Alagaddūpamasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 22

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

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“Do not speak thus, friend Ariṭṭha, do not slander the Blessed One; for it is not good to slander the Blessed One. The Blessed One would not speak thus. In many ways, friend Ariṭṭha, the Blessed One has said that obstructive things are obstructive, and for one who engages in them they are enough to cause obstruction. The Blessed One has said that sensual pleasures give little enjoyment, much suffering, much distress; the danger in them is greater. The Blessed One has said that sensual pleasures are like a skeleton … like a snake’s head, of much suffering, much distress; the danger in them is greater.” But, venerable sir, the monk Ariṭṭha, formerly a vulture-killer, even when being questioned, pressed, and admonished by us in this way, still holds firmly to and speaks of that same evil wrong view: “Thus indeed, friends, do I understand the dhamma taught by the Blessed One: that these obstructive things spoken of by the Blessed One are not enough to obstruct one who engages in them.”

whenYato indeedkho wemayaṁ, venerable sirbhante, not·be ablenāsakkhimha Ariṭṭhaariṭṭhaṁ monkbhikkhuṁ vulture-killer·formergaddhabādhipubbaṁ from thisetasmā evilpāpakā from viewsdiṭṭhigatā to dissuadevivecetuṁ, thenatha wemayaṁ this·matteretamatthaṁ to the Blessed Onebhagavato towards·proclaimārocemā”ti.

When, venerable sir, we were not able to dissuade the monk Ariṭṭha, formerly a vulture-killer, from that evil view, we then reported this matter to the Blessed One.

So the Buddha addressed one of the monks, “Please, monk, in my name tell the mendicant Ariṭṭha, formerly a vulture trapper, that the Teacher summons him.” “Yes, sir,” that monk replied. He went to Ariṭṭha and said to him, “Reverend Ariṭṭha, the Teacher summons you.” “Yes, reverend,” Ariṭṭha replied. He went to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him, “Is it really true, Ariṭṭha, that you have such a harmful misconception: ‘As I understand the Buddha’s teaching, the acts that he says are obstructions are not really obstructions for the one who performs them’?”

thus“Evaṁ indeedbyā indeedkho Iahaṁ, sirbhante, by the Blessed Onebhagavatā the teachingdhammaṁ taughtdesitaṁ I understandājānāmi: as‘yathā which + theseyeme obstructingantarāyikā thingsdhammā saidvuttā by the Blessed Onebhagavatā for onete against·performpaṭisevato are notnālaṁ obstructionsantarāyāyā’”ti.

“Indeed, sir. As I understand the Buddha’s teaching, the acts that he says are obstructions are not really obstructions for the one who performs them.”

“Futile man, who on earth have you ever known me to teach in that way? Haven’t I said in many ways that obstructive acts are obstructive, and that they really do obstruct the one who performs them? I’ve said that sensual pleasures give little gratification and much suffering and distress, and they are all the more full of drawbacks. With the similes of a skeleton … a scrap of meat … a grass torch … a pit of glowing coals … a dream … borrowed goods … fruit on a tree … a butcher’s knife and chopping board … swords and spears … a cobra’s head, I’ve said that sensual pleasures give little gratification and much suffering and distress, and they are all the more full of drawbacks.

thenAtha andca indeedpana youtvaṁ, foolish manmoghapurisa, by yourselfattanā wrongly graspedduggahitena meamhe and·justceva you misrepresentabbhācikkhasi, and yourselfattānañca you harmkhanasi, and muchbahuñca not·meritapuññaṁ you producepasavasi.
that certainlyTañhi for youte, foolish manmoghapurisa, will bebhavissati long·nightdīgharattaṁ to harmahitāya to sufferingdukkhāyā”ti.

But still you misrepresent me by your wrong grasp, harm yourself, and brim with much wickedness. This will be for your lasting harm and suffering.”

