Chapter One · SN 19.1–19.10

SN 19.1 · A Skeleton

SN 19.1 · Aṭṭhisutta

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground.

Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.

Now at that time Venerable Mark and Venerable Mahāmoggallāna were staying on the Vulture’s Peak Mountain. Then Mahāmoggallāna robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, went to Mark and said to him, “Come, Reverend Mark, let’s enter Rājagaha for alms.”

Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā ca lakkhaṇo āyasmā ca mahāmoggallāno gijjhakūṭe pabbate viharanti. Atha kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yenāyasmā lakkhaṇo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ lakkhaṇaṁ etadavoca: “āyāmāvuso lakkhaṇa, rājagahaṁ piṇḍāya pavisissāmā”ti.

“Yes, reverend,” Mark replied.

“Evamāvuso”ti kho āyasmā lakkhaṇo āyasmato mahāmoggallānassa paccassosi.

As Mahāmoggallāna was descending from Vulture’s Peak Mountain he smiled at a certain spot. So Mark said to Mahāmoggallāna, “What is the cause, Reverend Moggallāna, what is the reason you smiled?”

Atha kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno gijjhakūṭā pabbatā orohanto aññatarasmiṁ padese sitaṁ pātvākāsi. Atha kho āyasmā lakkhaṇo āyasmantaṁ mahāmoggallānaṁ etadavoca: “ko nu kho, āvuso moggallāna, hetu ko paccayo sitassa pātukammāyā”ti?

“Reverend Mark, it’s the wrong time for this question. Ask me when we’re in the Buddha’s presence.”

“Akālo kho, āvuso lakkhaṇa, etassa pañhassa. Bhagavato maṁ santike etaṁ pañhaṁ pucchā”ti.

Then Mark and Mahāmoggallāna wandered for alms in Rājagaha. After the meal, on their return from almsround, they went to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. Mark said to Mahāmoggallāna:

Atha kho āyasmā ca lakkhaṇo āyasmā ca mahāmoggallāno rājagahe piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkantā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā lakkhaṇo āyasmantaṁ mahāmoggallānaṁ etadavoca:

“Just now, as Mahāmoggallāna was descending from Vulture’s Peak Mountain he smiled at a certain spot. What is the cause, Reverend Moggallāna, what is the reason you smiled?”

“idhāyasmā mahāmoggallāno gijjhakūṭā pabbatā orohanto aññatarasmiṁ padese sitaṁ pātvākāsi. Ko nu kho, āvuso moggallāna, hetu ko paccayo sitassa pātukammāyā”ti?

“Just now, reverend, as I was descending from Vulture’s Peak Mountain I saw a skeleton flying through the air. Vultures, crows, and hawks kept chasing it, pecking, clawing, and stabbing it in the ribs as it screeched in pain. It occurred to me: ‘Oh lord, how incredible, how amazing! That there can be such a sentient being, such a spirit, such an incarnation!’”

“Idhāhaṁ, āvuso, gijjhakūṭā pabbatā orohanto addasaṁ aṭṭhikasaṅkhalikaṁ vehāsaṁ gacchantiṁ. Tamenaṁ gijjhāpi kākāpi kulalāpi anupatitvā anupatitvā phāsuḷantarikāhi vitudenti vitacchenti virājenti. Sā sudaṁ aṭṭassaraṁ karoti. Tassa mayhaṁ, āvuso, etadahosi: ‘acchariyaṁ vata bho, abbhutaṁ vata bho. Evarūpopi nāma satto bhavissati. Evarūpopi nāma yakkho bhavissati. Evarūpopi nāma attabhāvapaṭilābho bhavissatī’”ti.

Then the Buddha said to the mendicants:

Atha kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:

“Mendicants, there are disciples who live full of vision and knowledge, since a disciple knows, sees, and witnesses such a thing.

“cakkhubhūtā vata, bhikkhave, sāvakā viharanti; ñāṇabhūtā vata, bhikkhave, sāvakā viharanti, yatra hi nāma sāvako evarūpaṁ ñassati vā dakkhati vā sakkhiṁ vā karissati.

Formerly, I too saw that being, but I did not speak of it. For if I had spoken of it others would not have believed me, which would be for their lasting harm and suffering.

