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SN 35.245PTS SN 4.1913 min read

The Simile of the Parrot Tree

Kiṁsukopamasutta

A mendicant goes to a series of teachers and asks how vision is purified. Dissatisfied with all their answers, he complains to the Buddha, who illustrates his quandary with the famous simile of the Kiṁsuka tree. Just as the same Kiṁsuka tree might be described differently by people focusing on the leaves, or the fruit, or the bark, etc., so too the various teachers each speak of the aspect of Dhamma most meaningful to them.

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

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 35.245Linked Discourses 35.245
  • 0.219. Āsīvisavagga19. The Simile of the Vipers

0.3KiṁsukopamasuttaThe Simile of the Parrot Tree

1.1PTS 4.192Atha kho aññataro bhikkhu yenaññataro bhikkhu tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ bhikkhuṁ etadavoca:Then one mendicant went up to another mendicant and asked,1.2“kittāvatā nu kho, āvuso, bhikkhuno dassanaṁ suvisuddhaṁ hotī”ti?“Reverend, at what point is a mendicant’s vision well purified?”

1.3“Yato kho, āvuso, bhikkhu channaṁ phassāyatanānaṁ samudayañca atthaṅgamañca yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ettāvatā kho, āvuso, bhikkhuno dassanaṁ suvisuddhaṁ hotī”ti.“When a mendicant truly understands the origin and disappearance of the six fields of contact, at that point their vision is well purified.”

2.1Atha kho so bhikkhu asantuṭṭho tassa bhikkhussa pañhaveyyākaraṇena, yenaññataro bhikkhu tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ bhikkhuṁ etadavoca:Not content with that answer, that mendicant went up to a series of other mendicants and received the following answers:12.2“kittāvatā nu kho, āvuso, bhikkhuno dassanaṁ suvisuddhaṁ hotī”ti?

2.3“Yato kho, āvuso, bhikkhu pañcannaṁ upādānakkhandhānaṁ samudayañca atthaṅgamañca yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ettāvatā kho, āvuso, bhikkhuno dassanaṁ suvisuddhaṁ hotī”ti.“When a mendicant truly understands the origin and disappearance of the five grasping aggregates, at that point their vision is well purified.”

3.1Atha kho so bhikkhu asantuṭṭho tassa bhikkhussa pañhaveyyākaraṇena, yenaññataro bhikkhu tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ bhikkhuṁ etadavoca:3.2“kittāvatā nu kho, āvuso, bhikkhuno dassanaṁ suvisuddhaṁ hotī”ti?

3.3“Yato kho, āvuso, bhikkhu catunnaṁ mahābhūtānaṁ samudayañca atthaṅgamañca yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ettāvatā kho, āvuso, bhikkhuno dassanaṁ suvisuddhaṁ hotī”ti.“When a mendicant truly understands the origin and disappearance of the four principal states, at that point their vision is well purified.”

4.1Atha kho so bhikkhu asantuṭṭho tassa bhikkhussa pañhaveyyākaraṇena, yenaññataro bhikkhu tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ bhikkhuṁ etadavoca:4.2“kittāvatā nu kho, āvuso, bhikkhuno dassanaṁ suvisuddhaṁ hotī”ti?

4.3“Yato kho, āvuso, bhikkhu yaṁ kiñci samudayadhammaṁ, sabbaṁ taṁ nirodhadhammanti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ettāvatā kho, āvuso, bhikkhuno dassanaṁ suvisuddhaṁ hotī”ti.“When a mendicant truly understands that everything that is liable to arise is liable to cease, at that point their vision is well purified.”

