāya kusalakiriyāya puññakiriyāyā”ti?
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?”
When old age and death are advancing, what can I do but practice the teachings, practice morality, doing skillful and good actions?”

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

Adhivattamāne jarāmaraṇe kimassa karaṇīyaṁ aññatra dhammacariyāya samacariyāya kusalakiriyāya puññakiriyāyā”ti?
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?”
When old age and death are advancing, what can you do but practice the teachings, practice morality, doing skillful and good actions?”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tatiyo vaggo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Puggalo ayyikā loko,

issattaṁ pabbatūpamā;

Desitaṁ buddhaseṭṭhena,

imaṁ kosalapañcakanti.

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