Dantabhūmisutta

Majjhima Nikāya 125

The Level of the Tamed · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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supposeSeyyathāpi, Aggivessanaaggivessana, of a villagegāmassa orvā of a townnigamassa orvā not faravidūre a big mountainmahāpabbato.
thenTamenaṁ twodve friendssahāyakā from thattamhā villagegāmā orvā townnigamā orvā having set outnikkhamitvā by lending a handhatthavilaṅghakena by whichyena thatso mountainpabbato they would approachtenupasaṅkameyyuṁ; having approachedupasaṅkamitvā oneeko friendsahāyako at the footheṭṭhā at the foot of the mountainpabbatapāde would standtiṭṭheyya, oneeko friendsahāyako to the peak of the mountainuparipabbataṁ would climbāroheyya.
thenTamenaṁ at the footheṭṭhā at the foot of the mountainpabbatapāde standingṭhito friendsahāyako at the peak of the mountainuparipabbate standingṭhitaṁ friendsahāyakaṁ thusevaṁ would sayvadeyya:
which‘yaṁ, my dearsamma, whatkiṁ youtvaṁ you seepassasi at the peak of the mountainuparipabbate standingṭhito’ti?
heSo thusevaṁ would sayvadeyya:
I see‘passāmi indeedkho Iahaṁ, my dearsamma, at the peak of the mountainuparipabbate standingṭhito delightful parksārāmarāmaṇeyyakaṁ delightful woodsvanarāmaṇeyyakaṁ delightful meadowsbhūmirāmaṇeyyakaṁ delightful lotus pondspokkharaṇīrāmaṇeyyakan’ti.
heSo thusevaṁ would sayvadeyya:
impossible‘aṭṭhānaṁ indeedkho thisetaṁ, my dearsamma, no opportunityanavakāso thatyaṁ youtvaṁ at the peak of the mountainuparipabbate standingṭhito you might seepasseyyāsi delightful parksārāmarāmaṇeyyakaṁ delightful woodsvanarāmaṇeyyakaṁ delightful meadowsbhūmirāmaṇeyyakaṁ delightful lotus pondspokkharaṇīrāmaṇeyyakan’ti.
thenTamenaṁ at the peak of the mountainuparipabbate standingṭhito friendsahāyako to the lower foot of the mountainheṭṭhimapabbatapādaṁ having descendedorohitvā thattaṁ friendsahāyakaṁ by the armbāhāyaṁ having takengahetvā to the peak of the mountainuparipabbataṁ having made climbāropetvā for a whilemuhuttaṁ having made catch breathassāsetvā thusevaṁ would sayvadeyya:

Suppose there was a big mountain not far from a town or village. And two friends set out from that village or town, lending each other a hand up to the mountain. Once there, one friend would remain at the foot of the mountain, while the other would climb to the peak. The one standing at the foot would say to the one at the peak, ‘My dear, what do you see, standing there at the peak?’ They’d reply, ‘Standing at the peak, I see delightful parks, woods, meadows, and lotus ponds!’ But the other would say, ‘It’s impossible, it cannot happen that, standing at the peak, you can see delightful parks, woods, meadows, and lotus ponds.’ So their friend would come down from the peak, take their friend by the arm, and make them climb to the peak. After giving them a while to catch their breath, they’d say,

‘My dear, what do you see, standing here at the peak?’ They’d reply, ‘Standing at the peak, I see delightful parks, woods, meadows, and lotus ponds!’ They’d say, ‘Just now I understood you to say: “It’s impossible, it cannot happen that, standing at the peak, you can see delightful parks, woods, meadows, and lotus ponds.” But now you say: “Standing at the peak, I see delightful parks, woods, meadows, and lotus ponds!”’ They’d say, ‘But my dear, it was because I was obstructed by this big mountain that I didn’t see what could be seen.’

