SN17:9 The Gale Winds
- DG BB TBW © Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi. (More copyright information)
1At Sāvatthī. "Bhikkhus, dreadful are gain, honour, and praise … . Bhikkhus, high in the sky winds called gales are blowing. [n.323] Verambhavātā. Spk: A strong type of wind, discerned at a height from which the four continents appear the size of lotus leaves. If a bird goes up there, the gale winds fling it about, and as it is flung about by the gale winds, its feet go one way, its wings another way, its head still another way, and its body still another way. So too, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu here whose mind is overcome and obsessed by gain, honour, and praise dresses in the morning and, taking bowl and robe, enters a village or town for alms with body, speech, and mind unguarded, without setting up mindfulness, unrestrained in his sense faculties. He sees women there lightly clad or lightly attired and lust invades his mind. With his mind invaded by lust he gives up the training and returns to the lower life. Some take his robe, others his bowl, others his sitting cloth, and still others his needle case, as with the bird flung by the gale winds. So dreadful, bhikkhus, are gain, honour, and praise … . Thus should you train yourselves."
1Sāvatthiyaṁ vihārati. "Dāruṇo, bhikkhave, lābhasakkārasiloko … pe … adhigamāya. Upari, bhikkhave, ākāse verambhā nāma vātā vāyanti. Tattha yo pakkhī gacchati tamenaṁ verambhā vātā khipanti. Tassa verambhavātakkhittassa aññeneva pādā gacchanti, aññena pakkhā gacchanti, aññena sīsaṁ gacchati, aññena kāyo gacchati. Evameva kho, bhikkhave, idhekacco bhikkhu lābhasakkārasilokena abhibhūto pariyādiṇṇacitto pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya gāmaṁ vā nigamaṁ vā piṇḍāya pavisati arakkhiteneva kāyena arakkhitāya vācāya arakkhitena cittena, anupaṭṭhitāya satiyā, asaṁvutehi indriyehi. So tattha passati mātugāmaṁ dunnivatthaṁ vā duppārutaṁ vā. Tassa mātugāmaṁ disvā dunnivatthaṁ vā duppārutaṁ vā rāgo cittaṁ anuddhaṁseti. So rāgānuddhaṁsitena cittena sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattati. Tassa aññe cīvaraṁ haranti, aññe pattaṁ haranti, aññe nisīdanaṁ haranti, aññe sūcigharaṁ haranti, verambhavātakkhittasseva sakuṇassa. Evaṁ dāruṇo kho, bhikkhave, lābhasakkārasiloko … pe … evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban"ti.
Navamaṁ.
