SN 22-34 The Group of Connected Discourses Beginning With the Aggregates – Khandhavaggasaṁyutta > SN 22 Connected Discourses on the Aggregates – Khandhasaṁyutta > SN 22.96 A Lump of Cow Dung

Linked Discourses 22.96 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 22.96

10. Flowers – 10. Pupphavagga

SN 22.96 A Lump of Cow Dung – Gomayapiṇḍasutta

At Sāvatthī.

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

Seated to one side, that bhikkhu said to the Buddha:

Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“Sir, is there any form at all that’s permanent, everlasting, eternal, imperishable, and will last forever and ever?

“atthi nu kho, bhante, kiñci rūpaṁ yaṁ rūpaṁ niccaṁ dhuvaṁ sassataṁ avipariṇāmadhammaṁ sassatisamaṁ tatheva ṭhassati?

Is there any feeling …

Atthi nu kho, bhante, kāci vedanā yā vedanā niccā dhuvā sassatā avipariṇāmadhammā sassatisamaṁ tatheva ṭhassati?

perception …

Atthi nu kho, bhante, kāci saññā yā saññā …pe…

saṅkhāra …

atthi nu kho, bhante, keci saṅkhārā ye saṅkhārā niccā dhuvā sassatā avipariṇāmadhammā sassatisamaṁ tatheva ṭhassanti?

consciousness at all that’s permanent, everlasting, eternal, imperishable, and will last forever and ever?”

Atthi nu kho, bhante, kiñci viññāṇaṁ, yaṁ viññāṇaṁ niccaṁ dhuvaṁ sassataṁ avipariṇāmadhammaṁ sassatisamaṁ tatheva ṭhassatī”ti?

“Bhikkhu, there is no form at all that’s permanent, everlasting, eternal, imperishable, and will last forever and ever.

“Natthi kho, bhikkhu, kiñci rūpaṁ, yaṁ rūpaṁ niccaṁ dhuvaṁ sassataṁ avipariṇāmadhammaṁ sassatisamaṁ tatheva ṭhassati.

There’s no feeling …

Natthi kho, bhikkhu, kāci vedanā …

perception …

kāci saññā …

saṅkhāra …

keci saṅkhārā …

consciousness at all that’s permanent, everlasting, eternal, imperishable, and will last forever and ever.”

kiñci viññāṇaṁ, yaṁ viññāṇaṁ niccaṁ dhuvaṁ sassataṁ avipariṇāmadhammaṁ sassatisamaṁ tatheva ṭhassatī”ti.

Then the Buddha, picking up a lump of cow dung, said to the bhikkhū:

Atha kho bhagavā parittaṁ gomayapiṇḍaṁ pāṇinā gahetvā taṁ bhikkhuṁ etadavoca:

“There’s not even this much of any incarnation that’s permanent, everlasting, eternal, imperishable, and will last forever and ever.

“ettakopi kho, bhikkhu, attabhāvapaṭilābho natthi nicco dhuvo sassato avipariṇāmadhammo sassatisamaṁ tatheva ṭhassati.

If there were, this living of the spiritual life for the complete ending of suffering would not be found.

Ettako cepi, bhikkhu, attabhāvapaṭilābho abhavissa nicco dhuvo sassato avipariṇāmadhammo, nayidaṁ brahmacariyavāso paññāyetha sammā dukkhakkhayāya.

But since there isn’t, this living of the spiritual life for the complete ending of suffering is found.

Yasmā ca kho, bhikkhu, ettakopi attabhāvapaṭilābho natthi nicco dhuvo sassato avipariṇāmadhammo, tasmā brahmacariyavāso paññāyati sammā dukkhakkhayāya.

Once upon a time I was an anointed aristocratic king.

Bhūtapubbāhaṁ, bhikkhu, rājā ahosiṁ khattiyo muddhāvasitto.

I had 84,000 cities, with the capital Kusāvatī the foremost.

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhu, rañño sato khattiyassa muddhāvasittassa caturāsītinagarasahassāni ahesuṁ kusāvatīrājadhānippamukhāni.

I had 84,000 palaces, with the palace named Principle the foremost.

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhu, rañño sato khattiyassa muddhāvasittassa caturāsītipāsādasahassāni ahesuṁ dhammapāsādappamukhāni.

I had 84,000 chambers, with the great foyer the foremost.

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhu, rañño sato khattiyassa muddhāvasittassa caturāsītikūṭāgārasahassāni ahesuṁ mahābyūhakūṭāgārappamukhāni.

I had 84,000 couches made of ivory or heartwood or gold or silver, spread with woolen covers—shag-piled or embroidered with flowers—and spread with a fine deer hide, with a canopy above and red pillows at both ends.

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhu, rañño sato khattiyassa muddhāvasittassa caturāsītipallaṅkasahassāni ahesuṁ dantamayāni sāramayāni sovaṇṇamayāni goṇakatthatāni paṭikatthatāni paṭalikatthatāni kadalimigapavarapaccattharaṇāni sauttaracchadāni ubhatolohitakūpadhānāni.

I had 84,000 bull elephants with gold adornments and banners, covered with gold netting, with the royal bull elephant named Sabbath the foremost.

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhu, rañño sato khattiyassa muddhāvasittassa caturāsītināgasahassāni ahesuṁ sovaṇṇālaṅkārāni sovaṇṇaddhajāni hemajālapaṭicchannāni uposathanāgarājappamukhāni.

I had 84,000 horses with gold adornments and banners, covered with gold netting, with the royal steed named Thundercloud the foremost.

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhu, rañño sato khattiyassa muddhāvasittassa caturāsītiassasahassāni ahesuṁ sovaṇṇālaṅkārāni sovaṇṇaddhajāni hemajālapaṭicchannāni valāhakaassarājappamukhāni.