5.1PTS 4.193Atha kho so bhikkhu asantuṭṭho tassa bhikkhussa pañhaveyyākaraṇena, yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “idhāhaṁ, bhante, yenaññataro bhikkhu tenupasaṅkamiṁ; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ bhikkhuṁ etadavocaṁ:Not content with any of those answers, that mendicant went up to the Buddha and told him what had happened. Then he said to him,5.2‘kittāvatā nu kho, āvuso, bhikkhuno dassanaṁ suvisuddhaṁ hotī’ti?5.3Evaṁ vutte, bhante, so bhikkhu maṁ etadavoca:5.4‘yato kho, āvuso, bhikkhu channaṁ phassāyatanānaṁ samudayañca atthaṅgamañca yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ettāvatā kho, āvuso, bhikkhuno dassanaṁ suvisuddhaṁ hotī’ti.5.5Atha khvāhaṁ, bhante, asantuṭṭho tassa bhikkhussa pañhaveyyākaraṇena, yenaññataro bhikkhu tenupasaṅkamiṁ; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ bhikkhuṁ etadavocaṁ:5.6‘kittāvatā nu kho, āvuso, bhikkhuno dassanaṁ suvisuddhaṁ hotī’ti?5.7Evaṁ vutte, bhante, so bhikkhu maṁ etadavoca:5.8‘yato kho, āvuso, bhikkhu pañcannaṁ upādānakkhandhānaṁ …pe…5.9catunnaṁ mahābhūtānaṁ samudayañca atthaṅgamañca yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti …pe…5.10yaṁ kiñci samudayadhammaṁ sabbaṁ taṁ nirodhadhammanti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ettāvatā kho, āvuso, bhikkhuno dassanaṁ suvisuddhaṁ hotī’ti.5.11Atha khvāhaṁ, bhante, asantuṭṭho tassa bhikkhussa pañhaveyyākaraṇena yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁ (…).5.12Kittāvatā nu kho, bhante, bhikkhuno dassanaṁ suvisuddhaṁ hotī”ti?“Sir, at what point is a mendicant’s vision well purified?”

6.1“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhu, purisassa kiṁsuko adiṭṭhapubbo assa.“Mendicant, suppose a person had never seen a parrot tree before.26.2So yenaññataro puriso kiṁsukassa dassāvī tenupasaṅkameyya. Upasaṅkamitvā taṁ purisaṁ evaṁ vadeyya:They’d go up to someone who had seen a parrot tree and ask them,6.3‘kīdiso, bho purisa, kiṁsuko’ti?‘My man, what’s a parrot tree like?’3

6.4So evaṁ vadeyya:They’d say,6.5‘kāḷako kho, ambho purisa, kiṁsuko—seyyathāpi jhāmakhāṇū’ti.‘A parrot tree is blackish, like a charred stump.’6.6Tena kho pana, bhikkhu, samayena tādisovassa kiṁsuko yathāpi tassa purisassa dassanaṁ.Now, at that time a parrot tree may well have been just as that person saw it.

7.1PTS 4.194Atha kho so, bhikkhu, puriso asantuṭṭho tassa purisassa pañhaveyyākaraṇena, yenaññataro puriso kiṁsukassa dassāvī tenupasaṅkameyya; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ purisaṁ evaṁ vadeyya:Not content with that answer, that person would go up to a series of other people and receive the following answers:7.2‘kīdiso, bho purisa, kiṁsuko’ti?7.3So evaṁ vadeyya:7.4‘lohitako kho, ambho purisa, kiṁsuko—seyyathāpi maṁsapesī’ti.‘A parrot tree is reddish, like a scrap of meat.’47.5Tena kho pana, bhikkhu, samayena tādisovassa kiṁsuko yathāpi tassa purisassa dassanaṁ.7.6Atha kho so bhikkhu puriso asantuṭṭho tassa purisassa pañhaveyyākaraṇena, yenaññataro puriso kiṁsukassa dassāvī tenupasaṅkameyya; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ purisaṁ evaṁ vadeyya:7.7‘kīdiso, bho purisa, kiṁsuko’ti?7.8So evaṁ vadeyya:7.9‘ocīrakajāto kho, ambho purisa, kiṁsuko ādinnasipāṭiko—seyyathāpi sirīso’ti.‘A parrot tree has flaking bark and burst pods, like a lebbeck tree.’57.10Tena kho pana, bhikkhu, samayena tādisovassa kiṁsuko, yathāpi tassa purisassa dassanaṁ.7.11Atha kho so bhikkhu puriso asantuṭṭho tassa purisassa pañhaveyyākaraṇena, yenaññataro puriso kiṁsukassa dassāvī tenupasaṅkameyya; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ purisaṁ evaṁ vadeyya:7.12‘kīdiso, bho purisa, kiṁsuko’ti?7.13So evaṁ vadeyya:7.14‘bahalapattapalāso sandacchāyo kho, ambho purisa, kiṁsuko—seyyathāpi nigrodho’ti.‘A parrot tree has luxuriant, shady foliage, like a banyan.’7.15Tena kho pana, bhikkhu, samayena tādisovassa kiṁsuko, yathāpi tassa purisassa dassanaṁ.Now, at each of those times a parrot tree may well have been just as those people saw them.

