Aṅguttara Nikāya 9.11

Numbered Discourses 9.11

2. Sīhanādavagga

2. The Lion’s Roar

Sīhanādasutta

Sāriputta’s Lion’s Roar

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

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

Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā sāriputto bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “vuttho me, bhante, sāvatthiyaṁ vassāvāso. Icchāmahaṁ, bhante, janapadacārikaṁ pakkamitun”ti.

Then Venerable Sāriputta went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him, “Sir, I have completed the rainy season residence at Sāvatthī. I wish to depart to wander the countryside.”

“Yassadāni tvaṁ, sāriputta, kālaṁ maññasī”ti. Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkāmi.

“Please, Sāriputta, go at your convenience.” Then Sāriputta got up from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before leaving.

Atha kho aññataro bhikkhu acirapakkante āyasmante sāriputte bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “āyasmā maṁ, bhante, sāriputto āsajja appaṭinissajja cārikaṁ pakkanto”ti.

And then, not long after Sāriputta had left, a certain monk said to the Buddha, “Sir, Venerable Sāriputta attacked me and left without saying sorry.”

Atha kho bhagavā aññataraṁ bhikkhuṁ āmantesi: “ehi tvaṁ, bhikkhu, mama vacanena sāriputtaṁ āmantehi: ‘satthā taṁ, āvuso sāriputta, āmantetī’”ti.

So the Buddha addressed a certain monk, “Please, monk, in my name tell Sāriputta that the teacher summons him.”

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho so bhikkhu bhagavato paṭissutvā yenāyasmā sāriputto tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ etadavoca: “satthā taṁ, āvuso sāriputta, āmantetī”ti.

“Yes, sir,” that monk replied. He went to Sāriputta and said to him, “Friend Sāriputta, the teacher summons you.”

“Evamāvuso”ti kho āyasmā sāriputto tassa bhikkhuno paccassosi.

“Yes, friend,” Sāriputta replied.

Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā ca mahāmoggallāno āyasmā ca ānando avāpuraṇaṁ ādāya vihāre āhiṇḍanti: “abhikkamathāyasmanto, abhikkamathāyasmanto. Idānāyasmā sāriputto bhagavato sammukhā sīhanādaṁ nadissatī”ti.

Now at that time the venerables Mahāmoggallāna and Ānanda took a key and went from dwelling to dwelling, saying: “Come forth, venerables! Come forth, venerables! Now Venerable Sāriputta will roar his lion’s roar in the presence of the Buddha!”

Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ bhagavā etadavoca:

Then Venerable Sāriputta went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him:

“idha te, sāriputta, aññataro sabrahmacārī khīyanadhammaṁ āpanno: ‘āyasmā maṁ, bhante, sāriputto āsajja appaṭinissajjacārikaṁ pakkanto’”ti.

“Sāriputta, one of your spiritual companions has made this complaint: ‘Venerable Sāriputta attacked me and left without saying sorry.’”

“Yassa nūna, bhante, kāye kāyagatāsati anupaṭṭhitā assa, so idha aññataraṁ sabrahmacāriṁ āsajja appaṭinissajja cārikaṁ pakkameyya.

“Sir, someone who had not established mindfulness of the body might well attack one of their spiritual companions and leave without saying sorry.

Seyyathāpi, bhante, pathaviyaṁ sucimpi nikkhipanti asucimpi nikkhipanti gūthagatampi nikkhipanti muttagatampi nikkhipanti kheḷagatampi nikkhipanti pubbagatampi nikkhipanti lohitagatampi nikkhipanti, na ca tena pathavī aṭṭīyati vā harāyati vā jigucchati vā; evamevaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhante, pathavīsamena cetasā viharāmi vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena. Yassa nūna, bhante, kāye kāyagatāsati anupaṭṭhitā assa, so idha aññataraṁ sabrahmacāriṁ āsajja appaṭinissajja cārikaṁ pakkameyya.

Suppose they were to toss both clean and unclean things on the earth, like feces, urine, spit, pus, and blood. The earth isn’t horrified, repelled, and disgusted because of this. In the same way, I live with a heart like the earth, abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will. Someone who had not established mindfulness of the body might well attack one of their spiritual companions and leave without saying sorry.

Seyyathāpi, bhante, āpasmiṁ sucimpi dhovanti asucimpi dhovanti gūthagatampi … muttagatampi … kheḷagatampi … pubbagatampi … lohitagatampi dhovanti, na ca tena āpo aṭṭīyati vā harāyati vā jigucchati vā; evamevaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhante, āposamena cetasā viharāmi vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena. Yassa nūna, bhante, kāye kāyagatāsati anupaṭṭhitā assa, so idha aññataraṁ sabrahmacāriṁ āsajja appaṭinissajja cārikaṁ pakkameyya.

