Alagaddūpamasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 22

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

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that“Taṁ whatkiṁ do you thinkmaññatha, mendicantsbhikkhave,
formrūpaṁ permanentniccaṁ orvā impermanentaniccaṁ or?vā”ti?
impermanent“Aniccaṁ, sirbhante”.
but which“Yaṁ but impermanentpanāniccaṁ sufferingdukkhaṁ orvā thattaṁ happinesssukhaṁ or?vā”ti?
suffering“Dukkhaṁ, sirbhante”.
but which“Yaṁ but impermanentpanāniccaṁ sufferingdukkhaṁ perishablevipariṇāmadhammaṁ, fitkallaṁ is itnu thattaṁ to be regardedsamanupassituṁ—
thisetaṁ minemama, I am thisesohamasmi, thiseso myme selfattā”ti?
no“No indeed thishetaṁ, sirbhante”.
that“Taṁ whatkiṁ do you thinkmaññatha, mendicantsbhikkhave,
feelingvedanā …pe……pe…
perceptionsaññā ……
choicessaṅkhārā ……
consciousnessviññāṇaṁ permanentniccaṁ orvā impermanentaniccaṁ or?vā”ti?
impermanent“Aniccaṁ, sirbhante”.
but which“Yaṁ but impermanentpanāniccaṁ sufferingdukkhaṁ orvā thattaṁ happinesssukhaṁ or?vā”ti?
suffering“Dukkhaṁ, sirbhante”.
but which“Yaṁ but impermanentpanāniccaṁ sufferingdukkhaṁ perishablevipariṇāmadhammaṁ, fitkallaṁ is itnu thattaṁ to be regardedsamanupassituṁ—
thisetaṁ minemama, I am thisesohamasmi, thiseso myme selfattā”ti?
no“No indeed thishetaṁ, sirbhante”.

“What do you think, mendicants? Is form permanent or impermanent?” “Impermanent, sir.” “But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?” “Suffering, sir.” “But if it’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?” “No, sir.” “What do you think, mendicants? Is feeling … perception … choices … consciousness permanent or impermanent?” “Impermanent, sir.” “But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?” “Suffering, sir.” “But if it’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?” “No, sir.”

therefore here“Tasmātiha, O mendicantsbhikkhave, whichyaṁ anykiñci formrūpaṁ past-future-presentatītānāgatapaccuppannaṁ, internalajjhattaṁ orvā externalbahiddhā orvā, solidoḷārikaṁ orvā subtlesukhumaṁ orvā, inferiorhīnaṁ orvā superiorpaṇītaṁ orvā, whichyaṁ fardūre nearsantike orvā, allsabbaṁ formrūpaṁ this is not‘netaṁ minemama, I am not thisnesohamasmi, notna this is mymeso self—thus thisattā’ti—evametaṁ as it truly isyathābhūtaṁ with right understandingsammappaññāya should be seendaṭṭhabbaṁ.
whicheverYā anykāci feelingvedanā and so on…pe…
whicheveryā anykāci perceptionsaññā ……
whicheverye anykeci choicessaṅkhārā ……
whichyaṁ anykiñci consciousnessviññāṇaṁ past-future-presentatītānāgatapaccuppannaṁ, internalajjhattaṁ orvā externalbahiddhā orvā, solidoḷārikaṁ orvā subtlesukhumaṁ orvā, inferiorhīnaṁ orvā superiorpaṇītaṁ orvā, whichyaṁ fardūre nearsantike orvā, allsabbaṁ consciousnessviññāṇaṁ this is not‘netaṁ minemama, I am not thisnesohamasmi, notna this is mymeso self—thus thisattā’ti—evametaṁ as it truly isyathābhūtaṁ with right understandingsammappaññāya should be seendaṭṭhabbaṁ.

“So, mendicants, you should truly see any kind of form at all—past, future, or present; internal or external; solid or subtle; inferior or superior; far or near: all form—with right understanding: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’ You should truly see any kind of feeling … perception … choices … consciousness at all—past, future, or present; internal or external; solid or subtle; inferior or superior; far or near: all consciousness—with right understanding: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’

thusEvaṁ seeingpassaṁ, monksbhikkhave, learnedsutavā noble discipleariyasāvako with formrūpasmiṁ grows disillusionednibbindati, with feelingvedanāya grows disillusionednibbindati, with perceptionsaññāya grows disillusionednibbindati, with choicessaṅkhāresu grows disillusionednibbindati, with consciousnessviññāṇasmiṁ grows disillusionednibbindati,

Seeing this, a learned noble disciple grows disillusioned with form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness.

due to disillusionmentnibbidā desire fades awayvirajjati, when desire fades awayvirāgā is freedvimuccati, when freedvimuttasmiṁ freedvimuttamiti knowledgeñāṇaṁ there ishoti.
ended‘Khīṇā rebirthjāti, has been livedvusitaṁ the spiritual journeybrahmacariyaṁ, has been donekataṁ what had to be donekaraṇīyaṁ, nothing furthernāparaṁ for this placeitthattāyā’ti understandspajānāti.

