{"id":"sn3.25","title":"The Simile of the Mountain","languageCodes":["en","pi"],"languageNotes":{"en":"Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0","pi":"Mahāsaṅgīti edition · SuttaCentral"},"chapters":[{"id":"sn3.25","title":"The Simile of the Mountain","units":[{"id":"sn3.25:0","sourceIds":["sn3.25:0.1","sn3.25:0.2","sn3.25:0.3"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Saṁyutta Nikāya 3.25\n3. Tatiyavagga\nPabbatūpamasutta","en":"Linked Discourses 3.25\n3. Kosala\nThe Simile of the Mountain"}},{"id":"sn3.25:1","sourceIds":["sn3.25:1.1","sn3.25:1.2","sn3.25:1.3","sn3.25:1.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Sāvatthinidānaṁ.\nEkamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho rājānaṁ pasenadiṁ kosalaṁ bhagavā etadavoca:\n“handa kuto nu tvaṁ, mahārāja, āgacchasi divā divassā”ti?\n“Yāni tāni, bhante, raññaṁ khattiyānaṁ muddhāvasittānaṁ issariyamadamattānaṁ kāmagedhapariyuṭṭhitānaṁ janapadatthāvariyappattānaṁ mahantaṁ pathavimaṇḍalaṁ abhivijiya ajjhāvasantānaṁ rājakaraṇīyāni bhavanti, tesu khvāhaṁ, etarahi ussukkamāpanno”ti.","en":"At Sāvatthī.\nKing Pasenadi of Kosala sat to one side, and the Buddha said to him,\n“So, Great King, where are you coming from in the middle of the day?”\n“Sir, there are anointed aristocratic kings who are infatuated with authority, and obsessed with greed for sensual pleasures. They have attained stability in the country, occupying a vast conquered territory. Today I have been busy fulfilling the duties of such kings.”"}},{"id":"sn3.25:2","sourceIds":["sn3.25:2.1","sn3.25:2.2","sn3.25:2.3","sn3.25:2.4","sn3.25:2.5","sn3.25:2.6","sn3.25:2.7","sn3.25:2.8","sn3.25:2.9","sn3.25:2.10","sn3.25:2.11","sn3.25:2.12","sn3.25:2.13","sn3.25:2.14"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, mahārāja,\nidha te puriso āgaccheyya puratthimāya disāya saddhāyiko paccayiko.\nSo taṁ upasaṅkamitvā evaṁ vadeyya:\n‘yagghe, mahārāja, jāneyyāsi, ahaṁ āgacchāmi puratthimāya disāya.\nTatthaddasaṁ mahantaṁ pabbataṁ abbhasamaṁ, sabbe pāṇe nippothento āgacchati.\nYaṁ te, mahārāja, karaṇīyaṁ, taṁ karohī’ti.\nAtha dutiyo puriso āgaccheyya pacchimāya disāya …pe…\natha tatiyo puriso āgaccheyya uttarāya disāya …\natha catuttho puriso āgaccheyya dakkhiṇāya disāya saddhāyiko paccayiko.\nSo taṁ upasaṅkamitvā evaṁ vadeyya:\n‘yagghe, mahārāja, jāneyyāsi, ahaṁ āgacchāmi dakkhiṇāya disāya.\nTatthaddasaṁ mahantaṁ pabbataṁ abbhasamaṁ sabbe pāṇe nippothento āgacchati.\nYaṁ te, mahārāja, karaṇīyaṁ taṁ karohī’ti.\nEvarūpe te, mahārāja, mahati mahabbhaye samuppanne dāruṇe manussakkhaye dullabhe manussatte kimassa karaṇīyan”ti?","en":"“What do you think, Great King?\nSuppose a trustworthy and dependable man were to come from the east.\nHe’d approach you and say:\n‘Please, Great King, you should know this. I come from the east.\nThere I saw a big mountain that reached the clouds. And it was coming this way, crushing all creatures.\nSo then, Great King, do what you must!’\nThen a second trustworthy and dependable man were to come from the west …\na third from the north …\nand a fourth from the south.\nHe’d approach you and say:\n‘Please, Great King, you should know this. I come from the south.\nThere I saw a big mountain that reached the clouds. And it was coming this way, crushing all creatures.\nSo then, Great King, do what you must!’\nShould such a dire threat arise—a grim loss of human life, when human birth is so rare—what would you do?”"