Suppose they were to wash both clean and unclean things in water, like feces, urine, spit, pus, and blood. The water isn’t horrified, repelled, and disgusted because of this. In the same way, I live with a heart like water, abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will. Someone who had not established mindfulness of the body might well attack one of their spiritual companions and leave without saying sorry.

Seyyathāpi, bhante, tejo sucimpi ḍahati asucimpi ḍahati gūthagatampi … muttagatampi … kheḷagatampi … pubbagatampi … lohitagatampi ḍahati, na ca tena tejo aṭṭīyati vā harāyati vā jigucchati vā; evamevaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhante, tejosamena cetasā viharāmi vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena. Yassa nūna, bhante, kāye kāyagatāsati anupaṭṭhitā assa, so idha aññataraṁ sabrahmacāriṁ āsajja appaṭinissajja cārikaṁ pakkameyya.

Suppose a fire was to burn both clean and unclean things, like feces, urine, spit, pus, and blood. The fire isn’t horrified, repelled, and disgusted because of this. In the same way, I live with a heart like fire, abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will. Someone who had not established mindfulness of the body might well attack one of their spiritual companions and leave without saying sorry.

Seyyathāpi, bhante, vāyo sucimpi upavāyati asucimpi upavāyati gūthagatampi … muttagatampi … kheḷagatampi … pubbagatampi … lohitagatampi upavāyati, na ca tena vāyo aṭṭīyati vā harāyati vā jigucchati vā; evamevaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhante, vāyosamena cetasā viharāmi vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena. Yassa nūna, bhante, kāye kāyagatāsati anupaṭṭhitā assa, so idha aññataraṁ sabrahmacāriṁ āsajja appaṭinissajja cārikaṁ pakkameyya.

Suppose the wind was to blow on both clean and unclean things, like feces, urine, spit, pus, and blood. The wind isn’t horrified, repelled, and disgusted because of this. In the same way, I live with a heart like the wind, abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will. Someone who had not established mindfulness of the body might well attack one of their spiritual companions and leave without saying sorry.

Seyyathāpi, bhante, rajoharaṇaṁ sucimpi puñchati asucimpi puñchati gūthagatampi … muttagatampi … kheḷagatampi … pubbagatampi … lohitagatampi puñchati, na ca tena rajoharaṇaṁ aṭṭīyati vā harāyati vā jigucchati vā; evamevaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhante, rajoharaṇasamena cetasā viharāmi vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena. Yassa nūna, bhante, kāye kāyagatāsati anupaṭṭhitā assa, so idha aññataraṁ sabrahmacāriṁ āsajja appaṭinissajja cārikaṁ pakkameyya.

Suppose a rag was to wipe up both clean and unclean things, like feces, urine, spit, pus, and blood. The rag isn’t horrified, repelled, and disgusted because of this. In the same way, I live with a heart like a rag, abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will. Someone who had not established mindfulness of the body might well attack one of their spiritual companions and leave without saying sorry.

Seyyathāpi, bhante, caṇḍālakumārako vā caṇḍālakumārikā vā kaḷopihattho nantakavāsī gāmaṁ vā nigamaṁ vā pavisanto nīcacittaṁyeva upaṭṭhapetvā pavisati; evamevaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhante, caṇḍālakumārakacaṇḍālakumārikāsamena cetasā viharāmi vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena. Yassa nūna, bhante, kāye kāyagatāsati anupaṭṭhitā assa, so idha aññataraṁ sabrahmacāriṁ āsajja appaṭinissajja cārikaṁ pakkameyya.

Suppose an outcaste boy or girl, holding a pot and clad in rags, were to enter a town or village. They’d enter with a humble mind. In the same way, I live with a heart like an outcaste boy or girl, abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will. Someone who had not established mindfulness of the body might well attack one of their spiritual companions and leave without saying sorry.

Seyyathāpi, bhante, usabho chinnavisāṇo sūrato sudanto suvinīto rathiyāya rathiyaṁ siṅghāṭakena siṅghāṭakaṁ anvāhiṇḍanto na kiñci hiṁsati pādena vā visāṇena vā; evamevaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhante, usabhachinnavisāṇasamena cetasā viharāmi vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena. Yassa nūna, bhante, kāye kāyagatāsati anupaṭṭhitā assa, so idha aññataraṁ sabrahmacāriṁ āsajja appaṭinissajja cārikaṁ pakkameyya.

