Aṅguttara Nikāya
IX. Navaka Nipāta
II. Sīhanāda Vagga

The Book of Nines

Sutta 11

Sāriputta Sīhanāda^[1] Suttaṃ

Sāriputta's Lion's Roar

Translated from the Pāḷi
by
Michael M. Olds

 

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[1][pts][upal] I hear tell:

Once upon a time The Lucky Man
Sāvātthi-town revisiting
Anāthapiṇḍika's Jetavana sporting ground.

There then, Old Man Sāriputta
approached the Lucky Man and
drew near.

Having drawn near and
having exchanged respectful greetings,
he took a seat to one side.

Having taken a seat to one side, then,
Old Man Sāriputta said this
to the Lucky Man:

"I have spent^[2] my rains residence
here in Sāvatthi, bhante, and
now wish to tour the countryside."

"You should do now, Sāriputta,
that for which you think it is time."

Then Old Man Sāriputta
having risen up from his seat and,
paying respect to the Lucky Man
by keeping him to his right,
departed.

There then a certain Beggar,
not long after Sāriputta had gone,
said this to the Lucky Man:

"Old Man Sāriputta, bhante,
offended me and,
without removing the offence,
is going on tour."

There then the Lucky Man
said this to another beggar:

"Come you, beggar,
address Sāriputta and
in my name say:

'The teacher, friend Sāriputta,
calls you.'"

"Thus bhante!"^[3]
replied that beggar to The Lucky Man.

He then saught out Old Man Sāriputta and
drew near.

Having drawn near Old Man Sāriputta,
he said:

"The teacher, friend Sāriputta,
calls you."

"Thus friend!"
replied Old Man Sāriputta
to that beggar.

Then also at that time
Old Man Moggallāna the Great, and
Old Man Ānanda,
taking up keys,^[4]
went from dwelling to dwelling
saying:

"Approach elders!

Approach perfected ones!

Old Man Sāriputta
is about to roar a lion's roar
in the presence of the Lucky Man"

There then Old Man Sāriputta
drew near the Lucky Man.

Having drawn near the Lucky Man,
he exchanged respectful greetings and
took a seat to one side.

Old Man Sāriputta
having taken a seat to one side,
the Lucky Man said this to him:

"Now then Sāriputta,
a certain Brahma-farer
has accused you of an offence
saying:

'Old Man Sāriputta, bhante,
offended me and,
without removing the offence,
is going on tour.'"

"Indeed, bhante,
one who has not got
minding the body,
might offend
a certain Brahma-farer and
without removing the offence,
set out on tour.

It is just as if, bhante,
upon this earth,
the pure was just thrown at it,
the impure was just thrown at it,
shit was just thrown at it,
piss was just thrown at it,
spit was just thrown at it,
pus was just thrown at it,
blood was just thrown at it.

Not because of that
does the earth
get upset, or
get ashamed, or
experience loathing.

Even so I, bhante,
like this earth,
abide with a heart
encompassing,
attained to the great,
boundless,
kindly,
harmless.^[5]

Indeed, bhante,
one who has not got
minding the body,
might offend
a certain Brahma-farer and
without removing the offence,
set out on tour.

It is just as if, bhante,
by water,
the pure was just washed away,
the impure was just washed away,
shit was just washed away,
piss was just washed away,
spit was just washed away,
pus was just washed away,
blood was just washed away.

Not because of that
does water
get upset, or
get ashamed, or
experience loathing.

Even so I, bhante,
like water,
abide with a heart
encompassing,
attained to the great,
boundless,
kindly,
harmless.

Indeed, bhante,
one who has not got
minding the body,
might offend
a certain Brahma-farer and
without removing the offence,
set out on tour.

It is just as if, bhante,
in fire,
the pure was just burnt up,
the impure was just burnt up,
shit was just burnt up,
piss was just burnt up,
spit was just burnt up,
pus was just burnt up,
blood was just burnt up.

Not because of that
does fire
get upset, or
get ashamed, or
experience loathing.

Even so I, bhante,
like fire,
abide with a heart
encompassing,
attained to the great,
boundless,
kindly,
harmless.

Indeed, bhante,
one who has not got
minding the body,
might offend
a certain Brahma-farer and
without removing the offence,
set out on tour.

It is just as if, bhante,
by wind,
the pure was just blown away,
the impure was just blown away,
shit was just blown away,
piss was just blown away,
spit was just blown away,
pus was just blown away,
blood was just blown away.

Not because of that
does wind
get upset, or
get ashamed, or
experience loathing.

Even so I, bhante,
like wind,
abide with a heart
encompassing,
attained to the great,
boundless,
kindly,
harmless.

Indeed, bhante,
one who has not got
minding the body,
might offend
a certain Brahma-farer and
without removing the offence,
set out on tour.

