Mahāsīhanādasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 12

The Longer Discourse on the Lion’s Roar · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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even by thatTāyapi indeedkho Iahaṁ, Sāriputtasāriputta, conductiriyāya by thattāya practicepaṭipadāya by thattāya grueling workdukkarakārikāya did not attainnājjhagamaṁ beyonduttariṁ the human normmanussadhammā distinction in noble knowledge and visionalamariyañāṇadassanavisesaṁ.
thatTaṁ whatkissa reason?hetu?
of this veryImissāyeva nobleariyāya wisdompaññāya from non-attainmentanadhigamā, whichyāyaṁ nobleariyā wisdompaññā attainedadhigatā nobleariyā emancipatingniyyānikā, leads outniyyāti for one who practices ittakkarassa rightlysammā to the ending of sufferingdukkhakkhayāya.

But Sāriputta, I did not achieve any superhuman distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones by that conduct, that practice, that grueling work. Why is that? Because I didn’t achieve that noble wisdom that’s noble and emancipating, and which delivers one who applies it to the complete ending of suffering.

there areSanti indeedkho nowpana, Sāriputtasāriputta, someeke ascetics and brahminssamaṇabrāhmaṇā of such doctrineevaṁvādino of such viewevaṁdiṭṭhino:
by transmigration‘saṁsārena purity (quote)suddhī’ti.
notNa indeedkho howeverpana thatso, Sāriputtasāriputta, transmigrationsaṁsāro easy to findsulabharūpo whichyo by memayā not transmigrated beforeasaṁsaritapubbo in thisiminā longdīghena timeaddhunā, exceptaññatra the pure abodesuddhāvāsehi godsdevehi.
among the pure abodeSuddhāvāse and if Icāhaṁ, Sāriputtasāriputta, godsdeve had transmigratedsaṁsareyyaṁ, not to thisnayimaṁ worldlokaṁ would have returned againpunarāgaccheyyaṁ.

There are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view: ‘Purity comes from transmigration.’ But it’s not easy to find a realm that I haven’t previously transmigrated to in all this long time, except the gods of the pure abodes. For if I had transmigrated to the gods of the pure abodes I would not have returned to this realm again.

there areSanti indeedkho nowpana, Sāriputtasāriputta, someeke ascetics and brahminssamaṇabrāhmaṇā of such doctrineevaṁvādino of such viewevaṁdiṭṭhino:
by rebirth‘upapattiyā purity (quote)suddhī’ti.
notNa indeedkho howeverpana thatsā, Sāriputtasāriputta, rebirthupapatti easy to findsulabharūpā whichyā by memayā not been reborn in beforeanupapannapubbā in thisiminā longdīghena timeaddhunā, exceptaññatra the pure abodesuddhāvāsehi godsdevehi.
among the pure abodeSuddhāvāse and if Icāhaṁ, Sāriputtasāriputta, godsdeve had been rebornupapajjeyyaṁ, not to thisnayimaṁ worldlokaṁ would have returned againpunarāgaccheyyaṁ.

There are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view: ‘Purity comes from rebirth.’ But it’s not easy to find any rebirth that I haven’t previously been reborn in …

there areSanti indeedkho nowpana, Sāriputtasāriputta, someeke ascetics and brahminssamaṇabrāhmaṇā of such doctrineevaṁvādino of such viewevaṁdiṭṭhino:
by abode‘āvāsena purity (quote)suddhī’ti.
notNa indeedkho howeverpana thatso, Sāriputtasāriputta, abodeāvāso easy to findsulabharūpo whichyo by memayā not dwelt in beforeanāvuṭṭhapubbo in thisiminā longdīghena timeaddhunā, exceptaññatra the pure abodesuddhāvāsehi godsdevehi.
among the pure abodeSuddhāvāse and if Icāhaṁ, Sāriputtasāriputta, godsdeve had dweltāvaseyyaṁ, not to thisnayimaṁ worldlokaṁ would have returned againpunarāgaccheyyaṁ.

There are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view: ‘Purity comes from abode of rebirth.’ But it’s not easy to find an abode where I haven’t previously abided …

there areSanti indeedkho nowpana, Sāriputtasāriputta, someeke ascetics and brahminssamaṇabrāhmaṇā of such doctrineevaṁvādino of such viewevaṁdiṭṭhino:
by sacrifice‘yaññena purity (quote)suddhī’ti.
notNa indeedkho howeverpana thatso, Sāriputtasāriputta, sacrificeyañño easy to findsulabharūpo whichyo by memayā not offered beforeayiṭṭhapubbo in thisiminā longdīghena timeaddhunā, and thattañca indeedkho by a kingraññā orvā beingsatā an aristocratkhattiyena anointedmuddhāvasittena by a brahminbrāhmaṇena orvā well-to-domahāsālena.

