sutta » sn » sn35 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 35.238

Āsīvisopamasutta

The Simile of the Vipers

“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, cattāro āsīvisā uggatejā ghoravisā.
“Mendicants, suppose there were four lethal poisonous vipers.

Atha puriso āgaccheyya jīvitukāmo amaritukāmo sukhakāmo dukkhappaṭikūlo.
Then a person would come along who wants to live and doesn’t want to die, who wants to be happy and recoils from pain.

Tamenaṁ evaṁ vadeyyuṁ:
They’d say to him,

‘ime te, ambho purisa, cattāro āsīvisā uggatejā ghoravisā kālena kālaṁ vuṭṭhāpetabbā, kālena kālaṁ nhāpetabbā, kālena kālaṁ bhojetabbā, kālena kālaṁ saṁvesetabbā.
‘Mister, here are four lethal poisonous vipers. They must be periodically picked up, washed, fed, and put to sleep.

Yadā ca kho te, ambho purisa, imesaṁ catunnaṁ āsīvisānaṁ uggatejānaṁ ghoravisānaṁ aññataro vā aññataro vā kuppissati, tato tvaṁ, ambho purisa, maraṇaṁ vā nigacchasi, maraṇamattaṁ vā dukkhaṁ.
But when one or other of these four poisonous vipers gets angry with you, you’ll meet with death or deadly pain.

Yaṁ te, ambho purisa, karaṇīyaṁ taṁ karohī’ti.
So then, mister, do what has to be done.’

Atha kho so, bhikkhave, puriso bhīto catunnaṁ āsīvisānaṁ uggatejānaṁ ghoravisānaṁ yena vā tena vā palāyetha.
Then that man, terrified of those four poisonous vipers, would flee this way or that.

Tamenaṁ evaṁ vadeyyuṁ:
They’d say to him,

‘ime kho, ambho purisa, pañca vadhakā paccatthikā piṭṭhito piṭṭhito anubandhā, yattheva naṁ passissāma tattheva jīvitā voropessāmāti.
‘Mister, there are five deadly enemies chasing you, thinking: “When we catch sight of him, we’ll murder him right there!”

Yaṁ te, ambho purisa, karaṇīyaṁ taṁ karohī’ti.
So then, mister, do what has to be done.’

Atha kho so, bhikkhave, puriso bhīto catunnaṁ āsīvisānaṁ uggatejānaṁ ghoravisānaṁ, bhīto pañcannaṁ vadhakānaṁ paccatthikānaṁ yena vā tena vā palāyetha.
Then that man, terrified of those four poisonous vipers and those five deadly enemies, would flee this way or that.

Tamenaṁ evaṁ vadeyyuṁ:
They’d say to him,

‘ayaṁ te, ambho purisa, chaṭṭho antaracaro vadhako ukkhittāsiko piṭṭhito piṭṭhito anubandho yattheva naṁ passissāmi tattheva siro pātessāmīti.
‘Mister, there’s a sixth hidden killer chasing you with a drawn sword, thinking: “When I catch sight of him, I’ll chop off his head right there!”

Yaṁ te, ambho purisa, karaṇīyaṁ taṁ karohī’ti.
So then, mister, do what has to be done.’

Atha kho so, bhikkhave, puriso bhīto catunnaṁ āsīvisānaṁ uggatejānaṁ ghoravisānaṁ, bhīto pañcannaṁ vadhakānaṁ paccatthikānaṁ, bhīto chaṭṭhassa antaracarassa vadhakassa ukkhittāsikassa yena vā tena vā palāyetha.
Then that man, terrified of those four poisonous vipers and those five deadly enemies and the hidden killer, would flee this way or that.

So passeyya suññaṁ gāmaṁ.
He’d see an empty village.

Yaññadeva gharaṁ paviseyya rittakaññeva paviseyya tucchakaññeva paviseyya suññakaññeva paviseyya.
But whatever house he enters is vacant, deserted, and empty.

Yaññadeva bhājanaṁ parimaseyya rittakaññeva parimaseyya tucchakaññeva parimaseyya suññakaññeva parimaseyya.
And whatever vessel he touches is vacant, hollow, and empty.

Tamenaṁ evaṁ vadeyyuṁ:
They’d say to him,

‘idāni, ambho purisa, imaṁ suññaṁ gāmaṁ corā gāmaghātakā pavisanti.
‘Mister, there are bandits who raid villages, and they’re striking now.

Yaṁ te, ambho purisa, karaṇīyaṁ taṁ karohī’ti.
So then, mister, do what has to be done.’

Atha kho so, bhikkhave, puriso bhīto catunnaṁ āsīvisānaṁ uggatejānaṁ ghoravisānaṁ, bhīto pañcannaṁ vadhakānaṁ paccatthikānaṁ, bhīto chaṭṭhassa antaracarassa vadhakassa ukkhittāsikassa, bhīto corānaṁ gāmaghātakānaṁ yena vā tena vā palāyetha.
Then that man, terrified of those four poisonous vipers and those five deadly enemies and the hidden killer and the bandits, would flee this way or that.

So passeyya mahantaṁ udakaṇṇavaṁ orimaṁ tīraṁ sāsaṅkaṁ sappaṭibhayaṁ, pārimaṁ tīraṁ khemaṁ appaṭibhayaṁ.
He’d see a large deluge, whose near shore is dubious and perilous, while the far shore is a sanctuary free of peril.

Na cassa nāvā santāraṇī uttarasetu vā apārā pāraṁ gamanāya.
But there’s no ferryboat or bridge for crossing over.