than thatAto biggermahantatarena, Aggivessanaaggivessana, by the mass of ignorance‘avijjākhandhena Jayasenajayaseno princerājakumāro obstructedāvuto hinderednivuto engulfedophuṭo envelopedpariyonaddho.
heSo indeedvata whichyaṁ thattaṁ by renunciationnekkhammena to be knownñātabbaṁ by renunciationnekkhammena to be seendaṭṭhabbaṁ by renunciationnekkhammena to be attainedpattabbaṁ by renunciationnekkhammena to be realizedsacchikātabbaṁ thattaṁ indeedvata Jayasenajayaseno princerājakumāro in the midst of sensual pleasureskāmamajjhe dwellingvasanto sensual pleasureskāme enjoyingparibhuñjanto by thoughts of sensual pleasureskāmavitakkehi being consumedkhajjamāno by fever for sensual pleasureskāmapariḷāhena burningpariḍayhamāno by seeking of sensual pleasureskāmapariyesanāya eagerussuko will knowñassati orvā will seedakkhati orvā will realizesacchi orvā will dokarissatī’ti—netaṁ situationṭhānaṁ existsvijjati.

But bigger than that is the mass of ignorance by which Prince Jayasena is obstructed, hindered, engulfed, and enveloped. Prince Jayasena dwells in the midst of sensual pleasures, enjoying them, consumed by thoughts of them, burning with fever for them, and eagerly seeking more. It is quite impossible for him to know or see or realize what can only be known, seen, and realized by renunciation.

ifSace indeedkho to youtaṁ, Aggivessanaaggivessana, of Prince Jayasenajayasenassa of the princerājakumārassa theseimā twodve similesupamā would occurpaṭibhāyeyyuṁ, no wonderanacchariyaṁ to youte Jayasenajayaseno the princerājakumāro would gain confidencepasīdeyya, confidentpasanno andca to youte an act of confidencepasannākāraṁ would showkareyyā”ti.
how“Kuto butpana to memaṁ, sirbhante, of Prince Jayasenajayasenassa of the princerājakumārassa theseimā twodve similesupamā would occurpaṭibhāyissanti supernaturally inspiredanacchariyā beforepubbe never heard beforeassutapubbā, just asseyyathāpi to the Buddhabhagavantan”ti?

It would be no wonder if, had these two similes occurred to you, Prince Jayasena would have gained confidence in you and shown his confidence.” “But sir, how could these two similes have occurred to me as they did to the Buddha, since they were neither supernaturally inspired, nor learned before in the past?”

just as“Seyyathāpi, Aggivessanaaggivessana, kingrājā aristocratickhattiyo anointedmuddhāvasitto elephant trackernāgavanikaṁ addressesāmanteti:
come‘ehi youtvaṁ, my goodsamma elephant trackernāgavanika, king'srañño elephantnāgaṁ having mountedabhiruhitvā elephant woodnāgavanaṁ having enteredpavisitvā wildāraññakaṁ elephantnāgaṁ having seenatipassitvā king'srañño elephant'snāgassa neckgīvāyaṁ tetherupanibandhāhī’ti.
yes‘Evaṁ, Your Majestydevā’ti indeedkho, Aggivessanaaggivessana, elephant trackernāgavaniko king'srañño aristocratickhattiyassa anointedmuddhāvasittassa having assentedpaṭissutvā king'srañño elephantnāgaṁ having mountedabhiruhitvā elephant woodnāgavanaṁ having enteredpavisitvā wildāraññakaṁ elephantnāgaṁ having seenatipassitvā king'srañño elephant'snāgassa neckgīvāyaṁ tethersupanibandhati.
himTamenaṁ king'srañño elephantnāgo openabbhokāsaṁ leads outnīharati.
only thenEttāvatā indeedkho, Aggivessanaaggivessana, wildāraññako elephantnāgo openabbhokāsaṁ gonegato ishoti.
here clingsEtthagedhā forhi, Aggivessanaaggivessana, wildāraññakā elephantsnāgā that isyadidaṁ—nāgavanaṁ.
himTamenaṁ elephant trackernāgavaniko king'srañño aristocratickhattiyassa anointedmuddhāvasittassa informedārocesi:
come into the open‘abbhokāsagato indeedkho, Your Majestydeva, wildāraññako elephantnāgo’ti.
thenAtha indeedkho Aggivessanaaggivessana, himtamenaṁ kingrājā aristocratickhattiyo anointedmuddhāvasitto elephant trainerhatthidamakaṁ addressedāmantesi:

