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SN 20.5PTS SN 2.2651 min read

A Spear

Sattisutta

As it is not possible to bend back a spear, it is not possible to overthrow a mendicant who has developed love.

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

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 20.5Linked Discourses 20.5
  • 0.21. Opammavagga1. Similes

0.3SattisuttaA Spear

1.1PTS 2.265Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.At Sāvatthī.

1.2“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, satti tiṇhaphalā.“Mendicants, suppose there was a sharp-pointed spear.1.3Atha puriso āgaccheyya:And a man came along and thought,1.4‘ahaṁ imaṁ sattiṁ tiṇhaphalaṁ pāṇinā vā muṭṭhinā vā paṭileṇissāmi paṭikoṭṭissāmi paṭivaṭṭessāmī’ti.‘With my hand or fist I’ll fold this sharp spear over, crumple it, and bend it back!’

1.5Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave,What do you think, mendicants?1.6bhabbo nu kho so puriso amuṁ sattiṁ tiṇhaphalaṁ pāṇinā vā muṭṭhinā vā paṭileṇetuṁ paṭikoṭṭetuṁ paṭivaṭṭetun”ti?Is that man capable of doing so?”

1.7“No hetaṁ, bhante”.“No, sir.1.8“Taṁ kissa hetu”?Why not?1.9“Asu hi, bhante, satti tiṇhaphalā na sukarā pāṇinā vā muṭṭhinā vā paṭileṇetuṁ paṭikoṭṭetuṁ paṭivaṭṭetuṁ.Because it’s not easy to fold that sharp spear over, crumple it, and bend it back with the hand or fist.1.10Yāvadeva ca pana so puriso kilamathassa vighātassa bhāgī assā”ti.That man will eventually get weary and frustrated.”

2.1“Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yassa kassaci bhikkhuno mettācetovimutti bhāvitā bahulīkatā yānīkatā vatthukatā anuṭṭhitā paricitā susamāraddhā, tassa ce amanusso cittaṁ khipitabbaṁ maññeyya;“In the same way, suppose a mendicant has developed the heart’s release by love, has cultivated it, made it a vehicle and a basis, kept it up, consolidated it, and properly implemented it. Should any non-human think to overthrow their mind,2.2atha kho sveva amanusso kilamathassa vighātassa bhāgī assa.they’ll eventually get weary and frustrated.

2.3Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ:So you should train like this:2.4‘mettā no cetovimutti bhāvitā bhavissati bahulīkatā yānīkatā vatthukatā anuṭṭhitā paricitā susamāraddhā’ti.‘We will develop the heart’s release by love. We’ll cultivate it, make it our vehicle and our basis, keep it up, consolidate it, and properly implement it.’2.5Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.That’s how you should train.”

2.6Pañcamaṁ.