Similes · SN 20.1–20.12

SN 20.1 · A Roof Peak

SN 20.1 · Kūṭasutta

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

There the Buddha … said:

Tatra kho bhagavā …pe… etadavoca:

“Mendicants, the rafters of a bungalow all lean to the peak and meet at the peak, and when the peak is demolished they’re all demolished too. In the same way all unskillful qualities are rooted in ignorance and meet in ignorance, and when ignorance is demolished they’re all demolished too.

“seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, kūṭāgārassa yā kāci gopānasiyo sabbā tā kūṭaṅgamā kūṭasamosaraṇā kūṭasamugghātā sabbā tā samugghātaṁ gacchanti; evameva kho, bhikkhave, ye keci akusalā dhammā sabbe te avijjāmūlakā avijjāsamosaraṇā avijjāsamugghātā, sabbe te samugghātaṁ gacchanti.

So you should train like this: ‘We will stay diligent.’ That’s how you should train.”

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘appamattā viharissāmā’ti. Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.

SN 20.2 · A Fingernail

SN 20.2 · Nakhasikhasutta

At Sāvatthī.

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

Then the Buddha, picking up a little bit of dirt on his fingernail, addressed the mendicants: “What do you think, mendicants? Which is more: the little bit of dirt on my fingernail, or this great earth?”

Atha kho bhagavā parittaṁ nakhasikhāyaṁ paṁsuṁ āropetvā bhikkhū āmantesi: “Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, katamaṁ nu kho bahutaraṁ, yo cāyaṁ mayā paritto nakhasikhāyaṁ paṁsu āropito yā cāyaṁ mahāpathavī”ti?

“Sir, the great earth is far more. The little bit of dirt on your fingernail is tiny. Compared to the great earth, it doesn’t count, there’s no comparison, it’s not worth a fraction.”

“Etadeva, bhante, bahutaraṁ yadidaṁ mahāpathavī. Appamattakoyaṁ bhagavatā paritto nakhasikhāyaṁ paṁsu āropito. Saṅkhampi na upeti upanidhimpi na upeti kalabhāgampi na upeti mahāpathaviṁ upanidhāya bhagavatā paritto nakhasikhāyaṁ paṁsu āropito”ti.

“In the same way the sentient beings reborn as humans are few, while those not reborn as humans are many.

“Evameva kho, bhikkhave, appakā te sattā ye manussesu paccājāyanti; atha kho eteyeva bahutarā sattā ye aññatra manussehi paccājāyanti.

So you should train like this: ‘We will stay diligent.’ That’s how you should train.”

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘appamattā viharissāmā’ti. Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.

SN 20.3 · Families

SN 20.3 · Kulasutta

At Sāvatthī.

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

“Mendicants, those families with many women and few men are easy prey for bandits and grain-jar thieves. In the same way any mendicant who has not developed and cultivated the heart’s release by love is easy prey for non-humans. Those families with few women and many men are hard prey for bandits and grain-jar thieves. In the same way a mendicant who has developed and cultivated the heart’s release by love is hard prey for non-humans.

“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, yāni kānici kulāni bahutthikāni appapurisāni tāni suppadhaṁsiyāni honti corehi kumbhatthenakehi; evameva kho, bhikkhave, yassa kassaci bhikkhuno mettācetovimutti abhāvitā abahulīkatā so suppadhaṁsiyo hoti amanussehi. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, yāni kānici kulāni appitthikāni bahupurisāni tāni duppadhaṁsiyāni honti corehi kumbhatthenakehi; evameva kho, bhikkhave, yassa kassaci bhikkhuno mettācetovimutti bhāvitā bahulīkatā so duppadhaṁsiyo hoti amanussehi.

So you should train like this: ‘We will develop the heart’s release by love. We’ll cultivate it, make it our vehicle and our basis, keep it up, consolidate it, and properly implement it.’ That’s how you should train.”

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘mettā no cetovimutti bhāvitā bhavissati bahulīkatā yānīkatā vatthukatā anuṭṭhitā paricitā susamāraddhā’ti. Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.

SN 20.4 · Cauldrons

SN 20.4 · Okkhāsutta

At Sāvatthī.

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

“Mendicants, suppose one person was to give a gift of a hundred cauldrons of rice in the morning, at midday, and in the evening. And someone else was to develop a heart of love, even just as long as it takes to pull a cow’s udder. The latter would be more fruitful.

