Saṁyutta Nikāya 35.238

The Related Suttas Collection 35.238

19. Āsīvisavagga

19. The Simile of the Vipers

Āsīvisopamasutta

The Simile of the Vipers

“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, cattāro āsīvisā uggatejā ghoravisā. Atha puriso āgaccheyya jīvitukāmo amaritukāmo sukhakāmo dukkhappaṭikūlo.

“Bhikkhus, suppose there were four lethal poisonous vipers. Then a person would come along who wants to live and doesn’t want to die, who wants to be happy and recoils from pain.

Tamenaṁ evaṁ vadeyyuṁ: ‘ime te, ambho purisa, cattāro āsīvisā uggatejā ghoravisā kālena kālaṁ vuṭṭhāpetabbā, kālena kālaṁ nhāpetabbā, kālena kālaṁ bhojetabbā, kālena kālaṁ saṁvesetabbā. Yadā ca kho te, ambho purisa, imesaṁ catunnaṁ āsīvisānaṁ uggatejānaṁ ghoravisānaṁ aññataro vā aññataro vā kuppissati, tato tvaṁ, ambho purisa, maraṇaṁ vā nigacchasi, maraṇamattaṁ vā dukkhaṁ. Yaṁ te, ambho purisa, karaṇīyaṁ taṁ karohī’ti.

They’d say to him, ‘Mister, here are four lethal poisonous vipers. They must be periodically picked up, washed, fed, and put to sleep. But when one or other of these four poisonous vipers gets angry with you, you’ll meet with death or deadly pain. So then, mister, do what has to be done.’

Atha kho so, bhikkhave, puriso bhīto catunnaṁ āsīvisānaṁ uggatejānaṁ ghoravisānaṁ yena vā tena vā palāyetha.

Then that man, terrified of those four poisonous vipers, would flee this way or that.

Tamenaṁ evaṁ vadeyyuṁ: ‘ime kho, ambho purisa, pañca vadhakā paccatthikā piṭṭhito piṭṭhito anubandhā, yattheva naṁ passissāma tattheva jīvitā voropessāmāti. Yaṁ te, ambho purisa, karaṇīyaṁ taṁ karohī’ti.

They’d say to him, ‘Mister, there are five deadly enemies chasing you, thinking: “When we catch sight of him, we’ll murder him right there!” So then, mister, do what has to be done.’

Atha kho so, bhikkhave, puriso bhīto catunnaṁ āsīvisānaṁ uggatejānaṁ ghoravisānaṁ, bhīto pañcannaṁ vadhakānaṁ paccatthikānaṁ yena vā tena vā palāyetha.

Then that man, terrified of those four poisonous vipers and those five deadly enemies, would flee this way or that.

Tamenaṁ evaṁ vadeyyuṁ: ‘ayaṁ te, ambho purisa, chaṭṭho antaracaro vadhako ukkhittāsiko piṭṭhito piṭṭhito anubandho yattheva naṁ passissāmi tattheva siro pātessāmīti. Yaṁ te, ambho purisa, karaṇīyaṁ taṁ karohī’ti.

They’d say to him, ‘Mister, there’s a sixth hidden killer chasing you with a drawn sword, thinking: “When I catch sight of him, I’ll chop off his head right there!” So then, mister, do what has to be done.’

Atha kho so, bhikkhave, puriso bhīto catunnaṁ āsīvisānaṁ uggatejānaṁ ghoravisānaṁ, bhīto pañcannaṁ vadhakānaṁ paccatthikānaṁ, bhīto chaṭṭhassa antaracarassa vadhakassa ukkhittāsikassa yena vā tena vā palāyetha.

Then that man, terrified of those four poisonous vipers and those five deadly enemies and the hidden killer, would flee this way or that.

So passeyya suññaṁ gāmaṁ. Yaññadeva gharaṁ paviseyya rittakaññeva paviseyya tucchakaññeva paviseyya suññakaññeva paviseyya. Yaññadeva bhājanaṁ parimaseyya rittakaññeva parimaseyya tucchakaññeva parimaseyya suññakaññeva parimaseyya.

He’d see an empty village. But whatever house he enters is vacant, deserted, and empty. And whatever vessel he touches is vacant, hollow, and empty.

Tamenaṁ evaṁ vadeyyuṁ: ‘idāni, ambho purisa, imaṁ suññaṁ gāmaṁ corā gāmaghātakā pavisanti. Yaṁ te, ambho purisa, karaṇīyaṁ taṁ karohī’ti.

They’d say to him, ‘Mister, there are bandits who raid villages, and they’re striking now. So then, mister, do what has to be done.’

Atha kho so, bhikkhave, puriso bhīto catunnaṁ āsīvisānaṁ uggatejānaṁ ghoravisānaṁ, bhīto pañcannaṁ vadhakānaṁ paccatthikānaṁ, bhīto chaṭṭhassa antaracarassa vadhakassa ukkhittāsikassa, bhīto corānaṁ gāmaghātakānaṁ yena vā tena vā palāyetha.

Then that man, terrified of those four poisonous vipers and those five deadly enemies and the hidden killer and the bandits, would flee this way or that.

So passeyya mahantaṁ udakaṇṇavaṁ orimaṁ tīraṁ sāsaṅkaṁ sappaṭibhayaṁ, pārimaṁ tīraṁ khemaṁ appaṭibhayaṁ. Na cassa nāvā santāraṇī uttarasetu vā apārā pāraṁ gamanāya.

He’d see a large deluge, whose near shore is dubious and perilous, while the far shore is a sanctuary free of peril. But there’s no ferryboat or bridge for crossing over.

