1So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha in the Maddakucchi deer park.

Now at that time the Buddha’s foot had been cut by a splinter. The Buddha was stricken by harrowing pains; physical feelings that were painful, sharp, severe, acute, unpleasant, and disagreeable. But he endured with mindfulness and situational awareness, without worrying. And then he spread out his outer robe folded in four and laid down in the lion’s posture — on the right side, placing one foot on top of the other — mindful and aware.

2Then, late at night, several glorious deities of the Satullapa Group, lighting up the entire Maddukucchi, went up to the Buddha, bowed, and stood to one side.

Standing to one side, one deity was inspired to exclaim in the Buddha’s presence: “The ascetic Gotama is such an elephant, sir! And as an elephant, he endures painful physical feelings that have come up — sharp, severe, acute, unpleasant, and disagreeable — with mindfulness and situational awareness, without worrying.”

3Then another deity was inspired to exclaim in the Buddha’s presence: “The ascetic Gotama is such a lion, sir! And as a lion, he endures painful physical feelings … without worrying.”

4Then another deity was inspired to exclaim in the Buddha’s presence: “The ascetic Gotama is such a thoroughbred, sir! And as a thoroughbred, he endures painful physical feelings … without worrying.”

5Then another deity was inspired to exclaim in the Buddha’s presence: “The ascetic Gotama is such a chief bull, sir! And as a chief bull, he endures painful physical feelings … without worrying.”

6Then another deity was inspired to exclaim in the Buddha’s presence: “The ascetic Gotama is such a behemoth, sir! And as a behemoth, he endures painful physical feelings … without worrying.”

7Then another deity was inspired to exclaim in the Buddha’s presence: “The ascetic Gotama is truly tamed, sir! And as someone tamed, he endures painful physical feelings … without worrying.”

8Then another deity was inspired to exclaim in the Buddha’s presence: “See, his immersion is so well developed, and his mind is so well freed — not leaning forward or pulling back, and not held in place by forceful suppression. If anyone imagines that they can overcome such an elephant of a man, a lion of a man, a thoroughbred of a man, a chief bull of a man, a behemoth of a man, a tamed man — what is that but a failure to see?”

9“Learned in the five Vedas, brahmins practice
mortification for a full century.
But their minds are not properly freed,
for those of base character don’t cross to the far shore.

Seized by craving, attached to precepts and observances,
they practice rough mortification for a hundred years.
But their minds are not properly freed,
for those of base character don’t cross to the far shore.

Someone who’s fond of conceit can’t be tamed,
and someone without immersion can’t be a sage.
Living negligent alone in the wilderness,
they can’t pass beyond Death’s domain.”

“Having given up conceit, serene within oneself,
with a healthy heart, everywhere released;
living diligent alone in the wilderness,
they pass beyond Death’s domain.”

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 vedanā dukkhā tibbā kharā kaṭukā asātā amanāpā; tā sudaṁ bhagavā sato sampajāno adhivāseti avihaññamāno. Atha kho bhagavā catugguṇaṁ saṅghāṭiṁ paññāpetvā dakkhiṇena passena sīhaseyyaṁ kappeti pāde pādaṁ accādhāya sato sampajāno.

2Atha kho sattasatā satullapakāyikā devatāyo abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ maddakucchiṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhaṁsu.

Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho ekā devatā bhagavato santike imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi: "nāgo vata, bho, samaṇo gotamo; nāgavatā ca samuppannā sārīrikā vedanā dukkhā tibbā kharā kaṭukā asātā amanāpā sato sampajāno adhivāseti avihaññamāno"ti.

3Atha kho aparā devatā bhagavato santike imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi: "sīho vata, bho, samaṇo gotamo; sīhavatā ca samuppannā sārīrikā vedanā dukkhā tibbā kharā kaṭukā asātā amanāpā sato sampajāno adhivāseti avihaññamāno"ti.

4Atha kho aparā devatā bhagavato santike imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi: "ājānīyo vata, bho, samaṇo gotamo; ājānīyavatā ca samuppannā sārīrikā vedanā dukkhā tibbā kharā kaṭukā asātā amanāpā sato sampajāno adhivāseti avihaññamāno"ti.

5Atha kho aparā devatā bhagavato santike imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi: "nisabho vata, bho, samaṇo gotamo; nisabhavatā ca samuppannā sārīrikā vedanā dukkhā tibbā kharā kaṭukā asātā amanāpā sato sampajāno adhivāseti avihaññamāno"ti.

6Atha kho aparā devatā bhagavato santike imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi: "dhorayho vata, bho, samaṇo gotamo; dhorayhavatā ca samuppannā sārīrikā vedanā dukkhā tibbā kharā kaṭukā asātā amanāpā sato sampajāno adhivāseti avihaññamāno"ti.

7Atha kho aparā devatā bhagavato santike imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi: "danto vata, bho, samaṇo gotamo; dantavatā ca samuppannā sārīrikā vedanā dukkhā tibbā kharā kaṭukā asātā amanāpā sato sampajāno adhivāseti avihaññamāno"ti.

8Atha kho aparā devatā bhagavato santike imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi: "passa samādhiṁ subhāvitaṁ cittañca suvimuttaṁ, na cābhinataṁ na cāpanataṁ na ca sasaṅkhāraniggayhavāritagataṁ. Yo evarūpaṁ purisanāgaṁ purisasīhaṁ purisaājānīyaṁ purisanisabhaṁ purisadhorayhaṁ purisadantaṁ atikkamitabbaṁ maññeyya kimaññatra adassanā"ti.

9"Pañcavedā sataṁ samaṁ,
Tapassī brāhmaṇā caraṁ;
Cittañca nesaṁ na sammā vimuttaṁ,
Hīnattharūpā na pāraṅgamā te.

10Taṇhādhipannā vatasīlabaddhā,
Lūkhaṁ tapaṁ vassasataṁ carantā;
Cittañca nesaṁ na sammā vimuttaṁ,
Hīnattharūpā na pāraṅgamā te.

11Na mānakāmassa damo idhatthi,
Na monamatthi asamāhitassa;
Eko araññe vihāraṁ pamatto,
Na maccudheyyassa tareyya pāran"ti.

12"Mānaṁ pahāya susamāhitatto,
Sucetaso sabbadhi vippamutto;
Eko araññe vihāramappamatto,
Sa maccudheyyassa tareyya pāran"ti.