Nāgasutta

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Atha kho bhagavā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya sāvatthiyaṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi. Sāvatthiyaṁ piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ āmantesi: “āyāmānanda, yena pubbārāmo migāramātupāsādo tenupasaṅkamissāma divāvihārāyā”ti. “Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā ānando bhagavato paccassosi.

At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for alms. Then, after the meal, on his return from almsround, he addressed Venerable Ānanda, “Come, Ānanda, let’s go to the stilt longhouse of Migāra’s mother in the Eastern Monastery for the day’s meditation.” “Yes, sir,” Ānanda replied.

Atha kho bhagavā āyasmatā ānandena saddhiṁ yena pubbārāmo migāramātupāsādo tenupasaṅkami. Atha kho bhagavā sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ āmantesi: “āyāmānanda, yena pubbakoṭṭhako tenupasaṅkamissāma gattāni parisiñcitun”ti. “Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā ānando bhagavato paccassosi. Atha kho bhagavā āyasmatā ānandena saddhiṁ yena pubbakoṭṭhako tenupasaṅkami gattāni parisiñcituṁ. Pubbakoṭṭhake gattāni parisiñcitvā paccuttaritvā ekacīvaro aṭṭhāsi gattāni pubbāpayamāno.

So the Buddha went with Ānanda to the Eastern Monastery. In the late afternoon the Buddha came out of retreat and addressed Ānanda, “Come, Ānanda, let’s go to the eastern gate to bathe.” “Yes, sir,” Ānanda replied. So the Buddha went with Ānanda to the eastern gate to bathe. When he had bathed and emerged from the water he stood in one robe drying his limbs.

Tena kho pana samayena rañño pasenadissa kosalassa seto nāma nāgo mahātūriyatāḷitavāditena pubbakoṭṭhakā paccuttarati. Apissu taṁ jano disvā evamāha: “abhirūpo vata bho rañño nāgo; dassanīyo vata bho rañño nāgo; pāsādiko vata, bho, rañño nāgo, kāyupapanno vata bho rañño nāgo”ti. Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā udāyī bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “hatthimeva nu kho, bhante, mahantaṁ brahantaṁ kāyupapannaṁ jano disvā evamāha: ‘nāgo vata bho nāgo’ti, udāhu aññampi kañci mahantaṁ brahantaṁ kāyupapannaṁ jano disvā evamāha: ‘nāgo vata bho nāgo’”ti? “Hatthimpi kho, udāyi, mahantaṁ brahantaṁ kāyupapannaṁ jano disvā evamāha: ‘nāgo vata bho nāgo’ti. Assampi kho, udāyi, mahantaṁ brahantaṁ …pe… goṇampi kho, udāyi, mahantaṁ brahantaṁ …pe… uragampi kho, udāyi, mahantaṁ brahantaṁ …pe… rukkhampi kho, udāyi, mahantaṁ brahantaṁ …pe… manussampi kho, udāyi, mahantaṁ brahantaṁ kāyupapannaṁ jano disvā evamāha: ‘nāgo vata, bho, nāgo’ti. Api ca, udāyi, yo sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya āguṁ na karoti kāyena vācāya manasā, tamahaṁ ‘nāgo’ti brūmī”ti.

Now, at that time King Pasenadi had a giant bull elephant called “White”. It emerged from the eastern gate to the beating and playing of musical instruments. When people saw it they said, “The royal giant is so handsome! The royal giant is so good-looking! The royal giant is so lovely! The royal giant has such a big body!” When they said this, Venerable Udāyī said to the Buddha, “Sir, is it only when they see elephants with such a big, formidable body that people say: ‘A giant, such a giant’? Or do they say it when they see any other creatures with big, formidable bodies?” “Udāyī, when they see elephants with such a big, formidable body people say: ‘A giant, such a giant!’ And also when they see a horse with a big, formidable body … When they see a bull with a big, formidable body … When they see a serpent with a big, formidable body … When they see a tree with a big, formidable body … And when they see a human being with such a big, formidable body people say: ‘A giant, such a giant!’ But Udāyī, one who does nothing monstrous by way of body, speech, and mind is who I call a ‘giant’ in this world with its gods, Māras, and divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans.”

“Acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ, bhante. Yāva subhāsitañcidaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā— api ca, udāyi, yo sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya āguṁ na karoti kāyena vācāya manasā, tamahaṁ ‘nāgo’ti brūmīti. Idañca panāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā subhāsitaṁ imāhi gāthāhi anumodāmi—

“It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing! How well said this was by the Buddha: ‘But Udāyī, one who does nothing monstrous by way of body, speech, and mind is who I call a “giant” in this world with its gods, Māras, and divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans.’ And I celebrate the well-spoken words of the Buddha with these verses:

Manussabhūtaṁ sambuddhaṁ, attadantaṁ samāhitaṁ; Iriyamānaṁ brahmapathe, cittassūpasame rataṁ.

Awakened as a human being, self-tamed and immersed in samādhi, following the spiritual path, he loves peace of mind.

Yaṁ manussā namassanti, sabbadhammāna pāraguṁ; Devāpi taṁ namassanti, iti me arahato sutaṁ.

Revered by people, gone beyond all things, even the gods revere him; so I’ve heard from the perfected one.

Sabbasaṁyojanātītaṁ, vanā nibbanamāgataṁ; Kāmehi nekkhammarataṁ, muttaṁ selāva kañcanaṁ.

He has transcended all fetters and escaped from entanglements. Delighting to renounce sensual pleasures, he’s freed like lustrous gold from stone.

Sabbe accarucī nāgo, himavāññe siluccaye; Sabbesaṁ nāganāmānaṁ, saccanāmo anuttaro.

That giant outshines all, like the Himalaya beside other mountains. Of all those named ‘giant’, he is truly named, supreme.

Nāgaṁ vo kittayissāmi, na hi āguṁ karoti so; Soraccaṁ avihiṁsā ca, pādā nāgassa te duve.

I shall extol the giant for you, for he does nothing monstrous. Gentleness and harmlessness are two feet of the giant.

Tapo ca brahmacariyaṁ, caraṇā nāgassa tyāpare; Saddhāhattho mahānāgo, upekkhāsetadantavā.

Fervor and chastity are his two other feet. Faith is the giant’s trunk, and equanimity his white tusks.

Sati gīvā siro paññā, vīmaṁsā dhammacintanā; Dhammakucchisamātapo, viveko tassa vāladhi.

Mindfulness is his neck, his head is wisdom— inquiry and thinking about principles. His belly is the sacred hearth of the Dhamma, and his tail is seclusion.

So jhāyī assāsarato, ajjhattaṁ susamāhito; Gacchaṁ samāhito nāgo, ṭhito nāgo samāhito.

Practicing absorption, enjoying the breath, he is serene within. The giant is serene when walking, the giant is serene when standing,

Seyyaṁ samāhito nāgo, nisinnopi samāhito; Sabbattha saṁvuto nāgo, esā nāgassa sampadā.

the giant is serene when lying down, and when sitting, the giant is serene. The giant is restrained everywhere: this is the accomplishment of the giant.

Bhuñjati anavajjāni, sāvajjāni na bhuñjati; Ghāsamacchādanaṁ laddhā, sannidhiṁ parivajjayaṁ.

He eats blameless things, he doesn’t eat blameworthy things. When he gets food and clothes, he avoids storing them up.

Saṁyojanaṁ aṇuṁ thūlaṁ, sabbaṁ chetvāna bandhanaṁ; Yena yeneva gacchati, anapekkhova gacchati.

Having severed all bonds, fetters large and small, wherever he goes, he goes without concern.

Yathāpi udake jātaṁ, puṇḍarīkaṁ pavaḍḍhati; Nupalippati toyena, sucigandhaṁ manoramaṁ.

A white lotus, fragrant and delightful, sprouts in water and grows there, but water does not stick to it.

Tatheva loke sujāto, buddho loke viharati; Nupalippati lokena, toyena padumaṁ yathā.

Just so the Buddha is born in the world, and lives in the world, but the world does not stick to him, as water does not stick to the lotus.

Mahāginīva jalito, anāhārūpasammati; Saṅkhāresūpasantesu, nibbutoti pavuccati.

A great blazing fire dies down when the fuel runs out. When the coals have gone out it’s said to be ‘quenched’.

Atthassāyaṁ viññāpanī, upamā viññūhi desitā; Viññassanti mahānāgā, nāgaṁ nāgena desitaṁ.

This simile is taught by the discerning to express the meaning clearly. Great giants will understand what the giant taught the giant.

Vītarāgo vītadoso, Vītamoho anāsavo; Sarīraṁ vijahaṁ nāgo, Parinibbissati anāsavo”ti. Paṭhamaṁ.

Free of greed, free of hate, free of delusion, undefiled; the giant, giving up his body, being undefiled, will be fully quenched.”