Saɱyutta Nikāya
3. Khandha Vagga
22. Khandha Saɱyutta
10. Puppha Vagga
The Book of the Kindred Sayings
3. The Book Called the Khandhā-Vagga
Containing Kindred Sayings on the Elements of Sensory Existence and other Subjects
22. Kindred Sayings on Elements
10. On Flowers
Sutta 99
Paṭhama Gaddūla or Baddhūla Suttaɱ
The Leash (or The Thong) (1)[1]
Translated by F. L. Woodward
Edited by Mrs. Rhys Davids
Copyright The Pali Text Society
Commercial Rights Reserved
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[1][than][bodh] Thus have I heard:
The Exalted One was once staying near Sāvatthī
at the Jeta Grove in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.
And there the Exalted One addressed the brethren, saying:
"Brethren!"
"Master!" responded those brethren.
The Exalted One said:
"Incalculable,[2] brethren, is the beginning
of this round of rebirth.[3]
No beginning is made known
of beings
wrapt in ignorance,
fettered by craving,
who run on,
who fare on the round of rebirth.
There comes a time, brethren,
when the mighty ocean dries up,
is utterly drained,
comes no more to be.
But of beings hindered by ignorance,
fettered by craving,
who run on,
who fare on the round of rebirth,
I declare no end-making.
There comes a time, brethren,
when Sineru,
monarch of mountains,
is consumed,[4] is destroyed,
comes no more to be.
But of beings hindered by ignorance,
fettered by craving,
who run for ever the round of rebirth,
I declare no end-making.
There comes a time, brethren,
when the mighty earth is consumed,
is destroyed,
comes no more to be.
But of beings hindered by ignorance,
fettered by craving,
who run on,
who fare on the round of rebirth,
I declare no end-making.
§
Just as, brethren, a dog tied up by a leash[5]
to a strong stake or pillar,
keeps running round
and revolving round and round
that stake or pillar,
even so, brethren,
the untaught manyfolk,
who discern not those who are Ariyans;
[127] who are unskilled in the Ariyan doctrine,
untrained in the Ariyan doctrine;
who discern not the worthy ones,
who are unskilled in the worthy doctrine,
untrained in the worthy doctrine,
regard body as the Self,
regard body as having a Self,
regard body as being in the Self,
regard the self as being in the body;
regard feeling as the Self,
regard feeling as having a Self,
regard feeling as being in the Self,
regard the self as being in feeling;
regard perception as the Self,
regard perception as having a Self,
regard perception as being in the Self,
regard the self as being in perception;
regard the activities as the Self,
regard the activities as having a Self,
regard the activities as being in the Self,
regard the self as being in the activities;
regard consciousness as the Self,
regard consciousness as having a Self,
regard consciousness as being in the Self,
regard the self as being in consciousness;
run and revolve round and round from body to body,
run and revolve round and round from feeling to feeling,
run and revolve round and round from perception to perception,
run and revolve round and round from activities to activities,
run and revolve round and round from consciousness to consciousness.
They, running and revolving round and round from body to body,
running and revolving round and round from feeling to feeling,
running and revolving round and round from perception to perception,
running and revolving round and round from activity to activity,
running and revolving round and round from consciousness to consciousness
are not released from body,
are not released from feeling,
are not released from perception,
are not released from the activities,
are not released from consciousness,
they are not released from rebirth,
from old age and decay,
from sorrow and grief,
from woe,
lamentation and despair;
they are not released from suffering, I declare.
§
But the well taught Ariyan disdple, brethren,
who discers those who are Ariyans;
who are skilled in the Ariyan doctrine,
trained in the Ariyan doctrine;
who discern the worthy ones,
who are skilled in the worthy doctrine,
trained in the worthy doctrine,
regard not body as the Self,
regard not body as having a Self,
regard not body as being in the Self,
regard not the self as being in the body;
regard not feeling as the Self,
regard not feeling as having a Self,
regard not feeling as being in the Self,
regard not the self as being in feeling;
regard not perception as the Self,
regard not perception as having a Self,
regard not perception as being in the Self,
regard not the self as being in perception;
regard not the activities as the Self,
regard not the activities as having a Self,
regard not the activities as being in the Self,
regard not the self as being in the activities;
regard not consciousness as the Self,
regard not consciousness as having a Self,
regard not consciousness as being in the Self,
regard not the self as being in consciousness;
do not run and revolve round and round from body to body,
do not run and revolve round and round from feeling to feeling,
do not run and revolve round and round from perception to perception,
do not run and revolve round and round from activities to activities,
do not run and revolve round and round from consciousness to consciousness.
They, not running and revolving round and round from body to body,
not running and revolving round and round from feeling to feeling,
not running and revolving round and round from perception to perception,
not running and revolving round and round from activity to activity,
not running and revolving round and round from consciousness to consciousness
are released from body,
are released from feeling,
are released from perception,
are released from the activities,
are released from consciousness,
they are released from rebirth,
from old age and decay,
from sorrow and grief,
from woe,
lamentation and despair;
they are released from suffering, I declare.
[1] Read baddhula for text bhaddila.
[2] Ana-mata-'qga. See n. to K.S. ii, p. 118. J.P.T.S. 1906-7, p. 84. Thig. 499 and Pāli Dict., s.v., 'of which the beginning is inconceivable.'
[3] Sandhāvataṅ saaṅsarataṅ (gen plur.). Cf. Dhp. 153: Aneka jāti-saṅsāraṅ, sandhāvissaṅ anibbisaṅ.
[4] Uḍḍayhati for text dayhati.
[5] Comy. says the dog is the fool: the leash is view or opinion: the pillar is the self-body: and like a dog the many folk are tied by opinion and craving to the self-body or personality.
