SN4:13 The Splinter
- DG BB TBW © Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi. (More copyright information)
1Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha in the Maddakucchi Deer Park. Now on that occasion the Blessed One's foot had been cut by a stone splinter. Severe pains assailed the Blessed One—bodily feelings that were painful, racking, sharp, piercing, harrowing, disagreeable. But the Blessed One endured them, mindful and clearly comprehending, without becoming distressed. Then the Blessed One had his outer robe folded in four, and he lay down on his right side in the lion posture with one leg overlapping the other, mindful and clearly comprehending. [n.283] See SN1.38 and n. 86.
Then Māra the Evil One approached the Blessed One and addressed him in verse:
2v.470 "Do you lie down in a daze or drunk on poetry?
Don’t you have sufficient goals to meet?
Alone in a secluded lodging
Why do you sleep with a drowsy face?"
[n.284] Spk paraphrases kaveyyamatto in pāda a thus: "Do you lie down thinking up a poem like a poet, who lies down intoxicated with the composing of poetry?" The expression recurs at v. 753a. Sampacura, glossed by bahuvo, is at AN II 59,12 and 61,10, also in apposition to attha.
The Blessed One:
3v.471 "I do not lie in a daze or drunk on poetry;
Having reached the goal, I am rid of sorrow.
Alone in a secluded lodging
I lie down full of compassion for all beings.
4v.472 "Even those with a dart stuck in the breast
Piercing their heart moment by moment—
Even these here, stricken, get to sleep; sn.i.111
So why should I not get to sleep
When my dart has been drawn out?
[n.285] Muhuṁ muhuṁ, in pāda b, is not in PED, and Spk and Spk-pṭ are silent, but see MW, s.v. muhur. The expression occurs at Th 125d, glossed by Th-a II 7,13–14 as abhikkhaṇaṁ, and at Th 1129b, glossed by Th-a III 158,8–9 as abhiṇhato. Both glosses mean "often," but here it seems the more literal sense of "moment by moment" or "constantly" is implied. The dart (salla) is elsewhere identified with craving; see vv. 214c, 737c. At SN35.90 (IV 64,33–34) it is said that the dart is the state of being stirred (eja sallaṁ), eja being a synonym for taṇhā; and the Tathāgata, who is unstirred by craving, dwells with the dart removed (vitasallo). See too MN II 260,17: Sallan ti kho Sunakkhatta taṇhay’ etaṁ adhivacanaṁ.
5v.473 "I do not lie awake in dread,
Nor am I afraid to sleep.
The nights and days do not afflict me,
I see for myself no decline in the world.
Therefore I can sleep in peace,
Full of compassion for all beings."
6Then Māra the Evil One … disappeared right there.
1Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe vihārati maddakucchismiṁ migadāye. Tena kho pana samayena bhagavato pādo sakalikāya khato hoti, bhusā sudaṁ bhagavato vedanā vattanti sārīrikā dukkhā tibbā kharā kaṭukā asātā amanāpā. Tā sudaṁ bhagavā sato sampajāno adhivāseti avihaññamāno. Atha kho bhagavā catugguṇaṁ saṅghāṭiṁ paññapetvā dakkhiṇena passena sīhaseyyaṁ kappesi pāde pādaṁ accādhāya sato sampajāno.
Atha kho māro pāpimā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:
2"Mandiyā nu kho sesi udāhu kāveyyamatto,
Atthā nu te sampacurā na santi;
Eko vivitte sayanāsanamhi,
Niddāmukho kimidaṁ soppase vā"ti.
3"Na mandiyā sayāmi nāpi kāveyyamatto,
Atthaṁ sameccāhamapetasoko;
Eko vivitte sayanāsanamhi,
Sayāmahaṁ sabbabhūtānukampī.
4Yesampi sallaṁ urasi paviṭṭhaṁ,
Muhuṁ muhuṁ hadayaṁ vedhamānaṁ;
Tepīdha soppaṁ labhare sasallā,
Tasmā ahaṁ na supe vītasallo.
5Jaggaṁ na saṅke napi bhemi sottuṁ,
Rattindivā nānutapanti māmaṁ;
Hāniṁ na passāmi kuhiñci loke,
Tasmā supe sabbabhūtānukampī"ti.
6Atha kho māro pāpimā "jānāti maṁ bhagavā, jānāti maṁ sugato"ti dukkhī dummano tatthevantaradhāyīti.