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Majjhima Nikāya 22

Alagaddūpamasutta

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

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therefore hereTasmātiha, mendicantsbhikkhave, of whichyassa by meme of what was saidbhāsitassa the meaningatthaṁ you should understandājāneyyātha, accordinglytathā itnaṁ you should rememberdhāreyyātha.
of whichYassa andca butpana by meme of what was saidbhāsitassa the meaningatthaṁ notna you should understandājāneyyātha, Iahaṁ youvo theretattha to be askedpaṭipucchitabbo, whoye orvā but there would bepanāssu competentviyattā mendicantsbhikkhū.

So, mendicants, when you understand what I’ve said, you should remember it accordingly. But if I’ve said anything that you don’t understand, you should ask me about it, or some competent mendicants.

raft-simileKullūpamaṁ to youvo, mendicantsbhikkhave, teachingdhammaṁ I will teachdesessāmi for crossing overnittharaṇatthāya, notno for holding ongahaṇatthāya.
thatTaṁ listensuṇātha, wellsādhukaṁ apply your mindmanasikarotha, I will speakbhāsissāmī”ti.
yes“Evaṁ, sirbhante”ti indeedkho thosete mendicantsbhikkhū of the Blessed Onebhagavato repliedpaccassosuṁ.
the Blessed OneBhagavā said thisetadavoca:
suppose“Seyyathāpi, mendicantsbhikkhave, a personpuriso traveling along the roadaddhānamaggappaṭipanno.
heSo would seepasseyya greatmahantaṁ delugeudakaṇṇavaṁ, nearorimaṁ shoretīraṁ dubioussāsaṅkaṁ periloussappaṭibhayaṁ, farpārimaṁ shoretīraṁ sanctuarykhemaṁ free of perilappaṭibhayaṁ;
notna and for himcassa ferryboatnāvā for crossing oversantāraṇī bridgeuttarasetu orvā from the near shoreapārā to the far shorepāraṁ for goinggamanāya.
to himTassa it would be thusevamassa:
this‘ayaṁ indeedkho great delugemahāudakaṇṇavo, nearorimaṁ shoretīraṁ dubioussāsaṅkaṁ periloussappaṭibhayaṁ, farpārimaṁ shoretīraṁ sanctuarykhemaṁ free of perilappaṭibhayaṁ;
there is notnatthi andca ferryboatnāvā for crossing oversantāraṇī bridgeuttarasetu orvā from the near shoreapārā to the far shorepāraṁ for goinggamanāya.
why don't IYannūnāhaṁ grass, sticks, branches, and leavestiṇakaṭṭhasākhāpalāsaṁ having gatheredsaṅkaḍḍhitvā, a raftkullaṁ having madebandhitvā, thattaṁ raftkullaṁ depending onnissāya with handshatthehi andca with feetpādehi andca paddlingvāyamamāno safelysotthinā to the far shorepāraṁ I can cross overuttareyyan’ti.

Mendicants, I will teach you a simile of the teaching as a raft: for crossing over, not for holding on. Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.” “Yes, sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this: “Suppose there was a person traveling along the road. They’d see a large deluge, whose near shore was dubious and perilous, while the far shore was a sanctuary free of peril. But there was no ferryboat or bridge for crossing over. They’d think, ‘Why don’t I gather grass, sticks, branches, and leaves and make a raft? Riding on the raft, and paddling with my hands and feet, I can safely reach the far shore.’