7.16Evameva kho, bhikkhu, yathā yathā adhimuttānaṁ tesaṁ sappurisānaṁ dassanaṁ suvisuddhaṁ hoti tathā tathā kho tehi sappurisehi byākataṁ.In the same way, those true persons each answered according to what they were focused on when their vision was well purified.

8.1Seyyathāpi, bhikkhu, rañño paccantimaṁ nagaraṁ daḷhuddhāpaṁ daḷhapākāratoraṇaṁ chadvāraṁ.Suppose there was a king’s frontier citadel with fortified embankments, ramparts, and arches, and six gates.8.2Tatrassa dovāriko paṇḍito byatto medhāvī, aññātānaṁ nivāretā, ñātānaṁ pavesetā.And it has a gatekeeper who is astute, competent, and intelligent. He keeps strangers out and lets known people in.

8.3Puratthimāya disāya āgantvā sīghaṁ dūtayugaṁ taṁ dovārikaṁ evaṁ vadeyya:A swift pair of messengers would arrive from the east and say to the gatekeeper,8.4‘kahaṁ, bho purisa, imassa nagarassa nagarassāmī’ti?‘Worthy man, where is the lord of the city?’

8.5So evaṁ vadeyya:They’d say,8.6‘eso, bhante, majjhe siṅghāṭake nisinno’ti.‘There he is, sirs, seated at the central square.’

8.7Atha kho taṁ sīghaṁ dūtayugaṁ nagarassāmikassa yathābhūtaṁ vacanaṁ niyyātetvā yathāgatamaggaṁ paṭipajjeyya.Then that swift pair of messengers would deliver a message of truth to the lord of the city and depart the way they came.

8.8Pacchimāya disāya āgantvā sīghaṁ dūtayugaṁ …pe…A swift pair of messengers would come from the west …8.9uttarāya disāya …north …8.10dakkhiṇāya disāya āgantvā sīghaṁ dūtayugaṁ taṁ dovārikaṁ evaṁ vadeyya:south …8.11‘kahaṁ, bho purisa, imassa nagarassāmī’ti?8.12So evaṁ vadeyya:8.13‘eso, bhante, majjhe siṅghāṭake nisinno’ti.8.14Atha kho taṁ sīghaṁ dūtayugaṁ nagarassāmikassa yathābhūtaṁ vacanaṁ niyyātetvā yathāgatamaggaṁ paṭipajjeyya.deliver a message of truth to the lord of the city and depart the way they came.

9.1PTS 4.195Upamā kho myāyaṁ, bhikkhu, katā atthassa viññāpanāya.I’ve made up this simile to make a point.9.2Ayañcettha attho:And this is the point.

9.3‘nagaran’ti kho, bhikkhu, imassetaṁ cātumahābhūtikassa kāyassa adhivacanaṁ mātāpettikasambhavassa odanakummāsūpacayassa aniccucchādanaparimaddanabhedanaviddhaṁsanadhammassa.‘City’ is a term for this body made up of the four principal states, produced by mother and father, built up from rice and porridge, liable to impermanence, to wearing away and erosion, to breaking up and destruction.