“Yo, bhikkhave, pubbaṇhasamayaṁ okkhāsataṁ dānaṁ dadeyya, yo majjhanhikasamayaṁ okkhāsataṁ dānaṁ dadeyya, yo sāyanhasamayaṁ okkhāsataṁ dānaṁ dadeyya, yo vā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ antamaso gadduhanamattampi mettacittaṁ bhāveyya, yo vā majjhanhikasamayaṁ antamaso gadduhanamattampi mettacittaṁ bhāveyya, yo vā sāyanhasamayaṁ antamaso gadduhanamattampi mettacittaṁ bhāveyya, idaṁ tato mahapphalataraṁ.

So you should train like this: ‘We will develop the heart’s release by love. We’ll cultivate it, make it our vehicle and our basis, keep it up, consolidate it, and properly implement it.’ That’s how you should train.”

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘mettā no cetovimutti bhāvitā bhavissati bahulīkatā yānīkatā vatthukatā anuṭṭhitā paricitā susamāraddhā’ti. Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.

SN 20.5 · A Spear

SN 20.5 · Sattisutta

At Sāvatthī.

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

“Mendicants, suppose there was a sharp-pointed spear. And a man came along and thought, ‘With my hand or fist I’ll fold this sharp spear over, crumple it, and bend it back!’

“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, satti tiṇhaphalā. Atha puriso āgaccheyya: ‘ahaṁ imaṁ sattiṁ tiṇhaphalaṁ pāṇinā vā muṭṭhinā vā paṭileṇissāmi paṭikoṭṭissāmi paṭivaṭṭessāmī’ti.

What do you think, mendicants? Is that man capable of doing so?”

Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, bhabbo nu kho so puriso amuṁ sattiṁ tiṇhaphalaṁ pāṇinā vā muṭṭhinā vā paṭileṇetuṁ paṭikoṭṭetuṁ paṭivaṭṭetun”ti?

“No, sir. Why not? Because it’s not easy to fold that sharp spear over, crumple it, and bend it back with the hand or fist. That man will eventually get weary and frustrated.”

“No hetaṁ, bhante”. “Taṁ kissa hetu”? “Asu hi, bhante, satti tiṇhaphalā na sukarā pāṇinā vā muṭṭhinā vā paṭileṇetuṁ paṭikoṭṭetuṁ paṭivaṭṭetuṁ. Yāvadeva ca pana so puriso kilamathassa vighātassa bhāgī assā”ti.

“In the same way, suppose a mendicant has developed the heart’s release by love, has cultivated it, made it a vehicle and a basis, kept it up, consolidated it, and properly implemented it. Should any non-human think to overthrow their mind, they’ll eventually get weary and frustrated.

“Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yassa kassaci bhikkhuno mettācetovimutti bhāvitā bahulīkatā yānīkatā vatthukatā anuṭṭhitā paricitā susamāraddhā, tassa ce amanusso cittaṁ khipitabbaṁ maññeyya; atha kho sveva amanusso kilamathassa vighātassa bhāgī assa.

So you should train like this: ‘We will develop the heart’s release by love. We’ll cultivate it, make it our vehicle and our basis, keep it up, consolidate it, and properly implement it.’ That’s how you should train.”

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘mettā no cetovimutti bhāvitā bhavissati bahulīkatā yānīkatā vatthukatā anuṭṭhitā paricitā susamāraddhā’ti. Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.

SN 20.6 · The Archers

SN 20.6 · Dhanuggahasutta

At Sāvatthī.

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

“Mendicants, suppose there were four well-trained expert archers with strong bows standing in the four quarters. And a man came along and thought, ‘When these four well-trained expert archers shoot arrows in four quarters, I’ll catch them before they reach the ground, and then I’ll bring them back.’

“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, cattāro daḷhadhammā dhanuggahā susikkhitā katahatthā katūpāsanā catuddisā ṭhitā assu. Atha puriso āgaccheyya: ‘ahaṁ imesaṁ catunnaṁ daḷhadhammānaṁ dhanuggahānaṁ susikkhitānaṁ katahatthānaṁ katūpāsanānaṁ catuddisā kaṇḍe khitte appatiṭṭhite pathaviyaṁ gahetvā āharissāmī’ti.

What do you think, mendicants? Are they qualified to be called ‘a speedster endowed with super-speed’?”

Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, ‘javano puriso paramena javena samannāgato’ti alaṁvacanāyā”ti?

“If he could catch an arrow shot by just one well-trained expert archer before it reaches the ground and bring it back, he’d be qualified to be called ‘a speedster endowed with super-speed’. How much more so arrows shot by four archers!”

