Aṇguttara Nikāya
IX. Navaka Nipāta
II. Sīhanāda Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
IX. The Book of the Nines
Chapter II: The Lion Roar
Sutta 11
Sāriputta Sīhanāda Suttaṃ
After the Rainy Season
Translated from the Pali by E.M. Hare.
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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Once, when the Exalted One was staying near Savatthī, at Jeta Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park,
the venerable Sāriputta came and visited him,
saluted and sat down at one,side.
So seated, the venerable Sāriputta said to the Exalted One:
"Lord, I have spent the rainy season here in Savatthī,
and I now wish to go into the country."
"Now is the time, Sāriputta, to do as you think fit."
So the venerable Sāriputta got up,
saluted
and took his departure,
keeping the Exalted One on his right.
■
Now not long after his departure a certain monk addressed the Exalted One and said:
"Lord, the venerable Sāriputta has offended[1] me,
and without asking my pardon
has set out on a journey."
■
And the Exalted One said to a monk:
"Go thou, monk, and in my name bid Sāriputta come, saying:
'The Teacher calls you, Sāriputta.'"
"Yes, lord," replied the monk,
and (he went and gave the venerable Sāriputta the Exalted One's message).
"Yes, reverend sir," he replied.
■
Then went the venerable Mahā-Moggallāna and the venerable Ānanda, with their keys,[2] from lodging to lodging, saying:
"Haste ye, reverend sirs, and come,
for the venerable Sāriputta
will now roar his lion's roar
in the presence of the Exalted One."
■
And the venerable Sāriputta went to the Exalted One and
[249] saluted him and sat down at one side;
and the Exalted One said to him:
"There is here, Sāriputta,
a fellow wayfarer,
who has a grievance.[3]
He says:
'Lord, the venerable Sāriputta has offended me,
and without asking my pardon
has set out on a journey.'"
§
"True it is, lord, that he,
in whom mindfulness of the body's actions is not present,
might set out on a journey
without asking pardon
of a fellow wayfarer in the godly life,
whom he had offended.
■
Lord, just[4] as on the earth they cast things,
clean and foul,
dung, urine, spittle, pus and blood,
yet for all that
the earth is not filled with horror, loathing, or disgust;[5] even so, lord, like the earth,
I abide with heart, large, abundant, measureless,
feeling no hatred,
nor ill-will.
True it is, lord, that he,
in whom mindfulness of the body's actions is not present,
might set out on a journey
without asking pardon
of a fellow wayfarer in the godly life,
whom he had offended.
■
Lord, just as in water they wash things,
clean and foul,
dung, urine, spittle, pus and blood,
yet for all that
the water is not filled with horror, loathing or disgust;
even so, lord, like water,
I abide with heart, large, abundant, measureless,
feeling no hatred,
nor ill-will.
True it is, lord, that he,
in whom mindfulness of the body's actions is not present,
might set out on a journey
without asking pardon
of a fellow wayfarer in the godly life,
whom he had offended.
■
Lord, just as fire burns things,
clean and foul,
dung, urine, spittle, pus and blood,
yet for all that
the fire is not filled with horror, loathing or disgust;
even so, lord, like fire,
I abide with heart, large, abundant, measureless,
feeling no hatred,
nor ill-will.
True it is, lord, that he,
in whom mindfulness of the body's actions is not present,
might set out on a journey
without asking pardon
of a fellow wayfarer in the godly life,
whom he had offended.
■
[250] Lord, just as the wind blows on things,
clean and foul,
dung, urine, spittle, pus and blood,
yet for all that
the wind is not filled with horror, loathing or disgust;
even so, lord, like the wind,
I abide with heart, large, abundant, measureless,
feeling no hatred, nor ill-will.
True it is, lord, that he,
in whom mindfulness of the body's actions is not present,
might set out on a journey
without asking pardon
of a fellow wayfarer in the godly life,
whom he had offended.
■
Lord, just as a duster[6] wipes up things,
clean and foul,
dung, urine, spittle, pus and blood,
yet for all that
the duster is not filled with horror, loathing or disgust;
even so, lord, like a duster,
I abide with heart, large, abundant, measureless,
feeling no hatred, nor ill-will.
True it is, lord, that he,
in whom mindfulness of the body's actions is not present,
might set out on a journey
without asking pardon
of a fellow wayfarer in the godly life,
whom he had offended.
■
Lord, just as a boy or girl of the scavenger[7] class,
clad in rags,
with begging-tray[8] in hand,
on entering village or town,
assumes a humble mien
and then goes in;
even so, lord, like a scavenger boy,
I abide with heart, large, abundant, measureless,
feeling no hatred, nor ill-will.
True it is, lord, that he,
in whom mindfulness of the body's actions is not present,
might set out on a journey
without asking pardon
of a fellow wayfarer in the godly life,
whom he had offended.
