MN 21
Kakacupama Sutta
The Simile of the Saw
Translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu
Alternate translation:Buddharakkhita (excerpt)Thanissaro (excerpt)
PTS: M i 122
Source: Transcribed from a file provided by the translator.
Copyright © 1997 Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
Access to Insight edition © 1997
For free distribution. This work may be republished, reformatted,
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I heard thus.
At one time the Blessed One lived in the monastery offered by Anathapindika in
Jeta's grove in Sàvatthi. At that time venerable Moliyaphagguna spent much time
associating the bhikkhunis. This association was such that if any bhikkhu blamed
the bhikkhunis in the presence of venerable Moliyaphagguna, he was annoyed and
spoke much in favour of them and if any bhikkhu blamed venerable Moliyaphagguna
in the presence of the bhikkhunis, they were annoyed and spoke much in favour of
him. Venerable Moliyaphagguna and the bhikkhunis maintained such an association.
Then a certain bhikkhu approached the Blessed One, worshipped the Blessed One,
sat on a side and said thus: ßVenerable sir, venerable Moliyaphagguna spends
much time associating the bhikkhunis. This association is such that if any
bhikkhu blamed the bhikkhunis in the presence of venerable Moliyaphagguna, he
gets annoyed and speaks much in favour of them. And if any bhikkhu blamed
venerable Moliyaphagguna in the presence of the bhikkhunis, they were annoyed
and spoke much in favour of him. Venerable Moliyaphagguna maintains such an
association with the bhikkhunis.û
Then the Blessed One addressed a certain bhikkhu ßCome here bhikkhu. In my
words, call Bhikkhu Moliyaphagguna, say, ßThe Teacher wants you.û He consented
and approached venerable Moliyaphagguna and said, ßThe Teacher calls you
venerable Phagguna.û He said ßYes, venerable one,û and approached the Blessed
One worshipped and sat on a side. Then the Blessed One said thus:
ßPhagguna, is it true, that you spend much time with the bhikkhunis. Do you
maintain such an association with the bhikkhunis that when a bhikkhu blames the
bhikkhunis in your presence, you get annoyed and talk in favour of the
bhikkhunis, and when a bhikkhu blames you in the presence of the bhikkhnis, they
get annoyed and talk in favour of you. Phagguna, do you maintain such an
association with the bhikkhunis?û
ßYes, veneràble sir.û
ßAren't you the son of a clansman who has gone forth as a homeless out of
faith?û
ßI am, venerable sir.û
ßPhagguna, it is not suitable for the son of a clansman, who has gone forth as a
homeless to spend much time with the bhikkhunis. Therefore Phagguna, when anyone
blames the bhikkhunis in your presence, you should give up that worldly interest
and worldly thoughts. Phagguna, there you should train like this: `My mind will
not change, I will not utter evil words, I will abide with compassion and loving
kindness without an angry thought.'
ßAgain Pagguna, if anyone beat those bhikkhunis with their hands or with clods,
or sticks, or weapons, you should train as above. Again Phagguna, if anyone
blames you in the face, you should train as above. If anyone beats you with
hands, or clods, or sticks, or weapons, you should give up that worldly interest
and worldly thoughts. Phagguna, there you should train like this: `My mind will
not change, I will not utter evil words, I will abide with compassion and loving
kindness, without an angry thought'.û
Then the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus. ßO! Bhikkhus, at one time I
convinced the minds of the bhikkhus to partake of one meal a day, this is what I
said: `Bhikkhus, I partake of one meal a day, partaking one meal a day I
experienced few ailments, few disorders, lightness, power, and a comfortable
abiding. Bhikkhus, you too partake of one meal a day and experience few
ailments, few disorders, lightness, power, and a comfortable abiding.' There
wasn't a need to advise those bhikkhus; the mere arousing of mindfulness was
enough. Like a cart with thoroughbreds yoked, stationed on the four crossroads
in some even land: then a clever tamer of horses, a charioteer comes and
mounting the cart takes the reins in the left hand and the whip in the right
hand, proceeds and receeds as he likes and where he likes. Even so there wasn't
a need to advise those bhikkhus, only arousing mindfulness was necessary.