Suppose there was a bull with his horns cut, gentle, well tamed and well trained. He’d wander from street to street and square to square without hurting anyone with his feet or horns. In the same way, I live with a heart like a bull with horns cut, abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will. Someone who had not established mindfulness of the body might well attack one of their spiritual companions and leave without saying sorry.

Seyyathāpi, bhante, itthī vā puriso vā daharo yuvā maṇḍanakajātiko sīsaṁnhāto ahikuṇapena vā kukkurakuṇapena vā manussakuṇapena vā kaṇṭhe āsattena aṭṭīyeyya harāyeyya jiguccheyya; evamevaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhante, iminā pūtikāyena aṭṭīyāmi harāyāmi jigucchāmi. Yassa nūna, bhante, kāye kāyagatāsati anupaṭṭhitā assa, so idha aññataraṁ sabrahmacāriṁ āsajja appaṭinissajja cārikaṁ pakkameyya.

Suppose there was a woman or man who was young, youthful, and fond of adornments, and had bathed their head. If the carcass of a snake or a dog or a human were hung around their neck, they’d be horrified, repelled, and disgusted. In the same way, I’m horrified, repelled, and disgusted by this rotten body. Someone who had not established mindfulness of the body might well attack one of their spiritual companions and leave without saying sorry.

Seyyathāpi, bhante, puriso medakathālikaṁ parihareyya chiddāvachiddaṁ uggharantaṁ paggharantaṁ; evamevaṁ kho ahaṁ, bhante, imaṁ kāyaṁ pariharāmi chiddāvachiddaṁ uggharantaṁ paggharantaṁ. Yassa nūna, bhante, kāye kāyagatāsati anupaṭṭhitā assa, so idha aññataraṁ sabrahmacāriṁ āsajja appaṭinissajja cārikaṁ pakkameyyā”ti.

Suppose someone was to carry around a bowl of fat that was leaking and oozing from holes and cracks. In the same way, I carry around this body that’s leaking and oozing from holes and cracks. Someone who had not established mindfulness of the body might well attack one of their spiritual companions and leave without saying sorry.”

Atha kho so bhikkhu uṭṭhāyāsanā ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā bhagavato pādesu sirasā nipatitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “accayo maṁ, bhante, accagamā yathābālaṁ yathāmūḷhaṁ yathāakusalaṁ, yo ahaṁ āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ asatā tucchā musā abhūtena abbhācikkhiṁ. Tassa me, bhante, bhagavā accayaṁ accayato paṭiggaṇhatu āyatiṁ saṁvarāyā”ti.

Then that monk rose from his seat, placed his robe over one shoulder, bowed with his head at the Buddha’s feet, and said, “I have made a mistake, sir. It was foolish, stupid, and unskillful of me to speak ill of Venerable Sāriputta with a false, hollow, lying, untruthful claim. Please, sir, accept my mistake for what it is, so I will restrain myself in future.”

“Taggha taṁ, bhikkhu, accayo accagamā yathābālaṁ yathāmūḷhaṁ yathāakusalaṁ, yo tvaṁ sāriputtaṁ asatā tucchā musā abhūtena abbhācikkhi. Yato ca kho tvaṁ, bhikkhu, accayaṁ accayato disvā yathādhammaṁ paṭikarosi, taṁ te mayaṁ paṭiggaṇhāma. Vuḍḍhihesā, bhikkhu, ariyassa vinaye yo accayaṁ accayato disvā yathādhammaṁ paṭikaroti āyatiṁ saṁvaraṁ āpajjatī”ti.

“Indeed, monk, you made a mistake. It was foolish, stupid, and unskillful of you to act in that way. But since you have recognized your mistake for what it is, and have dealt with it properly, I accept it. For it is growth in the training of the Noble One to recognize a mistake for what it is, deal with it properly, and commit to restraint in the future.”

Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ āmantesi: “khama, sāriputta, imassa moghapurisassa, purā tassa tattheva sattadhā muddhā phalatī”ti.

Then the Buddha said to Venerable Sāriputta, “Sāriputta, forgive that silly man before his head explodes into seven pieces right here.”

“Khamāmahaṁ, bhante, tassa āyasmato sace maṁ so āyasmā evamāha: ‘khamatu ca me so āyasmā’”ti.

“I will pardon that venerable if he asks me: ‘May the venerable please pardon me too.’”

Paṭhamaṁ.