thenAtha indeedkho heso, O mendicantsbhikkhave, a personpuriso grass, sticks, branches, and leavestiṇakaṭṭhasākhāpalāsaṁ having collectedsaṅkaḍḍhitvā, a raftkullaṁ having boundbandhitvā thattaṁ raftkullaṁ depending onnissāya with handshatthehi andca with feetpādehi andca strivingvāyamamāno safelysotthinā to the far shorepāraṁ would cross overuttareyya.
of thatTassa personpurisassa crossed overuttiṇṇassa gone to the far shorepāraṅgatassa it would be thusevamassa:
very helpful‘bahukāro indeedkho to meme thisayaṁ raftkullo;
this Iimāhaṁ raftkullaṁ depending onnissāya with handshatthehi andca with feetpādehi andca strivingvāyamamāno safelysotthinā to the far shorepāraṁ crossed overuttiṇṇo.
why don't IYannūnāhaṁ thisimaṁ raftkullaṁ on the headsīse orvā having hoistedāropetvā on the shoulderkhandhe orvā having picked upuccāretvā whereveryena I wantkāmaṁ I might gopakkameyyan’ti.
thatTaṁ whatkiṁ do you thinkmaññatha, O mendicantsbhikkhave,
thenapi interrogative particlenu heso personpuriso acting thusevaṅkārī in thattasmiṁ raftkulle doing what should be donekiccakārī would beassā”ti?
no“No indeed thishetaṁ, sirbhante”.
acting how“Kathaṅkārī andca heso, O mendicantsbhikkhave, personpuriso in thattasmiṁ raftkulle doing what should be donekiccakārī would beassa?
hereIdha, O mendicantsbhikkhave, of thattassa personpurisassa crossed overuttiṇṇassa gone to the far shorepāraṅgatassa it would be thusevamassa:
very helpful‘bahukāro indeedkho to meme thisayaṁ raftkullo;

And so they’d do exactly that. And when they’d crossed over to the far shore, they’d think, ‘This raft has been very helpful to me. Riding on the raft, and paddling with my hands and feet, I have safely crossed over to the far shore. Why don’t I hoist it on my head or pick it up on my shoulder and go wherever I want?’ What do you think, mendicants? Would that person be doing what should be done with that raft?” “No, sir.” “And what, mendicants, should that person do with the raft? When they’d crossed over they should think, ‘This raft has been very helpful to me. …

this Iimāhaṁ raftkullaṁ having relied onnissāya with handshatthehi andca with feetpādehi andca strivingvāyamamāno safelysotthinā to the far shorepāraṁ crossed overuttiṇṇo.
why don't IYannūnāhaṁ thisimaṁ raftkullaṁ on dry landthale orvā having beachedussādetvā on the waterudake orvā having set adriftopilāpetvā whereveryena I wishkāmaṁ I might gopakkameyyan’ti.
acting in this wayEvaṅkārī indeedkho heso, monksbhikkhave, personpuriso in thattasmiṁ with regard to the raftkulle one doing what should be donekiccakārī would beassa.
in the same wayEvameva indeedkho, monksbhikkhave, with the simile of the raftkullūpamo by memayā the teachingdhammo taughtdesito for crossing overnittharaṇatthāya, notno for holding ongahaṇatthāya.

Why don’t I beach it on dry land or set it adrift on the water and go wherever I want?’ That’s what that person should do with the raft. In the same way, I have taught a simile of the teaching as a raft: for crossing over, not for holding on.

with the raft as simileKullūpamaṁ to youvo, monksbhikkhave, the teachingdhammaṁ taughtdesitaṁ, by those understandingājānantehi even the teachingsdhammāpi by youvo to be given uppahātabbā let alonepageva what is not the teachingadhammā.

By understanding the simile of the raft, you will even give up the teachings, let alone what is not the teachings.

