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Majjhima Nikāya 85

Bodhirājakumārasutta

With Prince Bodhi · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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just so“Evameva indeedkho, princerājakumāra, whoye surelyhi anykeci asceticssamaṇā orvā brahminsbrāhmaṇā orvā in bodykāyena andceva in mindcittena andca from sensual pleasureskāmehi not withdrawnavūpakaṭṭhā they liveviharanti, whichyo andca theirnesaṁ toward sensual pleasureskāmesu desirekāmacchando affectionkāmasneho infatuationkāmamucchā thirstkāmapipāsā passionkāmapariḷāho thatso andca internallyajjhattaṁ notna well given upsuppahīno ishoti, notna well stilledsuppaṭippassaddho.
due to exertionOpakkamikā even ifcepi thosete sirsbhonto ascetics and brahminssamaṇabrāhmaṇā painfuldukkhā sharptibbā severekharā acutekaṭukā feelingsvedanā they feelvedayanti, incapableabhabbāva theyte of knowledgeñāṇāya of visiondassanāya of supremeanuttarāya awakeningsambodhāya.
if notNo even ifcepi thosete sirsbhonto ascetics and brahminssamaṇabrāhmaṇā due to exertionopakkamikā painfuldukkhā sharptibbā severekharā acutekaṭukā feelingsvedanā they feelvedayanti, incapableabhabbāva theyte of knowledgeñāṇāya of visiondassanāya of supremeanuttarāya awakeningsambodhāya.
thisAyaṁ indeedkho to memaṁ, princerājakumāra, firstpaṭhamā exampleupamā occurredpaṭibhāsi not marvellousanacchariyā beforepubbe unheard beforeassutapubbā.

“In the same way, there are ascetics and brahmins who don’t live withdrawn in body and mind from sensual pleasures. They haven’t internally given up or stilled desire, affection, infatuation, thirst, and passion for sensual pleasures. Regardless of whether or not they suffer painful, sharp, severe, acute feelings due to exertion, they are incapable of knowledge and vision, of supreme awakening. This was the first example that occurred to me.

another alsoAparāpi indeedkho to memaṁ, princerājakumāra, seconddutiyā exampleupamā occurredpaṭibhāsi unheard beforeanacchariyā beforepubbe unheard beforeassutapubbā.
supposeSeyyathāpi, princerājakumāra, greenallaṁ logkaṭṭhaṁ sappysasnehaṁ far fromārakā waterudakā on dry landthale lyingnikkhittaṁ.
thenAtha a personpuriso would comeāgaccheyya drill-stickuttarāraṇiṁ takingādāya:
fire‘aggiṁ I will produceabhinibbattessāmi, heattejo I will manifestpātukarissāmī’ti.
thatTaṁ whatkiṁ do you thinkmaññasi, princerājakumāra,
couldapi thennu thatso personpuriso thatamuṁ greenallaṁ logkaṭṭhaṁ sappysasnehaṁ far fromārakā waterudakā on dry landthale lyingnikkhittaṁ drill-stickuttarāraṇiṁ takingādāya drillingabhimanthento fireaggiṁ could produceabhinibbatteyya, heattejo could manifestpātukareyyā”ti?
no“No indeedhidaṁ, sirbhante.
thatTaṁ what iskissa the reasonhetu?
becauseAduñhi, sirbhante, greenallaṁ logkaṭṭhaṁ sappysasnehaṁ even thoughkiñcāpi far fromārakā waterudakā on dry landthale lyingnikkhittaṁ,
eventuallyyāvadeva andca butpana thatso personpuriso of wearinesskilamathassa of frustrationvighātassa a sharerbhāgī would beassā”ti.

Then a second example occurred to me. Suppose there was a green, sappy log, and it was lying on dry land far from the water. Then a person comes along with a drill-stick, thinking to light a fire and produce heat. What do you think, Prince? By drilling the stick against that green, sappy log on dry land far from water, could they light a fire and produce heat?” “No, sir. Why is that? Because it’s still a green, sappy log, despite the fact that it’s lying on dry land far from water. That person will eventually get weary and frustrated.”