Atha kho, bhikkhave, tassa purisassa evamassa: ‘ayaṁ kho mahāudakaṇṇavo orimaṁ tīraṁ sāsaṅkaṁ sappaṭibhayaṁ, pārimaṁ tīraṁ khemaṁ appaṭibhayaṁ, natthi ca¹ nāvā santāraṇī uttarasetu vā apārā pāraṁ gamanāya. Yannūnāhaṁ tiṇakaṭṭhasākhāpalāsaṁ saṅkaḍḍhitvā kullaṁ bandhitvā taṁ kullaṁ nissāya hatthehi ca pādehi ca vāyamamāno sotthinā pāraṁ gaccheyyan’ti.

Then that man thought, ‘Why don’t I gather grass, sticks, branches, and leaves and make a raft? Riding on the raft, and paddling with my hands and feet, I can safely reach the far shore.’

Atha kho so, bhikkhave, puriso tiṇakaṭṭhasākhāpalāsaṁ saṅkaḍḍhitvā kullaṁ bandhitvā taṁ kullaṁ nissāya hatthehi ca pādehi ca vāyamamāno sotthinā pāraṁ gaccheyya, tiṇṇo pāraṅgato² thale tiṭṭhati brāhmaṇo.

And so that man did exactly that. Having crossed over and gone beyond, the brahmin stands on the far shore.

Upamā kho myāyaṁ, bhikkhave, katā atthassa viññāpanāya. Ayañcettha³ attho—

I’ve made up this simile to make a point. And this is the point.

cattāro āsīvisā uggatejā ghoravisāti kho, bhikkhave, catunnetaṁ mahābhūtānaṁ adhivacanaṁ—pathavīdhātuyā, āpodhātuyā, tejodhātuyā, vāyodhātuyā.

‘Four lethal poisonous vipers’ is a term for the four primary elements: the elements of earth, water, fire, and air.

Pañca vadhakā paccatthikāti kho, bhikkhave, pañcannetaṁ upādānakkhandhānaṁ adhivacanaṁ, seyyathidaṁ—rūpupādānakkhandhassa, vedanupādānakkhandhassa, saññupādānakkhandhassa, saṅkhārupādānakkhandhassa, viññāṇupādānakkhandhassa.

‘Five deadly enemies’ is a term for the five grasping aggregates, that is: form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness.

Chaṭṭho antaracaro vadhako ukkhittāsikoti kho, bhikkhave, nandīrāgassetaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

‘The sixth hidden killer with a drawn sword’ is a term for relishing and greed.

Suñño gāmoti kho, bhikkhave, channetaṁ ajjhattikānaṁ āyatanānaṁ adhivacanaṁ. Cakkhuto cepi naṁ, bhikkhave, paṇḍito byatto medhāvī upaparikkhati rittakaññeva khāyati, tucchakaññeva khāyati, suññakaññeva khāyati …pe… jivhāto cepi naṁ, bhikkhave …pe… manato cepi naṁ, bhikkhave, paṇḍito byatto medhāvī upaparikkhati rittakaññeva khāyati, tucchakaññeva khāyati, suññakaññeva khāyati.

‘Empty village’ is a term for the six interior sense fields. If an astute, competent, clever person investigates this in relation to the eye, it appears vacant, hollow, and empty. If an astute, competent, clever person investigates this in relation to the ear … nose … tongue … body … mind, it appears vacant, hollow, and empty.

Corā gāmaghātakāti kho, bhikkhave, channetaṁ bāhirānaṁ āyatanānaṁ adhivacanaṁ. Cakkhu, bhikkhave, haññati manāpāmanāpesu rūpesu; sotaṁ, bhikkhave …pe… ghānaṁ, bhikkhave …pe… jivhā, bhikkhave, haññati manāpāmanāpesu rasesu; kāyo, bhikkhave …pe… mano, bhikkhave, haññati manāpāmanāpesu dhammesu.

‘Bandits who raid villages’ is a term for the six exterior sense fields. The eye is struck by both agreeable and disagreeable sights. The ear … nose … tongue … body … mind is struck by both agreeable and disagreeable thoughts.

Mahā udakaṇṇavoti kho, bhikkhave, catunnetaṁ oghānaṁ adhivacanaṁ—kāmoghassa, bhavoghassa, diṭṭhoghassa, avijjoghassa.

‘Large deluge’ is a term for the four floods: the floods of sensual pleasures, desire to be reborn, views, and ignorance.

Orimaṁ tīraṁ sāsaṅkaṁ sappaṭibhayanti kho, bhikkhave, sakkāyassetaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

‘The near shore that’s dubious and perilous’ is a term for identity.

Pārimaṁ tīraṁ khemaṁ appaṭibhayanti kho, bhikkhave, nibbānassetaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

‘The far shore, a sanctuary free of peril’ is a term for Nibbana.

Kullanti kho, bhikkhave, ariyassetaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikassa maggassa adhivacanaṁ, seyyathidaṁ—sammādiṭṭhi …pe… sammāsamādhi.

‘The raft’ is a term for the noble eightfold path, that is: right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion.

Tassa hatthehi ca pādehi ca vāyāmoti kho, bhikkhave, vīriyārambhassetaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

‘Paddling with hands and feet’ is a term for being energetic.

Tiṇṇo pāraṅgato thale tiṭṭhati brāhmaṇoti kho, bhikkhave, arahato etaṁ adhivacanan”ti.

‘Crossed over, gone beyond, the brahmin stands on the shore’ is a term for a perfected one.”

Paṭhamaṁ.