Sedaka

Copyright Bhikkhu Bodhi 2000, The Connected Discourses of the Buddha (Wisdom Publications, 2000)
This selection from The Connected Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Saɱyutta Nikāya by Bhikkhu Bodhi is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
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[1][pts][than] On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Sumbhas, where there was a town of the Sumbhas named Sedaka.

There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus:

"Bhikkhus, once in the past an acrobat set up his bamboo pole and addressed his apprentice Medakathālikā thus:

'Come, dear Medakathālikā, climb the bamboo pole and stand on my shoulders.'

Having replied, 'Yes, teacher,' the apprentice Medakathālikā climbed up the bamboo pole and stood on the teacher's shoulders.

The acrobat then said to the apprentice Medakathālikā:

'You protect me, dear Medakathālikā, and I'll protect you.

Thus guarded by one another, protected by one another, we'll display our skills, collect our fee, and get down safely from the bamboo pole.'

When this was said, the apprentice Medakathālikā replied:

'That's not the way to do it, teacher.

You protect yourself, teacher, and I'll protect myself.

Thus, each self-guarded and self-protected, we'll display our skills, collect our fee, and get down safely from the bamboo pole.'

"That's the method there," the Blessed One said.

"It's just as the apprentice Medakathālikā said to the teacher.

'I will protect myself,' bhikkhus: thus should the establishments of mindfulness be practised.

'I will protect others,' bhikkhus: thus should the establishments of mindfulness be practised.

Protecting oneself, bhikkhus, one protects others; protecting others, one protects oneself.

"And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting oneself one protects others?

By the pursuit, development, and cultivation [of the four establishments of mindfulness].

It is in such a way that by protecting oneself one protects others.

"And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting others one protects oneself?

By patience, harmlessness, lovingkindness, and sympathy.

It is in such a way that by protecting others one protects oneself.

"'I will protect myself,' bhikkhus: thus should the establishments of mindfulness be practised.

'I will protect others,' bhikkhus: thus should the establishments of mindfulness be practised.

Protecting oneself, bhikkhus, one protects others; protecting others, one protects oneself."