Kakacūpamasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 21

The Simile of the Saw · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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Tatrāpi te, phagguna, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ ‘na ceva me cittaṁ vipariṇataṁ bhavissati, na ca pāpikaṁ vācaṁ nicchāressāmi, hitānukampī ca viharissāmi mettacitto, na dosantaro’ti.
Evañhi te, phagguna, sikkhitabban”ti.

If that happens, you should train like this: ‘My mind will not degenerate. I will blurt out no bad words. I will remain full of sympathy, with a heart of love and no secret hate.’ That’s how you should train.”

Atha kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:
“ārādhayiṁsu vata me, bhikkhave, bhikkhū ekaṁ samayaṁ cittaṁ.
Idhāhaṁ, bhikkhave, bhikkhū āmantesiṁ—
ahaṁ kho, bhikkhave, ekāsanabhojanaṁ bhuñjāmi.
Ekāsanabhojanaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhikkhave, bhuñjamāno appābādhatañca sañjānāmi appātaṅkatañca lahuṭṭhānañca balañca phāsuvihārañca.
Etha tumhepi, bhikkhave, ekāsanabhojanaṁ bhuñjatha.
Ekāsanabhojanaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tumhepi bhuñjamānā appābādhatañca sañjānissatha appātaṅkatañca lahuṭṭhānañca balañca phāsuvihārañcāti.
Na me, bhikkhave, tesu bhikkhūsu anusāsanī karaṇīyā ahosi;
satuppādakaraṇīyameva me, bhikkhave, tesu bhikkhūsu ahosi.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, subhūmiyaṁ catumahāpathe ājaññaratho yutto assa ṭhito odhastapatodo.
Tamenaṁ dakkho yoggācariyo assadammasārathi abhiruhitvā, vāmena hatthena rasmiyo gahetvā, dakkhiṇena hatthena patodaṁ gahetvā, yenicchakaṁ yadicchakaṁ sāreyyapi paccāsāreyyapi.
Evameva kho, bhikkhave, na me tesu bhikkhūsu anusāsanī karaṇīyā ahosi,

Then the Buddha said to the mendicants: “Mendicants, I used to be satisfied with the mendicants. Once, I addressed them: ‘I eat my food in one sitting per day. Doing so, I find that I’m healthy and well, nimble, strong, and living comfortably. You too should eat your food in one sitting per day. Doing so, you’ll find that you’re healthy and well, nimble, strong, and living comfortably.’ I didn’t have to keep on instructing those mendicants; I just had to prompt their mindfulness. Suppose a chariot stood harnessed to thoroughbreds at a level crossroads, with a goad ready. A deft horse trainer, a master charioteer, might mount the chariot, taking the reins in his right hand and goad in the left. He’d drive out and back wherever he wishes, whenever he wishes. In the same way, I didn’t have to keep on instructing those mendicants;

satuppādakaraṇīyameva me, bhikkhave, tesu bhikkhūsu ahosi.
Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, tumhepi akusalaṁ pajahatha, kusalesu dhammesu āyogaṁ karotha.
Evañhi tumhepi imasmiṁ dhammavinaye vuddhiṁ virūḷhiṁ vepullaṁ āpajjissatha.

I just had to prompt their mindfulness. So, mendicants, you too should give up what’s unskillful and devote yourselves to skillful qualities. In this way you’ll achieve growth, improvement, and maturity in this teaching and training.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, gāmassa vā nigamassa vā avidūre mahantaṁ sālavanaṁ.
Tañcassa eḷaṇḍehi sañchannaṁ.
Tassa kocideva puriso uppajjeyya atthakāmo hitakāmo yogakkhemakāmo.
So yā tā sālalaṭṭhiyo kuṭilā ojāpaharaṇiyo tā chetvā bahiddhā nīhareyya, antovanaṁ suvisodhitaṁ visodheyya.
Yā pana tā sālalaṭṭhiyo ujukā sujātā tā sammā parihareyya.
Evañhetaṁ, bhikkhave, sālavanaṁ aparena samayena vuddhiṁ virūḷhiṁ vepullaṁ āpajjeyya.
Evameva kho, bhikkhave, tumhepi akusalaṁ pajahatha, kusalesu dhammesu āyogaṁ karotha.
Evañhi tumhepi imasmiṁ dhammavinaye vuddhiṁ virūḷhiṁ vepullaṁ āpajjissatha.