Being disillusioned, desire fades away. When desire fades away they’re freed. When they’re freed, they know they’re freed. They understand: ‘Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is nothing further for this place.’

this oneAyaṁ is calledvuccati, o monksbhikkhave, a monkbhikkhu one who has lifted the cross-barukkhittapaligho alsoitipi, one who has filled in the moatsaṅkiṇṇaparikkho alsoitipi, one who has pulled up the pillarabbūḷhesiko alsoitipi, one who is unimpededniraggaḷo alsoitipi, a noble oneariyo with banner loweredpannaddhajo with burden droppedpannabhāro detachedvisaṁyutto alsoitipi.

Such a mendicant is one who is called ‘one who has lifted the cross-bar’, ‘one who has filled in the moat’, ‘one who has pulled up the pillar’, ‘one who is unimpeded’, and also ‘a noble one with banner lowered and burden dropped, detached’.

and howKathañca, monksbhikkhave, a monkbhikkhu has raised the cross-barukkhittapaligho ishoti?
hereIdha, monksbhikkhave, of a monkbhikkhuno ignoranceavijjā given uppahīnā ishoti, cut off at the rootucchinnamūlā made like a palm stumptālāvatthukatā obliteratedanabhāvaṅkatā, in the futureāyatiṁ unable to ariseanuppādadhammā.
thusEvaṁ indeedkho, monksbhikkhave, a monkbhikkhu has raised the cross-barukkhittapaligho ishoti.

And how has a mendicant raised the cross-bar? It’s when a mendicant has given up ignorance, cut it off at the root, made it like a palm stump, obliterated it, so it’s unable to arise in the future. That’s how a mendicant has lifted the cross-bar.

and howKathañca, monksbhikkhave, a mendicantbhikkhu filled in the moatsaṅkiṇṇaparikkho ishoti?
hereIdha, monksbhikkhave, of a mendicantbhikkhuno leading to rebirthponobbhaviko transmigration through birthsjātisaṁsāro given uppahīno ishoti, cut off at the rootucchinnamūlo made like a palm stumptālāvatthukato obliteratedanabhāvaṅkato, in the futureāyatiṁ unable to ariseanuppādadhammo.
thusEvaṁ indeedkho, monksbhikkhave, a mendicantbhikkhu filled in the moatsaṅkiṇṇaparikkho ishoti.

And how has a mendicant filled in the moat? It’s when a mendicant has given up transmigrating through births in future lives, cut it off at the root, made it like a palm stump, obliterated it, so it’s unable to arise in the future. That’s how a mendicant has filled in the moat.

and howKathañca, monksbhikkhave, a monkbhikkhu one who has pulled up the pillarabbūḷhesiko ishoti?
hereIdha, monksbhikkhave, of a monkbhikkhuno cravingtaṇhā given uppahīnā ishoti, cut off at the rootucchinnamūlā made like a palm stumptālāvatthukatā obliteratedanabhāvaṅkatā, in the futureāyatiṁ unable to ariseanuppādadhammā.
thusEvaṁ indeedkho, monksbhikkhave, a monkbhikkhu one who has pulled up the pillarabbūḷhesiko ishoti.

And how has a mendicant pulled up the pillar? It’s when a mendicant has given up craving, cut it off at the root, made it like a palm stump, obliterated it, so it’s unable to arise in the future. That’s how a mendicant has pulled up the pillar.

and howKathañca, monksbhikkhave, a monkbhikkhu unimpededniraggaḷo ishoti?
hereIdha, monksbhikkhave, of a monkbhikkhuno fivepañca lowerorambhāgiyāni fetterssaṁyojanāni given uppahīnāni arehonti, cut off at the rootucchinnamūlāni made like a palm stumptālāvatthukatāni obliteratedanabhāvaṅkatāni, in the futureāyatiṁ unable to ariseanuppādadhammāni.
thusEvaṁ indeedkho, monksbhikkhave, a monkbhikkhu unimpededniraggaḷo ishoti.

