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Majjhima Nikāya 28

Mahāhatthipadopamasutta

The Longer Simile of the Elephant’s Footprint · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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thusEvaṁ by meme heardsutaṁ—
oneekaṁ timesamayaṁ the Buddhabhagavā at Sāvatthīsāvatthiyaṁ was stayingviharati in Jeta's Grovejetavane of Anāthapiṇḍikaanāthapiṇḍikassa monasteryārāme.
thereTatra indeedkho venerableāyasmā Sāriputtasāriputto the mendicantsbhikkhū addressedāmantesi:
reverends“āvuso mendicantsbhikkhave”ti.
reverend“Āvuso”ti indeedkho thosete mendicantsbhikkhū to venerableāyasmato Sāriputtasāriputtassa repliedpaccassosuṁ.
venerableĀyasmā Sāriputtasāriputto said thisetadavoca:

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. There Sāriputta addressed the mendicants, “Reverends, mendicants!” “Reverend,” they replied. Sāriputta said this:

just as“Seyyathāpi, friendsāvuso, whateveryāni anykānici of junglejaṅgalānaṁ of creaturespāṇānaṁ footprintspadajātāni allsabbāni thosetāni in an elephant's footprinthatthipade inclusionsamodhānaṁ they gogacchanti, an elephant's footprinthatthipadaṁ of themtesaṁ is said to be the bestaggamakkhāyati that isyadidaṁ by greatnessmahantattena;
just soevameva indeedkho, friendsāvuso, whateverye anykeci skillfulkusalā qualitiesdhammā all thesesabbete in fourcatūsu in the noble truthsariyasaccesu includedsaṅgahaṁ they gogacchanti.
in whichKatamesu four?catūsu?
in sufferingDukkhe in the noble truthariyasacce, in the origin of sufferingdukkhasamudaye in the noble truthariyasacce, in the cessation of sufferingdukkhanirodhe in the noble truthariyasacce, of the practice leading to the cessation of sufferingdukkhanirodhagāminiyā of the practicepaṭipadāya in the noble truthariyasacce.

“The footprints of all creatures that walk can fit inside an elephant’s footprint, so an elephant’s footprint is said to be the biggest of them all. In the same way, all skillful qualities are included in the four noble truths. What four? The noble truths of suffering, the origin of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering.

and what, friendsKatamañcāvuso, sufferingdukkhaṁ noble truthariyasaccaṁ?
rebirth tooJātipi is sufferingdukkhā, old age toojarāpi is sufferingdukkhā, death toomaraṇampi is sufferingdukkhaṁ, sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress toosokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsāpi is sufferingdukkhā, what too one wishes foryampicchaṁ notna getslabhati that tootampi is sufferingdukkhaṁ; in briefsaṅkhittena, five grasping aggregatespañcupādānakkhandhā are sufferingdukkhā.
whatKatame and, friendscāvuso, five grasping aggregatespañcupādānakkhandhā?
they are as follows: form grasping aggregateSeyyathidaṁ—rūpupādānakkhandho, feeling grasping aggregatevedanupādānakkhandho, perception grasping aggregatesaññupādānakkhandho, choices grasping aggregatesaṅkhārupādānakkhandho, consciousness grasping aggregateviññāṇupādānakkhandho.

And what is the noble truth of suffering? Rebirth is suffering; old age is suffering; death is suffering; sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress are suffering; not getting what you wish for is suffering. In brief, the five grasping aggregates are suffering. And what are the five grasping aggregates? They are as follows: the grasping aggregates of form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness.

whichKatamo and, friend,cāvuso, the grasping aggregate of form?rūpupādānakkhandho?
fourCattāri andca principal states,mahābhūtāni, and of the fourcatunnañca principal statesmahābhūtānaṁ derivedupādāya form.rūpaṁ.

And what is the grasping aggregate of form? The four principal states, and form derived from the four principal states.

whatKatamā and, friendscāvuso, fourcattāro principal states?mahābhūtā?
earth element,Pathavīdhātu, water element,āpodhātu, fire element,tejodhātu, air element.vāyodhātu.

