Nāgasutta

Aṅguttara Nikāya 6.43

Numbered Discourses 6.43

5. Dhammikavagga

5. About Dhammika

Nāgasutta

The Giant

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

Atha kho bhagavā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya sāvatthiyaṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi.

Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for alms.

Sāvatthiyaṁ piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ āmantesi:

Then, after the meal, on his return from almsround, he addressed Venerable Ānanda,

“āyāmānanda, yena pubbārāmo migāramātupāsādo tenupasaṅkamissāma divāvihārāyā”ti.

“Come, Ānanda, let’s go to the stilt longhouse of Migāra’s mother in the Eastern Monastery for the day’s meditation.”

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā ānando bhagavato paccassosi.

“Yes, sir,” Ānanda replied.

Atha kho bhagavā āyasmatā ānandena saddhiṁ yena pubbārāmo migāramātupāsādo tenupasaṅkami.

So the Buddha went with Ānanda to the Eastern Monastery.

Atha kho bhagavā sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ āmantesi:

In the late afternoon the Buddha came out of retreat and addressed Ānanda,

“āyāmānanda, yena pubbakoṭṭhako tenupasaṅkamissāma gattāni parisiñcitun”ti.

“Come, Ānanda, let’s go to the eastern gate to bathe.”

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā ānando bhagavato paccassosi.

“Yes, sir,” Ānanda replied.

Atha kho bhagavā āyasmatā ānandena saddhiṁ yena pubbakoṭṭhako tenupasaṅkami gattāni parisiñcituṁ.

So the Buddha went with Ānanda to the eastern gate to bathe.

Pubbakoṭṭhake gattāni parisiñcitvā paccuttaritvā ekacīvaro aṭṭhāsi gattāni pubbāpayamāno.

When he had bathed and emerged from the water he stood in one robe drying his limbs.

Tena kho pana samayena rañño pasenadissa kosalassa seto nāma nāgo mahātūriyatāḷitavāditena pubbakoṭṭhakā paccuttarati.

Now, at that time King Pasenadi had a giant bull elephant called “White”. It emerged from the eastern gate to the beating and playing of musical instruments.

Apissu taṁ jano disvā evamāha:

When people saw it they said,

“abhirūpo vata bho rañño nāgo; dassanīyo vata bho rañño nāgo; pāsādiko vata, bho, rañño nāgo, kāyupapanno vata bho rañño nāgo”ti.

“The royal giant is so handsome! The royal giant is so good-looking! The royal giant is so lovely! The royal giant has such a big body!”

Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā udāyī bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

When they said this, Venerable Udāyī said to the Buddha,

“hatthimeva nu kho, bhante, mahantaṁ brahantaṁ kāyupapannaṁ jano disvā evamāha:

“Sir, is it only when they see elephants with such a big, formidable body that people say:

‘nāgo vata bho nāgo’ti, udāhu aññampi kañci mahantaṁ brahantaṁ kāyupapannaṁ jano disvā evamāha: ‘nāgo vata bho nāgo’”ti?

‘A giant, such a giant’? Or do they say it when they see any other creatures with big, formidable bodies?”

“Hatthimpi kho, udāyi, mahantaṁ brahantaṁ kāyupapannaṁ jano disvā evamāha:

“Udāyī, when they see elephants with such a big, formidable body people say:

‘nāgo vata bho nāgo’ti.

‘A giant, such a giant!’

Assampi kho, udāyi, mahantaṁ brahantaṁ …pe…

And also when they see a horse with a big, formidable body …

goṇampi kho, udāyi, mahantaṁ brahantaṁ …pe…

When they see a bull with a big, formidable body …

uragampi kho, udāyi, mahantaṁ brahantaṁ …pe…

When they see a serpent with a big, formidable body …

rukkhampi kho, udāyi, mahantaṁ brahantaṁ …pe…

When they see a tree with a big, formidable body …

manussampi kho, udāyi, mahantaṁ brahantaṁ kāyupapannaṁ jano disvā evamāha:

And when they see a human being with such a big, formidable body people say:

‘nāgo vata, bho, nāgo’ti.

‘A giant, such a giant!’

Api ca, udāyi, yo sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya āguṁ na karoti kāyena vācāya manasā, tamahaṁ ‘nāgo’ti brūmī”ti.

But Udāyī, one who does nothing monstrous by way of body, speech, and mind is who I call a ‘giant’ in this world with its gods, Māras, and divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans.”

“Acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ, bhante.

“It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing!

Yāva subhāsitañcidaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā—

How well said this was by the Buddha:

api ca, udāyi, yo sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya āguṁ na karoti kāyena vācāya manasā, tamahaṁ ‘nāgo’ti brūmīti.