Atha kho, bhikkhave, tassa purisassa evamassa:
Then that man thought,

‘ayaṁ kho mahāudakaṇṇavo orimaṁ tīraṁ sāsaṅkaṁ sappaṭibhayaṁ, pārimaṁ tīraṁ khemaṁ appaṭibhayaṁ, natthi ca nāvā santāraṇī uttarasetu vā apārā pāraṁ gamanāya.

Yannūnāhaṁ tiṇakaṭṭhasākhāpalāsaṁ saṅkaḍḍhitvā kullaṁ bandhitvā taṁ kullaṁ nissāya hatthehi ca pādehi ca vāyamamāno sotthinā pāraṁ gaccheyyan’ti.
‘Why don’t I gather grass, sticks, branches, and leaves and make a raft? Riding on the raft, and paddling with my hands and feet, I can safely reach the far shore.’

Atha kho so, bhikkhave, puriso tiṇakaṭṭhasākhāpalāsaṁ saṅkaḍḍhitvā kullaṁ bandhitvā taṁ kullaṁ nissāya hatthehi ca pādehi ca vāyamamāno sotthinā pāraṁ gaccheyya, tiṇṇo pāraṅgato thale tiṭṭhati brāhmaṇo.
And so that man did exactly that. Having crossed over and gone beyond, the brahmin stands on the far shore.

Upamā kho myāyaṁ, bhikkhave, katā atthassa viññāpanāya.
I’ve made up this simile to make a point.

Ayañcettha attho—
And this is the point.

cattāro āsīvisā uggatejā ghoravisāti kho, bhikkhave, catunnetaṁ mahābhūtānaṁ adhivacanaṁ—
‘Four lethal poisonous vipers’ is a term for the four primary elements:

pathavīdhātuyā, āpodhātuyā, tejodhātuyā, vāyodhātuyā.
the elements of earth, water, fire, and air.

Pañca vadhakā paccatthikāti kho, bhikkhave, pañcannetaṁ upādānakkhandhānaṁ adhivacanaṁ, seyyathidaṁ—
‘Five deadly enemies’ is a term for the five grasping aggregates, that is:

rūpupādānakkhandhassa, vedanupādānakkhandhassa, saññupādānakkhandhassa, saṅkhārupādānakkhandhassa, viññāṇupādānakkhandhassa.
form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness.

Chaṭṭho antaracaro vadhako ukkhittāsikoti kho, bhikkhave, nandīrāgassetaṁ adhivacanaṁ.
‘The sixth hidden killer with a drawn sword’ is a term for relishing and greed.

Suñño gāmoti kho, bhikkhave, channetaṁ ajjhattikānaṁ āyatanānaṁ adhivacanaṁ.
‘Empty village’ is a term for the six interior sense fields.

Cakkhuto cepi naṁ, bhikkhave, paṇḍito byatto medhāvī upaparikkhati rittakaññeva khāyati, tucchakaññeva khāyati, suññakaññeva khāyati …pe…
If an astute, competent, clever person investigates this in relation to the eye, it appears vacant, hollow, and empty.

jivhāto cepi naṁ, bhikkhave …pe…
If an astute, competent, clever person investigates this in relation to the ear … nose … tongue … body …

manato cepi naṁ, bhikkhave, paṇḍito byatto medhāvī upaparikkhati rittakaññeva khāyati, tucchakaññeva khāyati, suññakaññeva khāyati.
mind, it appears vacant, hollow, and empty.

Corā gāmaghātakāti kho, bhikkhave, channetaṁ bāhirānaṁ āyatanānaṁ adhivacanaṁ.
‘Bandits who raid villages’ is a term for the six exterior sense fields.

Cakkhu, bhikkhave, haññati manāpāmanāpesu rūpesu;
The eye is struck by both agreeable and disagreeable sights.

sotaṁ, bhikkhave …pe…
The ear …

ghānaṁ, bhikkhave …pe…
nose …

jivhā, bhikkhave, haññati manāpāmanāpesu rasesu;
tongue …

kāyo, bhikkhave …pe…
body …

mano, bhikkhave, haññati manāpāmanāpesu dhammesu.
mind is struck by both agreeable and disagreeable ideas.

Mahā udakaṇṇavoti kho, bhikkhave, catunnetaṁ oghānaṁ adhivacanaṁ—
‘Large deluge’ is a term for the four floods:

kāmoghassa, bhavoghassa, diṭṭhoghassa, avijjoghassa.
the floods of sensual pleasures, desire to be reborn, views, and ignorance.

Orimaṁ tīraṁ sāsaṅkaṁ sappaṭibhayanti kho, bhikkhave, sakkāyassetaṁ adhivacanaṁ.
‘The near shore that’s dubious and perilous’ is a term for substantial reality.

Pārimaṁ tīraṁ khemaṁ appaṭibhayanti kho, bhikkhave, nibbānassetaṁ adhivacanaṁ.
‘The far shore, a sanctuary free of peril’ is a term for extinguishment.

Kullanti kho, bhikkhave, ariyassetaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikassa maggassa adhivacanaṁ, seyyathidaṁ—
‘The raft’ is a term for the noble eightfold path, that is:

sammādiṭṭhi …pe… sammāsamādhi.
right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion.

Tassa hatthehi ca pādehi ca vāyāmoti kho, bhikkhave, vīriyārambhassetaṁ adhivacanaṁ.
‘Paddling with hands and feet’ is a term for rousing energy.

Tiṇṇo pāraṅgato thale tiṭṭhati brāhmaṇoti kho, bhikkhave, arahato etaṁ adhivacanan”ti.
‘Crossed over, gone beyond, the brahmin stands on the shore’ is a term for a perfected one.”

Paṭhamaṁ.