Saṃyutta Nikāya
5. Mahā-Vagga
48. Indriya Saṃyutta
6. Sūkara-Khata Vagga
The Book of the Kindred Sayings
5. The Great Chapter
48. Kindred Sayings on the Faculties
6. Untitled
Sutta 58
Sūkara-Khatā Suttaṃ
Boar's Cave
Translated by F. L. Woodward
Edited by Mrs. Rhys Davids
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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[1] THUS have I heard:
On a certain occasion the Exalted One was staying near Rājagaha
on Vulture's Peak Hill,
in the Boar's Cave.[1]
Now on that occasion the Exalted One addressed the venerable Sāriputta saying:
"Tell me, Sāriputta.
Seeing what reason therefor[2]
does a monk in whom the āsavas are destroyed
practise and observe
supreme reverence[3] for the Tathāgata
or the teachings of the Tathāgata?"
"Lord, it is because he sees therein
utter security from the yoke[4]
that he practises and observes
supreme reverence for the Tathāgata
or the Tathāgata's teachings."
"Well said!
Well said, Sāriputta!
It is indeed
because he sees therein
utter security from the yoke
that he practises and observes
supreme reverence for the Tathāgata or the Tathāgata's teachings.
■
But of what sort
is that utter security from the yoke
which he sees therein
utter security from the yoke
that he practises and observes
supreme reverence for the Tathāgata or the Tathāgata's teachings?"
"Herein, lord, the monk in whom the āsavas are destroyed
[210] cultivates the controlling faculty of faith,
wbich goes on to the perfect wisdom.
He cultivates the controlling faculty of energy,
wbich goes on to the perfect wisdom.
He cultivates the controlling faculty of mindfulness,
wbich goes on to the perfect wisdom.
He cultivates the controlling faculty of insigbt,
wbich goes on to the perfect wisdom.
This, lord, is the utter security from the yoke,
seeing which he practises and observes
supreme reverence for the Tathāgata or the Tathāgata's teachings."
"Well said!
Well said, Sāriputta!
That is indeed the utter security from the yoke
which he sees therein
utter security from the yoke
that he practises and observes
supreme reverence for the Tathāgata or the Tathāgata's teachings.
■
But of what sort, Sāriputta,
is the supreme reverence
which such a monk practises and observes
towards the Tathāgata
or the Tathāgata's teachings?"
"Herein, lord, the monk in whom the āsavas are destroyed
dwells reverential and respectful to the Teacher.
He dwells reverential and respectful to the Norm.
He dwells reverential and respectful to the Saṇgha.
He dwells reverential and respectful to the training.
He dwells reverential and respectful to the concentration.[5]
This, lord, is the supreme reverence
which the monk in whom the āsavas are destroyed
practises and observes
towards the Tathāgata
or the teachings of the Tathāgata."
"Well said!
Well said, Sāriputta!
It is indeed the supreme reverence
which the monk in whom the āsavas are destroyed
practises and observes
towards the Tathāgata
or the teachings of the Tathāgata."
[1] Sūkara-khatā (lit. 'boar-dug'). Cf. M. i, 497 (where Long Nails, the hermit, converses with the Master); UdA. 189 (referring to that event) calls it Sūkara-Leṇa. Comy. thus describes it: They say that in Kassapa Buddha's time this cave was found as a hollow in the ground when the earth was yet growing, durmg the interval between the two Buddhas (Buddhantara, like Manuvantara, the period between two Manus), One day a boar rooted up (khaṇi) the soil in the neighbourhood of the ground concealing the cave. The sky-god rained and washed the soil away, and the mouth of the cave was disclosed. A forest-dweller, on seeing it, exclaimed: 'This must be a resort used by a holy man of olden times. I'll look after it' So he removed the earth all round, cleaned it out, fenced it in, made it as spick and span as a golden bowl polished with sand, and so turned the cave into a hermit's cell furnished with couch and stool and all, and presented it to the Exalted One for a dwelling-place. The cave was deep, and one had to climb to get there.
At K.S. ii, 169 ff., Mahā Moggallāna has clairvoyant sight of things that happened in this neighbourhood in the time of the Buddha Kassapa.
[2] Atthavasaṇ. Cf. supra, text 224.
[3] Parama-nipaccākāra. Cf. S. i, 178; JA. i, 232; A. v, 66 (where the rājah Pasenadi falls at the Master's feet).
[4] Yoga-kkhema. Cf K.S. iv, 51 n. (arahattass'upaṇiso sajeṭṭhako).
[5] Samādhi here in its comprehensive sense of habitual self-restraint and collectedness of mind resulting from the training.