Pubbeva me so, bhikkhave, satto diṭṭho ahosi, api cāhaṁ na byākāsiṁ. Ahañcetaṁ byākareyyaṁ, pare ca me na saddaheyyuṁ. Ye me na saddaheyyuṁ, tesaṁ taṁ assa dīgharattaṁ ahitāya dukkhāya.

That being used to be a cattle butcher right here in Rājagaha. As a result of that deed he burned in hell for many years, many hundreds, many thousands, many hundreds of thousands of years. Now he experiences the residual result of that deed in such an incarnation.”

Eso, bhikkhave, satto imasmiṁyeva rājagahe goghātako ahosi. So tassa kammassa vipākena bahūni vassāni bahūni vassasatāni bahūni vassasahassāni bahūni vassasatasahassāni niraye paccitvā tasseva kammassa vipākāvasesena evarūpaṁ attabhāvapaṭilābhaṁ paṭisaṁvedayatī”ti.

(Tell all these discourses in full like this.)

(Sabbesaṁ suttantānaṁ eseva peyyālo.)

SN 19.2 · A Piece of Meat

SN 19.2 · Pesisutta

“Just now, reverend, as I was descending from Vulture’s Peak Mountain I saw a scrap of meat flying through the air. Vultures, crows, and hawks kept chasing it, pecking and clawing as it screeched in pain. …” …

“Idhāhaṁ, āvuso, gijjhakūṭā pabbatā orohanto addasaṁ maṁsapesiṁ vehāsaṁ gacchantiṁ. Tamenaṁ gijjhāpi kākāpi kulalāpi anupatitvā anupatitvā vitacchenti virājenti. Sā sudaṁ aṭṭassaraṁ karoti …pe…

“That being used to be a cattle butcher right here in Rājagaha. …”

eso, bhikkhave, satto imasmiṁyeva rājagahe goghātako ahosi …pe….

SN 19.3 · A Piece of Flesh

SN 19.3 · Piṇḍasutta

“Just now, reverend, as I was descending from Vulture’s Peak Mountain I saw a piece of flesh flying through the air. Vultures, crows, and hawks kept chasing it, pecking and clawing as it screeched in pain. …” …

“Idhāhaṁ, āvuso, gijjhakūṭā pabbatā orohanto addasaṁ maṁsapiṇḍaṁ vehāsaṁ gacchantaṁ. Tamenaṁ gijjhāpi kākāpi kulalāpi anupatitvā anupatitvā vitacchenti virājenti. Sā sudaṁ aṭṭassaraṁ karoti …pe…

“That being used to be a bird hunter right here in Rājagaha. …”

eso, bhikkhave, satto imasmiṁyeva rājagahe sākuṇiko ahosi …pe….

SN 19.4 · A Flayed Man

SN 19.4 · Nicchavisutta

“Just now, reverend, as I was descending from Vulture’s Peak Mountain I saw a flayed man flying through the air. Vultures, crows, and hawks kept chasing it, pecking and clawing as he screamed in pain. …” …

“Idhāhaṁ, āvuso, gijjhakūṭā pabbatā orohanto addasaṁ nicchaviṁ purisaṁ vehāsaṁ gacchantaṁ. Tamenaṁ gijjhāpi kākāpi kulalāpi anupatitvā anupatitvā vitacchenti virājenti. So sudaṁ aṭṭassaraṁ karoti …pe…

“That being used to be a sheep butcher right here in Rājagaha. …”

eso, bhikkhave, satto imasmiṁyeva rājagahe orabbhiko ahosi …pe….

SN 19.5 · Sword Hairs

SN 19.5 · Asilomasutta

“Just now, reverend, as I was descending from Vulture’s Peak Mountain I saw a man whose body hairs were swords flying through the air. And those swords kept rising up and falling on his body as he screamed in pain. …” …

“Idhāhaṁ, āvuso, gijjhakūṭā pabbatā orohanto addasaṁ asilomaṁ purisaṁ vehāsaṁ gacchantaṁ. Tassa te asī uppatitvā uppatitvā tasseva kāye nipatanti. So sudaṁ aṭṭassaraṁ karoti …pe…

“That being used to be a pig butcher right here in Rājagaha. …”

eso, bhikkhave, satto imasmiṁyeva rājagahe sūkariko ahosi …pe….

