SN 12-21 The Group of Connected Discourses Beginning With Causation – Nidānavaggasaṁyutta > SN 20 Connected Discourses with Similes – Opammasaṁyutta > SN 20.5 A Spear

Linked Discourses 20.5 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 20.5

1. Similes – 1. Opammavagga

SN 20.5 A Spear – Sattisutta

At Sāvatthī.

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

“Bhikkhū, suppose there was a sharp-pointed spear.

“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, satti tiṇhaphalā.

And a man came along and thought,

Atha puriso āgaccheyya:

‘With my hand or fist I’ll fold this sharp spear over, bend it back, and twist it around!’

‘ahaṁ imaṁ sattiṁ tiṇhaphalaṁ pāṇinā vā muṭṭhinā vā paṭileṇissāmi paṭikoṭṭissāmi paṭivaṭṭessāmī’ti.

What do you think, bhikkhū?

Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave,

Is that man capable of doing so?”

bhabbo nu kho so puriso amuṁ sattiṁ tiṇhaphalaṁ pāṇinā vā muṭṭhinā vā paṭileṇetuṁ paṭikoṭṭetuṁ paṭivaṭṭetun”ti?

“No, sir.

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

Why not?

“Taṁ kissa hetu”?

Because it’s not easy to fold that sharp spear over, bend it back, and twist it around with the hand or fist.

“Asu hi, bhante, satti tiṇhaphalā na sukarā pāṇinā vā muṭṭhinā vā paṭileṇetuṁ paṭikoṭṭetuṁ paṭivaṭṭetuṁ.

That man will eventually get weary and frustrated.”

Yāvadeva ca pana so puriso kilamathassa vighātassa bhāgī assā”ti.

“In the same way, suppose a bhikkhu has developed the heart’s release by love, has cultivated it, made it a vehicle and a basis, kept it up, consolidated it, and properly implemented it. Should any non-human think to overthrow their mind,

“Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yassa kassaci bhikkhuno mettācetovimutti bhāvitā bahulīkatā yānīkatā vatthukatā anuṭṭhitā paricitā susamāraddhā, tassa ce amanusso cittaṁ khipitabbaṁ maññeyya;

they’ll eventually get weary and frustrated.

atha kho sveva amanusso kilamathassa vighātassa bhāgī assa.

So you should train like this:

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ:

‘We will develop the heart’s release by love. We’ll cultivate it, make it our vehicle and our basis, keep it up, consolidate it, and properly implement it.’

‘mettā no cetovimutti bhāvitā bhavissati bahulīkatā yānīkatā vatthukatā anuṭṭhitā paricitā susamāraddhā’ti.

That’s how you should train.”

Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.