Pabbatūpamasutta

Saṁyutta Nikāya 3.25

Linked Discourses 3.25

3. Tatiyavagga

3. Kosala

Pabbatūpamasutta

The Simile of the Mountain

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

At Sāvatthī.

Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho rājānaṁ pasenadiṁ kosalaṁ bhagavā etadavoca:

King Pasenadi of Kosala sat to one side, and the Buddha said to him,

“handa kuto nu tvaṁ, mahārāja, āgacchasi divā divassā”ti?

“So, Great King, where are you coming from in the middle of the day?”

“Yāni tāni, bhante, raññaṁ khattiyānaṁ muddhāvasittānaṁ issariyamadamattānaṁ kāmagedhapariyuṭṭhitānaṁ janapadatthāvariyappattānaṁ mahantaṁ pathavimaṇḍalaṁ abhivijiya ajjhāvasantānaṁ rājakaraṇīyāni bhavanti, tesu khvāhaṁ, etarahi ussukkamāpanno”ti.

“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.”

“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, mahārāja,

“What do you think, Great King?

idha te puriso āgaccheyya puratthimāya disāya saddhāyiko paccayiko.

Suppose a trustworthy and dependable man were to come from the east.

So taṁ upasaṅkamitvā evaṁ vadeyya:

He’d approach you and say:

‘yagghe, mahārāja, jāneyyāsi, ahaṁ āgacchāmi puratthimāya disāya.

‘Please, Great King, you should know this. I come from the east.

Tatthaddasaṁ mahantaṁ pabbataṁ abbhasamaṁ, sabbe pāṇe nippothento āgacchati.

There I saw a big mountain that reached the clouds. And it was coming this way, crushing all creatures.

Yaṁ te, mahārāja, karaṇīyaṁ, taṁ karohī’ti.

So then, Great King, do what you must!’

Atha dutiyo puriso āgaccheyya pacchimāya disāya …pe…

Then a second trustworthy and dependable man were to come from the west …

atha tatiyo puriso āgaccheyya uttarāya disāya …

a third from the north …

atha catuttho puriso āgaccheyya dakkhiṇāya disāya saddhāyiko paccayiko.

and a fourth from the south.

So taṁ upasaṅkamitvā evaṁ vadeyya:

He’d approach you and say:

‘yagghe, mahārāja, jāneyyāsi, ahaṁ āgacchāmi dakkhiṇāya disāya.

‘Please, Great King, you should know this. I come from the south.

Tatthaddasaṁ mahantaṁ pabbataṁ abbhasamaṁ sabbe pāṇe nippothento āgacchati.

There I saw a big mountain that reached the clouds. And it was coming this way, crushing all creatures.

Yaṁ te, mahārāja, karaṇīyaṁ taṁ karohī’ti.

So then, Great King, do what you must!’

Evarūpe te, mahārāja, mahati mahabbhaye samuppanne dāruṇe manussakkhaye dullabhe manussatte kimassa karaṇīyan”ti?

Should such a dire threat arise—a grim loss of human life, when human birth is so rare—what would you do?”

“Evarūpe me, bhante, mahati mahabbhaye samuppanne dāruṇe manussakkhaye dullabhe manussatte kimassa karaṇīyaṁ aññatra dhammacariyāya aññatra samacariyāya aññatra kusalakiriyāya aññatra puññakiriyāyā”ti?

“Sir, what could I do but practice the teachings, practice morality, doing skillful and good actions?”

“Ārocemi kho te, mahārāja, paṭivedemi kho te, mahārāja, adhivattati kho taṁ, mahārāja, jarāmaraṇaṁ.

“I tell you, Great King, I announce to you: old age and death are advancing upon you.

Adhivattamāne ce te, mahārāja, jarāmaraṇe kimassa karaṇīyan”ti?

Since old age and death are advancing upon you, what would you do?”

“Adhivattamāne ca me, bhante, jarāmaraṇe kimassa karaṇīyaṁ aññatra dhammacariyāya samacariyāya kusalakiriyāya puññakiriyāya?

“Sir, what can I do but practice the teachings, practice morality, doing skillful and good actions?