just so“Evameva indeedkho, princerājakumāra, whoeverye indeedhi anykeci asceticssamaṇā orvā brahminsbrāhmaṇā orvā in bodykāyena andceva in mindcittena andca from sensual pleasureskāmehi withdrawnvūpakaṭṭhā liveviharanti, whichyo butca of themnesaṁ for sensual pleasureskāmesu desire for sensual pleasureskāmacchando affection for sensual pleasureskāmasneho infatuation with sensual pleasureskāmamucchā thirst for sensual pleasureskāmapipāsā passion for sensual pleasureskāmapariḷāho thatso butca internallyajjhattaṁ notna well abandonedsuppahīno ishoti, notna well stilledsuppaṭippassaddho.
due to exertionOpakkamikā even ifcepi thosete sirsbhonto ascetics and brahminssamaṇabrāhmaṇā painfuldukkhā sharptibbā severekharā acutekaṭukā feelingsvedanā feelvedayanti, incapable indeedabhabbāva theyte of knowledgeñāṇāya of visiondassanāya of supremeanuttarāya awakeningsambodhāya.
notNo even ifcepi thosete sirsbhonto ascetics and brahminssamaṇabrāhmaṇā due to exertionopakkamikā painfuldukkhā sharptibbā severekharā acutekaṭukā feelingsvedanā feelvedayanti, incapable indeedabhabbāva theyte of knowledgeñāṇāya of visiondassanāya of supremeanuttarāya awakeningsambodhāya.
thisAyaṁ indeedkho to memaṁ, princerājakumāra, seconddutiyā exampleupamā occurredpaṭibhāsi uninspiredanacchariyā beforepubbe never heard beforeassutapubbā.

“In the same way, there are ascetics and brahmins who live withdrawn in body and mind from sensual pleasures. But they haven’t internally given up or stilled desire, affection, infatuation, thirst, and passion for sensual pleasures. Regardless of whether or not they suffer painful, sharp, severe, acute feelings due to exertion, they are incapable of knowledge and vision, of supreme awakening. This was the second example that occurred to me.

another tooAparāpi indeedkho memaṁ, princerājakumāra, thirdtatiyā exampleupamā occurredpaṭibhāsi uninspiredanacchariyā beforepubbe unheard beforeassutapubbā.
supposeSeyyathāpi, princerājakumāra, drysukkhaṁ logkaṭṭhaṁ witheredkoḷāpaṁ far fromārakā waterudakā on dry landthale lyingnikkhittaṁ.
thenAtha a personpuriso might comeāgaccheyya drill-stickuttarāraṇiṁ takingādāya:
fire‘aggiṁ I will produceabhinibbattessāmi, heattejo I will manifestpātukarissāmī’ti.
thatTaṁ whatkiṁ do you thinkmaññasi, princerājakumāra,
couldapi indeednu thatso personpuriso thatamuṁ drysukkhaṁ logkaṭṭhaṁ witheredkoḷāpaṁ far fromārakā waterudakā on dry landthale lyingnikkhittaṁ drill-stickuttarāraṇiṁ takingādāya drillingabhimanthento fireaggiṁ might produceabhinibbatteyya, heattejo might manifestpātukareyyā”ti?
yes“Evaṁ, sirbhante.
thatTaṁ of whatkissa causehetu?
becauseAduñhi, sirbhante, drysukkhaṁ logkaṭṭhaṁ witheredkoḷāpaṁ, and thattañca andpana far fromārakā waterudakā on dry landthale lyingnikkhittan”ti.
in the same way“Evameva indeedkho, princerājakumāra, whoeverye indeedhi anykeci asceticssamaṇā orvā brahminsbrāhmaṇā orvā in bodykāyena andceva in mindcittena andca from sensual pleasureskāmehi withdrawnvūpakaṭṭhā they liveviharanti, whichyo andca theirnesaṁ in sensual pleasureskāmesu desire for sensual pleasureskāmacchando affection for sensual pleasureskāmasneho infatuation with sensual pleasureskāmamucchā thirst for sensual pleasureskāmapipāsā passion for sensual pleasureskāmapariḷāho thatso andca internallyajjhattaṁ well given upsuppahīno ishoti well stilledsuppaṭippassaddho.