9.4‘Cha dvārā’ti kho, bhikkhu, channetaṁ ajjhattikānaṁ āyatanānaṁ adhivacanaṁ.‘Six gates’ is a term for the six interior sense fields.

9.5‘Dovāriko’ti kho, bhikkhu, satiyā etaṁ adhivacanaṁ.‘Gatekeeper’ is a term for mindfulness.

9.6‘Sīghaṁ dūtayugan’ti kho, bhikkhu, samathavipassanānetaṁ adhivacanaṁ.‘A swift pair of messengers’ is a term for serenity and discernment.

9.7‘Nagarassāmī’ti kho, bhikkhu, viññāṇassetaṁ adhivacanaṁ.‘The lord of the city’ is a term for consciousness.

9.8‘Majjhe siṅghāṭako’ti kho, bhikkhu, catunnetaṁ mahābhūtānaṁ adhivacanaṁ—‘The central square’ is a term for the four principal states:9.9pathavīdhātuyā, āpodhātuyā, tejodhātuyā, vāyodhātuyā.the elements of earth, water, fire, and air.

9.10‘Yathābhūtaṁ vacanan’ti kho, bhikkhu, nibbānassetaṁ adhivacanaṁ.‘A message of truth’ is a term for extinguishment.

9.11‘Yathāgatamaggo’ti kho, bhikkhu, ariyassetaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikassa maggassa adhivacanaṁ, seyyathidaṁ—‘The way they came’ is a term for the noble eightfold path, that is,9.12sammādiṭṭhiyā …pe… sammāsamādhissā”ti.right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion.”6

9.13Aṭṭhamaṁ.

Translator’s notes

  1. The mendicant’s dissatisfaction perhaps stems from the term “well purified” (suvisuddha). It is not a well-defined term, but is most prominently used to describe the Buddha’s own realization of the Dhamma (SN 56.11:10.1). There, he uses a longer phrase, saying his “knowledge and vision is well purified in three rounds and twelve aspects”, denoting arahantship. The answers given here, however, speak only of the vision of the truth, which normally means stream-entry, while the abandoning of defilements characteristic of arahantship is not mentioned. Thus it seems the questioner thought the term “well purified” in and of itself implied arahantship, while his respondents took it to mean stream-entry, only implying arahantship when expanded in the longer phrase.

    ↩ sn35.245:2.1

  2. Kiṁsuka should be resolved kiṁ-suka (“what parrot?”) rather than kiṁ-su-ka (“what’s it?”), as shown by the Sanskrit spelling kiṁśuka (Rig Veda 10.85.20; the flowers adorning the wedding chariot). In Ritusaṁhāra 6.22, a poem sometimes attributed to Kalidasa, the comparison to a parrot is made explicit. In Pali it is also referred to as palāsa, in which case I use flame-of-the-forest. It is Butea monosperma, whose distinctive flower keels resemble the curled beak of a parrot. The simile is further drawn out in the Kiṁsukopama Jātaka (Ja 248).

    ↩ sn35.245:6.1

  3. The following are all accurate descriptions of the parrot tree.

    Text here uses bho purisa (“worthy man”) as a form of address, where the reply just below uses ambho purisa (“my man”). Similarly, SN 35.244:8.5 has bho purisa where the parallel at SN 45.160:1.12 has ambho purisa. Now, bho is used as address only by brahmins, which does not apply in any of these cases. I conclude, then, that bho purisa is a false reading for ambho purisa.

    ↩ sn35.245:6.3

  4. The flowers can resemble scraps of meat. Visuddhimagga 196.5–15 tells of a foolish jackal who danced in joy on finding a meat-bearing tree.

    ↩ sn35.245:7.4

  5. The lebbeck or siris (Pali sirīsa, Albizia lebbeck) has large seed pods. It was the awakening tree of Kakusandha (DN 14:1.8.4).

    ↩ sn35.245:7.9

  6. The Buddha’s response, by omitting a statement on the ending of defilements, affirms the earlier replies, confirming that suvisuddha by itself indicates stream-entry.

    ↩ sn35.245:9.12