AN 6 The Book of the Sixes – Chakkanipāta > AN 6.43 The Giant

Numbered Discourses 6.43 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 6.43

5. About Dhammika – 5. Dhammikavagga

AN 6.43 The Giant – Nāgasutta

1.1

At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

1.2

Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for alms.

Atha kho bhagavā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya sāvatthiyaṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi.

1.3

Then, after the meal, on his return from almsround, he addressed Venerable Ānanda,

Sāvatthiyaṁ piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ āmantesi:

1.4

“Come, Ānanda, let’s go to the Eastern Monastery, the stilt longhouse of Migāra’s mother for the day’s meditation.”

“āyāmānanda, yena pubbārāmo migāramātupāsādo tenupasaṅkamissāma divāvihārāyā”ti.

1.5

“Yes, sir,” Ānanda replied.

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā ānando bhagavato paccassosi.

2.1

So the Buddha went with Ānanda to the Eastern Monastery.

Atha kho bhagavā āyasmatā ānandena saddhiṁ yena pubbārāmo migāramātupāsādo tenupasaṅkami.

2.2

In the late afternoon the Buddha came out of retreat and addressed Ānanda,

Atha kho bhagavā sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ āmantesi:

2.3

“Come, Ānanda, let’s go to the eastern gate to bathe.”

“āyāmānanda, yena pubbakoṭṭhako tenupasaṅkamissāma gattāni parisiñcitun”ti.

2.4

“Yes, sir,” Ānanda replied.

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā ānando bhagavato paccassosi.

2.5

So the Buddha went with Ānanda to the eastern gate to bathe.

Atha kho bhagavā āyasmatā ānandena saddhiṁ yena pubbakoṭṭhako tenupasaṅkami gattāni parisiñcituṁ.

2.6

When he had bathed and emerged from the water he stood in one robe drying himself.

Pubbakoṭṭhake gattāni parisiñcitvā paccuttaritvā ekacīvaro aṭṭhāsi gattāni pubbāpayamāno.

3.1

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.

Tena kho pana samayena rañño pasenadissa kosalassa seto nāma nāgo mahātūriyatāḷitavāditena pubbakoṭṭhakā paccuttarati.

3.2

When people saw it they said,

Apissu taṁ jano disvā evamāha:

3.3

“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 huge body!”

“abhirūpo vata bho rañño nāgo; dassanīyo vata bho rañño nāgo; pāsādiko vata, bho, rañño nāgo, kāyupapanno vata bho rañño nāgo”ti.

3.4

When they said this, Venerable Udāyī said to the Buddha,

Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā udāyī bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

3.5

“Sir, is it only when they see elephants with such a huge, formidable body that people say:

“hatthimeva nu kho, bhante, mahantaṁ brahantaṁ kāyupapannaṁ jano disvā evamāha:

3.6

‘A giant, such a giant’? Or do they say it when they see any other creatures with huge, formidable bodies?”

‘nāgo vata bho nāgo’ti, udāhu aññampi kañci mahantaṁ brahantaṁ kāyupapannaṁ jano disvā evamāha: ‘nāgo vata bho nāgo’”ti?

3.7

“Udāyī, when they see elephants with such a huge, formidable body people say:

“Hatthimpi kho, udāyi, mahantaṁ brahantaṁ kāyupapannaṁ jano disvā evamāha:

3.8

‘A giant, such a giant!’

‘nāgo vata bho nāgo’ti.

3.9

And also when they see a horse with a huge, formidable body …

Assampi kho, udāyi, mahantaṁ brahantaṁ …pe…

3.10

When they see a bull with a huge, formidable body …

goṇampi kho, udāyi, mahantaṁ brahantaṁ …pe…

3.11

When they see a snake with a huge, formidable body …

uragampi kho, udāyi, mahantaṁ brahantaṁ …pe…

3.12

When they see a tree with a huge, formidable body …

rukkhampi kho, udāyi, mahantaṁ brahantaṁ …pe…

3.13

And when they see a human being with such a huge, formidable body people say:

manussampi kho, udāyi, mahantaṁ brahantaṁ kāyupapannaṁ jano disvā evamāha:

3.14

‘A giant, such a giant!’

‘nāgo vata, bho, nāgo’ti.

3.15

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 Brahmās, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans.”

Api ca, udāyi, yo sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya āguṁ na karoti kāyena vācāya manasā, tamahaṁ ‘nāgo’ti brūmī”ti.

4.1

“It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing!

“Acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ, bhante.

4.2

How well said this was by the Buddha:

Yāva subhāsitañcidaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā—

4.3

‘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 Brahmās, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans.’

api ca, udāyi, yo sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya āguṁ na karoti kāyena vācāya manasā, tamahaṁ ‘nāgo’ti brūmīti.

4.4

And I celebrate the well-spoken words of the Buddha with these verses:

Idañca panāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā subhāsitaṁ imāhi gāthāhi anumodāmi—

5.1

Awakened as a human being,

Manussabhūtaṁ sambuddhaṁ,

5.2

self-tamed and immersed in samādhi,

attadantaṁ samāhitaṁ;

5.3

following the spiritual path,

Iriyamānaṁ brahmapathe,

5.4

he loves peace of mind.

cittassūpasame rataṁ.