I had 84,000 chariots with gold adornments and banners, covered with gold netting, with the chariot named Triumph the foremost.

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhu, rañño sato khattiyassa muddhāvasittassa caturāsītirathasahassāni ahesuṁ sovaṇṇālaṅkārāni sovaṇṇaddhajāni hemajālapaṭicchannāni vejayantarathappamukhāni.

I had 84,000 jewels, with the jewel-treasure the foremost.

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhu, rañño sato khattiyassa muddhāvasittassa caturāsītimaṇisahassāni ahesuṁ maṇiratanappamukhāni.

I had 84,000 women, with Queen Subhaddā the foremost.

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhu …pe… caturāsītiitthisahassāni ahesuṁ subhaddādevippamukhāni.

I had 84,000 aristocrat vassals, with the counselor-treasure the foremost.

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhu …pe… caturāsītikhattiyasahassāni ahesuṁ anuyantāni pariṇāyakaratanappamukhāni.

I had 84,000 milk cows with silken reins and bronze pails.

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhu …pe… caturāsītidhenusahassāni ahesuṁ dukūlasandānāni kaṁsūpadhāraṇāni.

I had 8,400,000,000 fine cloths of linen, cotton, silk, and wool.

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhu …pe… caturāsītivatthakoṭisahassāni ahesuṁ khomasukhumāni koseyyasukhumāni kambalasukhumāni kappāsikasukhumāni.

I had 84,000 servings of food, which were presented to me as offerings in the morning and evening.

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhu …pe… caturāsītithālipākasahassāni ahesuṁ; sāyaṁ pātaṁ bhattābhihāro abhihariyittha.

Of those 84,000 cities, I only stayed in one, the capital Kusāvatī.

Tesaṁ kho pana, bhikkhu, caturāsītiyā nagarasahassānaṁ ekaññeva taṁ nagaraṁ hoti yamahaṁ tena samayena ajjhāvasāmi—kusāvatī rājadhānī.

Of those 84,000 mansions, I only dwelt in one, the Palace of Principle.

Tesaṁ kho pana, bhikkhu, caturāsītiyā pāsādasahassānaṁ ekoyeva so pāsādo hoti yamahaṁ tena samayena ajjhāvasāmi—dhammo pāsādo.

Of those 84,000 chambers, I only dwelt in the great foyer.

Tesaṁ kho pana, bhikkhu, caturāsītiyā kūṭāgārasahassānaṁ ekaññeva taṁ kūṭāgāraṁ hoti yamahaṁ tena samayena ajjhāvasāmi—mahābyūhaṁ kūṭāgāraṁ.

Of those 84,000 couches, I only used one, made of ivory or heartwood or gold or silver.

Tesaṁ kho pana, bhikkhu, caturāsītiyā pallaṅkasahassānaṁ ekoyeva so pallaṅko hoti yamahaṁ tena samayena paribhuñjāmi—dantamayo vā sāramayo vā sovaṇṇamayo vā rūpiyamayo vā.

Of those 84,000 bull elephants, I only rode one, the royal bull elephant named Sabbath.

Tesaṁ kho pana, bhikkhu, caturāsītiyā nāgasahassānaṁ ekoyeva so nāgo hoti yamahaṁ tena samayena abhiruhāmi—uposatho nāgarājā.

Of those 84,000 horses, I only rode one, the royal horse named Thundercloud.

Tesaṁ kho pana, bhikkhu, caturāsītiyā assasahassānaṁ ekoyeva so asso hoti yamahaṁ tena samayena abhiruhāmi—valāhako assarājā.

Of those 84,000 chariots, I only rode one, the chariot named Triumph.

Tesaṁ kho pana, bhikkhu, caturāsītiyā rathasahassānaṁ ekoyeva so ratho hoti yamahaṁ tena samayena abhiruhāmi—vejayanto ratho.

Of those 84,000 women, I was only served by one, a maiden of the aristocratic or merchant classes.

Tesaṁ kho pana, bhikkhu, caturāsītiyā itthisahassānaṁ ekāyeva sā itthī hoti yā maṁ tena samayena paccupaṭṭhāti—khattiyānī vā velāmikā vā.

Of those 8,400,000,000 cloths, I only wore one pair, made of fine linen, cotton, silk, and wool.

Tesaṁ kho pana, bhikkhu, caturāsītiyā vatthakoṭisahassānaṁ ekaññeva taṁ vatthayugaṁ hoti yamahaṁ tena samayena paridahāmi—khomasukhumaṁ vā koseyyasukhumaṁ vā kambalasukhumaṁ vā kappāsikasukhumaṁ vā.

Of those 84,000 servings of food, I only had one, eating at most a serving of rice and suitable sauce.

Tesaṁ kho pana, bhikkhu, caturāsītiyā thālipākasahassānaṁ ekoyeva so thālipāko hoti yato nāḷikodanaparamaṁ bhuñjāmi tadupiyañca sūpeyyaṁ.

And so all those conditioned phenomena have passed, ceased, and perished.

Iti kho, bhikkhu, sabbe te saṅkhārā atītā niruddhā vipariṇatā.

So anicca are conditions,

Evaṁ aniccā kho, bhikkhu, saṅkhārā.

so unstable are conditions,

Evaṁ addhuvā kho, bhikkhu, saṅkhārā.

so unreliable are conditions.

Evaṁ anassāsikā kho, bhikkhu, saṅkhārā.

This is quite enough for you to become disillusioned, dispassionate, and freed regarding all conditions.”

Yāvañcidaṁ, bhikkhu, alameva sabbasaṅkhāresu nibbindituṁ, alaṁ virajjituṁ, alaṁ vimuccitun”ti.