There are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view: ‘Purity comes from sacrifice.’ But it’s not easy to find a sacrifice that I haven’t previously offered in all this long time, when I was an anointed aristocratic king or a well-to-do brahmin.

there areSanti indeedkho nowpana, Sāriputtasāriputta, someeke ascetics and brahminssamaṇabrāhmaṇā of such doctrineevaṁvādino of such viewevaṁdiṭṭhino:
by serving the fire‘aggiparicariyāya purity (quote)suddhī’ti.
notNa indeedkho howeverpana thatso, Sāriputtasāriputta, fireaggi easy to findsulabharūpo whichyo by memayā not served beforeapariciṇṇapubbo in thisiminā longdīghena timeaddhunā, and thattañca indeedkho by a kingraññā orvā beingsatā an aristocratkhattiyena anointedmuddhāvasittena by a brahminbrāhmaṇena orvā well-to-domahāsālena.

There are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view: ‘Purity comes from serving the sacred flame.’ But it’s not easy to find a fire that I haven’t previously served in all this long time, when I was an anointed aristocratic king or a well-to-do brahmin.

there areSanti indeedkho nowpana, Sāriputtasāriputta, someeke ascetics and brahminssamaṇabrāhmaṇā of such doctrineevaṁvādino of such viewevaṁdiṭṭhino:
only so long as this‘yāvadevāyaṁ goodbhavaṁ manpuriso youngdaharo ishoti youthfulyuvā with pristine black hairsusukāḷakeso with blessedbhadrena youthyobbanena endowedsamannāgato in the firstpaṭhamena stage of lifevayasā just so longtāvadeva with perfectparamena lucidity of wisdompaññāveyyattiyena endowedsamannāgato he ishoti.
whenYato butca indeedkho thisayaṁ goodbhavaṁ manpuriso oldjiṇṇo ishoti elderlyvuddho seniormahallako advanced in yearsaddhagato reached the last stagevayoanuppatto, eightyāsītiko orvā ninetynāvutiko orvā a hundred yearsvassasatiko orvā from birthjātiyā, thenatha from thattamhā lucidity of wisdompaññāveyyattiyā, he declines (quote)parihāyatī’ti.
notNa indeedkho but thispanetaṁ, Sāriputtasāriputta, thusevaṁ should be seendaṭṭhabbaṁ.
IAhaṁ indeedkho nowpana, Sāriputtasāriputta, at presentetarahi oldjiṇṇo elderlyvuddho seniormahallako advanced in yearsaddhagato reached the last stagevayoanuppatto, eightiethāsītiko myme yearvayo is runningvattati.
hereIdha myme suppose there wereassu, Sāriputtasāriputta, fourcattāro disciplessāvakā with hundred-year lifespansvassasatāyukā living a hundred yearsvassasatajīvino, with perfectparamāya memorysatiyā andca recallgatiyā andca retentiondhitiyā andca endowedsamannāgatā with perfectparamena andca lucidity of wisdompaññāveyyattiyena.
just asSeyyathāpi, Sāriputtasāriputta, with a strong bowdaḷhadhammā an archerdhanuggaho trainedsikkhito dexterouskatahattho practicedkatūpāsano with a lightlahukena arrowasanena quite easilyappakasireneva acrosstiriyaṁ a palm tree's shadowtālacchāyaṁ would shootatipāteyya,
soevaṁ of surpassing memoryadhimattasatimanto soevaṁ of surpassing recalladhimattagatimanto soevaṁ of surpassing retentionadhimattadhitimanto soevaṁ with perfectparamena lucidity of wisdompaññāveyyattiyena endowedsamannāgatā.
theyTe memaṁ about the fourcatunnaṁ kinds of mindfulness meditationsatipaṭṭhānānaṁ again and againupādāyupādāya a questionpañhaṁ would askpuccheyyuṁ, askedpuṭṭho and askedpuṭṭho and Icāhaṁ to themtesaṁ would answerbyākareyyaṁ, and what was answeredbyākatañca by meme as answeredbyākatato they would rememberdhāreyyuṁ, notna andca memaṁ a second timedutiyakaṁ furtheruttari would questionpaṭipuccheyyuṁ.
exceptAññatra for eating, drinking, chewing, tastingasitapītakhāyitasāyitā exceptaññatra for toilet functionsuccārapassāvakammā, exceptaññatra for dispelling sleepiness and wearinessniddākilamathapaṭivinodanā would not be used upapariyādinnāyevassa, Sāriputtasāriputta, of the Realized Onetathāgatassa the Dhamma teachingdhammadesanā, would not be used upapariyādinnaṁyevassa of the Realized Onetathāgatassa the words and phrases of Dhammadhammapadabyañjanaṁ, would not be used upapariyādinnaṁyevassa of the Realized Onetathāgatassa the answering of questionspañhapaṭibhānaṁ.
thenAtha myme thosete fourcattāro disciplessāvakā with hundred-year lifespansvassasatāyukā living a hundred yearsvassasatajīvino of a hundred yearsvassasatassa with the passingaccayena deathkālaṁ would meetkareyyuṁ.
on a stretcherMañcakena even ifcepi memaṁ, Sāriputtasāriputta, you carry aboutpariharissatha, there is nonevatthi of the Realized Onetathāgatassa lucidity of wisdompaññāveyyattiyassa alterationaññathattaṁ.