‘But Udāyī, one who does nothing monstrous by way of body, speech, and mind is who I call a “giant” in this world with its gods, Māras, and divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans.’

Idañca panāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā subhāsitaṁ imāhi gāthāhi anumodāmi—

And I celebrate the well-spoken words of the Buddha with these verses:

Manussabhūtaṁ sambuddhaṁ,

Awakened as a human being,

attadantaṁ samāhitaṁ;

self-tamed and immersed in samādhi,

Iriyamānaṁ brahmapathe,

following the spiritual path,

cittassūpasame rataṁ.

he loves peace of mind.

Yaṁ manussā namassanti,

Revered by people,

sabbadhammāna pāraguṁ;

gone beyond all things,

Devāpi taṁ namassanti,

even the gods revere him;

iti me arahato sutaṁ.

so I’ve heard from the perfected one.

Sabbasaṁyojanātītaṁ,

He has transcended all fetters

vanā nibbanamāgataṁ;

and escaped from entanglements.

Kāmehi nekkhammarataṁ,

Delighting to renounce sensual pleasures,

muttaṁ selāva kañcanaṁ.

he’s freed like lustrous gold from stone.

Sabbe accarucī nāgo,

That giant outshines all,

himavāññe siluccaye;

like the Himalaya beside other mountains.

Sabbesaṁ nāganāmānaṁ,

Of all those named ‘giant’,

saccanāmo anuttaro.

he is truly named, supreme.

Nāgaṁ vo kittayissāmi,

I shall extol the giant for you,

na hi āguṁ karoti so;

for he does nothing monstrous.

Soraccaṁ avihiṁsā ca,

Gentleness and harmlessness

pādā nāgassa te duve.

are two feet of the giant.

Tapo ca brahmacariyaṁ,

Fervor and chastity

caraṇā nāgassa tyāpare;

are his two other feet.

Saddhāhattho mahānāgo,

Faith is the giant’s trunk,

upekkhāsetadantavā.

and equanimity his white tusks.

Sati gīvā siro paññā,

Mindfulness is his neck, his head is wisdom—

vīmaṁsā dhammacintanā;

inquiry and thinking about principles.

Dhammakucchisamātapo,

His belly is the sacred hearth of the Dhamma,

viveko tassa vāladhi.

and his tail is seclusion.

So jhāyī assāsarato,

Practicing absorption, enjoying the breath,

ajjhattaṁ susamāhito;

he is serene within.

Gacchaṁ samāhito nāgo,

The giant is serene when walking,

ṭhito nāgo samāhito.

the giant is serene when standing,

Seyyaṁ samāhito nāgo,

the giant is serene when lying down,

nisinnopi samāhito;

and when sitting, the giant is serene.

Sabbattha saṁvuto nāgo,

The giant is restrained everywhere:

esā nāgassa sampadā.

this is the accomplishment of the giant.

Bhuñjati anavajjāni,

He eats blameless things,

sāvajjāni na bhuñjati;

he doesn’t eat blameworthy things.

Ghāsamacchādanaṁ laddhā,

When he gets food and clothes,

sannidhiṁ parivajjayaṁ.

he avoids storing them up.

Saṁyojanaṁ aṇuṁ thūlaṁ,

Having severed all bonds,

sabbaṁ chetvāna bandhanaṁ;

fetters large and small,

Yena yeneva gacchati,

wherever he goes,

anapekkhova gacchati.

he goes without concern.

Yathāpi udake jātaṁ,

A white lotus,

puṇḍarīkaṁ pavaḍḍhati;

fragrant and delightful,

Nupalippati toyena,

sprouts in water and grows there,

sucigandhaṁ manoramaṁ.

but water does not stick to it.

Tatheva loke sujāto,

Just so the Buddha is born in the world,

buddho loke viharati;

and lives in the world,

Nupalippati lokena,

but the world does not stick to him,

toyena padumaṁ yathā.

as water does not stick to the lotus.

Mahāginīva jalito,

A great blazing fire

anāhārūpasammati;

dies down when the fuel runs out.

Saṅkhāresūpasantesu,

When the coals have gone out

nibbutoti pavuccati.

it’s said to be ‘quenched’.

Atthassāyaṁ viññāpanī,

This simile is taught by the discerning

upamā viññūhi desitā;

to express the meaning clearly.

Viññassanti mahānāgā,

Great giants will understand

nāgaṁ nāgena desitaṁ.

what the giant taught the giant.

Vītarāgo vītadoso,

Free of greed, free of hate,

Vītamoho anāsavo;

free of delusion, undefiled;

Sarīraṁ vijahaṁ nāgo,

the giant, giving up his body,

Parinibbissati anāsavo”ti.

being undefiled, will be fully quenched.”

Paṭhamaṁ.