Yāni tāni, bhante, raññaṁ khattiyānaṁ muddhāvasittānaṁ issariyamadamattānaṁ kāmagedhapariyuṭṭhitānaṁ janapadatthāvariyappattānaṁ mahantaṁ pathavimaṇḍalaṁ abhivijiya ajjhāvasantānaṁ hatthiyuddhāni bhavanti;

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. Such kings engage in battles of elephants,

tesampi, bhante, hatthiyuddhānaṁ natthi gati natthi visayo adhivattamāne jarāmaraṇe.

Yānipi tāni, bhante, raññaṁ khattiyānaṁ muddhāvasittānaṁ …pe…

ajjhāvasantānaṁ assayuddhāni bhavanti …pe…

cavalry,

rathayuddhāni bhavanti …pe…

chariots,

pattiyuddhāni bhavanti;

or infantry.

tesampi, bhante, pattiyuddhānaṁ natthi gati natthi visayo adhivattamāne jarāmaraṇe.

But there is no place, no domain for such battles when old age and death are advancing.

Santi kho pana, bhante, imasmiṁ rājakule mantino mahāmattā, ye pahonti āgate paccatthike mantehi bhedayituṁ.

In this royal court there are ministers of wise counsel who are capable of dividing an approaching enemy by wise counsel.

Tesampi, bhante, mantayuddhānaṁ natthi gati natthi visayo adhivattamāne jarāmaraṇe.

But there is no place, no domain for such diplomatic battles when old age and death are advancing.

Saṁvijjati kho pana, bhante, imasmiṁ rājakule pahūtaṁ hiraññasuvaṇṇaṁ bhūmigatañceva vehāsaṭṭhañca, yena mayaṁ pahoma āgate paccatthike dhanena upalāpetuṁ.

In 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.

Tesampi, bhante, dhanayuddhānaṁ natthi gati natthi visayo adhivattamāne jarāmaraṇe.

But there is no place, no domain for such monetary battles when old age and death are advancing.

Adhivattamāne ca me, bhante, jarāmaraṇe kimassa karaṇīyaṁ aññatra dhammacariyāya samacariyāya kusalakiriyāya puññakiriyāyā”ti?

When old age and death are advancing, what can I do but practice the teachings, practice morality, doing skillful and good actions?”

“Evametaṁ, mahārāja, evametaṁ, mahārāja.

“That’s so true, Great King! That’s so true!

Adhivattamāne jarāmaraṇe kimassa karaṇīyaṁ aññatra dhammacariyāya samacariyāya kusalakiriyāya puññakiriyāyā”ti?

When old age and death are advancing, what can you do but practice the teachings, practice morality, doing skillful and good actions?”

Idamavoca bhagavā …pe…

That is what the Buddha said.

satthā:

Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:

“Yathāpi selā vipulā,

“Suppose there were vast mountains

nabhaṁ āhacca pabbatā;

of solid rock pressing against the sky

Samantānupariyāyeyyuṁ,

drawing in from all sides

nippothento catuddisā.

and crushing the four quarters.

Evaṁ jarā ca maccu ca,

So too old age and death

adhivattanti pāṇine;

advance upon all living creatures—

Khattiye brāhmaṇe vesse,

aristocrats, brahmins, peasants,

sudde caṇḍālapukkuse;

menials, corpse-workers, and scavengers.

Na kiñci parivajjeti,

They spare nothing.

sabbamevābhimaddati.

They crush all beneath them.

Na tattha hatthīnaṁ bhūmi,

There’s nowhere for elephants to take a stand,

na rathānaṁ na pattiyā;

nor chariots nor infantry.

Na cāpi mantayuddhena,

They can’t be defeated

sakkā jetuṁ dhanena vā.

by diplomatic battles or by wealth.

Tasmā hi paṇḍito poso,

That’s why an astute person,

sampassaṁ atthamattano;

seeing what’s good for themselves,

Buddhe dhamme ca saṅghe ca,

being wise, would place faith

dhīro saddhaṁ nivesaye.

in the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha.

Yo dhammaṁ cari kāyena,

Whoever lives by the teaching

vācāya uda cetasā;

in body, speech, and mind,

Idheva naṁ pasaṁsanti,

is praised in this life

pecca sagge pamodatī”ti.

and departs to rejoice in heaven.”

Tatiyo vaggo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Puggalo ayyikā loko,

issattaṁ pabbatūpamā;

Desitaṁ buddhaseṭṭhena,

imaṁ kosalapañcakanti.

Kosalasaṁyuttaṁ samattaṁ.

The Linked Discourses with the Kosalan are complete.