Therefore bhikkhus, dispel demerit and pursue merit. In that manner, you come to
growth and development in this dispensation of the Teaching. Like a Sal grove
near a village or hamlet would have an undergrowth of weeds. Then a certain man,
desiring their welfare, uproots all the weeds which rob the moisture and throws
them out and the Sal trees grow straight and well. Thus in the meantime the Sal
trees grow and develop well. Bhikkhus, in the same manner, dispel demerit and
pursue merit. So you too grow and develop in this dispensation.
The Story of the Mistress Vedehika
"Once, monks, in this same Savatthi, there was a lady of a household named
Vedehika. This good report about Lady Vedehika had circulated: 'Lady Vedehika is
gentle. Lady Vedehika is even-tempered. Lady Vedehika is calm.' Now, Lady
Vedehika had a slave named Kali who was diligent, deft, & neat in her work. The
thought occurred to Kali the slave: 'This good report about my Lady Vedehika has
circulated: "Lady Vedehika is even-tempered. Lady Vedehika is gentle. Lady
Vedehika is calm." Now, is anger present in my lady without showing, or is it
absent? Or is it just because I'm diligent, deft, & neat in my work that the
anger present in my lady doesn't show? Why don't I test her?'
"So Kali the slave got up after daybreak. Then Lady Vedehika said to her: 'Hey,
Kali!'
"'Yes, madam?'
"'Why did you get up after daybreak?'
"'No reason, madam.'
"'No reason, you wicked slave, and yet you get up after daybreak?' Angered &
displeased, she scowled.
"Then the thought occurred to Kali the slave: 'Anger is present in my lady
without showing, and not absent. And it's just because I'm diligent, deft, &
neat in my work that the anger present in my lady doesn't show. Why don't I test
her some more?'
"So Kali the slave got up later in the day. Then Lady Vedehika said to her:
'Hey, Kali!'
"'Yes, madam?'
"'Why did you get up later in the day?'
"'No reason, madam.'
"'No reason, you wicked slave, and yet you get up later in the day?' Angered &
displeased, she grumbled.
"Then the thought occurred to Kali the slave: 'Anger is present in my lady
without showing, and not absent. And it's just because I'm diligent, deft, &
neat in my work that the anger present in my lady doesn't show. Why don't I test
her some more?'
"So Kali the slave got up even later in the day. Then Lady Vedehika said to her:
'Hey, Kali!'
"'Yes, madam?'
"'Why did you get up even later in the day?'
"'No reason, madam.'
"'No reason, you wicked slave, and yet you get up even later in the day?'
Angered & displeased, she grabbed hold of a rolling pin and gave her a whack
over the head, cutting it open.
"Then Kali the slave, with blood streaming from her cut-open head, went and
denounced her mistress to the neighbors: 'See, ladies, the gentle one's
handiwork? See the even-tempered one's handiwork? See the calm one's handiwork?
How could she, angered & displeased with her only slave for getting up after
daybreak, grab hold of a rolling pin and give her a whack over the head, cutting
it open?'
"After that this evil report about Lady Vedehika circulated: 'Lady Vedehika is
vicious. Lady Vedehika is foul-tempered. Lady Vedehika is violent.'
"In the same way, monks, a monk may be ever so gentle, ever so even-tempered,
ever so calm, as long as he is not touched by disagreeable aspects of speech.
