Saṃyutta Nikāya
V: Mahā-Vagga
47. Sati-Paṭṭhāna Saṃyutta
2. Nālandā Vagga
Sutta 19
Sedaka (or Ekantaka or Desakā) Suttaṃ
At Sedaka
1: The Acrobat
Translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
Proofed against and modified in accordance with the revised edition at dhammatalks.org
Provenance, terms and conditons
[1][pts][bodh] I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying among the Sumbhas.
Now there is a Sumbhan town named Sedaka.
There the Blessed One addressed the monks, "Monks!"
"Yes, lord," the monks responded to him.
The Blessed One said, "Once upon a time, monks, a bamboo acrobat, having erected a bamboo pole, addressed his assistant, Frying Pan:
'Come, my dear Frying Pan.
Climb up the bamboo pole and stand on my shoulders.'
"'As you say, Master,' Frying Pan answered the bamboo acrobat and, climbing the bamboo pole, stood on his shoulders.
"So then the bamboo acrobat said to his assistant, 'Now you watch after me, my dear Frying Pan, and I'll watch after you.
Thus, protecting each other, watching after each other, we'll show off our skill, receive our reward, and come down safely from the bamboo pole.'
"When he had said this, Frying Pan said to him, 'But that won't do at all, Master.
You watch after yourself, and I'll watch after myself, and thus with each of us protecting ourselves, watching after ourselves, we'll show off our skill, receive our reward, and come down safely from the bamboo pole.'
"What Frying Pan, the assistant, said to her Master was the right way in that case.
"Monks, the establishing of mindfulness is to be practiced with the thought, 'I'll watch after myself.'
The establishing of mindfulness is to be practiced with the thought, 'I'll watch after others.'
When watching after yourself, you watch after others.
When watching after others, you watch after yourself.
"And how do you watch after others when watching after yourself?
Through cultivating (the practice), through developing it, through pursuing it.
This is how you watch after others when watching after yourself.
"And how do you watch after yourself when watching after others?
Through endurance, through harmlessness, through a mind of goodwill, and through sympathy.
This is how you watch after yourself when watching after others.
"The establishing of mindfulness is to be practiced with the thought, 'I'll watch after myself.'
The establishing of mindfulness is to be practiced with the thought, 'I'll watch after others.'
When watching after yourself, you watch after others.
When watching after others, you watch after yourself."
