{"id":"sn35.247","title":"The Simile of Six Animals","languageCodes":["en","pi"],"languageNotes":{"en":"Bhikkhu Sujato · CC0","pi":"Mahāsaṅgīti edition · SuttaCentral"},"chapters":[{"id":"sn35.247","title":"The Simile of Six Animals","units":[{"id":"sn35.247:0","sourceIds":["sn35.247:0.1","sn35.247:0.2","sn35.247:0.3"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Saṁyutta Nikāya 35.247\n19. Āsīvisavagga\nChappāṇakopamasutta","en":"Linked Discourses 35.247\n19. The Simile of the Vipers\nThe Simile of Six Animals"}},{"id":"sn35.247:1","sourceIds":["sn35.247:1.1","sn35.247:1.2","sn35.247:1.3","sn35.247:1.4","sn35.247:1.5","sn35.247:1.6"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso arugatto pakkagatto saravanaṁ paviseyya.\nTassa kusakaṇṭakā ceva pāde vijjheyyuṁ, sarapattāni ca gattāni vilekheyyuṁ.\nEvañhi so, bhikkhave, puriso bhiyyoso mattāya tatonidānaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvediyetha.\nEvameva kho, bhikkhave, idhekacco bhikkhu gāmagato vā araññagato vā labhati vattāraṁ:\n‘ayañca so āyasmā evaṅkārī evaṁsamācāro asucigāmakaṇṭako’ti.\nTaṁ kaṇṭakoti iti viditvā saṁvaro ca asaṁvaro ca veditabbo.","en":"“Mendicants, suppose a person with wounded and festering limbs was to enter a thicket of reeds.\nThe kusa thorns would pierce their feet, and the reed leaves would scratch their limbs.\nAnd that would cause that person to experience even more pain and distress.\nIn the same way, some mendicant goes to a village or a wilderness and gets scolded,\n‘This venerable, acting like this, behaving like this, is a filthy village thorn.’\nUnderstanding that they’re a thorn, they should understand restraint and lack of restraint."}},{"id":"sn35.247:2","sourceIds":["sn35.247:2.1","sn35.247:2.2","sn35.247:2.3","sn35.247:2.4","sn35.247:2.5","sn35.247:2.6","sn35.247:2.7","sn35.247:2.8","sn35.247:2.9"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Kathañca, bhikkhave, asaṁvaro hoti?\nIdha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā piyarūpe rūpe adhimuccati, appiyarūpe rūpe byāpajjati, anupaṭṭhitakāyassati ca viharati parittacetaso.\nTañca cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti, yatthassa te uppannā pāpakā akusalā dhammā aparisesā nirujjhanti.\nSotena saddaṁ sutvā …\nghānena gandhaṁ ghāyitvā …\njivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā …\nkāyena phoṭṭhabbaṁ phusitvā …\nmanasā dhammaṁ viññāya piyarūpe dhamme adhimuccati, appiyarūpe dhamme byāpajjati, anupaṭṭhitakāyassati ca viharati parittacetaso,\ntañca cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti, yatthassa te uppannā pāpakā akusalā dhammā aparisesā nirujjhanti.","en":"And how is someone unrestrained?\nTake a mendicant who sees a sight with their eyes. If it’s pleasant they hold on to it, but if it’s unpleasant they dislike it. They live with mindfulness of the body unestablished and their heart stunted.\nAnd they don’t truly understand the freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom where those arisen bad, unskillful qualities cease without remainder.\nWhen they hear a sound with their ears …\nWhen they smell an odor with their nose …\nWhen they taste a flavor with their tongue …\nWhen they feel a touch with their body …\nWhen they know an idea with their mind, if it’s pleasant they hold on to it, but if it’s unpleasant they dislike it. They live with mindfulness of the body unestablished and their heart stunted.\nAnd they don’t truly understand the freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom where those arisen bad, unskillful qualities cease without remainder."}},{"id":"sn35.247:3","sourceIds":["sn35.247:3.1","sn35.247:3.2","sn35.247:3.3","sn35.247:3.4","sn35.247:3.5","sn35.247:3.6","sn35.247:3.7","sn35.247:3.8","sn35.247:3.9","sn35.247:3.10","sn35.247:3.11","sn35.247:3.12","sn35.247:3.13","sn35.247:3.14"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso chappāṇake gahetvā nānāvisaye nānāgocare daḷhāya rajjuyā bandheyya.