sutta » sn » sn20 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 20.6

Dhanuggahasutta

The Archers

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.
At Sāvatthī.

“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, cattāro daḷhadhammā dhanuggahā susikkhitā katahatthā katūpāsanā catuddisā ṭhitā assu.
“Mendicants, suppose there were four well-trained expert archers with strong bows standing in the four quarters.

Atha puriso āgaccheyya:
And a man came along and thought,

‘ahaṁ imesaṁ catunnaṁ daḷhadhammānaṁ dhanuggahānaṁ susikkhitānaṁ katahatthānaṁ katūpāsanānaṁ catuddisā kaṇḍe khitte appatiṭṭhite pathaviyaṁ gahetvā āharissāmī’ti.
‘When these four well-trained expert archers shoot arrows in four quarters, I’ll catch them before they reach the ground, and then I’ll bring them back.’

Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave,
What do you think, mendicants?

‘javano puriso paramena javena samannāgato’ti alaṁvacanāyā”ti?
Are they qualified to be called ‘a speedster, with ultimate speed’?”

“Ekassa cepi, bhante, daḷhadhammassa dhanuggahassa susikkhitassa katahatthassa katūpāsanassa kaṇḍaṁ khittaṁ appatiṭṭhitaṁ pathaviyaṁ gahetvā āhareyya:
“If he could catch an arrow shot by just one well-trained expert archer before it reaches the ground and bring it back,

‘javano puriso paramena javena samannāgato’ti alaṁvacanāya, ko pana vādo catunnaṁ daḷhadhammānaṁ dhanuggahānaṁ susikkhitānaṁ katahatthānaṁ katūpāsanānan”ti?
he’d be qualified to be called ‘a speedster, with ultimate speed’. How much more so arrows shot by four archers!”

“Yathā ca, bhikkhave, tassa purisassa javo, yathā ca candimasūriyānaṁ javo, tato sīghataro.
“As fast as that man is, the sun and moon are faster.

Yathā ca, bhikkhave, tassa purisassa javo yathā ca candimasūriyānaṁ javo yathā ca yā devatā candimasūriyānaṁ purato dhāvanti tāsaṁ devatānaṁ javo, (…) tato sīghataraṁ āyusaṅkhārā khīyanti.
As fast as that man is, as fast as the sun and moon are, and as fast as the deities that run before the sun and moon are, the waning of the life forces is faster.

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ:
So you should train like this:

‘appamattā viharissāmā’ti.
‘We will stay diligent.’

Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.
That’s how you should train.”

Chaṭṭhaṁ.