There are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view: ‘So long as this gentleman is youthful, young, with pristine black hair, blessed with youth, in the prime of life he will be endowed with perfect lucidity of wisdom. But when he’s old, elderly, and senior, advanced in years, and has reached the final stage of life—eighty, ninety, or a hundred years old—he will lose his lucidity of wisdom.’ But you should not see it like this. For now I am old, elderly, and senior, I’m advanced in years, and have reached the final stage of life. I am eighty years old. Suppose I had four disciples with a lifespan of a hundred years. And they each were perfect in memory, rememberance, retention, and perfect lucidity of wisdom. Imagine how easily a well-trained expert archer with a strong bow would shoot a light arrow across the shadow of a palm tree. That’s how extraordinary they were in memory, rememberance, retention, and perfect lucidity of wisdom. They’d bring up questions about the four kinds of mindfulness meditation again and again, and I would answer each question. They’d remember the answers and not ask the same question twice. And they’d pause only to eat and drink, go to the toilet, and sleep to dispel weariness. But the Realized One would not run out of Dhamma teachings, words and phrases of the teachings, or spontaneous answers. And at the end of a hundred years my four disciples would pass away. Even if you have to carry me around on a stretcher, there will never be any deterioration in the Realized One’s lucidity of wisdom.

whatYaṁ indeedkho thattaṁ, Sāriputtasāriputta, rightlysammā speakingvadamāno would sayvadeyya:
not liable to delusion‘asammohadhammo a beingsatto in the worldloke has arisenuppanno for the welfare of manybahujanahitāya for the happiness of manybahujanasukhāya out of sympathy for the worldlokānukampāya for the benefitatthāya welfarehitāya and happinesssukhāya of gods and humans (quote)devamanussānan’ti, of me alonemameva thattaṁ rightlysammā speakingvadamāno would sayvadeyya
not liable to delusion‘asammohadhammo a beingsatto in the worldloke has arisenuppanno for the welfare of manybahujanahitāya for the happiness of manybahujanasukhāya out of sympathy for the worldlokānukampāya for the benefitatthāya welfarehitāya and happinesssukhāya of gods and humans (quote)devamanussānan’”ti.

And if there’s anyone of whom it may be rightly said that a being not liable to delusion has arisen in the world for the welfare and happiness of the people, out of sympathy for the world, for the benefit, welfare, and happiness of gods and humans, it’s of me that this should be said.”

at thatTena indeedkho nowpana timesamayena venerableāyasmā Nāgasamālanāgasamālo the Blessed One'sbhagavato behindpiṭṭhito standingṭhito washoti the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ fanningbījayamāno.
thenAtha indeedkho venerableāyasmā Nāgasamālanāgasamālo to the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ said thisetadavoca:
incredible“acchariyaṁ, venerable sirbhante, amazingabbhutaṁ, venerable sirbhante.
indeedApi forhi myme, venerable sirbhante, thisimaṁ exposition of the teachingdhammapariyāyaṁ having heardsutvā hairslomāni stood on endhaṭṭhāni.
what is the name ofKonāmo thisayaṁ, venerable sirbhante, exposition of the teaching? (quote)dhammapariyāyo”ti?
well then“Tasmātiha youtvaṁ, Nāgasamālanāgasamāla, thisimaṁ exposition of the teachingdhammapariyāyaṁ as the Hair-raising Expositionlomahaṁsanapariyāyotveva itnaṁ remember (quote)dhārehī”ti.
this saidIdamavoca the Blessed Onebhagavā.
satisfiedAttamano venerableāyasmā Nāgasamālanāgasamālo the Blessed One'sbhagavato wordsbhāsitaṁ approved (quote)abhinandīti.
the Longer Lion's Roar DiscourseMahāsīhanādasuttaṁ is finishedniṭṭhitaṁ the seconddutiyaṁ.

Now at that time Venerable Nāgasamāla was standing behind the Buddha fanning him. Then he said to the Buddha: “It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing! While I was listening to this exposition of the teaching my hair stood up! What is the name of this exposition of the teaching?” “Well then, Nāgasamāla, you may remember this exposition of the teaching as ‘The Hair-raising Discourse’.” That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, Venerable Nāgasamāla approved what the Buddha said.

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