thenAtha indeedkho the Blessed Onebhagavā the mendicantsbhikkhū addressedāmantesi:
this“Taṁ whatkiṁ do you thinkmaññatha, mendicantsbhikkhave,
hasapi thisnāyaṁ Ariṭṭhaariṭṭho mendicantbhikkhu formerly a vulture-killergaddhabādhipubbo kindled even a spark of ardorusmīkatopi in thisimasmiṁ teaching and trainingdhammavinaye”ti?
how could that be“Kiñhi it would besiyā, sirbhante;
nono thishetaṁ, sirbhante”ti.
thusEvaṁ when this was saidvutte, Ariṭṭhaariṭṭho mendicantbhikkhu formerly a vulture-killergaddhabādhipubbo silenttuṇhībhūto dismayedmaṅkubhūto shoulders droopingpattakkhandho downcastadhomukho depressedpajjhāyanto with nothing to sayappaṭibhāno satnisīdi.
thenAtha indeedkho the Blessed Onebhagavā Ariṭṭhaariṭṭhaṁ mendicantbhikkhuṁ formerly a vulture-killergaddhabādhipubbaṁ silenttuṇhībhūtaṁ dismayedmaṅkubhūtaṁ shoulders droopingpattakkhandhaṁ downcastadhomukhaṁ depressedpajjhāyantaṁ with nothing to sayappaṭibhānaṁ knowingviditvā Ariṭṭhaariṭṭhaṁ mendicantbhikkhuṁ formerly a vulture-killergaddhabādhipubbaṁ said thisetadavoca:
you will be known“paññāyissasi indeedkho youtvaṁ, futile manmoghapurisa, by thisetena your ownsakena harmfulpāpakena misconceptiondiṭṭhigatena.
here IIdhāhaṁ the mendicantsbhikkhū I will questionpaṭipucchissāmī”ti.

Then the Buddha said to the mendicants, “What do you think, mendicants? Has this mendicant Ariṭṭha kindled even a spark of ardor in this teaching and training?” “How could that be, sir? No, sir.” When this was said, Ariṭṭha sat silent, dismayed, shoulders drooping, downcast, depressed, with nothing to say. Knowing this, the Buddha said, “Futile man, you will be known by your own harmful misconception. I’ll question the mendicants about this.”

thenAtha indeedkho the Blessed Onebhagavā the mendicantsbhikkhū addressedāmantesi:
you too indeed“tumhepi myme, mendicantsbhikkhave, thusevaṁ teachingdhammaṁ taughtdesitaṁ you understandājānātha as thisyathāyaṁ Ariṭṭhaariṭṭho mendicantbhikkhu vulture·killgaddhabādhipubbo by himselfattanā wrong·graspduggahitena usamhe and indeedceva misrepresentsabbhācikkhati, and himselfattānañca harmskhanati, and muchbahuñca not·meritapuññaṁ producespasavatī”ti?
no“No this indeedhetaṁ, sirbhante.
in many waysAnekapariyāyena forhi to usno, sirbhante, obstructiveantarāyikā thingsdhammā obstructiveantarāyikā spokenvuttā by the Blessed Onebhagavatā;
and able indeedalañca furtherpana theyte for one partakingpaṭisevato to obstructionantarāyāya.
of little gratificationAppassādā sensual pleasureskāmā spokenvuttā by the Blessed Onebhagavatā much·sufferingbahudukkhā of much distressbahupāyāsā, the drawbackādīnavo hereettha morebhiyyo.
like a skeletonAṭṭhikaṅkalūpamā sensual pleasureskāmā spokenvuttā by the Blessed Onebhagavatā ……pe…
cobra·headsappasirūpamā sensual pleasureskāmā spokenvuttā by the Blessed Onebhagavatā much·sufferingbahudukkhā of much distressbahupāyāsā, the drawbackādīnavo hereettha morebhiyyo”ti.
good“Sādhu goodsādhu, mendicantsbhikkhave, goodsādhu, indeedkho by meme youtumhe, mendicantsbhikkhave, thusevaṁ teachingdhammaṁ taughtdesitaṁ you understandājānātha.
in many waysAnekapariyāyena forhi indeedkho, mendicantsbhikkhave, obstructiveantarāyikā thingsdhammā spokenvuttā by memayā, and able indeedalañca furtherpana theyte for one partakingpaṭisevato to obstructionantarāyāya.
of little gratificationAppassādā sensual pleasureskāmā spokenvuttā by memayā, much·sufferingbahudukkhā of much distressbahupāyāsā, the drawbackādīnavo hereettha morebhiyyo.

Then the Buddha said to the mendicants, “Mendicants, do you understand my teaching as Ariṭṭha does, when he misrepresents me by his wrong grasp, harms himself, and brims with much wickedness?” “No, sir. For in many ways the Buddha has told us that obstructive acts are obstructive, and that they really do obstruct the one who performs them. The Buddha has said that sensual pleasures give little gratification and much suffering and distress, and they are all the more full of drawbacks. With the similes of a skeleton … a cobra’s head, the Buddha has said that sensual pleasures give little gratification and much suffering and distress, and they are all the more full of drawbacks.” “Good, good, mendicants! It’s good that you understand my teaching like this. For in many ways I have said that obstructive acts are obstructive …

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