}},{"id":"sn3.25:3","sourceIds":["sn3.25:3.1"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"“Evarūpe me, bhante, mahati mahabbhaye samuppanne dāruṇe manussakkhaye dullabhe manussatte kimassa karaṇīyaṁ aññatra dhammacariyāya aññatra samacariyāya aññatra kusalakiriyāya aññatra puññakiriyāyā”ti?","en":"“Sir, what could I do but practice the teachings, practice morality, doing skillful and good actions?”"}},{"id":"sn3.25:4","sourceIds":["sn3.25:4.1","sn3.25:4.2","sn3.25:4.3","sn3.25:4.4","sn3.25:4.5","sn3.25:4.6","sn3.25:4.7","sn3.25:4.8","sn3.25:4.9","sn3.25:4.10","sn3.25:4.11","sn3.25:4.12","sn3.25:4.13","sn3.25:4.14","sn3.25:4.15"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"“Ārocemi kho te, mahārāja, paṭivedemi kho te, mahārāja, adhivattati kho taṁ, mahārāja, jarāmaraṇaṁ.\nAdhivattamāne ce te, mahārāja, jarāmaraṇe kimassa karaṇīyan”ti?\n“Adhivattamāne ca me, bhante, jarāmaraṇe kimassa karaṇīyaṁ aññatra dhammacariyāya samacariyāya kusalakiriyāya puññakiriyāya?\nYāni tāni, bhante, raññaṁ khattiyānaṁ muddhāvasittānaṁ issariyamadamattānaṁ kāmagedhapariyuṭṭhitānaṁ janapadatthāvariyappattānaṁ mahantaṁ pathavimaṇḍalaṁ abhivijiya ajjhāvasantānaṁ hatthiyuddhāni bhavanti;\ntesampi, bhante, hatthiyuddhānaṁ natthi gati natthi visayo adhivattamāne jarāmaraṇe.\nYānipi tāni, bhante, raññaṁ khattiyānaṁ muddhāvasittānaṁ …pe…\najjhāvasantānaṁ assayuddhāni bhavanti …pe…\nrathayuddhāni bhavanti …pe…\npattiyuddhāni bhavanti;\ntesampi, bhante, pattiyuddhānaṁ natthi gati natthi visayo adhivattamāne jarāmaraṇe.\nSanti kho pana, bhante, imasmiṁ rājakule mantino mahāmattā, ye pahonti āgate paccatthike mantehi bhedayituṁ.\nTesampi, bhante, mantayuddhānaṁ natthi gati natthi visayo adhivattamāne jarāmaraṇe.\nSaṁvijjati kho pana, bhante, imasmiṁ rājakule pahūtaṁ hiraññasuvaṇṇaṁ bhūmigatañceva vehāsaṭṭhañca, yena mayaṁ pahoma āgate paccatthike dhanena upalāpetuṁ.\nTesampi, bhante, dhanayuddhānaṁ natthi gati natthi visayo adhivattamāne jarāmaraṇe.\nAdhivattamāne ca me, bhante, jarāmaraṇe kimassa karaṇīyaṁ aññatra dhammacariyāya samacariyāya kusalakiriyāya puññakiriyāyā”ti?","en":"“I tell you, Great King, I announce to you: old age and death are advancing upon you.\nSince old age and death are advancing upon you, what would you do?”\n“Sir, what can I do but practice the teachings, practice morality, doing skillful and good actions?\nSir, there are anointed aristocratic kings who are infatuated with authority, and obsessed with greed for sensual pleasures. They have attained stability in the country, occupying a vast conquered territory. Such kings engage in battles of elephants,\ncavalry,\nchariots,\nor infantry.\nBut there is no place, no domain for such battles when old age and death are advancing.\nIn this royal court there are ministers of wise counsel who are capable of dividing an approaching enemy by wise counsel.\nBut there is no place, no domain for such diplomatic battles when old age and death are advancing.\nIn this royal court there is abundant gold, both coined and uncoined, stored above and below ground. Using this wealth we can bribe an approaching enemy.\nBut there is no place, no domain for such monetary battles when old age and death are advancing.\nWhen old age and death are advancing, what can I do but practice the teachings, practice morality, doing skillful and good actions?”"