\nAhiṁ gahetvā daḷhāya rajjuyā bandheyya.\nSusumāraṁ gahetvā daḷhāya rajjuyā bandheyya.\nPakkhiṁ gahetvā daḷhāya rajjuyā bandheyya.\nKukkuraṁ gahetvā daḷhāya rajjuyā bandheyya.\nSiṅgālaṁ gahetvā daḷhāya rajjuyā bandheyya.\nMakkaṭaṁ gahetvā daḷhāya rajjuyā bandheyya.\nDaḷhāya rajjuyā bandhitvā majjhe gaṇṭhiṁ karitvā ossajjeyya.\nAtha kho, te, bhikkhave, chappāṇakā nānāvisayā nānāgocarā sakaṁ sakaṁ gocaravisayaṁ āviñcheyyuṁ—\nahi āviñcheyya ‘vammikaṁ pavekkhāmī’ti, susumāro āviñcheyya ‘udakaṁ pavekkhāmī’ti, pakkhī āviñcheyya ‘ākāsaṁ ḍessāmī’ti, kukkuro āviñcheyya ‘gāmaṁ pavekkhāmī’ti, siṅgālo āviñcheyya ‘sīvathikaṁ pavekkhāmī’ti, makkaṭo āviñcheyya ‘vanaṁ pavekkhāmī’ti.\nYadā kho te, bhikkhave, chappāṇakā jhattā assu kilantā, atha kho yo nesaṁ pāṇakānaṁ balavataro assa tassa te anuvatteyyuṁ, anuvidhāyeyyuṁ vasaṁ gaccheyyuṁ.\nEvameva kho, bhikkhave, yassa kassaci bhikkhuno kāyagatāsati abhāvitā abahulīkatā, taṁ cakkhu āviñchati manāpiyesu rūpesu, amanāpiyā rūpā paṭikūlā honti …pe…\nmano āviñchati manāpiyesu dhammesu, amanāpiyā dhammā paṭikūlā honti.\nEvaṁ kho, bhikkhave, asaṁvaro hoti.","en":"Suppose a person was to catch six animals, with diverse territories and feeding grounds, and tie them up with a strong rope.\nThey’d catch a snake,\na dolphin,\na bird,\na dog,\na jackal,\nand a monkey,\ntie each up with a strong rope, then tie a knot in the middle and let them loose.\nThen those six animals with different domains and ranges would each pull toward their own domain and range.\nThe snake would pull one way, thinking ‘I’m going into a termite mound!’ The dolphin would pull another way, thinking ‘I’m going into the water!’ The bird would pull another way, thinking ‘I’m flying into the atmosphere!’ The dog would pull another way, thinking ‘I’m going into the village!’ The jackal would pull another way, thinking ‘I’m going into the charnel ground!’ The monkey would pull another way, thinking ‘I’m going into the jungle!’\nWhen those six animals became exhausted and worn out, the strongest of them would get their way, and they’d all have to submit to their control.\nIn the same way, when a mendicant has not developed or cultivated mindfulness of the body, their eye pulls toward pleasant sights, but is put off by unpleasant sights. Their ear … nose … tongue … body …\nmind pulls toward pleasant ideas, but is put off by unpleasant ideas.\nThis is how someone is unrestrained."}},{"id":"sn35.247:4","sourceIds":["sn35.247:4.1","sn35.247:4.2","sn35.247:4.3","sn35.247:4.4","sn35.247:4.5","sn35.247:4.6"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Kathañca, bhikkhave, saṁvaro hoti?\nIdha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā piyarūpe rūpe nādhimuccati, appiyarūpe rūpe na byāpajjati, upaṭṭhitakāyassati ca viharati appamāṇacetaso,\ntañca cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, yatthassa te uppannā pāpakā akusalā dhammā aparisesā nirujjhanti …pe…\njivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā …pe…\nmanasā dhammaṁ viññāya piyarūpe dhamme nādhimuccati, appiyarūpe dhamme na byāpajjati, upaṭṭhitakāyassati ca viharati appamāṇacetaso,\ntañca cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti yatthassa te uppannā pāpakā akusalā dhammā aparisesā nirujjhanti.","en":"And how is someone restrained?\nTake a mendicant who sees a sight with their eyes. If it’s pleasant they don’t hold on to it, and if it’s unpleasant they don’t dislike it. They live with mindfulness of the body established and a limitless heart.\nAnd they truly understand the freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom where those arisen bad, unskillful qualities cease without remainder.\nThey hear a sound … smell an odor … taste a flavor … feel a touch …\nknow an idea with their mind. If it’s pleasant they don’t hold on to it, and if it’s unpleasant they don’t dislike it. They live with mindfulness of the body established and a limitless heart.