But it is only when disagreeable aspects of speech touch him that he can truly
be known as gentle, even-tempered, & calm. I don't call a monk easy to admonish
if he is easy to admonish and makes himself easy to admonish only by reason of
robes, almsfood, lodging, & medicinal requisites for curing the sick. Why is
that? Because if he doesn't get robes, almsfood, lodging, & medicinal requisites
for curing the sick, then he isn't easy to admonish and doesn't make himself
easy to admonish. But if a monk is easy to admonish and makes himself easy to
admonish purely out of esteem for the Dhamma, respect for the Dhamma, reverence
for the Dhamma, then I call him easy to admonish. Thus, monks, you should train
yourselves: 'We will be easy to admonish and make ourselves easy to admonish
purely out of esteem for the Dhamma, respect for the Dhamma, reverence for the
Dhamma.' That's how you should train yourselves.
"Monks, there are these five aspects of speech by which others may address you:
timely or untimely, true or false, affectionate or harsh, beneficial or
unbeneficial, with a mind of good-will or with inner hate. Others may address
you in a timely way or an untimely way. They may address you with what is true
or what is false. They may address you in an affectionate way or a harsh way.
They may address you in a beneficial way or an unbeneficial way. They may
address you with a mind of good-will or with inner hate. In any event, you
should train yourselves: 'Our minds will be unaffected and we will say no evil
words. We will remain sympathetic to that person's welfare, with a mind of good
will, and with no inner hate. We will keep pervading him with an awareness
imbued with good will and, beginning with him, we will keep pervading the
all-encompassing world with an awareness imbued with good will — abundant,
expansive, immeasurable, free from hostility, free from ill will.' That's how
you should train yourselves.
"Suppose that a man were to come along carrying a hoe & a basket, saying, 'I
will make this great earth be without earth.' He would dig here & there, scatter
soil here & there, spit here & there, urinate here & there, saying, 'Be without
earth. Be without earth.' Now, what do you think — would he make this great
earth be without earth?"
"No, lord. Why is that? Because this great earth is deep & enormous. It can't
easily be made to be without earth. The man would reap only a share of weariness
& disappointment."
"In the same way, monks, there are these five aspects of speech by which others
may address you: timely or untimely, true or false, affectionate or harsh,
beneficial or unbeneficial, with a mind of good-will or with inner hate. Others
may address you in a timely way or an untimely way. They may address you with
what is true or what is false. They may address you in an affectionate way or a
harsh way. They may address you in a beneficial way or an unbeneficial way. They
may address you with a mind of good-will or with inner hate. In any event, you
should train yourselves: 'Our minds will be unaffected and we will say no evil
words. We will remain sympathetic to that person's welfare, with a mind of good
will, and with no inner hate. We will keep pervading him with an awareness
imbued with good will and, beginning with him, we will keep pervading the
all-encompassing world with an awareness imbued with good will equal to the
great earth — abundant, expansive, immeasurable, free from hostility, free from
ill will.' That's how you should train yourselves.
"Suppose that a man were to come along carrying lac, yellow orpiment, indigo, or
crimson, saying, 'I will draw pictures in space, I will make pictures appear.'
Now, what do you think — would he draw pictures in space & make pictures
appear?"
"No, lord. Why is that? Because space is formless & featureless. It's not easy
to draw pictures there and to make them appear. The man would reap only a share
of weariness & disappointment."
"In the same way, monks, there are these five aspects of speech by which others
may address you: timely or untimely, true or false, affectionate or harsh,
beneficial or unbeneficial, with a mind of good-will or with inner hate. Others
may address you in a timely way or an untimely way. They may address you with
what is true or what is false. They may address you in an affectionate way or a
harsh way. They may address you in a beneficial way or an unbeneficial way. They
may address you with a mind of good-will or with inner hate. In any event, you
should train yourselves: 'Our minds will be unaffected and we will say no evil
words. We will remain sympathetic to that person's welfare, with a mind of good
will, and with no inner hate. We will keep pervading him with an awareness
imbued with good will and, beginning with him, we will keep pervading the
all-encompassing world with an awareness imbued with good will equal to space —
abundant, expansive, immeasurable, free from hostility, free from ill will.'
