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SN 17.3PTS SN 2.2261 min read

A Turtle

Kummasutta

Material possessions, honor, and praise are terrible things, which hit you like a harpoon hits a careless turtle.

Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 17.3Linked Discourses 17.3
  • 0.21. PaṭhamavaggaChapter One

0.3KummasuttaA Turtle

1.1PTS 2.227Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.At Sāvatthī.

1.2“Dāruṇo, bhikkhave, lābhasakkārasiloko …pe… adhigamāya.“Possessions, honor, and popularity are grim …

1.3Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, aññatarasmiṁ udakarahade mahākummakulaṁ ciranivāsi ahosi.Once upon a time, in a certain lake there was a large family of turtles that had lived there for a long time.1.4Atha kho, bhikkhave, aññataro kummo aññataraṁ kummaṁ etadavoca:Then one of the turtles said to another,1.5‘mā kho tvaṁ, tāta kumma, etaṁ padesaṁ agamāsī’ti.‘My dear turtle, don’t you go to that place.’

1.6Agamāsi kho, bhikkhave, so kummo taṁ padesaṁ.But that turtle did go to that place,1.7Tamenaṁ luddo papatāya vijjhi.and a hunter pierced her with a harpoon.

1.8Atha kho, bhikkhave, so kummo yena so kummo tenupasaṅkami.Then that turtle went back to the other turtle.1.9Addasā kho, bhikkhave, so kummo taṁ kummaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ.When the other turtle saw her coming off in the distance,1.10Disvāna taṁ kummaṁ etadavoca:he said,1.11‘kacci tvaṁ, tāta kumma, na taṁ padesaṁ agamāsī’ti?‘My dear turtle, I hope you didn’t go to that place!’

1.12‘Agamāsiṁ khvāhaṁ, tāta kumma, taṁ padesan’ti.‘I did.’

1.13‘Kacci panāsi, tāta kumma, akkhato anupahato’ti?‘But my dear turtle, I hope you’re not hurt or injured!’

1.14‘Akkhato khomhi, tāta kumma, anupahato, atthi ca me idaṁ suttakaṁ piṭṭhito piṭṭhito anubandhan’ti.‘I’m not hurt or injured. But this cord keeps dragging behind me.’

1.15‘Tagghasi, tāta kumma, khato, taggha upahato.‘Indeed, my dear turtle, you’re hurt and injured!1.16Etena hi te, tāta kumma, suttakena pitaro ca pitāmahā ca anayaṁ āpannā byasanaṁ āpannā.Your father and grandfather met with tragedy and disaster because of such a cord.1.17Gaccha dāni tvaṁ, tāta kumma, na dāni tvaṁ amhākan’ti.Go now, you are no longer one of us.’

2.1PTS 2.228Luddoti kho, bhikkhave, mārassetaṁ pāpimato adhivacanaṁ.‘Hunter’ is a term for Māra the Wicked.

2.2Papatāti kho, bhikkhave, lābhasakkārasilokassetaṁ adhivacanaṁ.‘Harpoon’ is a term for possessions, honor, and popularity.

2.3Suttakanti kho, bhikkhave, nandīrāgassetaṁ adhivacanaṁ.‘Cord’ is a term for greed and relishing.

2.4Yo hi koci, bhikkhave, bhikkhu uppannaṁ lābhasakkārasilokaṁ assādeti nikāmeti—Whoever enjoys and likes arisen possessions, honor, and popularity is called a mendicant who has been pierced with a harpoon. They’ve met with tragedy and disaster, and the Wicked One can do with them what he wants.2.5ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhikkhu giddho papatāya anayaṁ āpanno byasanaṁ āpanno yathākāmakaraṇīyo pāpimato.

2.6Evaṁ dāruṇo kho, bhikkhave, lābhasakkārasiloko …pe…So grim are possessions, honor, and popularity. …”2.7evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.

2.8Tatiyaṁ.