Laṭukikopamasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 66

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

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“Evameva panudāyi, idhekacce moghapurisā ‘idaṁ pajahathā’ti mayā vuccamānā te evamāhaṁsu:
‘kiṁ panimassa appamattakassa oramattakassa adhisallikhatevāyaṁ samaṇo’ti.
Te tañceva nappajahanti, mayi ca appaccayaṁ upaṭṭhāpenti.
Ye ca bhikkhū sikkhākāmā tesaṁ taṁ, udāyi, hoti balavaṁ bandhanaṁ, daḷhaṁ bandhanaṁ, thiraṁ bandhanaṁ, apūtikaṁ bandhanaṁ, thūlo, kaliṅgaro—

“This is exactly what happens when some futile people are told by me to give something up. They say, ‘What, such a trivial, trifling thing as this? This ascetic is much too strict!’ They don’t give it up, and they nurse bitterness toward me; and for the mendicants who want to train, that becomes a strong, firm, stout bond, a tie that has not rotted, and a heavy yoke.

seyyathāpi, udāyi, laṭukikā sakuṇikā pūtilatāya bandhanena baddhā tattheva vadhaṁ vā bandhaṁ vā maraṇaṁ vā āgameti.
Yo nu kho, udāyi, evaṁ vadeyya:
‘yena sā laṭukikā sakuṇikā pūtilatāya bandhanena baddhā tattheva vadhaṁ vā bandhaṁ vā maraṇaṁ vā āgameti, tañhi tassā abalaṁ bandhanaṁ, dubbalaṁ bandhanaṁ, pūtikaṁ bandhanaṁ, asārakaṁ bandhanan’ti;
sammā nu kho so, udāyi, vadamāno vadeyyā”ti?
“No hetaṁ, bhante.
Yena sā, bhante, laṭukikā sakuṇikā pūtilatāya bandhanena baddhā tattheva vadhaṁ vā bandhaṁ vā maraṇaṁ vā āgameti, tañhi tassā balavaṁ bandhanaṁ, daḷhaṁ bandhanaṁ, thiraṁ bandhanaṁ apūtikaṁ bandhanaṁ, thūlo, kaliṅgaro”ti.
“Evameva kho, udāyi, idhekacce moghapurisā ‘idaṁ pajahathā’ti mayā vuccamānā te evamāhaṁsu:

Suppose a quail was tied with a vine, and was waiting there to be injured, caged, or killed. Would it be right to say that, for that quail, that vine is weak, feeble, rotten, and insubstantial?” “No, sir. For that quail, that vine is a strong, firm, stout bond, a tie that has not rotted, and a heavy yoke.” “In the same way, when some futile people are told by me to give something up, they say,

‘kiṁ panimassa appamattakassa oramattakassa adhisallikhatevāyaṁ samaṇo’ti?
Te tañceva nappajahanti, mayi ca appaccayaṁ upaṭṭhāpenti.
Ye ca bhikkhū sikkhākāmā tesaṁ taṁ, udāyi, hoti balavaṁ bandhanaṁ, daḷhaṁ bandhanaṁ, thiraṁ bandhanaṁ, apūtikaṁ bandhanaṁ, thūlo, kaliṅgaro.

‘What, such a trivial, trifling thing as this? This ascetic is much too strict!’ They don’t give it up, and they nurse bitterness toward me; and for the mendicants who want to train, that becomes a strong, firm, stout bond, a tie that has not rotted, and a heavy yoke.

Idha panudāyi, ekacce kulaputtā ‘idaṁ pajahathā’ti mayā vuccamānā te evamāhaṁsu:
‘kiṁ panimassa appamattakassa oramattakassa pahātabbassa yassa no bhagavā pahānamāha, yassa no sugato paṭinissaggamāhā’ti?
Te tañceva pajahanti, mayi ca na appaccayaṁ upaṭṭhāpenti.
Ye ca bhikkhū sikkhākāmā te taṁ pahāya appossukkā pannalomā paradattavuttā migabhūtena cetasā viharanti.
Tesaṁ taṁ, udāyi, hoti abalaṁ bandhanaṁ, dubbalaṁ bandhanaṁ, pūtikaṁ bandhanaṁ, asārakaṁ bandhanaṁ—

But when some gentlemen are told by me to give something up, they say, ‘What, we just have to give up such a trivial, trifling thing as this, when the Blessed One tells us to give it up, the Holy One tells us to let it go?’ They give it up, and they don’t nurse bitterness toward me; and when the mendicants who want to train have given that up, they live relaxed, unruffled, surviving on charity, their hearts free as a wild deer. For them, that bond is weak, feeble, rotten, and insubstantial.

seyyathāpi, udāyi, rañño nāgo īsādanto urūḷhavā abhijāto saṅgāmāvacaro daḷhehi varattehi bandhanehi baddho īsakaṁyeva kāyaṁ sannāmetvā tāni bandhanāni saṁchinditvā sampadāletvā yena kāmaṁ pakkamati.
Yo nu kho, udāyi, evaṁ vadeyya:
‘yehi so rañño nāgo īsādanto urūḷhavā abhijāto saṅgāmāvacaro daḷhehi varattehi bandhanehi baddho īsakaṁyeva kāyaṁ sannāmetvā tāni bandhanāni saṁchinditvā sampadāletvā yena kāmaṁ pakkamati, tañhi tassa balavaṁ bandhanaṁ, daḷhaṁ bandhanaṁ, thiraṁ bandhanaṁ, apūtikaṁ bandhanaṁ, thūlo, kaliṅgaro’ti;
sammā nu kho so, udāyi, vadamāno vadeyyā”ti?
“No hetaṁ, bhante.