■
Lord, just as a bull, with cut horns,
mild, well tamed, well trained,
roaming from street to street,
from cross-road to cross-road,
harms nothing with its feet or horns;
even so, lord, like a bull with cut horns,
I abide with heart, large, abundant, measureless,
feeling no hatred, nor ill-will.
True it is, lord, that he,
in whom mindfulness of the body's actions is not present,
might set out on a journey
without asking pardon
of a fellow wayfarer in the godly life,
whom he had offended.
■
[251] Lord, just as a woman, man or a lad,[9]
having washed the head and dressed up,
would be filled with horror,
loathing and disgust,
if the carcase of a snake, dog or human being
were slung around his neck;
even so, lord,
I am filled with horror, loathing and disgust
at this foul body of mine.
True it is, lord, that he,
in whom mindfulness of the body's actions is not present,
might set out on a journey
without asking pardon
of a fellow wayfarer in the godly life,
whom he had offended.
■
Lord, just as a man might carry around a bowl of fat,[10]
full of holes and slits,
oozing,
dripping;
even so, lord,
I carry around this body of mine,
full of holes and slits,
oozing,
dripping.
True it is, lord, that he,
in whom mindfulness of the body's actions is not present,
might set out on a journey
without asking pardon
of a fellow wayfarer in the godly life,
whom he had offended."
§
Then that monk got up from his seat,
arranged his upper robe over one shoulder
and fell at the feet of the Exalted One exclaiming:
"Lord, transgression has overtaken me!
As a fool,
a blind man,
an evil man,
I have accused the venerable Sāriputta untruly,
vainly,
lyingly.
Lord, let the Exalted One pardon this transgression of mine
as a transgression
to the end
that I may restrain myself in the future!"[11]
■
"Verily, monk, transgression has overtaken you!
As a fool,
as a blind man,
as an evil man,
you have accused the venerable Sāriputta untruly,
vainly,
lyingly;
but since you have seen the transgression as such
and recognized it as such,
we pardon you.
Verily, monk,
there is growth in the discipline of the Ariyan[12]
for him, who, seeing and recognizing his transgression as such,
makes amends
to the end
that he may be restrained in the future."
■
Then the Exalted One said to the venerable Sāriputta:
[252] "Pardon this foolish man, Sāriputta,
before his head splits into seven pieces,[13]
even where he stands."
"Lord, I do pardon that venerable one,
if he speak thus to me;
and let him, too, pardon me."
[1] Āsajja. Comy. ghaṭṭetvā, as at D.A. i, 276; the Comy. continues: On seeing Sāriputta departing with a great retinue, he was furious and said: 'I'll stop his departure.' They say that on leaving the Exalted One, the skirt of Sāriputta's robe brushed the elder - they say the wind blew it aside - and it was on such a paltry ground that he trumped up a deliberate offence. cf. Dhp.A. ii, 178 ff., where the story recurs.
[2] This phrase recurs at S. iii, 132; cf. also Vin. i, 79; M. iii, 127.
[3] Khīya-dhammaṃ āpanno. Comy. reads khīyana-; glossing: kathā-. P.E.D. to fall into a state of mental depression. S.e. has both readings. The expression is technically used in the Vinaya meaning; to lodge a complaint, to raise an objection; cf. A. iii, 269.
[4] The first four of these similes recur at M. i, 423-4.
[5] This is a stock expression; cf. Vin. ii, 292; D. i, 213; M. i, 120; S. iv, 62; Ud. 23; It. 43, and passim.
[6] Rajoharaṇaṃ. Comy. coḷaka, a cloth.
[7] Caṇḍāla, one of the despised tribes of India. At J. v, 450 they are said to eat the flesh of dogs (cf. Th. ii, 509); at J. iii, 195, to be corpse removers. They are generally classed with the Pukkusas; see Buddh. Ind. 55.
[8] Kaḷopihattha; see note at Dial. i, 227 and Pāli Misc. 60. It seems likely that this is the same kind of receptacle as used by the present-day Rodiyas of Ceylon; this consists of a scuttle fixed to the end of a stick (so that there shall be no contact between giver and receiver). The Sinhalese call this kolapotta; Comy. paccht, ukkhali.
[9] The text here reads daharo vā yuvā vā, so S.e.; but M. i, 119, Vin. iii, 68, where the simile recurs, omit the first vā; cf. also Vin. ii, 255; M. i, 32; ii, 19; D. i, 80; J. i, 5.
[10] Cf. Vism. 195; trsl. 223 for this simile.
[11] This is a stock passage; cf. Vin. i, 315; ii, 126; D. i, 85; iii, 55; M. iii, 246; S. ii, 127; A. ii, 146.
[12] Ariyassa vinaye. Comy. Buddhassa bhagavato sāsane.
[13] Cf. D. i, 95; S. i, 50; Sn. 983; J. i, 54; Mil. 157; above, p. 118.
