SN 45-56 The Group of Connected Discourses on the Path – Mahāvaggasaṁyutta > SN 47 Linked Discourses on Mindfulness Meditation – Satipaṭṭhānasaṁyutta > SN 47.19 At Sedaka

Linked Discourses 47.19 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 47.19

2. At Nālandā – 2. Nālandavagga

SN 47.19 At Sedaka – Sedakasutta

At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Sumbhas, near the town of the Sumbhas called Sedaka.

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sumbhesu viharati sedakaṁ nāma sumbhānaṁ nigamo.

There the Buddha addressed the bhikkhū:

Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:

“Once upon a time, bhikkhū, an acrobat set up his bamboo pole and said to his apprentice Medakathālikā,

“bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, caṇḍālavaṁsiko caṇḍālavaṁsaṁ ussāpetvā medakathālikaṁ antevāsiṁ āmantesi:

‘Come now, dear Medakathālikā, climb up the bamboo pole and stand on my shoulders.’

‘ehi tvaṁ, samma medakathālike, caṇḍālavaṁsaṁ abhiruhitvā mama uparikhandhe tiṭṭhāhī’ti.

‘Yes, teacher,’ she replied. She climbed up the bamboo pole and stood on her teacher’s shoulders.

‘Evaṁ, ācariyā’ti kho, bhikkhave, medakathālikā antevāsī caṇḍālavaṁsikassa paṭissutvā caṇḍālavaṁsaṁ abhiruhitvā ācariyassa uparikhandhe aṭṭhāsi.

Then the acrobat said to Medakathālikā,

Atha kho, bhikkhave, caṇḍālavaṁsiko medakathālikaṁ antevāsiṁ etadavoca:

‘You look after me, dear Medakathālikā, and I’ll look after you.

‘tvaṁ, samma medakathālike, mamaṁ rakkha, ahaṁ taṁ rakkhissāmi.

That’s how, guarding and looking after each other, we’ll display our skill, collect our fee, and get down safely from the bamboo pole.’

Evaṁ mayaṁ aññamaññaṁ guttā aññamaññaṁ rakkhitā sippāni ceva dassessāma, lābhañca lacchāma, sotthinā ca caṇḍālavaṁsā orohissāmā’ti.

When he said this, Medakathālikā said to her teacher,

Evaṁ vutte, bhikkhave, medakathālikā antevāsī caṇḍālavaṁsikaṁ etadavoca:

‘That’s not how it is, teacher!

‘na kho panetaṁ, ācariya, evaṁ bhavissati.

You should look after yourself, and I’ll look after myself.

Tvaṁ, ācariya, attānaṁ rakkha, ahaṁ attānaṁ rakkhissāmi.

That’s how, guarding and looking after ourselves, we’ll display our skill, collect our fee, and get down safely from the bamboo pole.’

Evaṁ mayaṁ attaguttā attarakkhitā sippāni ceva dassessāma, lābhañca lacchāma, sotthinā ca caṇḍālavaṁsā orohissāmā’”ti.

That’s the way,” said the Buddha. “It’s just as Medakathālikā said to her teacher.

“So tattha ñāyo”ti bhagavā etadavoca, “yathā medakathālikā antevāsī ācariyaṁ avoca.

Thinking ‘I’ll look after myself,’ you should cultivate mindfulness meditation.

Attānaṁ, bhikkhave, rakkhissāmīti satipaṭṭhānaṁ sevitabbaṁ;

Thinking ‘I’ll look after others,’ you should cultivate mindfulness meditation.

paraṁ rakkhissāmīti satipaṭṭhānaṁ sevitabbaṁ.

Looking after yourself, you look after others; and looking after others, you look after yourself.

Attānaṁ, bhikkhave, rakkhanto paraṁ rakkhati, paraṁ rakkhanto attānaṁ rakkhati.

And how do you look after others by looking after yourself?

Kathañca, bhikkhave, attānaṁ rakkhanto paraṁ rakkhati?

By development, cultivation, and practice of meditation.

Āsevanāya, bhāvanāya, bahulīkammena—

evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, attānaṁ rakkhanto paraṁ rakkhati.

And how do you look after yourself by looking after others?

Kathañca, bhikkhave, paraṁ rakkhanto attānaṁ rakkhati?

By acceptance, harmlessness, love, and sympathy.

Khantiyā, avihiṁsāya, mettacittatāya, anudayatāya—

evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, paraṁ rakkhanto attānaṁ rakkhati.

Thinking ‘I’ll look after myself,’ you should cultivate mindfulness meditation.

Attānaṁ, bhikkhave, rakkhissāmīti satipaṭṭhānaṁ sevitabbaṁ;

Thinking ‘I’ll look after others,’ you should cultivate mindfulness meditation.

paraṁ rakkhissāmīti satipaṭṭhānaṁ sevitabbaṁ.

Looking after yourself, you look after others; and looking after others, you look after yourself.”

Attānaṁ, bhikkhave, rakkhanto paraṁ rakkhati, paraṁ rakkhanto attānaṁ rakkhatī”ti.