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- Samyutta Nikaya I.38
- Sakalika Sutta
- The Stone Sliver
- For free distribution only, as a gift of Dhamma
Translator's note:
Cullavagga VII tells of how Devadatta, the
Buddha's cousin, tried unsuccessfully in various ways to wrest leadership of the Sangha
from the Buddha. In Cv VII.3.9, he tries to kill the Buddha by hurling a rock down a
mountainside. The rock is crushed, and so misses the Buddha, but sends out a splinter that
pierces the Buddha's foot, drawing blood. According to the Commentary, this discourse
together with SN IV.13 describe the Buddha's reaction to this
attempt on his life.
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Rajagaha
at the Maddakucchi Deer Reserve. Now at that time his foot had
been pierced by a stone sliver. Excruciating were the bodily feelings that developed
within him -- painful, fierce, sharp, wracking, repellent, disagreeable -- but he endured
them mindful, alert, & unperturbed. Having had his outer robe folded in four and laid
out, he lay down on his right side in the lion's posture, with one foot placed on top of
the other, mindful & alert.
Then 700 devatas from the Satullapa retinue, in the far extreme
of the night, their extreme radiance lighting up the entirety of Maddakucchi, went to the
Blessed One. On arrival, having bowed down to him, they stood to one side.
As she was standing there, one of the devatas exclaimed in the Blessed One's presence:
"What a naga is Gotama the contemplative! And like a naga, when bodily feelings have
arisen -- painful, fierce, sharp, wracking, repellent, disagreeable -- he endures them
mindful, alert, & unperturbed!"
Then another devata exclaimed in the Blessed One's presence: "What a lion is
Gotama the contemplative! And like a lion, when bodily feelings have arisen -- painful,
fierce, sharp, wracking, repellent, disagreeable -- he endures them mindful, alert, &
unperturbed!"
Then another devata exclaimed in the Blessed One's presence: "What a thoroughbred
is Gotama the contemplative! And like a thoroughbred, when bodily feelings have arisen --
painful, fierce, sharp, wracking, repellent, disagreeable -- he endures them mindful,
alert, & unperturbed!"
Then another devata exclaimed in the Blessed One's presence: "What
a peerless bull is Gotama the contemplative! And like a peerless bull, when bodily
feelings have arisen -- painful, fierce, sharp, wracking, repellent, disagreeable -- he
endures them mindful, alert, & unperturbed!"
Then another devata exclaimed in the Blessed One's presence: "What a strong
burden-carrier is Gotama the contemplative! And like a strong burden-carrier, when bodily
feelings have arisen -- painful, fierce, sharp, wracking, repellent, disagreeable -- he
endures them mindful, alert, & unperturbed!"
Then another devata exclaimed in the Blessed One's presence: "What a tamed one is
Gotama the contemplative! And like a tamed one, when bodily feelings have arisen --
painful, fierce, sharp, wracking, repellent, disagreeable -- he endures them mindful,
alert, & unperturbed!"
Then another devata exclaimed in the Blessed One's presence: "See a concentration
well-developed, a mind well-released -- neither pressed down nor forced back, nor with
mental fabrication kept blocked or suppressed. Whoever would think that such a naga of a
man, lion of a man, thoroughbred of a man, peerless bull of a man, strong burden-carrier
of a man, such a tamed man should be violated: what else is that if not blindness?"
Five-Veda Brahmins,
living austerely
for 100 years:
Their minds
are not rightly released.
Lowly by nature,
they've not gone beyond.
Overpowered by craving,
bound up in precepts & practices,
performing wretched austerities
for 100 years:
Their minds
are not rightly released.
Lowly by nature,
they've not gone beyond.
For one fond of conceit,
there's no taming;
for one uncentered,
no sagacity.
Though alone in the wilderness,
if one lives heedlessly,
one won't cross over, beyond Mara's sway.
But having abandoned conceit,
well-centered within,
with right awareness
everywhere
fully released,
alone in the wilderness,
heedfully living,
one will cross over, beyond Mara's sway.
See also: SN IV.13; SN
XXXVI.6; AN V.129.