It is just as if, bhante,
as with a dustrag,
the pure was just wiped away,
the impure was just wiped away,
shit was just wiped away,
piss was just wiped away,
spit was just wiped away,
pus was just wiped away,
blood was just wiped away.

Not because of that
does a dustrag
get upset, or
get ashamed, or
experience loathing.

Even so I, bhante,
like a dustrag,
abide with a heart
encompassing,
attained to the great,
boundless,
kindly,
harmless.

Indeed, bhante,
one who has not got
minding the body,
might offend
a certain Brahma-farer and
without removing the offence,
set out on tour.

It is just as, bhante,
an outcast young man, or
an outcast young woman,
one who lives among low-lifes^[6],
when entering village or
market town
bowl in hand,
becomes humble in heart
when entering,
even so I, bhante,
like an outcast,
abide with a heart,
encompassing,
attained to the great,
boundless,
kindly,
harmless.

Indeed, bhante,
one who has not got
minding the body,
might offend
a certain Brahma and
without removing the offence,
set out on tour.

It is just as, bhante,
an unyoked bull,
gentle,
well tamed,
well taught,
wanders
from carriage-road to carriage-road,
crossroads^[7] to crossroads,
not injuring anything
by foot
or horn.

Even so I, bhante,
like an unyoked bull,
abide with a heart,
encompassing,
attained to the great,
boundless,
kindly,
harmless.

Indeed, bhante,
one who has not got
minding the body,
might offend
a certain Brahma and
without removing the offence,
set out on tour.

Just as, bhante,
a woman or,
a man or,
a juvenal, or
a youth,
fond of ornament,
having just washed their head,
should find the
corps of a snake, or
corps of a dog, or
corps of a man
slung around their neck,
would be
upset,
ashamed,
disgusted.

Even so, bhante, I abide
upset,
ashamed, and
disgusted
with this putrid body.

Indeed, bhante,
one who has not got
minding the body,
might offend
a certain Brahma and
without removing the offence,
set out on tour.

It is just as if, bhante,
a man were to carry around
a panfull of congealed fat,
little holes all over,
oozing,
trickling.

Even so, bhante,
I carry around
this body,
full of holes,
little holes all over,
oozing
trickling.

Indeed, bhante,
one who has not got
minding the body,
might offend
a certain Brahma and
without removing the offence,
set out on tour."

 

§

 

There then that beggar
rose up from his seat,
arranged his upper robe
over one shoulder, and
bowing his head
to the Lucky Man's feet,
said this to him:

"A transgression has overccome me, bhante, who was
so foolish,
so muddle-headed,
so unskillful,
as to have
disagreeably,
vainly,
wrongly,
accused Old Man Sāriputta
of something that was not true.

So for my future restraint, bhante,
may the Lucky Man pardon this transgression
as a transgression."

"For sure, beggar, you,
so foolish,
so muddle-headed,
so unskillful,
as to have
disagreeably,
vainly,
wrongly,
accused Sāriputta
of something that was not true
have transgressed.

But then you have seen your
transgression as a transgression
and wish to make amends.

I accept this from you
for it is furtherance
in the discipline of the aristocrat
to see a transgression as a transgression and
wish to make amends."

There then the Lucky Man
addressed Old Man Sāriputta:

"Forgive this muddle-headed person, Sāriputta,
before his head is broken
into seven pieces."

"I will forgive this old man, bhante,
if he thus addresses me:

'And may you too forgive me Old Man'."

 

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^[1] Sīhanāda PED: a lion's roar, the Buddha's preaching, a song of ecstasy, a shout of exultation "halleluiah"

^[2] Vutatho but Vuttha² in PED. PED: [past participle of vasati²] having dwelt, lived or spent (time), only in connection with vassa (rainy season)

^[3] "Evaṃ ... bhante ... āvuso" Literally just "thus" but meaning "thus it will be", or "thus let it be" the then conventional response equal to our "Yes sir!" or "Aye, aye, sir!" or "Wilco" or "Roger that!" or "Copy that!" or "Your wish is my command." or "Let it be so." or "I hear and obey" "consider it done" "at your service" ... etc.

^[4] It is not cear to me why there would be a need for keys. I read somewhere that the keys were used just to knock at the doors of the dwellings.

^[5] vipulena, mahaggatena, appamāṇena, averena, avyāpajejhana Hare: large, abundant, measureless, feeling no hatred, nor ill-will; Sister Upalivana: made great and immeasurable, without anger or ill will.

^[6] nattakavāsī 'One who lives among actors and dancers." At that time, and until very recently (c. 1930?) even here (USA) considered disreputable occupations because of their intent to stir up emotions (in other words push people towards worldly involvement rather than spiratual advancement).

^[7] siṅghāṭaka the place where four roads meet, an expression used where the meaning is to be understood as the place where earth, water, fire, and wind meet, or in otherwords: the human being.

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