Aṅguttara Nikāya
IX. Navaka Nipāta
II. Sīhanāda Vagga
Sutta 11
Sāriputta Sīhanāda Suttaɱ
The Lion's Roar
Translated from the Pali
by Sister Upalavanna
At that time The Blessed One was abiding in the monastery offered by Anāthapiṇḍika in Jeta's grove in Sāvatthi.
Venerable Sāriputta approached The Blessed One, worshipped, sat on a side and said:
'Venerable sir, I have spent the rains in Sāvatthī and desire to go to the states on a tour.'
'Sāriputta, do as you think is suitable.'
Then venerable Sāriputta getting up from his seat worshipped and circumambulated The Blessed One and went away.
Soon after venerable Sāriputta had gone, a certain bhikkhu said to The Blessed One:
'Venerable sir, venerable Sāriputta having hurt me, without a reconciliation has left on a tour.'
Then The Blessed One addressed a certain bhikkhu:
'Come! Bhikkhu, address Sāriputta, in my words -
'Friend, Sāriputta, The Blessed One calls you'
That bhikkhu consenting, approached venerable Sāriputta and said:
'Friend, Sāriputta, the Teacher calls you'
Venerable Sāriputta consented to see The Blessed One.
By that time venerable Mahā-Moggalāna and venerable Ānanda were wandering from door to door with a bunch of keys, saying:
'Venerable ones approach! There is going to be a lion's roar of venerable Sāriputta, in front of The Blessed One.'
Then venerable Sāriputta approached The Blessed One, worshipped and sat on a side.
When seated The Blessed One said:
'Here, Sāriputta, you have offended a certain co-associate in the holy life and without reconciling have left on a tour.'
'Venerable sir, if mindfulness of the body in the body was not established, I would have offended a certain co-associate in the holy life and without reconciling would have left on a tour.
Venerable sir, just as the earth accepts the pure and the impure, excreta, urine, saliva, pus, and blood, does not loathe or shrink on account of it. In the same manner, I abide with a mind comparable to earth, made great and immeasurable, without anger or ill will.
'Venerable sir, if mindfulness of the body in the body was not established, I would have offended a certain co-associate in the holy life and without reconciling would have left on a tour.
Venerable sir, just as water washes the pure and the impure, excreta, urine, saliva, pus, and blood, does not loathe or shrink on account of it. In the same manner, I abide with a mind comparable to water, made great and immeasurable, without anger or ill will.
'Venerable sir, if mindfulness of the body in the body was not established, I would have offended a certain co-associate in the holy life and without reconciling would have left on a tour.
Venerable sir, just as fire burns the pure and the impure, excreta, urine, saliva, pus, and blood, does not loathe or shrink on account of it. In the same manner, I abide with a mind comparable to fire, made great and immeasurable, without anger or ill will.
'Venerable sir, if mindfulness of the body in the body was not established, I would have offended a certain co-associate in the holy life and without reconciling would have left on a tour.
Venerable sir, just as air blows away the pure and the impure, excreta, urine, saliva, pus, and blood, does not loathe or shrink on account of it. In the same manner, I abide with a mind comparable to air, made great and immeasurable, without anger or ill will.
'Venerable sir, if mindfulness of the body in the body was not established, I would have offended a certain co-associate in the holy life and without reconciling would have left on a tour.
Venerable sir, just as a duster wipes away the pure and the impure, excreta, urine, saliva, pus, and blood, does not loathe or shrink on account of it. In the same manner, I abide with a mind comparable to a duster, made great and immeasurable, without anger or ill will.
'Venerable sir, if mindfulness of the body in the body was not established, I would have offended a certain co-associate in the holy life and without reconciling would have left on a tour.
Venerable sir, just as an outcaste boy or girl in torn clothes with the begging basin in hand would enter a village or hamlet with a humble mind. In the same manner, I abide with a mind comparable to the mind of an outcaste boy or girl made great and immeasurable, without anger or ill will.
'Venerable sir, if mindfulness of the body in the body was not established, I would have offended a certain co-associate in the holy life and without reconciling would have left on a tour.
Venerable sir, just like a tamed bull devoted to people, with its horns cut, would wander from street to street and from junction to junction without hurting anyone with its feet or horns. In the same manner, I abide with a mind, comparable to that of a bull with the horns cut, made great and immeasurable, without anger or ill will.
'Venerable sir, if mindfulness of the body in the body was not established, I would have offended a certain co-associate in the holy life and without reconciling would have left on a tour.
Venerable sir, just as a woman, man or child fond of adornment, when had bathed the head, was to be wrapped round the neck with the carcase of a snake dog or a human would loathe it and be disgusted of it. In the same manner, I abide disgusted and loathing this putrid body.
'Venerable sir, if mindfulness of the body in the body was not established, I would have offended a certain co-associate in the holy life and without reconciling would have left on a tour.
Venerable sir, just as a man using a perforated frying pan with the oil leaking In the same manner, I abide with this body which is perforated and leaking.
'Venerable sir, if mindfulness of the body in the body was not established, I would have offended a certain co-associate in the holy life and without reconciling would have left on a tour.
Then that bhikkhu getting up from his seat, and arranging his robe on one shoulder, putting his head at the feet of The Blessed One said:
'Venerable sir, pardon me, I accused venerable Sāriputta with untruthful, un-real accusation owing to foolishness and delusion.
May The Blessed One pardon me, for future restraint.
Bhikkhu, as you see your fault and ask for pardon, according to the Teaching, I pardon you.
Bhikkhu, it is growth in the noble ones' discipline to see your fault and ask for pardon, according to the Teaching, for future restraint.
Then The Blessed One addressed venerable Sāriputta:
'Sāriputta, pardon this foolish man, before his head splits in seven'
'Venerable sir, I will pardon, if he says 'venerable one pardon me.''
