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Majjhima Nikāya 21

Kakacūpamasutta

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

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Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā moḷiyaphagguno bhikkhunīhi saddhiṁ ativelaṁ saṁsaṭṭho viharati.
Evaṁ saṁsaṭṭho āyasmā moḷiyaphagguno bhikkhunīhi saddhiṁ viharati—
sace koci bhikkhu āyasmato moḷiyaphaggunassa sammukhā tāsaṁ bhikkhunīnaṁ avaṇṇaṁ bhāsati, tenāyasmā moḷiyaphagguno kupito anattamano adhikaraṇampi karoti.
Sace pana koci bhikkhu tāsaṁ bhikkhunīnaṁ sammukhā āyasmato moḷiyaphaggunassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsati, tena tā bhikkhuniyo kupitā anattamanā adhikaraṇampi karonti.
Evaṁ saṁsaṭṭho āyasmā moḷiyaphagguno bhikkhunīhi saddhiṁ viharati.

Now at that time, Venerable Phagguna of the Top-Knot was spending too long mixing closely with some nuns. So much so that if any mendicant criticized those nuns in his presence, Phagguna of the Top-Knot got angry and upset, and even instigated disciplinary proceedings. And if any mendicant criticized Phagguna of the Top-Knot in their presence, those nuns got angry and upset, and even instigated disciplinary proceedings. That’s how close Phagguna of the Top-Knot was with those nuns.

Atha kho aññataro bhikkhu yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
“āyasmā, bhante, moḷiyaphagguno bhikkhunīhi saddhiṁ ativelaṁ saṁsaṭṭho viharati.
Evaṁ saṁsaṭṭho, bhante, āyasmā moḷiyaphagguno bhikkhunīhi saddhiṁ viharati—
sace koci bhikkhu āyasmato moḷiyaphaggunassa sammukhā tāsaṁ bhikkhunīnaṁ avaṇṇaṁ bhāsati, tenāyasmā moḷiyaphagguno kupito anattamano adhikaraṇampi karoti.
Sace pana koci bhikkhu tāsaṁ bhikkhunīnaṁ sammukhā āyasmato moḷiyaphaggunassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsati, tena tā bhikkhuniyo kupitā anattamanā adhikaraṇampi karonti.
Evaṁ saṁsaṭṭho, bhante, āyasmā moḷiyaphagguno bhikkhunīhi saddhiṁ viharatī”ti.

Then a mendicant went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what was going on.

Atha kho bhagavā aññataraṁ bhikkhuṁ āmantesi:
“ehi tvaṁ, bhikkhu, mama vacanena moḷiyaphaggunaṁ bhikkhuṁ āmantehi:
‘satthā taṁ, āvuso phagguna, āmantetī’”ti.
“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho so bhikkhu bhagavato paṭissutvā yenāyasmā moḷiyaphagguno tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ moḷiyaphaggunaṁ etadavoca:
“satthā taṁ, āvuso phagguna, āmantetī”ti.
“Evamāvuso”ti kho āyasmā moḷiyaphagguno tassa bhikkhuno paṭissutvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho āyasmantaṁ moḷiyaphaggunaṁ bhagavā etadavoca:

So the Buddha addressed one of the monks, “Please, monk, in my name tell the mendicant Phagguna of the Top-Knot that the Teacher summons him.” “Yes, sir,” that monk replied. He went to Phagguna of the Top-Knot and said to him, “Reverend Phagguna, the Teacher summons you.” “Yes, reverend,” Phagguna replied. He went to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him:

“Saccaṁ kira tvaṁ, phagguna, bhikkhunīhi saddhiṁ ativelaṁ saṁsaṭṭho viharasi?
Evaṁ saṁsaṭṭho kira tvaṁ, phagguna, bhikkhunīhi saddhiṁ viharasi—
sace koci bhikkhu tuyhaṁ sammukhā tāsaṁ bhikkhunīnaṁ avaṇṇaṁ bhāsati, tena tvaṁ kupito anattamano adhikaraṇampi karosi.
Sace pana koci bhikkhu tāsaṁ bhikkhunīnaṁ sammukhā tuyhaṁ avaṇṇaṁ bhāsati, tena tā bhikkhuniyo kupitā anattamanā adhikaraṇampi karonti.
Evaṁ saṁsaṭṭho kira tvaṁ, phagguna, bhikkhunīhi saddhiṁ viharasī”ti?
“Evaṁ, bhante”ti.
“Nanu tvaṁ, phagguna, kulaputto saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito”ti?
“Evaṁ, bhante”ti.

“Is it really true, Phagguna, that you’ve been spending too long mixing closely with some nuns? So much so that if any mendicant criticizes those nuns in your presence, you get angry and upset, and even instigate disciplinary proceedings? And if any mendicant criticizes you in those nuns’ presence, they get angry and upset, and even instigate disciplinary proceedings? Is that how close you’ve become with those nuns?” “Yes, sir.” “Phagguna, are you not a gentleman who has gone forth out of faith from the lay life to homelessness?” “Yes, sir.”

“Na kho te etaṁ, phagguna, patirūpaṁ kulaputtassa saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajitassa, yaṁ tvaṁ bhikkhunīhi saddhiṁ ativelaṁ saṁsaṭṭho vihareyyāsi.
Tasmātiha, phagguna, tava cepi koci sammukhā tāsaṁ bhikkhunīnaṁ avaṇṇaṁ bhāseyya, tatrāpi tvaṁ, phagguna, ye gehasitā chandā ye gehasitā vitakkā te pajaheyyāsi.
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, sikkhitabbaṁ.
Tasmātiha, phagguna, tava cepi koci sammukhā tāsaṁ bhikkhunīnaṁ pāṇinā pahāraṁ dadeyya, leḍḍunā pahāraṁ dadeyya, daṇḍena pahāraṁ dadeyya, satthena pahāraṁ dadeyya. Tatrāpi tvaṁ, phagguna, ye gehasitā chandā ye gehasitā vitakkā te pajaheyyāsi.

“As such, it’s not appropriate for you to mix so closely with those nuns. So if anyone criticizes those nuns in your presence, you should give up any desires or thoughts of domestic life. 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. So even if someone strikes those nuns with fists, stones, rods, and swords in your presence, you should give up any desires or thoughts of domestic life.

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, sikkhitabbaṁ.
Tasmātiha, phagguna, tava cepi koci sammukhā avaṇṇaṁ bhāseyya, tatrāpi tvaṁ, phagguna, ye gehasitā chandā ye gehasitā vitakkā te pajaheyyāsi.
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, sikkhitabbaṁ.
Tasmātiha, phagguna, tava cepi koci pāṇinā pahāraṁ dadeyya, leḍḍunā pahāraṁ dadeyya, daṇḍena pahāraṁ dadeyya, satthena pahāraṁ dadeyya, tatrāpi tvaṁ, phagguna, ye gehasitā chandā ye gehasitā vitakkā te pajaheyyāsi.

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. So if anyone criticizes you in your presence, you should give up any desires or thoughts of domestic life. 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. So Phagguna, even if someone strikes you with fists, stones, rods, and swords, you should give up any desires or thoughts of domestic life.

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