English
9. The Chapter of Similes 1. The Sutta on the Peak Thus have I heard – on one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling in Sāvatthī, at Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus, saying: “Bhikkhus!” “Venerable sir!” those bhikkhus replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this: “Just as, bhikkhus, whatever rafters there are in a peaked house, all of them converge on the peak, incline towards the peak, meet at the peak, all of them go to destruction at the peak; “Even so, bhikkhus, whatever unwholesome states there are, all of them are rooted in ignorance, converge on ignorance, meet at ignorance, all of them go to destruction at ignorance. “Therefore, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves thus: ‘We will dwell heedfully.’ “Thus indeed, bhikkhus, should you train yourselves.” The First. 2. The Sutta on the Fingernail Dwelling in Sāvatthī. Then the Blessed One, having picked up a little dust on his fingernail, addressed the bhikkhus thus: “What do you think, bhikkhus, which is more: this little dust I have picked up on my fingernail, or this great earth?” “Venerable sir, this great earth is much more. The little dust the Blessed One has picked up on his fingernail is trifling. It does not count, it does not compare, it is not a fraction when compared to the great earth, this little dust the Blessed One has picked up on his fingernail.” “Even so, bhikkhus, few are those beings who are reborn among humans; “But far more are those beings who are reborn elsewhere than among humans. “Therefore, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves thus: ‘We will dwell heedfully.’ “Thus indeed, bhikkhus, should you train yourselves.” The Second. 3. The Sutta on Families Dwelling in Sāvatthī… (as before) … “Just as, bhikkhus, whatever families have many women and few men, they are easily assailed by robbers and… by food-thieves. Just so, monks, of whatever monk the liberation of mind by loving-kindness is not developed, is not cultivated, he is easily assailable by non-humans. Just as, monks, whatever families have few women and many men, they are difficult to assail by thieves, by food-thieves, just so, monks, of whatever monk the liberation of mind by loving-kindness is developed, is cultivated, he is difficult to assail by non-humans. Therefore, monks, thus should you train: ‘Our liberation of mind by loving-kindness will be developed, cultivated, made a vehicle, made a basis, established, familiarized, well-undertaken.’ Thus indeed, monks, should you train. The Third. 4. The Discourse on a Morsel 226. Dwelling at Sāvatthī… “Whoever, monks, in the forenoon would give a hundred morsels as a gift, whoever in the midday would give a hundred morsels as a gift, whoever in the evening would give a hundred morsels as a gift, or whoever in the forenoon even for the duration of a cow’s milking would develop a mind of loving-kindness, or whoever in the midday even for the duration of a cow’s milking would develop a mind of loving-kindness, or whoever in the evening even for the duration of a cow’s milking would develop a mind of loving-kindness, this is more greatly fruitful than that. Therefore, monks, thus should you train: ‘Our liberation of mind by loving-kindness will be developed, cultivated, made a vehicle, made a basis, established, familiarized, well-undertaken.’ Thus indeed, monks, should you train. The Fourth. 5. The Discourse on the Spear 227. Dwelling at Sāvatthī… “Just as, monks, there is a sharp-pointed spear. Then a man might come – ‘I will repel this sharp-pointed spear with my hand or with my fist, I will parry it, I will turn it back.’ What do you think, monks, is that man capable of repelling that sharp-pointed spear with his hand or with his fist, of parrying it, of turning it back?” “No, venerable sir.” “That for what reason?” “Because, venerable sir, a sharp-pointed spear is not easy to ward off, to strike back, to turn aside with hand or fist. And that person would only be a partaker of weariness and vexation.” “Even so, bhikkhus, if for any bhikkhu the liberation of mind by loving-kindness is cultivated, developed, made a vehicle, made a basis, established, practiced, well-mastered, and if a non-human being should think to disturb his mind; then that very non-human being would be a partaker of weariness and vexation. Therefore, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves thus: ‘Our liberation of mind by loving-kindness will be cultivated, developed, made a vehicle, made a basis, established, practiced, well-mastered.’ Thus, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves.” The Fifth. 6. The Discourse on the Archer 228. Dwelling at Sāvatthī… “Suppose, bhikkhus, there were four strong-bowed archers, well-trained, skilled, accomplished, standing in the four directions. Then a man would come and say: ‘I will catch and bring back the arrows shot by these four strong-bowed archers, well-trained, skilled, accomplished, in the four directions, before they land on the ground.’ What do you think, bhikkhus? Would it be right to say that ‘this man is swift, endowed with supreme swiftness’?” “Even if, venerable sir, he were to catch and bring back an arrow shot by just one strong-bowed archer, well-trained, skilled, accomplished, before it landed on the ground— it would be right to say that ‘this man is swift, endowed with supreme swiftness.’ What then of four strong-bowed archers, well-trained, skilled, accomplished?” “As is the swiftness of that man, bhikkhus, and as is the swiftness of the moon and sun, swifter than that. As is the swiftness of that man, bhikkhus, and as is the swiftness of the moon and sun, and as are the deities who go before the moon and sun, Oh, the speed of those deities who run, faster than that. And just as, monks, is the speed of that person, and just as is the speed of the moon and sun, and just as is the speed of those deities who run in front of the moon and sun, the speed of those deities, faster than that, life-formations decay. Therefore, here, monks, thus should you train: 'We will dwell heedfully.' For thus, monks, should you train. The Sixth. 7. The Discourse on the Peg 229. Dwelling at Sāvatthī… (and so on)… "Formerly, monks, the Dasārahas had a drum named Ānaka. When that Ānaka was struck, the Dasārahas drove in another peg. There was, monks, a time when the old drum-face of the Ānaka drum disappeared. Only the collection of pegs remained. Even so, monks, there will be monks in the future, those discourses spoken by the Tathāgata, profound, profound in meaning, supramundane, connected with emptiness—when they are being recited, they will not listen, they will not lend an ear, they will not apply their minds to understanding, nor will they think those teachings are worth learning or mastering." "But those discourses that are composed by poets, poetic, with charming words, charming phrases, external, spoken by disciples—when they are being recited, they will listen, they will lend an ear, they will apply their minds to understanding, and they will think those teachings are worth learning and mastering. Thus, monks, there will be the disappearance of these discourses spoken by the Tathāgata, profound, profound in meaning, supramundane, connected with emptiness. Therefore, here, monks, thus should you train: 'When those discourses spoken by the Tathāgata, profound, profound in meaning, supramundane, connected with emptiness, are being recited, we will listen, we will lend an ear, we will apply our minds to understanding, and we will think those teachings are worth learning and mastering.'" . Thus, monks, should you train yourselves.” The seventh. 8. The Kaliṅgara Sutta 230. Thus have I heard – at one time the Blessed One was dwelling in Vesālī, in the Great Wood, in the Gabled Hall. There the Blessed One addressed the monks, saying, “Monks!” “Venerable sir,” those monks replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this: “Like kaliṅgara wood, monks, the Licchavīs now dwell, diligent, ardent, in their practice. For them, King Ajātasattu, son of Vedehī, of Magadha, finds no opportunity, finds no occasion. There will be, monks, in the future, Licchavīs who are delicate, with soft, tender hands and feet. They will lie down on soft beds, with cotton pillows, until sunrise. For them, King Ajātasattu, son of Vedehī, of Magadha, will find opportunity, will find occasion. “Like kaliṅgara wood, monks, the monks now dwell, diligent, ardent, in their striving. For them, Māra the Evil One finds no opportunity, finds no occasion. There will be, monks, in the future, monks who are delicate, with soft, tender hands and feet. They will lie down on soft beds, with cotton pillows, until sunrise. For them, Māra the Evil One will find opportunity, will find occasion. Therefore, monks, you should train yourselves thus: ‘We will dwell like kaliṅgara wood, diligent, ardent, in our striving.’ Thus, monks, should you train yourselves.” The eighth. 9. The Nāga Sutta 231. Thus have I heard – at one time the Blessed One was dwelling in Sāvatthī, in Jeta’s Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time a certain new monk was visiting families excessively. The monks said to him, “Venerable sir, do not visit families excessively.” ” So, when the bhikkhu was told this by the bhikkhus, he said: “If these elder bhikkhus think it proper to visit families, how much more so should I?” Then a number of bhikkhus approached the Bhagavā; having approached, they saluted the Bhagavā and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, those bhikkhus said to the Bhagavā: “Here, Bhante, a certain young bhikkhu visits families excessively. The bhikkhus told him: ‘Venerable sir, do not visit families excessively.’ When the bhikkhu was told this by the bhikkhus, he said: ‘If these elder bhikkhus think it proper to visit families, how much more so should I?’” “In the past, bhikkhus, there was a great lake in a forest region. Elephants lived dependent on it.