SN 35-44 The Group of Connected Discourses Beginning With the Six Sense Fields – Saḷāyatanavaggasaṁyutta > SN 35 Connected Discourses on the Six Sense Fields – Saḷāyatanasaṁyutta > SN 35.69 Upasena and the Viper

Linked Discourses 35.69 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 35.69

7. With Migajāla – 7. Migajālavagga

SN 35.69 Upasena and the Viper – Upasenaāsīvisasutta

At one time the venerables Sāriputta and Upasena were staying near Rājagaha in the Cool Grove, under the Snake’s Hood Grotto.

Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā ca sāriputto āyasmā ca upaseno rājagahe viharanti sītavane sappasoṇḍikapabbhāre.

Now at that time a viper fell on Upasena’s body,

Tena kho pana samayena āyasmato upasenassa kāye āsīviso patito hoti.

and he addressed the bhikkhū,

Atha kho āyasmā upaseno bhikkhū āmantesi:

“Come, reverends, lift this body onto a cot and carry it outside

“etha me, āvuso, imaṁ kāyaṁ mañcakaṁ āropetvā bahiddhā nīharatha.

before it’s scattered right here

Purāyaṁ kāyo idheva vikirati;

like a handful of chaff.”

seyyathāpi bhusamuṭṭhī”ti.

When he said this, Sāriputta said to him,

Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā sāriputto āyasmantaṁ upasenaṁ etadavoca:

“But we don’t see any impairment in your body or deterioration of your faculties.

“na kho pana mayaṁ passāma āyasmato upasenassa kāyassa vā aññathattaṁ indriyānaṁ vā vipariṇāmaṁ.

Yet you say:

Atha ca panāyasmā upaseno evamāha:

‘Come, reverends, lift this body onto a cot and carry it outside

‘etha me, āvuso, imaṁ kāyaṁ mañcakaṁ āropetvā bahiddhā nīharatha.

before it’s scattered right here

Purāyaṁ kāyo idheva vikirati;

like a handful of chaff.’”

seyyathāpi bhusamuṭṭhī’”ti.

“Reverend Sāriputta, there may be an impairment in body or deterioration of faculties for someone who thinks:

“Yassa nūna, āvuso sāriputta, evamassa:

‘I am the eye’ or ‘the eye is mine.’

‘ahaṁ cakkhūti vā mama cakkhūti vā …pe…

Or ‘I am the ear … nose … tongue … body …’

ahaṁ jivhāti vā mama jivhāti vā …

Or ‘I am the mind’ or ‘the mind is mine.’

ahaṁ manoti vā mama mano’ti vā.

Tassa, āvuso sāriputta, siyā kāyassa vā aññathattaṁ indriyānaṁ vā vipariṇāmo.

But I don’t think like that.

Mayhañca kho, āvuso sāriputta, na evaṁ hoti:

‘ahaṁ cakkhūti vā mama cakkhūti vā …pe…

ahaṁ jivhāti vā mama jivhāti vā …pe…

ahaṁ manoti vā mama manoti vā’.

So why would there be an impairment in my body or deterioration of my faculties?”

Tassa mayhañca kho, āvuso sāriputta, kiṁ kāyassa vā aññathattaṁ bhavissati, indriyānaṁ vā vipariṇāmo”ti.

“That must be because Venerable Upasena has long ago totally eradicated ego, possessiveness, and the underlying tendency to conceit.

Tathā hi panāyasmato upasenassa dīgharattaṁ ahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānusayo susamūhato.

That’s why it doesn’t occur to you:

Tasmā āyasmato upasenassa na evaṁ hoti:

‘I am the eye’ or ‘the eye is mine.’ Or ‘I am the ear …

“‘ahaṁ cakkhūti vā mama cakkhūti vā …pe…

nose … tongue … body …’

ahaṁ jivhāti vā mama jivhāti vā …pe…

Or ‘I am the mind’ or ‘the mind is mine.’”

ahaṁ manoti vā mama mano’ti vā”ti.

Then those bhikkhū lifted Upasena’s body onto a cot and carried it outside.

Atha kho te bhikkhū āyasmato upasenassa kāyaṁ mañcakaṁ āropetvā bahiddhā nīhariṁsu.

And his body was scattered right there

Atha kho āyasmato upasenassa kāyo tattheva vikiri;

like a handful of chaff.

seyyathāpi bhusamuṭṭhīti.