And what are the four principal states? The elements of earth, water, fire, and air.

which?Katamā and, friend,cāvuso, earth element?pathavīdhātu?
earth elementPathavīdhātu may besiyā interiorajjhattikā, may besiyā exteriorbāhirā.
which?Katamā and, friend,cāvuso, interiorajjhattikā earth element?pathavīdhātu?
whateverYaṁ internalajjhattaṁ personalpaccattaṁ hard,kakkhaḷaṁ solid,kharigataṁ appropriated,upādinnaṁ, this includes:seyyathidaṁ—
head hair,kesā body hair,lomā nails,nakhā teeth,dantā skin,taco flesh,maṁsaṁ sinews,nhāru bones,aṭṭhi bone marrow,aṭṭhimiñjaṁ kidneys,vakkaṁ heart,hadayaṁ liver,yakanaṁ diaphragm,kilomakaṁ spleen,pihakaṁ lungs,papphāsaṁ intestines,antaṁ mesentery,antaguṇaṁ undigested food,udariyaṁ feces;karīsaṁ, whateveryaṁ orvā and anything elsepanaññampi elsekiñci internalajjhattaṁ personalpaccattaṁ hard,kakkhaḷaṁ solid,kharigataṁ appropriated.upādinnaṁ.
thisAyaṁ is called,vuccatāvuso, interiorajjhattikā earth element.pathavīdhātu.
theYā andceva indeedkho andpana interiorajjhattikā earth element,pathavīdhātu, andyā andca exteriorbāhirā earth element,pathavīdhātu, are just earth element.pathavīdhāturevesā.
“This‘Taṁ is not thisnetaṁ mine,mama, I am not this,nesohamasmi, notna this is mymeso self’—like thisattā’ti—evametaṁ as it really isyathābhūtaṁ with right understandingsammappaññāya should be seen.daṭṭhabbaṁ.
like thisEvametaṁ as it really isyathābhūtaṁ with right understandingsammappaññāya having seen,disvā with the earth elementpathavīdhātuyā grow disillusioned,nibbindati, with the earth elementpathavīdhātuyā the mindcittaṁ detaches.virājeti.

And what is the earth element? The earth element may be interior or exterior. And what is the interior earth element? Anything internal, personal, that’s hard, solid, and appropriated. This includes: head hair, body hair, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, bone marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, diaphragm, spleen, lungs, intestines, mesentery, undigested food, feces; or anything else internal, personal, that’s hard, solid, and appropriated. This is called the interior earth element. The interior earth element and the exterior earth element are just the earth element. This should be truly seen with right understanding like this: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’ When you truly see with right understanding, you grow disillusioned with the earth element, detaching the mind from the earth element.

comes to beHoti indeedkho thatso, friendāvuso, timesamayo whenyaṁ exteriorbāhirā water elementāpodhātu flares uppakuppati.
vanishedAntarahitā at thattasmiṁ timesamaye exteriorbāhirā earth elementpathavīdhātu comes to behoti.
of thatTassā forhi indeednāma, friendāvuso, exteriorbāhirāya earth elementpathavīdhātuyā for alltāva greatmahallikāya impermanenceaniccatā will be revealedpaññāyissati, liability to endkhayadhammatā will be revealedpaññāyissati, liability to vanishvayadhammatā will be revealedpaññāyissati, liability to perishvipariṇāmadhammatā will be revealedpaññāyissati.
whatKiṁ then of thispanimassa ephemeralmattaṭṭhakassa bodykāyassa appropriated by cravingtaṇhupādinnassa ‘I’‘ahanti orvā ‘mine’mamanti orvā ‘I am’asmī’ti orvā? ratherAtha for him it is notkhvāssa not even herenotevettha comes to behoti.

There comes a time when the exterior water element flares up. At that time the exterior earth element vanishes. So for all its great age, the earth element will be revealed as impermanent, liable to end, vanish, and perish. What then of this ephemeral body appropriated by craving? Rather than ‘I’ or ‘mine’ or ‘I am’, they consider it to be none of these things.

if thatTañce, friendāvuso, mendicantbhikkhuṁ otherspare abuseakkosanti attackparibhāsanti harassrosenti troublevihesenti, heso thusevaṁ understandspajānāti:
arisen‘uppannā indeedkho in meme thisayaṁ born of ear contactsotasamphassajā painful feelingdukkhavedanā.
thatSā andca indeedkho dependentpaṭicca, notno independentapaṭicca.
on whatKiṁ dependentpaṭicca?
on contactPhassaṁ dependentpaṭicca’.
heSo contactphasso impermanentaniccoti seespassati, feelingvedanā impermanentaniccāti seespassati, perceptionsaññā impermanentaniccāti seespassati, choicessaṅkhārā impermanentaniccāti seespassati, consciousnessviññāṇaṁ impermanentaniccanti seespassati.
based on that elementTassa on that element alonedhātārammaṇameva mindcittaṁ leaps forthpakkhandati gains confidencepasīdati settles downsantiṭṭhati becomes decidedadhimuccati.