SN 19.6 · Spear Hairs

SN 19.6 · Sattisutta

“Just now, reverend, as I was descending from Vulture’s Peak Mountain I saw a man whose body hairs were spears flying through the air. And those spears kept rising up and falling on his body as he screamed in pain. …” …

“Idhāhaṁ, āvuso, gijjhakūṭā pabbatā orohanto addasaṁ sattilomaṁ purisaṁ vehāsaṁ gacchantaṁ. Tassa tā sattiyo uppatitvā uppatitvā tasseva kāye nipatanti. So sudaṁ aṭṭassaraṁ karoti …pe…

“That being used to be a deer hunter right here in Rājagaha. …”

eso, bhikkhave, satto imasmiṁyeva rājagahe māgaviko ahosi …pe….

SN 19.7 · Arrow Hairs

SN 19.7 · Usulomasutta

“Just now, reverend, as I was descending from Vulture’s Peak Mountain I saw a man whose body hairs were arrows flying through the air. And those arrows kept rising up and falling on his body as he screamed in pain. …” …

“Idhāhaṁ, āvuso, gijjhakūṭā pabbatā orohanto addasaṁ usulomaṁ purisaṁ vehāsaṁ gacchantaṁ. Tassa te usū uppatitvā uppatitvā tasseva kāye nipatanti. So sudaṁ aṭṭassaraṁ karoti …pe…

“That being used to be a punisher right here in Rājagaha. …”

eso, bhikkhave, satto imasmiṁyeva rājagahe kāraṇiko ahosi …pe….

SN 19.8 · Needle Hairs

SN 19.8 · Sūcilomasutta

“Just now, reverend, as I was descending from Vulture’s Peak Mountain I saw a man whose body hairs were needles flying through the air. And those needles kept rising up and falling on his body as he screamed in pain. …” …

“Idhāhaṁ, āvuso, gijjhakūṭā pabbatā orohanto addasaṁ sūcilomaṁ purisaṁ vehāsaṁ gacchantaṁ. Tassa tā sūciyo uppatitvā uppatitvā tasseva kāye nipatanti. So sudaṁ aṭṭassaraṁ karoti …pe…

“That being used to be an equerry right here in Rājagaha. …”

eso, bhikkhave, satto imasmiṁyeva rājagahe sūto ahosi …pe….

SN 19.9 · Needle Hairs (2nd)

SN 19.9 · Dutiyasūcilomasutta

“Just now, reverend, as I was descending from Vulture’s Peak Mountain I saw a man whose body hairs were needles flying through the air. The needles bored into his head and out his mouth, into his mouth and out his chest, into his chest and out his belly, into his belly and out his thighs, into his thighs and out his calves, and into his calves and out his feet. And he screamed in pain. …” …

“Idhāhaṁ, āvuso, gijjhakūṭā pabbatā orohanto addasaṁ sūcilomaṁ purisaṁ vehāsaṁ gacchantaṁ. Tassa tā sūciyo sīse pavisitvā mukhato nikkhamanti; mukhe pavisitvā urato nikkhamanti; ure pavisitvā udarato nikkhamanti; udare pavisitvā ūrūhi nikkhamanti; ūrūsu pavisitvā jaṅghāhi nikkhamanti; jaṅghāsu pavisitvā pādehi nikkhamanti; so sudaṁ aṭṭassaraṁ karoti …pe…

“That being used to be an informant right here in Rājagaha. …”

eso, bhikkhave, satto imasmiṁyeva rājagahe sūcako ahosi …pe….

SN 19.10 · Pot Balls

SN 19.10 · Kumbhaṇḍasutta

“Just now, reverend, as I was descending from Vulture’s Peak Mountain I saw a man with testicles big as pots flying through the air. When he was walking he had to lift his testicles on to his shoulder. And when he sat down, he sat right on them. Vultures, crows, and hawks kept chasing him, pecking and clawing as he screamed in pain. …” …

“Idhāhaṁ, āvuso, gijjhakūṭā pabbatā orohanto addasaṁ kumbhaṇḍaṁ purisaṁ vehāsaṁ gacchantaṁ. So gacchantopi teva aṇḍe khandhe āropetvā gacchati. Nisīdantopi tesveva aṇḍesu nisīdati. Tamenaṁ gijjhāpi kākāpi kulalāpi anupatitvā anupatitvā vitacchenti virājenti. So sudaṁ aṭṭassaraṁ karoti …pe…

“That being used to be a corrupt village head right here in Rājagaha. …”

eso, bhikkhave, satto imasmiṁyeva rājagahe gāmakūṭako ahosi …pe….