\nAnd they truly understand the freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom where those arisen bad, unskillful qualities cease without remainder."}},{"id":"sn35.247:5","sourceIds":["sn35.247:5.1","sn35.247:5.2","sn35.247:5.3","sn35.247:5.4","sn35.247:5.5","sn35.247:5.6","sn35.247:5.7","sn35.247:5.8","sn35.247:5.9","sn35.247:5.10","sn35.247:5.11","sn35.247:5.12","sn35.247:5.13","sn35.247:5.14"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso chappāṇake gahetvā nānāvisaye nānāgocare daḷhāya rajjuyā bandheyya.\nAhiṁ gahetvā daḷhāya rajjuyā bandheyya.\nSusumāraṁ gahetvā daḷhāya rajjuyā bandheyya.\nPakkhiṁ gahetvā …pe…\nkukkuraṁ gahetvā …\nsiṅgālaṁ gahetvā …\nmakkaṭaṁ gahetvā daḷhāya rajjuyā bandheyya.\nDaḷhāya rajjuyā bandhitvā daḷhe khīle vā thambhe vā upanibandheyya.\nAtha kho te, bhikkhave, chappāṇakā nānāvisayā nānāgocarā sakaṁ sakaṁ gocaravisayaṁ āviñcheyyuṁ—\nahi āviñcheyya ‘vammikaṁ pavekkhāmī’ti, susumāro āviñcheyya ‘udakaṁ pavekkhāmī’ti, pakkhī āviñcheyya ‘ākāsaṁ ḍessāmī’ti, kukkuro āviñcheyya ‘gāmaṁ pavekkhāmī’ti, siṅgālo āviñcheyya ‘sīvathikaṁ pavekkhāmī’ti, makkaṭo āviñcheyya ‘vanaṁ pavekkhāmī’ti.\nYadā kho te, bhikkhave, chappāṇakā jhattā assu kilantā, atha tameva khīlaṁ vā thambhaṁ vā upatiṭṭheyyuṁ, upanisīdeyyuṁ, upanipajjeyyuṁ.\nEvameva kho, bhikkhave, yassa kassaci bhikkhuno kāyagatāsati bhāvitā bahulīkatā, taṁ cakkhu nāviñchati manāpiyesu rūpesu, amanāpiyā rūpā nappaṭikūlā honti …pe… jivhā nāviñchati manāpiyesu rasesu …pe…\nmano nāviñchati manāpiyesu dhammesu, amanāpiyā dhammā nappaṭikūlā honti.\nEvaṁ kho, bhikkhave, saṁvaro hoti.","en":"Suppose a person was to catch six animals, with diverse territories and feeding grounds, and tie them up with a strong rope.\nThey’d catch a snake,\na dolphin,\na bird,\na dog,\na jackal,\nand a monkey,\ntie each up with a strong rope, then tether them to a strong post or pillar.\nThen those six animals with different domains and ranges would each pull toward their own domain and range.\nThe snake would pull one way, thinking ‘I’m going into a termite mound!’ The dolphin would pull another way, thinking ‘I’m going into the water!’ The bird would pull another way, thinking ‘I’m flying into the atmosphere!’ The dog would pull another way, thinking ‘I’m going into the village!’ The jackal would pull another way, thinking ‘I’m going into the charnel ground!’ The monkey would pull another way, thinking ‘I’m going into the jungle!’\nWhen those six animals became exhausted and worn out, they’d stand or sit or lie down right by that post or pillar.\nIn the same way, when a mendicant has developed and cultivated mindfulness of the body, their eye doesn’t pull toward pleasant sights, and isn’t put off by unpleasant sights. Their ear … nose … tongue … body …\nmind doesn’t pull toward pleasant ideas, and isn’t put off by unpleasant ideas.\nThis is how someone is restrained."}},{"id":"sn35.247:6","sourceIds":["sn35.247:6.1","sn35.247:6.2","sn35.247:6.3","sn35.247:6.4","sn35.247:6.5"],"kind":"text","text":{"pi":"‘Daḷhe khīle vā thambhe vā’ti kho, bhikkhave, kāyagatāya satiyā etaṁ adhivacanaṁ.\nTasmātiha vo, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ:\n‘kāyagatā no sati bhāvitā bhavissati bahulīkatā yānīkatā vatthukatā anuṭṭhitā paricitā susamāraddhā’ti.\nEvañhi kho, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.\nDasamaṁ.","en":"‘A strong post or pillar’ is a term for mindfulness of the body.\nSo you should train like this:\n‘We will develop mindfulness of the body. We’ll cultivate it, make it our vehicle and our basis, keep it up, consolidate it, and properly implement it.’\nThat’s how you should train.”"}}]}],"sourceRevision":"afdafa92450cfe7573b280da50382888323666d2","sourceUrl":"https://suttacentral.net/sn35.247/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."}