Then a third example occurred to me. Suppose there was a dried up, withered log, and it was lying on dry land far from the water. Then a person comes along with a drill-stick, thinking to light a fire and produce heat. What do you think, Prince? By drilling the stick against that dried up, withered log on dry land far from water, could they light a fire and produce heat?” “Yes, sir. Why is that? Because it’s a dried up, withered log, and it’s lying on dry land far from water.” “In the same way, there are ascetics and brahmins who live withdrawn in body and mind from sensual pleasures. And they have internally given up and stilled desire, affection, infatuation, thirst, and passion for sensual pleasures. Regardless of whether or not they suffer painful, sharp, severe, acute feelings due to exertion, they are capable of knowledge and vision, of supreme awakening.

arisen from aggressionOpakkamikā if evencepi thosete sirsbhonto ascetics and brahminssamaṇabrāhmaṇā painfuldukkhā sharptibbā roughkharā bitterkaṭukā feelingsvedanā they feelvedayanti, only they are capablebhabbāva theyte of knowledgeñāṇāya of visiondassanāya of unsurpassedanuttarāya of full awakeningsambodhāya.
notNo if evencepi thosete sirsbhonto ascetics and brahminssamaṇabrāhmaṇā arisen from aggressionopakkamikā painfuldukkhā sharptibbā roughkharā bitterkaṭukā feelingsvedanā they feelvedayanti, only they are capablebhabbāva theyte of knowledgeñāṇāya of visiondassanāya of unsurpassedanuttarāya of full awakeningsambodhāya.
thisAyaṁ indeedkho to memaṁ, princerājakumāra, thirdtatiyā simileupamā occurredpaṭibhāsi unmarvelousanacchariyā beforepubbe never heard beforeassutapubbā.
theseImā indeedkho to memaṁ, princerājakumāra, threetisso similesupamā occurredpaṭibhaṁsu unmarvelousanacchariyā beforepubbe never heard beforeassutapubbā.

This was the third example that occurred to me. These are the three similes, which were neither supernaturally inspired, nor learned before in the past, that occurred to me.

of thatTassa to memayhaṁ, princerājakumāra, this occurredetadahosi:
why don't I‘yannūnāhaṁ with teeth clencheddantebhidantamādhāya, with tonguejivhāya palatetāluṁ pressing againstāhacca, with mindcetasā mindcittaṁ might squeezeabhiniggaṇheyyaṁ might squashabhinippīḷeyyaṁ might scorchabhisantāpeyyan’ti.
thatSo indeedkho Iahaṁ, princerājakumāra, with teeth clencheddantebhidantamādhāya, with tonguejivhāya palatetāluṁ pressing againstāhacca, with mindcetasā mindcittaṁ I squeezeabhiniggaṇhāmi I squashabhinippīḷemi I scorchabhisantāpemi.
of thatTassa to memayhaṁ, princerājakumāra, with teeth clencheddantebhidantamādhāya, with tonguejivhāya palatetāluṁ pressing againstāhacca, with mindcetasā mindcittaṁ squeezingabhiniggaṇhato squashingabhinippīḷayato scorchingabhisantāpayato from armpitskacchehi sweatssedā ranmuccanti.
just asSeyyathāpi, princerājakumāra, strongbalavā manpuriso weakerdubbalataraṁ manpurisaṁ by headsīse orvā having grabbedgahetvā by shoulderkhandhe orvā having grabbedgahetvā might squeezeabhiniggaṇheyya might squashabhinippīḷeyya might scorchabhisantāpeyya;
just soevameva indeedkho to meme, princerājakumāra, with teeth clencheddantebhidantamādhāya, with tonguejivhāya palatetāluṁ pressing againstāhacca, with mindcetasā mindcittaṁ squeezingabhiniggaṇhato squashingabhinippīḷayato scorchingabhisantāpayato from armpitskacchehi sweatssedā ranmuccanti.
roused upĀraddhaṁ indeedkho butpana myme, princerājakumāra, energyvīriyaṁ washoti unflaggingasallīnaṁ, establishedupaṭṭhitā mindfulnesssati lucidasammuṭṭhā, disturbedsāraddho andca butpana myme bodykāyo washoti not tranquilappaṭippassaddho, by that veryteneva because of painful strivingdukkhappadhānena who was stricken by strivingpadhānābhitunnassa mindfulsato.

Then it occurred to me, ‘Why don’t I, with teeth clenched and tongue pressed against the roof of my mouth, squeeze, squash, and scorch mind with mind?’ So that’s what I did, until sweat ran from my armpits. It was like when a strong man grabs a weaker man by the head or throat or shoulder and squeezes, squashes, and crushes them. In the same way, with teeth clenched and tongue pressed against the roof of my mouth, I squeezed, squashed, and crushed mind with mind until sweat ran from my armpits. My energy was roused up and unflagging, and my mindfulness was established and lucid, but my body was disturbed, not tranquil, because I’d pushed too hard with that painful striving.

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