1At one time the Buddha was staying near Gayā on the cut-stone ledge in the haunt of Spiky the native spirit.

Now at that time the native spirits Shaggy and Spiky were passing by not far from the Buddha.

So Shaggy said to Spiky: “That’s an ascetic.”

“That’s no ascetic, he’s a faker! I’ll soon find out whether he’s an ascetic or a faker.”

2Then Spiky went up to the Buddha and leaned up against his body, but the Buddha pulled away.

Then Spiky said to the Buddha: “Are you afraid, ascetic?”

“No, sir, I’m not afraid. But your touch is nasty.”

“I will ask you a question, ascetic. If you don’t answer me, I’ll drive you insane, or explode your heart, or grab you by the feet and throw you to the far shore of the Ganges!”

“I don’t see anyone in this world with its gods, Māras, and Brahmās, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans who could do that to me. But anyway, ask what you wish.”

3“Where do greed and hate come from?
From where do discontent, desire, and terror spring?
Where do the mind’s thoughts originate,
like a crow let loose by boys.”

4“Greed and hate come from here;
from here spring discontent, desire, and terror;
here’s where the mind’s thoughts originate,
like a crow let loose by boys.

5Born of affection, originating in oneself,
like the shoots from a banyan’s trunk;
the many kinds of attachment to sensual pleasures
are like camel’s foot creeper strung through the woods.

6Those who understand where they come from
get rid of them—listen up, spirit!
They cross this flood so hard to cross,
not crossed before, so as to not be reborn.”

1Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā gayāyaṁ vihārati ṭaṅkitamañce sūcilomassa yakkhassa bhavane.

Tena kho pana samayena kharo ca yakkho sūcilomo ca yakkho bhagavato avidūre atikkamanti.

Atha kho kharo yakkho sūcilomaṁ yakkhaṁ etadavoca: "Eso samaṇo"ti.

"Neso samaṇo, samaṇako eso. Yāva jānāmi yadi vā so samaṇo yadi vā pana so samaṇako"ti.

2Atha kho sūcilomo yakkho yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavato kāyaṁ upanāmesi. Atha kho bhagavā kāyaṁ apanāmesi.

Atha kho sūcilomo yakkho bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: "bhāyasi maṁ, samaṇā"ti?

"Na khvāhaṁ taṁ, āvuso, bhāyāmi; api ca te samphasso pāpako"ti.

"Pañhaṁ taṁ, samaṇa, pucchissāmi. Sace me na byākarissasi, cittaṁ vā te khipissāmi, hadayaṁ vā te phālessāmi, pādesu vā gahetvā pāragaṅgāya khipissāmī"ti.

"Na khvāhaṁ taṁ, āvuso, passāmi sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya, yo me cittaṁ vā khipeyya hadayaṁ vā phāleyya pādesu vā gahetvā pāragaṅgāya khipeyya; api ca tvaṁ, āvuso, puccha yadā kaṅkhasī"ti.

3"Rāgo ca doso ca kutonidānā,
Aratī ratī lomahaṁso kutojā;
Kuto samuṭṭhāya manovitakkā,
Kumārakā dhaṅkamivossajantī"ti.

4"Rāgo ca doso ca itonidānā,
Aratī ratī lomahaṁso itojā;
Ito samuṭṭhāya manovitakkā,
Kumārakā dhaṅkamivossajanti.

5Snehajā attasambhūtā,
nigrodhasseva khandhajā;
Puthū visattā kāmesu,
māluvāva vitatā vane.

6Ye naṁ pajānanti yatonidānaṁ,
Te naṁ vinodenti suṇohi yakkha;
Te duttaraṁ oghamimaṁ taranti,
Atiṇṇapubbaṁ apunabbhavāyā"ti.