On stone silver; Sakalika Sutta
Thanissaro Bhikkhu
Cullavagga VII tells of how Devadatta, the Buddha’s cousin, tried
unsuccessfully in various ways to wrest leadership of the Sangha from
the Buddha. In Cv VII.3.9, he tries to kill the Buddha by hurling a rock
down a mountainside.
The rock is crushed, and so misses the Buddha, but sends out a
splinter that pierces the Buddha’s foot, drawing blood. According to the
Commentary, this discourse together with SN 4.13 describe the Buddha’s
reaction to this attempt on his life.
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near
Rajagaha at the Maddakucchi Deer Reserve. Now at that time his foot had
been pierced by a stone sliver. Excruciating were the bodily feelings
that developed within him - painful, fierce, sharp, wracking, repellent,
disagreeable - but he endured them mindful, alert, and unperturbed.
Having had his outer robe folded in four and laid out, he lay down on
his right side in the lion’s posture, with one foot placed on top of the
other, mindful and alert.
Then 700 devatas from the Satullapa retinue, in the far extreme of
the night, their extreme radiance lighting up the entirety of
Maddakucchi, went to the Blessed One. On arrival, having bowed down to
him, they stood to one side.
As she was standing there, one of the devatas exclaimed in the
Blessed One’s presence: “What a naga is Gotama the contemplative! And
like a naga, when bodily feelings have arisen - painful, fierce, sharp,
wracking, repellent, disagreeable - he endures them mindful, alert, and
unperturbed!”
Then another devata exclaimed in the Blessed One’s presence: “What a
lion is Gotama the contemplative! And like a lion, when bodily feelings
have arisen - painful, fierce, sharp, wracking, repellent, disagreeable
- he endures them mindful, alert, and unperturbed!”
Then another devata exclaimed in the Blessed One’s presence: “What a
thoroughbred is Gotama the contemplative! And like a thoroughbred, when
bodily feelings have arisen - painful, fierce, sharp, wracking,
repellent, disagreeable - he endures them mindful, alert, and
unperturbed!”
Then another devata exclaimed in the Blessed One’s presence: “What a
peerless bull is Gotama the contemplative! And like a peerless bull,
when bodily feelings have arisen - painful, fierce, sharp, wracking,
repellent, disagreeable - he endures them mindful, alert, and
unperturbed!”
Then another devata exclaimed in the Blessed One’s presence: “What a
strong burden-carrier is Gotama the contemplative! And like a strong
burden-carrier, when bodily feelings have arisen - painful, fierce,
sharp, wracking, repellent, disagreeable - he endures them mindful,
alert, and unperturbed!”
Then another devata exclaimed in the Blessed One’s presence: “What a
tamed one is Gotama the contemplative! And like a tamed one, when bodily
feelings have arisen - painful, fierce, sharp, wracking, repellent,
disagreeable - he endures them mindful, alert, and unperturbed!”
Then another devata exclaimed in the Blessed One’s presence: “See a
concentration well-developed, a mind well-released - neither pressed
down nor forced back, nor with mental fabrication kept blocked or
suppressed. Whoever would think that such a naga of a man, lion of a
man, thoroughbred of a man, peerless bull of a man, strong
burden-carrier of a man, such a tamed man should be violated: what else
is that if not blindness?”
Five-Veda Brahmans,
living austerely
for 100 years:
Their minds
are not rightly released.
Lowly by nature,
they’ve not gone beyond.
Overpowered by craving,
bound up in precepts and practices,
performing wretched austerities
for 100 years:
Their minds
are not rightly released.
Lowly by nature,
they’ve not gone beyond.
For one fond of conceit,
there’s no taming;
for one uncentered,
no sagacity.
Though alone in the wilderness,
if one lives heedlessly,
one won’t cross over, beyond Mara’s sway.
But having abandoned conceit,
well-centered within,
with right awareness
everywhere
fully released,
alone in the wilderness,
heedfully living,
one will cross over, beyond Mara’s sway. |