Aṅguttara Nikāya
X. Dasaka-Nipāta
III. Mahā Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
X. The Book of the Tens
III: The Great Chapter
Sutta 21
Sīha-Nāda Suttaɱ
The Lion[1]
Translated from the Pali by F. L. Woodward, M.A.
Copyright The Pali Text Society
Commercial Rights Reserved
For details see Terms of Use.
Once the Exalted One was dwelling near Sāvatthī,
at Jeta Grove,
in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.
There the Exalted One addressed the monks, saying:
"Monks."
"Yes, lord," they replied, and the Exalted One said:
"Monks, the lion, king of beasts, at eventide comes forth from his lair.
Having come forth from his lair he stretches himself.
Having done so, he surveys the four quarters in all directions.
Having done that he utters thrice his lion's roar.
Thrice having uttered his lion's roar
he sallies forth in search of prey.
What is the cause of that?
(He roars with the idea:)
'Let me not cause[2] the destruction of tiny creatures wandering astray.'
§
As for the word 'lion,' monks,
this is a term for the Wayfarer who is arahant,
a fully awakened one.
Inasmuch [24] as the Wayfarer teaches dhamma in the company,
that is his lion's roar.
§
There are these ten Wayfarer's powers of the Wayfarer, monks,
possessed of which powers
the Wayfarer claims leadership,
roars his lion's roar in the companies
and sets rolling the Brahma-wheel.
What are the ten?
Herein, monks, the Wayfarer knows,
as it really is,
causal occasion (of a thing) as such,[3]
and what is not causal occasion as such.
Inasmuch as the Wayfarer knows,
as it really is,
causal occasion (of a thing) as such,
and what is not causal occasion as such,
this is a Wayfarer's power of the Wayfarer,
because of which power
he claims leadership,
roars his lion's roar
and sets rolling the Brahma-wheel.
■
Then again, monks, the Wayfarer knows,
as it really is,
the fruit of actions
past, future and present,
both in their causal occasion
and in their conditions.
Inasmuch as the Wayfarer knows,
as it really is,
the fruit of actions
past, future and present,
both in their causal occasion
and in their conditions,
this is a Wayfarer's power of the Wayfarer,
because of which power
he claims leadership,
roars his lion's roar
and sets rolling the Brahma-wheel.
■
Then again, monks, the Wayfarer knows
every bourn-going faring-on,[4]
as it really is.
Inasmuch as the Wayfarer knows
every bourn-going faring-on,
as it really is,
this is a Wayfarer's power of the Wayfarer,
because of which power
he claims leadership,
roars his lion's roar
and sets rolling the Brahma-wheel.
■
Then again, monks, the Wayfarer knows the world
as it really is,
in its divers shapes and forms.
Inasmuch as the Wayfarer knows the world
as it really is,
in its divers shapes and forms,
this is a Wayfarer's power of the Wayfarer,
because of which power
he claims leadership,
roars his lion's roar
and sets rolling the Brahma-wheel.
■
Again, monks, the Wayfarer knows,
as they really are,
the divers characters of beings.
Inasmuch as the Wayfarer knows,
as they really are,
the divers characters of beings,
this is a Wayfarer's power of the Wayfarer,
because of which power
he claims leadership,
roars his lion's roar
and sets rolling the Brahma-wheel.
■
Again the Wayfarer knows,
as they really are,
the state of the faculties of other beings,[5]
of other persons.
Inasmuch as the Wayfarer knows,
as they really are,
the state of the faculties of other beings,
of other persons,
this is a Wayfarer's power of the Wayfarer,
because of which power
he claims leadership,
roars his lion's roar
and sets rolling the Brahma-wheel.
■
Again the Wayfarer knows
as they really are
the fault,
the purification,
and the emergence
of attainments in musing,
[25] liberation
and concentration.
Inasmuch as the Wayfarer knows
as they really are
the fault,
the purification,
and the emergence
of attainments in musing,
liberation
and concentration,
this is a Wayfarer's power of the Wayfarer,
because of which power
he claims leadership,
roars his lion's roar
and sets rolling the Brahma-wheel.
■
Again the Wayfarer can recall
his manifold dwellings aforetime,
thus:
One birth,
two births,
three, four, five,
even ten births,
twenty, thirty, forty, fifty births;
even a hundred births,
a thousand, a hundred thousand births.
Likewise the divers folding up of aeons,
the divers unfolding of aeons,
the divers folding-unfolding of aeons.
(remembering):
'At that time I had such a name,
was of such a family,
of such complexion,
was thus supported,
thus and thus experienced weal and woe,
had such and such span of life.
As that one,
I deceasing thence
rose up again at that time;
then too I had such a name,
was of such a family,
of such complexion,
was thus supported,
thus and thus experienced weal and woe,
had such and such span of life.
As that one,
I deceasing thence rose up again here.'
Thus with all details and characteristics
he can recall his manifold dwellings aforetime.
