sutta » sn » sn35 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 35.69

Upasenaāsīvisasutta

Upasena and the Viper

Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā ca sāriputto āyasmā ca upaseno rājagahe viharanti sītavane sappasoṇḍikapabbhāre.
At one time the venerables Sāriputta and Upasena were staying near Rājagaha in the Cool Grove, under the Snake’s Hood Grotto.

Tena kho pana samayena āyasmato upasenassa kāye āsīviso patito hoti.
Now at that time a viper fell on Upasena’s body,

Atha kho āyasmā upaseno bhikkhū āmantesi:
and he addressed the mendicants,

“etha me, āvuso, imaṁ kāyaṁ mañcakaṁ āropetvā bahiddhā nīharatha.
“Come, reverends, lift this body onto a cot and carry it outside

Purāyaṁ kāyo idheva vikirati;
before it’s scattered right here

seyyathāpi bhusamuṭṭhī”ti.
like a handful of chaff.”

Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā sāriputto āyasmantaṁ upasenaṁ etadavoca:
When he said this, Sāriputta said to him,

“na kho pana mayaṁ passāma āyasmato upasenassa kāyassa vā aññathattaṁ indriyānaṁ vā vipariṇāmaṁ.
“But we don’t see any impairment in your body or deterioration of your faculties.

Atha ca panāyasmā upaseno evamāha:
Yet you say:

‘etha me, āvuso, imaṁ kāyaṁ mañcakaṁ āropetvā bahiddhā nīharatha.
‘Come, reverends, lift this body onto a cot and carry it outside

Purāyaṁ kāyo idheva vikirati;
before it’s scattered right here

seyyathāpi bhusamuṭṭhī’”ti.
like a handful of chaff.’”

“Yassa nūna, āvuso sāriputta, evamassa:
“Reverend Sāriputta, there may be an impairment in body or deterioration of faculties for someone who thinks:

‘ahaṁ cakkhūti vā mama cakkhūti vā …pe…
‘I am the eye’ or ‘the eye is mine.’

ahaṁ jivhāti vā mama jivhāti vā …
Or ‘I am the ear … nose … tongue … body …’

ahaṁ manoti vā mama mano’ti vā.
Or ‘I am the mind’ or ‘the mind is mine.’

Tassa, āvuso sāriputta, siyā kāyassa vā aññathattaṁ indriyānaṁ vā vipariṇāmo.

Mayhañca kho, āvuso sāriputta, na evaṁ hoti:
But I don’t think like that.

‘ahaṁ cakkhūti vā mama cakkhūti vā …pe…

ahaṁ jivhāti vā mama jivhāti vā …pe…

ahaṁ manoti vā mama manoti vā’.

Tassa mayhañca kho, āvuso sāriputta, kiṁ kāyassa vā aññathattaṁ bhavissati, indriyānaṁ vā vipariṇāmo”ti.
So why would there be an impairment in my body or deterioration of my faculties?”

Tathā hi panāyasmato upasenassa dīgharattaṁ ahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānusayo susamūhato.
“That must be because Venerable Upasena has long ago totally eradicated ego, possessiveness, and the underlying tendency to conceit.

Tasmā āyasmato upasenassa na evaṁ hoti:
That’s why it doesn’t occur to you:

“‘ahaṁ cakkhūti vā mama cakkhūti vā …pe…
‘I am the eye’ or ‘the eye is mine.’ Or ‘I am the ear …

ahaṁ jivhāti vā mama jivhāti vā …pe…
nose … tongue … body …’

ahaṁ manoti vā mama mano’ti vā”ti.
Or ‘I am the mind’ or ‘the mind is mine.’”

Atha kho te bhikkhū āyasmato upasenassa kāyaṁ mañcakaṁ āropetvā bahiddhā nīhariṁsu.
Then those mendicants lifted Upasena’s body onto a cot and carried it outside.

Atha kho āyasmato upasenassa kāyo tattheva vikiri;
And his body was scattered right there

seyyathāpi bhusamuṭṭhīti.
like a handful of chaff.

Sattamaṁ.