“Suppose, Aggivessana, an anointed aristocratic king was to address his elephant tracker, ‘Please, my good elephant tracker, mount the royal bull elephant and enter the elephant wood. When you see a wild bull elephant, tether it by the neck to the royal elephant.’ ‘Yes, Your Majesty,’ replied the elephant tracker, and did as he was asked. The royal elephant leads the wild elephant out into the open; and it’s only then that it comes out into the open, for a wild bull elephant clings to the elephant wood. The elephant tracker informs the king, ‘Your Majesty, the wild elephant has come out into the open.’ Then the king addresses his elephant trainer,

come‘ehi youtvaṁ, dearsamma elephant trainerhatthidamaka, wildāraññakaṁ bull elephantnāgaṁ tamedamayāhi and of wildāraññakānañceva behaviorssīlānaṁ for subduingabhinimmadanāya and of wildāraññakānañceva memories and thoughtssarasaṅkappānaṁ for subduingabhinimmadanāya and of wildāraññakānañceva stress, weariness, and feverdarathakilamathapariḷāhānaṁ for subduingabhinimmadanāya within a villagegāmante for making happyabhiramāpanāya congenial to humansmanussakantesu behaviorssīlesu for instillingsamādapanāyā’ti.
Yes,‘Evaṁ, Your Majestydevā’ti indeedkho, Aggivessanaaggivessana, elephant trainerhatthidamako of the kingrañño of the warriorkhattiyassa of the consecratedmuddhāvasittassa having repliedpaṭissutvā largemahantaṁ postthambhaṁ in the earthpathaviyaṁ having dugnikhaṇitvā of the wildāraññakassa bull elephantnāgassa on the neckgīvāyaṁ tethersupanibandhati and of wildāraññakānañceva behaviorssīlānaṁ for subduingabhinimmadanāya and of wildāraññakānañceva memories and thoughtssarasaṅkappānaṁ for subduingabhinimmadanāya and of wildāraññakānañceva stress, weariness, and feverdarathakilamathapariḷāhānaṁ for subduingabhinimmadanāya within a villagegāmante for making happyabhiramāpanāya congenial to humansmanussakantesu behaviorssīlesu for instillingsamādapanāya.
himTamenaṁ elephant trainerhatthidamako whatyā thatsā speechvācā mellownelā pleasing to the earkaṇṇasukhā endearingpemanīyā going to the hearthadayaṅgamā politeporī likable to the peoplebahujanakantā agreeable to the peoplebahujanamanāpā of such a kindtathārūpāhi with speechvācāhi addressessamudācarati.
whenYato indeedkho, Aggivessanaaggivessana, wildāraññako bull elephantnāgo of the elephant trainerhatthidamakassa whatyā thatsā speechvācā mellownelā pleasing to the earkaṇṇasukhā endearingpemanīyā going to the hearthadayaṅgamā politeporī likable to the peoplebahujanakantā agreeable to the peoplebahujanamanāpā of such a kindtathārūpāhi with speechvācāhi being addressedsamudācariyamāno wants to listensussūsati, earsotaṁ lendsodahati, knowledgeaññā mindcittaṁ makes presentupaṭṭhāpeti;
himtamenaṁ elephant trainerhatthidamako furtheruttari grass, fodder, and watertiṇaghāsodakaṁ rewards withanuppavecchati.

‘Please, dear elephant trainer, tame the wild bull elephant. Subdue its wild behaviors, its wild memories and thoughts, and its wild stress, weariness, and fever. Make it happy to be within a village, and instill behaviors congenial to humans.’ ‘Yes, Your Majesty,’ replied the elephant trainer. He dug a large post into the earth and tethered the elephant to it by the neck, so as to subdue its wild behaviors, its wild memories and thoughts, and its wild stress, weariness, and fever, and to make it happy to be within a village, and instill behaviors congenial to humans. He spoke in a way that’s mellow, pleasing to the ear, endearing, going to the heart, polite, and likable and agreeable to the people. Spoken to in such a way by the elephant trainer, the wild elephant wanted to listen. It actively listened and tried to understand. So the elephant trainer rewards it with grass, fodder, and water.

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