Inasmuch as the Wayfarer can recall
his manifold dwellings aforetime,
thus:
One birth,
two births,
three, four, five,
even ten births,
twenty, thirty, forty, fifty births;
even a hundred births,
a thousand, a hundred thousand births.
Likewise the divers folding up of aeons,
the divers unfolding of aeons,
the divers folding-unfolding of aeons.
(remembering):
'At that time I had such a name,
was of such a family,
of such complexion,
was thus supported,
thus and thus experienced weal and woe,
had such and such span of life.
As that one,
I deceasing thence
rose up again at that time;
then too I had such a name,
was of such a family,
of such complexion,
was thus supported,
thus and thus experienced weal and woe,
had such and such span of life.
As that one,
I deceasing thence rose up again here.'
Thus with all details and characteristics
he can recall his manifold dwellings aforetime,
this is a Wayfarer's power of the Wayfarer,
because of which power
he claims leadership,
roars his lion's roar
and sets rolling the Brahma-wheel.
■
Yet again, monks, the Wayfarer with the deva-sight,
purified and surpassing that of men,
beholds beings deceasing
and rising up again;
beings both mean and excellent,
fair and foul,
gone to a happy bourn,
gone to an ill-bourn
according to their deeds
(so as to say):
'Alas, sirs, these beings,[6]
given to the practice of evil deeds,
of evil words,
of evil thoughts,
scoffing at the Ariyans,
of perverted view
and reaping the fruits of their perverted view -
these beings,
when body broke up,
beyond death rose up again in the Waste,
the Ill-bourn,
the Downfall,
in Purgatory!'
Or:
'Ah, sirs, these beings,
given to the practice of good deeds,
of good words,
of good thoughts,
not scoffing at the Ariyans,
but of sound view
and reaping the fruits of their sound view -
these beings,
when body broke up,
beyond death rose up again in the Happy Bourn
in the heaven world.'
Thus with the deva-sight,
purified and surpassing that of men,
beholds beings deceasing
and rising up again;
beings both mean and excellent,
fair and foul,
gone to a happy bourn,
gone to an ill-bourn
according to their deeds.
Inasmuch as the Wayfarer with the deva-sight,
purified and surpassing that of men,
beholds beings deceasing
and rising up again;
beings both mean and excellent,
fair and foul,
gone to a happy bourn,
gone to an ill-bourn
according to their deeds
(so as to say):
'Alas, sirs, these beings,
given to the practice of evil deeds,
of evil words,
of evil thoughts,
scoffing at the Ariyans,
of perverted view
and reaping the fruits of their perverted view -
these beings,
when body broke up,
beyond death rose up again in the Waste,
the Ill-bourn,
the Downfall,
in Purgatory!'
Or:
'Ah, sirs, these beings,
given to the practice of good deeds,
of good words,
of good thoughts,
not scoffing at the Ariyans,
but of sound view
and reaping the fruits of their sound view -
these beings,
when body broke up,
beyond death rose up again in the Happy Bourn
in the heaven world.'
Thus with the deva-sight,
purified and surpassing that of men,
beholds beings deceasing
and rising up again;
beings both mean and excellent,
fair and foul,
gone to a happy bourn,
gone to an ill-bourn
according to their deeds,
this is a Wayfarer's power of the Wayfarer,
because of which power
he claims leadership,
roars his lion's roar
and sets rolling the Brahma-wheel.
■
Once more, monks, the Wayfarer,
by destroying the cankers
in this same visible existence,
attains the heart's release,
the release by insight,
himself thoroughly comprehending it,
and having realized it
abides therein.
Inasmuch as the Wayfarer,
[26] by destroying the cankers
in this same visible existence,
attains the heart's release,
the release by insight,
himself thoroughly comprehending it,
and having realized it
abides therein,
this is a Wayfarer's power of the Wayfarer,
because of which power
he claims leadership,
roars his lion's roar
and sets rolling the Brahma-wheel.
These then, monks, are ten Wayfarer's powers of the Wayfarer, monks,
possessed of which powers
the Wayfarer claims leadership,
roars his lion's roar
and sets rolling the Brahma-wheel."
[1] Cf. G.S. ii, 36; K.S. iii, 70.
[2] Āpādesiɱ, at M. i, 78 āpādessaɱ.
[3] Cf. G.S. ii, 9; iii, 295.
[4] Cf. K.S. v, 270 and notes, where all these characteristics are claimed by Anuruddha through cultivating the four arisings of mindfulness. Sabb'attha-gāmini-paṭipadaɱ = sabba-gaṭi-gāminiñ ca maggaɱ, Comy.
[5] Indriya-paro-pariyattaɱ; cf. Vibh. 340 ff. VibhA. 401 has indriyānaɱ vuḍḍhiñ ca hāniñ ca.
[6] Ime vata bhonto sattā; cf. G.S. i, 148 n.