If others abuse, attack, harass, and trouble that mendicant, they understand: ‘This painful feeling born of ear contact has arisen in me. That’s dependent, not independent. Dependent on what? Dependent on contact.’ They see that contact, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness are impermanent. Based on that element alone, their mind leaps forth, gains confidence, settles down, and becomes decided.

if thatTañce, friendāvuso, mendicantbhikkhuṁ otherspare with dislikinganiṭṭhehi with loathingakantehi with detestationamanāpehi treatsamudācaranti—
with fistspāṇisamphassenapi with stonesleḍḍusamphassenapi with sticksdaṇḍasamphassenapi with swordssatthasamphassenapi.
heSo thusevaṁ understandspajānāti:
of such nature‘tathābhūto indeedkho thisayaṁ bodykāyo of such natureyathābhūtasmiṁ bodykāye fistspāṇisamphassāpi strikekamanti, stonesleḍḍusamphassāpi strikekamanti, sticksdaṇḍasamphassāpi strikekamanti, swordssatthasamphassāpi strikekamanti.
saidVuttaṁ indeedkho but thispanetaṁ by the Blessed Onebhagavatā in the Advice on the Simile of the Sawkakacūpamovāde:
with a two-handed saw“ubhatodaṇḍakena even ifcepi, monksbhikkhave, with a sawkakacena banditscorā low-downocarakā limb from limbaṅgamaṅgāni would severokanteyyuṁ, theretatrāpi whoyo mindmano would corruptpadūseyya notna myme heso on that accounttena following my instructionssāsanakaro”ti.
roused upĀraddhaṁ indeedkho butpana myme energyvīriyaṁ will bebhavissati unflaggingasallīnaṁ, establishedupaṭṭhitā mindfulnesssati lucidasammuṭṭhā, tranquilpassaddho bodykāyo undisturbedasāraddho, immersedsamāhitaṁ mindcittaṁ unifiedekaggaṁ.
gladlyKāmaṁ nowdāni thisimasmiṁ bodykāye fistspāṇisamphassāpi let strikekamantu, stonesleḍḍusamphassāpi let strikekamantu, sticksdaṇḍasamphassāpi let strikekamantu, swordssatthasamphassāpi let strikekamantu, is followedkarīyati for thishidaṁ of the Buddhasbuddhānaṁ instructionssāsanan’ti.

Others might treat that mendicant with disliking, loathing, and detestation, striking them with fists, stones, sticks, and swords. They understand: ‘This body is such that fists, stones, sticks, and swords strike it. But the Buddha has said in the Advice on the Simile of the Saw: “Even if low-down bandits were to sever you limb from limb with a two-handed saw, anyone who had a malevolent thought on that account would not be following my instructions.” My energy shall be roused up and unflagging, my mindfulness established and lucid, my body tranquil and undisturbed, and my mind immersed and unified in samādhi. Gladly now, let fists, stones, sticks, and swords strike this body! For this is how the instructions of the Buddhas are followed.’

for himTassa ifce, friendāvuso, for the monkbhikkhuno thusevaṁ the Buddhabuddhaṁ recollectinganussarato thusevaṁ the teachingdhammaṁ recollectinganussarato thusevaṁ the Saṅghasaṅghaṁ recollectinganussarato equanimityupekkhā based on the skillfulkusalanissitā notna becomes stabilizedsaṇṭhāti.
heSo by thattena is stirredsaṁvijjati a sense of urgencysaṁvegaṁ arousesāpajjati:
loss‘alābhā indeedvata for meme, notna indeedvata for meme gainlābhā; badly gaineddulladdhaṁ indeedvata for meme, notna indeedvata for meme well gainedsuladdhaṁ,
for whomyassa meme thusevaṁ the Buddhabuddhaṁ recollectinganussarato, thusevaṁ the teachingdhammaṁ recollectinganussarato, thusevaṁ the Saṅghasaṅghaṁ recollectinganussarato, equanimityupekkhā based on the skillfulkusalanissitā notna becomes stabilizedsaṇṭhātī’ti.
just asSeyyathāpi, friendāvuso, a daughter-in-lawsuṇisā the father-in-lawsasuraṁ having seendisvā is stirredsaṁvijjati a sense of urgencysaṁvegaṁ arousesāpajjati;
just soevameva indeedkho, friendāvuso, for himtassa ifce for the monkbhikkhuno thusevaṁ the Buddhabuddhaṁ recollectinganussarato, thusevaṁ the teachingdhammaṁ recollectinganussarato, thusevaṁ the Saṅghasaṅghaṁ recollectinganussarato, equanimityupekkhā based on the skillfulkusalanissitā notna becomes stabilizedsaṇṭhāti, heso by thattena is stirredsaṁvijjati a sense of urgencysaṁvegaṁ arousesāpajjati:

While recollecting the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha in this way, equanimity based on the skillful may not become stabilized in them. In that case they stir up a sense of urgency: ‘It’s my loss, my misfortune, that while recollecting the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha in this way, equanimity based on the skillful does not become stabilized in me.’ They’re like a daughter-in-law who stirs up a sense of urgency when they see their father-in-law.

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