SN 12-21 The Group of Connected Discourses Beginning With Causation – Nidānavaggasaṁyutta > SN 20 Connected Discourses with Similes – Opammasaṁyutta > SN 20.11 A Jackal

Linked Discourses 20.11 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 20.11

1. Similes – 1. Opammavagga

SN 20.11 A Jackal – Siṅgālasutta

At Sāvatthī.

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

“Bhikkhū, did you hear an old jackal howling at the crack of dawn?”

“Assuttha no tumhe, bhikkhave, rattiyā paccūsasamayaṁ jarasiṅgālassa vassamānassā”ti?

“Yes, sir.”

“Evaṁ, bhante”.

“That old jackal has the disease called mange.

“Eso kho, bhikkhave, jarasiṅgālo ukkaṇḍakena nāma rogajātena phuṭṭho.

Yet it still goes where it wants,

So yena yena icchati tena tena gacchati;

stands where it wants,

yattha yattha icchati tattha tattha tiṭṭhati;

sits where it wants,

yattha yattha icchati tattha tattha nisīdati;

and lies down where it wants.

yattha yattha icchati tattha tattha nipajjati;

And the cool breeze still blows on it.

sītakopi naṁ vāto upavāyati.

A certain person here who claims to be a follower of the Sakyan son would be lucky to experience even such an incarnation.

Sādhu khvassa, bhikkhave, yaṁ idhekacco sakyaputtiyapaṭiñño evarūpampi attabhāvapaṭilābhaṁ paṭisaṁvediyetha.

So you should train like this:

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ:

‘We will stay diligent.’

‘appamattā viharissāmā’ti.

That’s how you should train.”

Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.