Saṁyutta Nikāya 35.69

The Related Suttas Collection 35.69

7. Migajālavagga

7. With Migajāla

Upasenaāsīvisasutta

Upasena and the Viper

Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā ca sāriputto āyasmā ca upaseno rājagahe viharanti sītavane sappasoṇḍikapabbhāre. Tena kho pana samayena āyasmato upasenassa kāye āsīviso patito hoti. Atha kho āyasmā upaseno bhikkhū āmantesi: “etha me, āvuso, imaṁ kāyaṁ mañcakaṁ āropetvā bahiddhā nīharatha. Purāyaṁ kāyo idheva vikirati; seyyathāpi bhusamuṭṭhī”ti.

At one time the venerables Sāriputta and Upasena were staying near Rājagaha in the Cool Grove, under the Snake’s Hood Grotto. Now at that time a viper fell on Upasena’s body, and he addressed the bhikkhus, “Come, friends, lift this body onto a cot and carry it outside before it’s scattered right here like a handful of chaff.”

Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā sāriputto āyasmantaṁ upasenaṁ etadavoca: “na kho pana mayaṁ passāma āyasmato upasenassa kāyassa vā aññathattaṁ indriyānaṁ vā vipariṇāmaṁ. Atha ca panāyasmā upaseno evamāha: ‘etha me, āvuso, imaṁ kāyaṁ mañcakaṁ āropetvā bahiddhā nīharatha. Purāyaṁ kāyo idheva vikirati; seyyathāpi bhusamuṭṭhī’”ti.

When he said this, Sāriputta said to him, “But we don’t see any impairment in your body or deterioration of your faculties. Yet you say: ‘Come, friends, lift this body onto a cot and carry it outside before it’s scattered right here like a handful of chaff.’”

“Yassa nūna, āvuso sāriputta, evamassa: ‘ahaṁ cakkhūti vā mama cakkhūti vā …pe… ahaṁ jivhāti vā mama jivhāti vā … ahaṁ manoti vā mama mano’ti vā. Tassa, āvuso sāriputta, siyā kāyassa vā aññathattaṁ indriyānaṁ vā vipariṇāmo.

“Friend Sāriputta, there may be an impairment in body or deterioration of faculties for someone who thinks: ‘I am the eye’ or ‘the eye is mine.’ Or ‘I am the ear … nose … tongue … body …’ Or ‘I am the mind’ or ‘the mind is mine.’

Mayhañca kho, āvuso sāriputta, na evaṁ hoti: ‘ahaṁ cakkhūti vā mama cakkhūti vā …pe… ahaṁ jivhāti vā mama jivhāti vā …pe… ahaṁ manoti vā mama manoti vā’. Tassa mayhañca kho, āvuso sāriputta, kiṁ kāyassa vā aññathattaṁ bhavissati, indriyānaṁ vā vipariṇāmo”ti.

But I don’t think like that. So why would there be an impairment in my body or deterioration of my faculties?”

Tathā hi panāyasmato upasenassa dīgharattaṁ ahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānusayo susamūhato.

“That must be because Venerable Upasena has long ago totally eradicated ego, possessiveness, and the underlying tendency to conceit.

Tasmā āyasmato upasenassa na evaṁ hoti: “‘ahaṁ cakkhūti vā mama cakkhūti vā …pe… ahaṁ jivhāti vā mama jivhāti vā …pe… ahaṁ manoti vā mama mano’ti vā”ti.

That’s why it doesn’t occur to you: ‘I am the eye’ or ‘the eye is mine.’ Or ‘I am the ear … nose … tongue … body …’ Or ‘I am the mind’ or ‘the mind is mine.’”

Atha kho te bhikkhū āyasmato upasenassa kāyaṁ mañcakaṁ āropetvā bahiddhā nīhariṁsu. Atha kho āyasmato upasenassa kāyo tattheva vikiri; seyyathāpi bhusamuṭṭhīti.

Then those bhikkhus lifted Upasena’s body onto a cot and carried it outside. And his body was scattered right there like a handful of chaff.

Sattamaṁ.