And how is a mendicant unimpeded? It’s when a mendicant has given up the five lower fetters, cut them off at the root, made them like a palm stump, obliterated them, so they’re unable to arise in the future. That’s how a mendicant is unimpeded.

and howKathañca, monksbhikkhave, a monkbhikkhu nobleariyo with banner loweredpannaddhajo with burden droppedpannabhāro detachedvisaṁyutto ishoti?
hereIdha, monksbhikkhave, a monk'sbhikkhuno the conceit 'I am'asmimāno given uppahīno ishoti, cut off at the rootucchinnamūlo made like a palm stumptālāvatthukato obliteratedanabhāvaṅkato, in the futureāyatiṁ unable to ariseanuppādadhammo.
thusEvaṁ indeedkho, monksbhikkhave, a monkbhikkhu nobleariyo with banner loweredpannaddhajo with burden droppedpannabhāro detachedvisaṁyutto ishoti.

And how is a mendicant a noble one with with banner lowered and burden dropped, detached? It’s when a mendicant has given up the conceit ‘I am’, cut it off at the root, made it like a palm stump, obliterated it, so it’s unable to arise in the future. That’s how a mendicant is a noble one with banner lowered and burden dropped, detached.

thusEvaṁ with freed mindvimuttacittaṁ indeedkho, O monksbhikkhave, a monkbhikkhuṁ with Indrasaindā godsdevā with Brahmāsabrahmakā with the Progenitorsapajāpatikā searchinganvesaṁ do not findnādhigacchanti:
this‘idaṁ based onnissitaṁ of the realized onetathāgatassa consciousnessviññāṇan’ti.
thatTaṁ of whatkissa causehetu?
in this very lifeDiṭṭhevāhaṁ, O monksbhikkhave, in the dhammadhamme the realized onetathāgataṁ not foundananuvijjoti I sayvadāmi.

When a mendicant’s mind was freed like this, the gods together with Indra, the Divinity, and the Progenitor, search as they may, will not discover: ‘This is the basis of that realized one’s consciousness.’ Why is that? Because even in this very life that realized one is not found, I say.

speaking thusEvaṁvādiṁ indeedkho memaṁ, monksbhikkhave, asserting thusevamakkhāyiṁ someeke ascetics and brahminssamaṇabrāhmaṇā with what is incorrectasatā hollowtucchā falsemusā with what is untrueabhūtena misrepresentabbhācikkhanti:
an exterminator‘venayiko asceticsamaṇo Gotamagotamo, existingsato of a beingsattassa annihilationucchedaṁ eradicationvināsaṁ nonexistencevibhavaṁ he advocatespaññāpetī’ti.
asYathā and Icāhaṁ notna, monksbhikkhave, asyathā and Icāhaṁ notna I sayvadāmi, sotathā memaṁ thosete sirsbhonto ascetics and brahminssamaṇabrāhmaṇā with what is incorrectasatā hollowtucchā falsemusā with what is untrueabhūtena misrepresentabbhācikkhanti:
an exterminator‘venayiko asceticsamaṇo Gotamagotamo, existingsato of a beingsattassa annihilationucchedaṁ eradicationvināsaṁ nonexistencevibhavaṁ he advocatespaññāpetī’ti.
in the pastPubbe and Icāhaṁ, monksbhikkhave, nowetarahi andca suffering onlydukkhañceva I describepaññāpemi, of sufferingdukkhassa andca cessationnirodhaṁ.
thereTatra ifce, monksbhikkhave, otherspare the Realized Onetathāgataṁ abuseakkosanti attackparibhāsanti harassrosenti troublevihesenti, theretatra, monksbhikkhave, of the Realized Onetathāgatassa notna there ishoti resentmentāghāto notna bitternessappaccayo notna of mindcetaso emotional exasperationanabhiraddhi.

Though I state and assert this, certain ascetics and brahmins misrepresent me with the incorrect, hollow, false, untruthful claim: ‘The ascetic Gotama is an exterminator. He advocates the annihilation, eradication, and nonexistence of an existing being.’ They misrepresent me as what I am not, and saying what I do not say. In the past, as today, what I describe is suffering and the cessation of suffering. This being so, if others abuse, attack, harass, and trouble the Realized One, he doesn’t get resentful, bitter, and emotionally exasperated.

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