Suppose that not far from a town or village there was a large grove of sal trees that was choked with castor-oil weeds. Then along comes a person who wants to help protect and nurture that grove. They’d cut down the crooked sal saplings that were robbing the sap, and throw them out. They’d clean up the interior of the grove, and properly care for the straight, well-formed sal saplings. In this way, in due course, that sal grove would grow, increase, and mature. In the same way, mendicants, you too should give up what’s unskillful and devote yourselves to skillful qualities. In this way you’ll achieve growth, improvement, and maturity in this teaching and training.

Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, imissāyeva sāvatthiyā vedehikā nāma gahapatānī ahosi.
Vedehikāya, bhikkhave, gahapatāniyā evaṁ kalyāṇo kittisaddo abbhuggato:
‘soratā vedehikā gahapatānī, nivātā vedehikā gahapatānī, upasantā vedehikā gahapatānī’ti.
Vedehikāya kho pana, bhikkhave, gahapatāniyā kāḷī nāma dāsī ahosi dakkhā analasā susaṁvihitakammantā.
Atha kho, bhikkhave, kāḷiyā dāsiyā etadahosi:
‘mayhaṁ kho ayyāya evaṁ kalyāṇo kittisaddo abbhuggato:
“soratā vedehikā gahapatānī, nivātā vedehikā gahapatānī, upasantā vedehikā gahapatānī”ti.
Kiṁ nu kho me ayyā santaṁyeva nu kho ajjhattaṁ kopaṁ na pātukaroti udāhu asantaṁ
udāhu mayhamevete kammantā susaṁvihitā yena me ayyā santaṁyeva ajjhattaṁ kopaṁ na pātukaroti, no asantaṁ?
Yannūnāhaṁ ayyaṁ vīmaṁseyyan’ti.
Atha kho, bhikkhave, kāḷī dāsī divā uṭṭhāsi.

Once upon a time, mendicants, right here in Sāvatthī there was a housewife named Vedehikā. She had this good reputation: ‘The housewife Vedehikā is gentle, placid, and calm.’ Now, Vedehikā had a bonded maid named Kāḷī who was deft, tireless, and well-organized in her work. Then Kāḷī thought, ‘My mistress has a good reputation as being gentle, placid, and calm. But does she actually have anger in her and just not show it? Or does she have no anger? Or is it just because my work is well-organized that she doesn’t show anger, even though she still has it inside? Why don’t I test my mistress?’ So Kāḷī got up during the day.

Atha kho, bhikkhave, vedehikā gahapatānī kāḷiṁ dāsiṁ etadavoca:
‘he je kāḷī’ti.
‘Kiṁ, ayye’ti?
‘Kiṁ, je, divā uṭṭhāsī’ti?
‘Na khvayye, kiñcī’ti.
‘No vata re kiñci, pāpi dāsi, divā uṭṭhāsī’ti kupitā anattamanā bhākuṭiṁ akāsi.
Atha kho, bhikkhave, kāḷiyā dāsiyā etadahosi:
‘santaṁyeva kho me ayyā ajjhattaṁ kopaṁ na pātukaroti, no asantaṁ;
mayhamevete kammantā susaṁvihitā, yena me ayyā santaṁyeva ajjhattaṁ kopaṁ na pātukaroti, no asantaṁ.
Yannūnāhaṁ bhiyyoso mattāya ayyaṁ vīmaṁseyyan’ti.
Atha kho, bhikkhave, kāḷī dāsī divātaraṁyeva uṭṭhāsi.
Atha kho, bhikkhave, vedehikā gahapatānī kāḷiṁ dāsiṁ etadavoca:
‘he je kāḷī’ti.
‘Kiṁ, ayye’ti?
‘Kiṁ, je, divātaraṁ uṭṭhāsī’ti?
‘Na khvayye, kiñcī’ti.

Vedehikā said to her, ‘Oi wench, Kāḷī!’ ‘What is it, ma’am?’ ‘You’re getting up in the day—what’s up with you, wench?’ ‘Nothing, ma’am.’ ‘Oh, so nothing’s up, you naughty maid, but you get up in the day!’ Angry and upset, she scowled. Then Kāḷī thought, ‘My mistress actually has anger in her and just doesn’t show it; it’s not that she has no anger. It’s just because my work is well-organized that she doesn’t show anger, even though she still has it inside. Why don’t I test my mistress further?’ So Kāḷī got up later in the day. Vedehikā said to her, ‘Oi wench, Kāḷī!’ ‘What is it, ma’am?’ ‘You’re getting up later in the day—what’s up with you, wench?’ ‘Nothing, ma’am.’

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