“Ekassa cepi, bhante, daḷhadhammassa dhanuggahassa susikkhitassa katahatthassa katūpāsanassa kaṇḍaṁ khittaṁ appatiṭṭhitaṁ pathaviyaṁ gahetvā āhareyya: ‘javano puriso paramena javena samannāgato’ti alaṁvacanāya, ko pana vādo catunnaṁ daḷhadhammānaṁ dhanuggahānaṁ susikkhitānaṁ katahatthānaṁ katūpāsanānan”ti?

“As fast as that man is, the sun and moon are faster. As fast as that man is, as fast as the sun and moon are, and as fast as the deities that run before the sun and moon are, the waning of the life forces is faster.

“Yathā ca, bhikkhave, tassa purisassa javo, yathā ca candimasūriyānaṁ javo, tato sīghataro. Yathā ca, bhikkhave, tassa purisassa javo yathā ca candimasūriyānaṁ javo yathā ca yā devatā candimasūriyānaṁ purato dhāvanti tāsaṁ devatānaṁ javo, (…) tato sīghataraṁ āyusaṅkhārā khīyanti.

So you should train like this: ‘We will stay diligent.’ That’s how you should train.”

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘appamattā viharissāmā’ti. Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.

SN 20.7 · The Drum Called Plugger

SN 20.7 · Āṇisutta

At Sāvatthī.

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

“Once upon a time, mendicants, the Dasārahas had a <em>mridangam</em> drum called the Plugger. When the Plugger cracked, the Dasārahas patched it with another plug. Eventually, there came a time when the old wooden shell for the drumskin disappeared and all that was left of the <em>mridangam</em> Plugger was a mass of plugs.

“Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, dasārahānaṁ ānako nāma mudiṅgo ahosi. Tassa dasārahā ānake ghaṭite aññaṁ āṇiṁ odahiṁsu. Ahu kho so, bhikkhave, samayo yaṁ ānakassa mudiṅgassa porāṇaṁ pokkharaphalakaṁ antaradhāyi. Āṇisaṅghāṭova avasissi.

In the same way, in a future time there will be mendicants who won’t want to listen when discourses spoken by the Realized One—deep, profound, transcendent, dealing with emptiness—are being recited. They won’t actively listen or try to understand, nor will they think those teachings are worth learning and memorizing.

Evameva kho, bhikkhave, bhavissanti bhikkhū anāgatamaddhānaṁ, ye te suttantā tathāgatabhāsitā gambhīrā gambhīratthā lokuttarā suññatappaṭisaṁyuttā, tesu bhaññamānesu na sussūsissanti na sotaṁ odahissanti na aññā cittaṁ upaṭṭhāpessanti na ca te dhamme uggahetabbaṁ pariyāpuṇitabbaṁ maññissanti.

But when discourses composed by poets—poetry, with fancy words and phrases, composed by outsiders or spoken by disciples—are being recited they will want to listen. They’ll actively listen and try to understand, and they’ll think those teachings are worth learning and memorizing. And that is how the discourses spoken by the Realized One—deep, profound, transcendent, dealing with emptiness—will disappear.

Ye pana te suttantā kavikatā kāveyyā cittakkharā cittabyañjanā bāhirakā sāvakabhāsitā, tesu bhaññamānesu sussūsissanti, sotaṁ odahissanti, aññā cittaṁ upaṭṭhāpessanti, te ca dhamme uggahetabbaṁ pariyāpuṇitabbaṁ maññissanti. Evametesaṁ, bhikkhave, suttantānaṁ tathāgatabhāsitānaṁ gambhīrānaṁ gambhīratthānaṁ lokuttarānaṁ suññatappaṭisaṁyuttānaṁ antaradhānaṁ bhavissati.

So you should train like this: ‘When discourses spoken by the Realized One—deep, profound, transcendent, dealing with emptiness—are being recited we will want to listen. We will actively listen and try to understand, and we will think those teachings are worth learning and memorizing.’ That’s how you should train.”

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘ye te suttantā tathāgatabhāsitā gambhīrā gambhīratthā lokuttarā suññatappaṭisaṁyuttā, tesu bhaññamānesu sussūsissāma, sotaṁ odahissāma, aññā cittaṁ upaṭṭhāpessāma, te ca dhamme uggahetabbaṁ pariyāpuṇitabbaṁ maññissāmā’ti. Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.

SN 20.8 · Wood Blocks

SN 20.8 · Kaliṅgarasutta

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants, “Mendicants!”

Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā vesāliyaṁ viharati mahāvane kūṭāgārasālāyaṁ. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “bhikkhavo”ti.

“Venerable sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:

“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca:

“Mendicants, these days the Licchavis live using wood blocks as pillows, and they exercise diligently and keenly. King Ajātasattu of Magadha, son of the princess of Videha, finds no vulnerability, he’s got no opportunity. But in the future the Licchavis will become delicate, with soft and tender hands and feet. They’ll sleep on soft beds with down pillows until the sun comes up. King Ajātasattu of Magadha, son of the princess of Videha, will find a vulnerability and get an opportunity.

“Kaliṅgarūpadhānā, bhikkhave, etarahi licchavī viharanti appamattā ātāpino upāsanasmiṁ. Tesaṁ rājā māgadho ajātasattu vedehiputto na labhati otāraṁ na labhati ārammaṇaṁ. Bhavissanti, bhikkhave, anāgatamaddhānaṁ licchavī sukhumālā mudutalunahatthapādā te mudukāsu seyyāsu tūlabibbohanāsu yāvasūriyuggamanā seyyaṁ kappissanti. Tesaṁ rājā māgadho ajātasattu vedehiputto lacchati otāraṁ lacchati ārammaṇaṁ.

These days the mendicants live using wood blocks as pillows, and they meditate diligently and keenly. Māra the Wicked finds no vulnerability, he’s got no opportunity. But in the future the mendicants will become delicate, with soft and tender hands and feet. They’ll sleep on soft beds with down pillows until the sun comes up. Māra the Wicked will find a vulnerability and get an opportunity.

Kaliṅgarūpadhānā, bhikkhave, etarahi bhikkhū viharanti appamattā ātāpino padhānasmiṁ. Tesaṁ māro pāpimā na labhati otāraṁ na labhati ārammaṇaṁ. Bhavissanti, bhikkhave, anāgatamaddhānaṁ bhikkhū sukhumā mudutalunahatthapādā. Te mudukāsu seyyāsu tūlabibbohanāsu yāvasūriyuggamanā seyyaṁ kappissanti. Tesaṁ māro pāpimā lacchati otāraṁ lacchati ārammaṇaṁ.

So you should train like this: ‘We will live using wood blocks as pillows, and we will meditate diligently and keenly.’ That’s how you should train.”

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘kaliṅgarūpadhānā viharissāma appamattā ātāpino padhānasmin’ti. Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.

SN 20.9 · A Bull Elephant

SN 20.9 · Nāgasutta

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time a certain junior mendicant went to visit families too often.

Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tena kho pana samayena aññataro navo bhikkhu ativelaṁ kulāni upasaṅkamati.

The mendicants said to him, “Venerable, don’t go to visit families too often.”

Tamenaṁ bhikkhū evamāhaṁsu: “māyasmā ativelaṁ kulāni upasaṅkamī”ti.

But that mendicant, when spoken to by the mendicants, said this, “But these senior mendicants think they can go to visit families, so why can’t I?”

So bhikkhu bhikkhūhi vuccamāno evamāha: “ime hi nāma therā bhikkhū kulāni upasaṅkamitabbaṁ maññissanti, kimaṅgaṁ panāhan”ti?

And then several mendicants went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened. The Buddha said:

Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ: “idha, bhante, aññataro navo bhikkhu ativelaṁ kulāni upasaṅkamati. Tamenaṁ bhikkhū evamāhaṁsu: ‘māyasmā ativelaṁ kulāni upasaṅkamī’ti. So bhikkhu bhikkhūhi vuccamāno evamāha: ‘ime hi nāma therā bhikkhū kulāni upasaṅkamitabbaṁ maññissanti, kimaṅgaṁ panāhan’”ti.

“Once upon a time, mendicants, there was a great lake in the jungle, with bull elephants living nearby. They’d plunge into the lake and pull up lotus bulbs with their trunks. They’d wash them thoroughly until they were free of mud before chewing and swallowing them. That was good for their appearance and strength, and wouldn’t result in death or deadly pain.

“Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, araññāyatane mahāsarasī. Taṁ nāgā upanissāya viharanti. Te taṁ sarasiṁ ogāhetvā soṇḍāya bhisamuḷālaṁ abbuhetvā suvikkhālitaṁ vikkhāletvā akaddamaṁ saṅkhāditvā ajjhoharanti. Tesaṁ taṁ vaṇṇāya ceva hoti balāya ca, na ca tatonidānaṁ maraṇaṁ vā nigacchanti maraṇamattaṁ vā dukkhaṁ.