Suppose there was a royal bull elephant with tusks like draft-poles, able to draw a heavy load, pedigree and battle-hardened. And it was bound with a strong harness. But just by twisting its body a little, it would break apart its bonds and go wherever it wants. Would it be right to say that, for that bull elephant, that strong harness is a strong, firm, stout bond, a tie that has not rotted, and a heavy yoke?” “No, sir.

Yehi so, bhante, rañño nāgo īsādanto urūḷhavā abhijāto saṅgāmāvacaro daḷhehi varattehi bandhanehi baddho īsakaṁyeva kāyaṁ sannāmetvā tāni bandhanāni saṁchinditvā sampadāletvā yena kāmaṁ pakkamati, tañhi tassa abalaṁ bandhanaṁ …pe… asārakaṁ bandhanan”ti.
“Evameva kho, udāyi, idhekacce kulaputtā ‘idaṁ pajahathā’ti mayā vuccamānā te evamāhaṁsu:
‘kiṁ panimassa appamattakassa oramattakassa pahātabbassa yassa no bhagavā pahānamāha, yassa no sugato paṭinissaggamāhā’ti?
Te tañceva pajahanti, mayi ca na appaccayaṁ upaṭṭhāpenti.
Ye ca bhikkhū sikkhākāmā te taṁ pahāya appossukkā pannalomā paradattavuttā migabhūtena cetasā viharanti.
Tesaṁ taṁ, udāyi, hoti abalaṁ bandhanaṁ, dubbalaṁ bandhanaṁ, pūtikaṁ bandhanaṁ, asārakaṁ bandhanaṁ.

For that bull elephant, that strong harness is weak, feeble, rotten, and insubstantial.” “In the same way, when some gentlemen are told by me to give something up, they say, ‘What, we just have to give up such a trivial, trifling thing as this, when the Blessed One tells us to give it up, the Holy One tells us to let it go?’ They give it up, and they don’t nurse bitterness toward me; and when the mendicants who want to train have given that up, they live relaxed, unruffled, surviving on charity, their hearts free as a wild deer. For them, that bond is weak, feeble, rotten, and insubstantial.

Seyyathāpi, udāyi, puriso daliddo assako anāḷhiyo;
tassassa ekaṁ agārakaṁ oluggaviluggaṁ kākātidāyiṁ naparamarūpaṁ, ekā khaṭopikā oluggaviluggā naparamarūpā, ekissā kumbhiyā dhaññasamavāpakaṁ naparamarūpaṁ, ekā jāyikā naparamarūpā.
So ārāmagataṁ bhikkhuṁ passeyya sudhotahatthapādaṁ manuññaṁ bhojanaṁ bhuttāviṁ sītāya chāyāya nisinnaṁ adhicitte yuttaṁ.
Tassa evamassa:
‘sukhaṁ vata bho sāmaññaṁ, ārogyaṁ vata bho sāmaññaṁ.
So vatassaṁ yohaṁ kesamassuṁ ohāretvā kāsāyāni vatthāni acchādetvā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajeyyan’ti.
So na sakkuṇeyya ekaṁ agārakaṁ oluggaviluggaṁ kākātidāyiṁ naparamarūpaṁ pahāya, ekaṁ khaṭopikaṁ oluggaviluggaṁ naparamarūpaṁ pahāya, ekissā kumbhiyā dhaññasamavāpakaṁ naparamarūpaṁ pahāya, ekaṁ jāyikaṁ naparamarūpaṁ pahāya kesamassuṁ ohāretvā kāsāyāni vatthāni acchādetvā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajituṁ.
Yo nu kho, udāyi, evaṁ vadeyya:

Suppose there was a poor man, with few possessions and little wealth. He had a single broken-down hovel open to the crows, not the best sort; a single broken-down couch, not the best sort; a single pot for storing grain, not the best sort; and a single wifey, not the best sort. He’d see a mendicant sitting in meditation in the cool shade, their hands and feet well washed after eating a satisfying meal. He’d think, ‘The ascetic life is so very pleasant! The ascetic life is so very healthy! If only I could shave off my hair and beard, dress in ocher robes, and go forth from the lay life to homelessness.’ But he’s not able to give up his broken-down hovel, his broken-down couch, his pot for storing grain, or his wifey—none of which are the best sort—in order to go forth. Would it be right to say that,

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