Saṁyutta Nikāya 35.230
Translators: sujato
Linked Discourses 35.230
18. Samuddavagga
18. The Ocean
Bāḷisikopamasutta
The Simile of the Fisherman
“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, bāḷisiko āmisagatabaḷisaṁ gambhīre udakarahade pakkhipeyya.
“Mendicants, suppose a fisherman was to cast a baited hook into a deep lake.
Tamenaṁ aññataro āmisacakkhu maccho gileyya.
Seeing the bait, a fish would swallow it.
Evañhi so, bhikkhave, maccho gilitabaḷiso bāḷisikassa anayaṁ āpanno byasanaṁ āpanno yathākāmakaraṇīyo bāḷisikassa.
And so the fish that swallowed the hook would meet with tragedy and disaster, and the fisherman can do what he wants with it.
Evameva kho, bhikkhave, chayime baḷisā lokasmiṁ anayāya sattānaṁ vadhāya pāṇinaṁ.
In the same way, there are these six hooks in the world that mean tragedy and slaughter for living creatures.
Katame cha?
What six?
Santi, bhikkhave, cakkhuviññeyyā rūpā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā.
There are sights known by the eye that are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing.
Tañce, bhikkhu, abhinandati abhivadati ajjhosāya tiṭṭhati.
If a mendicant approves, welcomes, and keeps clinging to them,
Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhikkhu gilitabaḷiso, mārassa anayaṁ āpanno byasanaṁ āpanno yathākāmakaraṇīyo pāpimato …pe…
they’re called a mendicant who has swallowed Māra’s hook. They’ve met with tragedy and disaster, and the Wicked One can do with them what he wants.
santi, bhikkhave, jivhāviññeyyā rasā …pe….
There are sounds … smells … tastes … touches …
Santi, bhikkhave, manoviññeyyā dhammā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā.
ideas known by the mind that are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing.
Tañce, bhikkhu, abhinandati abhivadati ajjhosāya tiṭṭhati.
If a mendicant approves, welcomes, and keeps clinging to them,
Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhikkhu gilitabaḷiso mārassa anayaṁ āpanno byasanaṁ āpanno yathākāmakaraṇīyo pāpimato.
they’re called a mendicant who has swallowed Māra’s hook. They’ve met with tragedy and disaster, and the Wicked One can do with them what he wants.
Santi ca, bhikkhave, cakkhuviññeyyā rūpā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā.
There are sights known by the eye that are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing.
Tañce, bhikkhu, nābhinandati nābhivadati nājjhosāya tiṭṭhati. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhikkhu na gilitabaḷiso mārassa abhedi baḷisaṁ paribhedi baḷisaṁ na anayaṁ āpanno na byasanaṁ āpanno na yathākāmakaraṇīyo pāpimato …pe….
If a mendicant doesn’t approve, welcome, and keep clinging to them, they’re called a mendicant who hasn’t swallowed Māra’s hook. They’ve broken the hook, destroyed it. They haven’t met with tragedy and disaster, and the Wicked One cannot do with them what he wants.
Santi, bhikkhave, jivhāviññeyyā rasā …pe….
There are sounds … smells … tastes … touches …
Santi, bhikkhave, manoviññeyyā dhammā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā.
ideas known by the mind that are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing.
Tañce bhikkhu nābhinandati nābhivadati nājjhosāya tiṭṭhati, ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhikkhu na gilitabaḷiso mārassa abhedi baḷisaṁ paribhedi baḷisaṁ na anayaṁ āpanno na byasanaṁ āpanno na yathākāmakaraṇīyo pāpimato”ti.
If a mendicant doesn’t approve, welcome, and keep clinging to them, they’re called a mendicant who hasn’t swallowed Māra’s hook. They’ve broken the hook, destroyed it. They haven’t met with tragedy and disaster, and the Wicked One cannot do with them what he wants.”
Tatiyaṁ.