WARREN: BUDDHISM IN TRANSLATIONS

313


 

§ 68. SĪriputta and the Two Demons
The Second and Fifth High Powers

Translated from the UdĪna (iv.4)

THUS HAVE I HEARD.

On a certain occasion The Blessed One was dwelling at RĪjagaha, in Bamboo Grove in KalandakanivĪpa. And at that time the venerable SĪriputta and the venerable MoggallĪna the Great were dwelling in the monastery called Pigeon Glen. Now it chanced that the venerable SĪriputta, on a moonlight night, was seated under the open sky, with freshly shaven head, and in a state of trance. And it chanced that two demons, who were comrades, were passing on some errand from the northern quarter of the heavens to the southern. And these demons saw the venerable SĪriputta, on the moonlight night, seated under the open sky, with freshly shaven head. And at sight of him, the first demon spoke to the second demon as follows:

"It occurs to me, comrade, that it would be a fine plan to give this monk a blow on the head."

Hearing this, the second demon replied:

"Enough of that, comrade; do not attack the monk. Great, O comrade, is the monk, of great magical power, and very mighty."

And a second time the first demon spoke to the second demon as follows:

[314] "It occurs to me, comrade, that it would be a fine plan to give this monk a blow on the head."

And a second time the second demon replied:

"Enough of that, comrade; do not attack the monk. Great, O comrade, is the monk, of great magical power, and very mighty."

And a third time the first demon spoke to the second demon as follows:

"It occurs to me, comrade, that it would be a fine plan to give this monk a blow on the head."

And a third time the second demon replied:

"Enough of that! comrade; do not attack the monk. Great, O comrade, is the monk, of great magical power, and very mighty."

Then the first demon, not heeding what the other demon said, gave the venerable SĪriputta a blow on the head. With such a blow one might fell an elephant seven or seven-and-a-half cubits high, or might split a mountain peak. Thereupon, with the cry, "I am burning! I am burning!" the demon fell from where he stood into hell.

And the venerable MoggallĪna the Great, with his divinely clear vision surpassing that of men, saw the demon give the venerable SĪriputta the blow on the head. And when he had seen it, he drew near to where the venerable SĪriputta was; and having drawn near, he spoke to the venerable SĪriputta as follows:

"Are you comfortable, brother? Are you doing well? Does nothing trouble you?"

"I am comfortable, brother MoggallĪna. I am doing well, brother MoggallĪna; but my head troubles me a little."

"O wonderful is it, brother SĪriputta! O marvellous is it, brother SĪriputta! How great is the magical power, and how great is the might of the venerable SĪriputta! Just now, brother SĪriputta, a certain demon gave you a blow on the head. And a mighty blow it was! With such a blow one might fell an elephant seven or seven-and-a-half cubits high, or might split a mountain peak. But the venerable SĪriputta only says thus: 'I am comfortable, brother MoggallĪna. [315] I am doing well, brother MoggallĪna; but my head troubles me a little.'"

"O wonderful is it, brother MoggallĪna! O marvellous is it, brother MoggallĪna! How great is the magical power, and how great is the might of the venerable MoggallĪna that he should see any demon at all! I, however, have not seen so much as a mud-sprite."

Now The Blessed One, with his divinely clear hearing surpassing that of men, heard the above conversation between these two elephants among men. Then The Blessed One, on learning of this occurrence, on that occasion breathed forth this solemn utterance:

"The man whose mind, like to a rock,
Unmoved stands, and shaketh not;
Which no delights can e'er inflame,
Or provocations rouse to wrath --
O, whence can trouble come to him,
Who thus bath nobly trained his mind?"

 


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