The young calves, following the example of the great bull elephants, plunged into the lake and pulled up lotus bulbs with their trunks. But they didn’t wash them thoroughly, and while they were still muddy they chewed and swallowed them. That was not good for their appearance and strength, and resulted in death or deadly pain.

Tesaṁyeva kho pana, bhikkhave, mahānāgānaṁ anusikkhamānā taruṇā bhiṅkacchāpā taṁ sarasiṁ ogāhetvā soṇḍāya bhisamuḷālaṁ abbuhetvā na suvikkhālitaṁ vikkhāletvā sakaddamaṁ asaṅkhāditvā ajjhoharanti. Tesaṁ taṁ neva vaṇṇāya hoti na balāya. Tatonidānaṁ maraṇaṁ vā nigacchanti maraṇamattaṁ vā dukkhaṁ.

In the same way, there are senior mendicants who robe up in the morning and, taking their bowl and robe, enter the town or village for alms. There they speak on the teachings, and lay people demonstrate their confidence in them. And when they get things, they use them untied, uninfatuated, unattached, seeing the drawbacks, and understanding the escape. That’s good for their appearance and strength, and doesn’t result in death or deadly pain.

Evameva kho, bhikkhave, idha therā bhikkhū pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya gāmaṁ vā nigamaṁ vā piṇḍāya pavisanti. Te tattha dhammaṁ bhāsanti. Tesaṁ gihī pasannākāraṁ karonti. Te taṁ lābhaṁ agadhitā amucchitā anajjhopannā ādīnavadassāvino nissaraṇapaññā paribhuñjanti. Tesaṁ taṁ vaṇṇāya ceva hoti balāya ca, na ca tatonidānaṁ maraṇaṁ vā nigacchanti maraṇamattaṁ vā dukkhaṁ.

Junior mendicants, following the example of the senior mendicants, robe up in the morning and, taking their bowl and robe, enter the town or village for alms. There they speak on the teachings, and lay people demonstrate their confidence in them. But when they get things, they use them tied, infatuated, attached, blind to the drawbacks, not understanding the escape. That’s not good for their appearance and strength, and results in death or deadly pain.

Tesaṁyeva kho pana, bhikkhave, therānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ anusikkhamānā navā bhikkhū pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya gāmaṁ vā nigamaṁ vā piṇḍāya pavisanti. Te tattha dhammaṁ bhāsanti. Tesaṁ gihī pasannākāraṁ karonti. Te taṁ lābhaṁ gadhitā mucchitā ajjhopannā anādīnavadassāvino anissaraṇapaññā paribhuñjanti. Tesaṁ taṁ neva vaṇṇāya hoti na balāya, te tatonidānaṁ maraṇaṁ vā nigacchanti maraṇamattaṁ vā dukkhaṁ.

So you should train like this: ‘When we get things, we will use them untied, uninfatuated, unattached, seeing the drawbacks, and understanding the escape.’ That’s how you should train.”

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘agadhitā amucchitā anajjhopannā ādīnavadassāvino nissaraṇapaññā taṁ lābhaṁ paribhuñjissāmā’ti. Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.

SN 20.10 · A Cat

SN 20.10 · Biḷārasutta

At Sāvatthī.

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

Now at that time a certain mendicant had relations with families too often.

Tena kho pana samayena aññataro bhikkhu ativelaṁ kulesu cārittaṁ āpajjati.

The mendicants said to him, “Venerable, don’t have relations with families too often.”

Tamenaṁ bhikkhū evamāhaṁsu: “māyasmā ativelaṁ kulesu cārittaṁ āpajjī”ti.

But that mendicant, when spoken to by the mendicants, did not stop.

So bhikkhu bhikkhūhi vuccamāno na viramati.

And then several mendicants went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened. The Buddha said:

Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ: “idha, bhante, aññataro bhikkhu ativelaṁ kulesu cārittaṁ āpajjati. Tamenaṁ bhikkhū evamāhaṁsu: ‘māyasmā ativelaṁ kulesu cārittaṁ āpajjī’ti. So bhikkhu bhikkhūhi vuccamāno na viramatī”ti.

“Once upon a time, mendicants, a cat was standing by an alley or a drain or a dustbin hunting a little mouse, thinking, ‘When that little mouse comes out to feed, I’ll catch it right there and eat it!’ And then that little mouse came out to feed. The cat caught it and hastily swallowed it without chewing. But that little mouse ate its intestines and mesentery, resulting in death and deadly pain.

“Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, biḷāro sandhisamalasaṅkaṭīre ṭhito ahosi mudumūsiṁ maggayamāno: ‘yadāyaṁ mudumūsi gocarāya pakkamissati, tattheva naṁ gahetvā khādissāmī’ti. Atha kho so, bhikkhave, mudumūsi gocarāya pakkāmi. Tamenaṁ biḷāro gahetvā sahasā saṅkhāditvā ajjhohari. Tassa so mudumūsi antampi khādi, antaguṇampi khādi. So tatonidānaṁ maraṇampi nigacchi maraṇamattampi dukkhaṁ.

In the same way, take a certain monk who robes up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, enters the village or town for alms without guarding body, speech, and mind, without establishing mindfulness, and without restraining the sense faculties. There he sees a lady scantily clad, with revealing clothes. Lust infects his mind, resulting in death or deadly pain.

Evameva kho, bhikkhave, idhekacco bhikkhu 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 rāgānuddhaṁsena cittena maraṇaṁ vā nigacchati maraṇamattaṁ vā dukkhaṁ.

For it is death in the training of the Noble One to resign the training and return to a lesser life. And it is deadly pain to commit one of the corrupt offenses for which rehabilitation is possible.

Maraṇañhetaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyassa vinaye yo sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattati. Maraṇamattañhetaṁ, bhikkhave, dukkhaṁ yadidaṁ aññataraṁ saṅkiliṭṭhaṁ āpattiṁ āpajjati. Yathārūpāya āpattiyā vuṭṭhānaṁ paññāyati.

So you should train like this: ‘We will enter the village or town for alms guarding body, speech, and mind, establishing mindfulness, and restraining the sense faculties.’ That’s how you should train.”

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘rakkhiteneva kāyena rakkhitāya vācāya rakkhitena cittena, upaṭṭhitāya satiyā, saṁvutehi indriyehi gāmaṁ vā nigamaṁ vā piṇḍāya pavisissāmā’ti. Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.

SN 20.11 · A Jackal

SN 20.11 · Siṅgālasutta

At Sāvatthī.

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

“Mendicants, did you hear an old jackal howling at the crack of dawn?”

“Assuttha no tumhe, bhikkhave, rattiyā paccūsasamayaṁ jarasiṅgālassa vassamānassā”ti?

“Yes, sir.”

“Evaṁ, bhante”.

“That old jackal has the disease called mange. Yet it still goes where it wants, stands where it wants, sits where it wants, and lies down where it wants. And the cool breeze still blows on it. A certain person here who claims to follow the Sakyan would be lucky to experience even such an incarnation.

“Eso kho, bhikkhave, jarasiṅgālo ukkaṇḍakena nāma rogajātena phuṭṭho. So yena yena icchati tena tena gacchati; yattha yattha icchati tattha tattha tiṭṭhati; yattha yattha icchati tattha tattha nisīdati; yattha yattha icchati tattha tattha nipajjati; sītakopi naṁ vāto upavāyati. Sādhu khvassa, bhikkhave, yaṁ idhekacco sakyaputtiyapaṭiñño evarūpampi attabhāvapaṭilābhaṁ paṭisaṁvediyetha.

So you should train like this: ‘We will stay diligent.’ That’s how you should train.”

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘appamattā viharissāmā’ti. Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.

SN 20.12 · A Jackal (2nd)

SN 20.12 · Dutiyasiṅgālasutta

At Sāvatthī.

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

“Mendicants, did you hear an old jackal howling at the crack of dawn?”

“Assuttha no tumhe, bhikkhave, rattiyā paccūsasamayaṁ jarasiṅgālassa vassamānassā”ti?

“Yes, sir.”

“Evaṁ, bhante”.

“There might be some gratitude and thankfulness in that old jackal, but there is none in a certain person here who claims to follow the Sakyan.

“Siyā kho, bhikkhave, tasmiṁ jarasiṅgāle yā kāci kataññutā kataveditā, na tveva idhekacce sakyaputtiyapaṭiññe siyā yā kāci kataññutā kataveditā.

So you should train like this: ‘We will be grateful and thankful. We won’t forget even a small thing done for us.’ That’s how you should train.”

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘kataññuno bhavissāma katavedino; na ca no amhesu appakampi kataṁ nassissatī’ti. Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.

The Linked Discourses with similes are complete.

Opammasaṁyuttaṁ samattaṁ.