6.1

Revered by people,

Yaṁ manussā namassanti,

6.2

gone beyond all things,

sabbadhammāna pāraguṁ;

6.3

even the gods revere him;

Devāpi taṁ namassanti,

6.4

so I’ve heard from the perfected one.

iti me arahato sutaṁ.

7.1

He has transcended all fetters

Sabbasaṁyojanātītaṁ,

7.2

and escaped from entanglements.

vanā nibbanamāgataṁ;

7.3

Delighting to renounce sensual pleasures,

Kāmehi nekkhammarataṁ,

7.4

he’s freed like gold from stone.

muttaṁ selāva kañcanaṁ.

8.1

That giant outshines all,

Sabbe accarucī nāgo,

8.2

like the Himalaya beside other mountains.

himavāññe siluccaye;

8.3

Of all those named ‘giant’,

Sabbesaṁ nāganāmānaṁ,

8.4

he is truly named, supreme.

saccanāmo anuttaro.

9.1

I shall extol the giant for you,

Nāgaṁ vo kittayissāmi,

9.2

for he does nothing monstrous.

na hi āguṁ karoti so;

9.3

Gentleness and harmlessness

Soraccaṁ avihiṁsā ca,

9.4

are two feet of the giant.

pādā nāgassa te duve.

10.1

Austerity and celibacy

Tapo ca brahmacariyaṁ,

10.2

are his two other feet.

caraṇā nāgassa tyāpare;

10.3

Faith is the giant’s trunk,

Saddhāhattho mahānāgo,

10.4

and equanimity his white tusks.

upekkhāsetadantavā.

11.1

Mindfulness is his neck, his head is wisdom—

Sati gīvā siro paññā,

11.2

inquiry and thinking about dhamma.

vīmaṁsā dhammacintanā;

11.3

His belly is the sacred hearth of the Dhamma,

Dhammakucchisamātapo,

11.4

and his tail is seclusion.

viveko tassa vāladhi.

12.1

Practicing absorption, enjoying the breath,

So jhāyī assāsarato,

12.2

he is serene within.

ajjhattaṁ susamāhito;

12.3

The giant is serene when walking,

Gacchaṁ samāhito nāgo,

12.4

the giant is serene when standing,

ṭhito nāgo samāhito.

13.1

the giant is serene when lying down,

Seyyaṁ samāhito nāgo,

13.2

and when sitting, the giant is serene.

nisinnopi samāhito;

13.3

The giant is restrained everywhere:

Sabbattha saṁvuto nāgo,

13.4

this is the accomplishment of the giant.

esā nāgassa sampadā.

14.1

He eats blameless things,

Bhuñjati anavajjāni,

14.2

he doesn’t eat blameworthy things.

sāvajjāni na bhuñjati;

14.3

When he gets food and clothes,

Ghāsamacchādanaṁ laddhā,

14.4

he avoids storing them up.

sannidhiṁ parivajjayaṁ.

15.1

Having severed all bonds,

Saṁyojanaṁ aṇuṁ thūlaṁ,

15.2

fetters large and small,

sabbaṁ chetvāna bandhanaṁ;

15.3

wherever he goes,

Yena yeneva gacchati,

15.4

he goes without concern.

anapekkhova gacchati.

16.1

A white lotus,

Yathāpi udake jātaṁ,

16.2

fragrant and delightful,

puṇḍarīkaṁ pavaḍḍhati;

16.3

sprouts in water and grows there,

Nupalippati toyena,

16.4

but water does not stick to it.

sucigandhaṁ manoramaṁ.

17.1

Just so the Buddha is born in the world,

Tatheva loke sujāto,

17.2

and lives in the world,

buddho loke viharati;

17.3

but the world does not stick to him,

Nupalippati lokena,

17.4

as water does not stick to the lotus.

toyena padumaṁ yathā.

18.1

A great blazing fire

Mahāginīva jalito,

18.2

dies down when the fuel runs out.

anāhārūpasammati;

18.3

When the coals have gone out

Saṅkhāresūpasantesu,

18.4

it’s said to be ‘extinguished’.

nibbutoti pavuccati.

19.1

This simile is taught by the discerning

Atthassāyaṁ viññāpanī,

19.2

to express the meaning clearly.

upamā viññūhi desitā;

19.3

Great giants will understand

Viññassanti mahānāgā,

19.4

what the giant taught the giant.

nāgaṁ nāgena desitaṁ.

20.1

Free of greed, free of hate,

Vītarāgo vītadoso,

20.2

free of delusion, undefiled;

Vītamoho anāsavo;

20.3

the giant, giving up his body,

Sarīraṁ vijahaṁ nāgo,

20.4

being undefiled, will be fully extinguished.”

Parinibbissati anāsavo”ti.

20.5

Paṭhamaṁ.