}},{"id":"sn3.25:5","sourceIds":["sn3.25:5.1","sn3.25:5.2","sn3.25:5.3","sn3.25:5.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"“Evametaṁ, mahārāja, evametaṁ, mahārāja.\nAdhivattamāne jarāmaraṇe kimassa karaṇīyaṁ aññatra dhammacariyāya samacariyāya kusalakiriyāya puññakiriyāyā”ti?\nIdamavoca bhagavā …pe…\nsatthā:","en":"“That’s so true, Great King! That’s so true!\nWhen old age and death are advancing, what can you do but practice the teachings, practice morality, doing skillful and good actions?”\nThat is what the Buddha said.\nThen the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:"}},{"id":"sn3.25:6","sourceIds":["sn3.25:6.1","sn3.25:6.2","sn3.25:6.3","sn3.25:6.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"“Yathāpi selā vipulā,\nnabhaṁ āhacca pabbatā;\nSamantānupariyāyeyyuṁ,\nnippothento catuddisā.","en":"“Suppose there were vast mountains\nof solid rock pressing against the sky\ndrawing in from all sides\nand crushing the four quarters."}},{"id":"sn3.25:7","sourceIds":["sn3.25:7.1","sn3.25:7.2","sn3.25:7.3","sn3.25:7.4","sn3.25:7.5","sn3.25:7.6"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Evaṁ jarā ca maccu ca,\nadhivattanti pāṇine;\nKhattiye brāhmaṇe vesse,\nsudde caṇḍālapukkuse;\nNa kiñci parivajjeti,\nsabbamevābhimaddati.","en":"So too old age and death\nadvance upon all living creatures—\naristocrats, brahmins, peasants,\nmenials, corpse-workers, and scavengers.\nThey spare nothing.\nThey crush all beneath them."}},{"id":"sn3.25:8","sourceIds":["sn3.25:8.1","sn3.25:8.2","sn3.25:8.3","sn3.25:8.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Na tattha hatthīnaṁ bhūmi,\nna rathānaṁ na pattiyā;\nNa cāpi mantayuddhena,\nsakkā jetuṁ dhanena vā.","en":"There’s nowhere for elephants to take a stand,\nnor chariots nor infantry.\nThey can’t be defeated\nby diplomatic battles or by wealth."}},{"id":"sn3.25:9","sourceIds":["sn3.25:9.1","sn3.25:9.2","sn3.25:9.3","sn3.25:9.4"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Tasmā hi paṇḍito poso,\nsampassaṁ atthamattano;\nBuddhe dhamme ca saṅghe ca,\ndhīro saddhaṁ nivesaye.","en":"That’s why an astute person,\nseeing what’s good for themselves,\nbeing wise, would place faith\nin the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha."}},{"id":"sn3.25:10","sourceIds":["sn3.25:10.1","sn3.25:10.2","sn3.25:10.3","sn3.25:10.4","sn3.25:10.5"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Yo dhammaṁ cari kāyena,\nvācāya uda cetasā;\nIdheva naṁ pasaṁsanti,\npecca sagge pamodatī”ti.\nTatiyo vaggo.","en":"Whoever lives by the teaching\nin body, speech, and mind,\nis praised in this life\nand departs to rejoice in heaven.”"}},{"id":"sn3.25:11","sourceIds":["sn3.25:11.0","sn3.25:11.1","sn3.25:11.2","sn3.25:11.3","sn3.25:11.4","sn3.25:11.5"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Tassuddānaṁ\nPuggalo ayyikā loko,\nissattaṁ pabbatūpamā;\nDesitaṁ buddhaseṭṭhena,\nimaṁ kosalapañcakanti.\nKosalasaṁyuttaṁ samattaṁ.","en":"The Linked Discourses with the Kosalan are complete."}}]}],"sourceRevision":"afdafa92450cfe7573b280da50382888323666d2","sourceUrl":"https://suttacentral.net/sn3.25/en/sujato","licence":"CC0 1.0","licenceUrl":"https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/","editionNote":"Full supplied source file; inherited abbreviations are preserved. Not a reconstructed expansion of every repetition. No Malay or Mandarin translation is implied."}