That's how you should train yourselves.
"Suppose that a man were to come along carrying a burning grass torch and
saying, 'With this burning grass torch I will heat up the river Ganges and make
it boil.' Now, what do you think — would he, with that burning grass torch, heat
up the river Ganges and make it boil?"
"No, lord. Why is that? Because the river Ganges is deep & enormous. It's not
easy to heat it up and make it boil with a burning grass torch. The man would
reap only a share of weariness & disappointment."
"In the same way, monks, there are these five aspects of speech by which others
may address you: timely or untimely, true or false, affectionate or harsh,
beneficial or unbeneficial, with a mind of good-will or with inner hate. Others
may address you in a timely way or an untimely way. They may address you with
what is true or what is false. They may address you in an affectionate way or a
harsh way. They may address you in a beneficial way or an unbeneficial way. They
may address you with a mind of good-will or with inner hate. In any event, you
should train yourselves: 'Our minds will be unaffected and we will say no evil
words. We will remain sympathetic to that person's welfare, with a mind of good
will, and with no inner hate. We will keep pervading him with an awareness
imbued with good will and, beginning with him, we will keep pervading the
all-encompassing world with an awareness imbued with good will equal to the
river Ganges — abundant, expansive, immeasurable, free from hostility, free from
ill will.' That's how you should train yourselves.
"Suppose there were a catskin bag — beaten, well-beaten, beaten through &
through, soft, silky, free of rustling & crackling — and a man were to come
along carrying a stick or shard and saying, 'With this stick or shard I will
take this catskin bag — beaten, well-beaten, beaten through & through, soft,
silky, free of rustling & crackling — and I will make it rustle & crackle.' Now,
what do you think — would he, with that stick or shard, take that catskin bag —
beaten, well-beaten, beaten through & through, soft, silky, free of rustling &
crackling — and make it rustle & crackle?"
"No, lord. Why is that? Because the catskin bag is beaten, well-beaten, beaten
through & through, soft, silky, free of rustling & crackling. It's not easy to
make it rustle & crackle with a stick or shard. The man would reap only a share
of weariness & disappointment."
"In the same way, monks, there are these five aspects of speech by which others
may address you: timely or untimely, true or false, affectionate or harsh,
beneficial or unbeneficial, with a mind of good-will or with inner hate. Others
may address you in a timely way or an untimely way. They may address you with
what is true or what is false. They may address you in an affectionate way or a
harsh way. They may address you in a beneficial way or an unbeneficial way. They
may address you with a mind of good-will or with inner hate. In any event, you
should train yourselves: 'Our minds will be unaffected and we will say no evil
words. We will remain sympathetic to that person's welfare, with a mind of good
will, and with no inner hate. We will keep pervading him with an awareness
imbued with good will and, beginning with him, we will keep pervading the
all-encompassing world with an awareness imbued with good will equal to a
catskin bag — abundant, expansive, immeasurable, free from hostility, free from
ill will.' That's how you should train yourselves.
"Monks, even if bandits were to carve you up savagely, limb by limb, with a
two-handled saw, he among you who let his heart get angered even at that would
not be doing my bidding. Even then you should train yourselves: 'Our minds will
be unaffected and we will say no evil words. We will remain sympathetic, with a
mind of good will, and with no inner hate. We will keep pervading these people
with an awareness imbued with good will and, beginning with them, we will keep
pervading the all-encompassing world with an awareness imbued with good will —
abundant, expansive, immeasurable, free from hostility, free from ill will.'
That's how you should train yourselves.
"Monks, if you attend constantly to this admonition on the simile of the saw, do
you see any aspects of speech, slight or gross, that you could not endure?"
"No, lord."
"Then attend constantly to this admonition on the simile of the saw. That will
be for your long-term welfare & happiness."
That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, the monks delighted in the Blessed
One's words.
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