these sixChayimāni, o mendicantsbhikkhave, grounds for viewsdiṭṭhiṭṭhānāni.
whichKatamāni sixcha?
hereIdha, o mendicantsbhikkhave, unlearnedassutavā ordinary personputhujjano of the noble onesariyānaṁ not seeingadassāvī in the teaching of the noble onesariyadhammassa unskilledakovido in the teaching of the noble onesariyadhamme untrainedavinīto, of true personssappurisānaṁ not seeingadassāvī in the teaching of the true personssappurisadhammassa unskilledakovido in the teaching of the true personssappurisadhamme untrainedavinīto,
formrūpaṁ this‘etaṁ minemama, I am thisesohamasmi, thiseso myme selfattā’ti regardssamanupassati;
feelingvedanaṁ this‘etaṁ minemama, I am thisesohamasmi, thiseso myme selfattā’ti regardssamanupassati;
perceptionsaññaṁ this‘etaṁ minemama, I am thisesohamasmi, thiseso myme selfattā’ti regardssamanupassati;
choicessaṅkhāre this‘etaṁ minemama, I am thisesohamasmi, thiseso myme selfattā’ti regardssamanupassati;
whateveryampi thistaṁ seendiṭṭhaṁ heardsutaṁ thoughtmutaṁ knownviññātaṁ attainedpattaṁ soughtpariyesitaṁ, exploredanuvicaritaṁ by the mindmanasā this alsotampi this‘etaṁ minemama, I am thisesohamasmi, thiseso myme selfattā’ti regardssamanupassati;
whateveryampi thistaṁ ground for viewsdiṭṭhiṭṭhānaṁ—
theso cosmosloko theso selfattā, thatso after deathpecca I will bebhavissāmi permanentnicco everlastingdhuvo eternalsassato imperishableavipariṇāmadhammo, like the eternalsassatisamaṁ just sotatheva I will remainṭhassāmīti—
this alsotampi this‘etaṁ minemama, I am thisesohamasmi, thiseso myme selfattā’ti regardssamanupassati.

Mendicants, there are these six grounds for views. What six? Take an unlearned ordinary person who has not seen the noble ones, and is neither skilled nor trained in the teaching of the noble ones. They’ve not seen true persons, and are neither skilled nor trained in the teaching of the true persons. They regard form as: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self.’ They also regard feeling … perception … choices … whatever is seen, heard, thought, known, attained, sought, and explored by the mind as: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self.’ And as for this ground for views: ‘The cosmos and the self are one and the same. After death I will be that, permanent, everlasting, eternal, imperishable, and will last forever and ever.’ They regard this also as: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self.’

learnedSutavā butca indeedkho, monksbhikkhave, noble discipleariyasāvako of the noble onesariyānaṁ having seendassāvī in the teaching of the noble onesariyadhammassa skilledkovido in the noble teachingariyadhamme well trainedsuvinīto, of true personssappurisānaṁ having seendassāvī in the teaching of the true personssappurisadhammassa skilledkovido in the teaching of the true personssappurisadhamme well trainedsuvinīto,
formrūpaṁ this is not‘netaṁ minemama, I am not thisnesohamasmi, notna this ismeso my selfattā’ti regardssamanupassati;
feelingvedanaṁ this is not‘netaṁ minemama, I am not thisnesohamasmi, notna this ismeso my selfattā’ti regardssamanupassati;
perceptionsaññaṁ this is not‘netaṁ minemama, I am not thisnesohamasmi, notna this ismeso my selfattā’ti regardssamanupassati;
choicessaṅkhāre this is not‘netaṁ minemama, I am not thisnesohamasmi, notna this ismeso my selfattā’ti regardssamanupassati;
whateveryampi thattaṁ seendiṭṭhaṁ heardsutaṁ thoughtmutaṁ knownviññātaṁ attainedpattaṁ soughtpariyesitaṁ, exploredanuvicaritaṁ by the mindmanasā, that tootampi this is not‘netaṁ minemama, I am not thisnesohamasmi, notna this ismeso my selfattā’ti regardssamanupassati;
whateveryampi thattaṁ ground for viewsdiṭṭhiṭṭhānaṁ—
the cosmosso worldloko the selfso selfattā, thatso after deathpecca I will bebhavissāmi permanentnicco everlastingdhuvo eternalsassato of imperishable natureavipariṇāmadhammo, like the eternalsassatisamaṁ just sotatheva I will standṭhassāmīti—
that tootampi this is not‘netaṁ minemama, I am not thisnesohamasmi, notna this ismeso my selfattā’ti regardssamanupassati.

But a learned noble disciple has seen the noble ones, and is skilled and trained in the teaching of the noble ones. They’ve seen true persons, and are skilled and trained in the teaching of the true persons. They regard form like this: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’ They also regard feeling … perception … choices … whatever is seen, heard, thought, known, attained, sought, and explored by the mind like this: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’ And the same for this ground for views: ‘The cosmos and the self are one and the same. After death I will be that, permanent, everlasting, eternal, imperishable, and will last forever and ever.’ They also regard like this: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’

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