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SN 35.247PTS SN 4.1984 min read

The Simile of Six Animals

Chappāṇakopamasutta

The senses are like a snake, a crocodile, a bird, a dog, a jackal, and a monkey all tied up together, pulling this way and that. Mindfulness is like a post that keeps them grounded.

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

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 35.247Linked Discourses 35.247
  • 0.219. Āsīvisavagga19. The Simile of the Vipers

0.3ChappāṇakopamasuttaThe Simile of Six Animals

1.1“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso arugatto pakkagatto saravanaṁ paviseyya.“Mendicants, suppose a person with wounded and festering limbs was to enter a thicket of reeds.1.2Tassa kusakaṇṭakā ceva pāde vijjheyyuṁ, sarapattāni ca gattāni vilekheyyuṁ.The kusa thorns would pierce their feet, and the reed leaves would scratch their limbs.1.3Evañhi so, bhikkhave, puriso bhiyyoso mattāya tatonidānaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvediyetha.And that would cause that person to experience even more pain and distress.

1.4Evameva kho, bhikkhave, idhekacco bhikkhu gāmagato vā araññagato vā labhati vattāraṁ:In the same way, some mendicant goes to a village or a wilderness and gets scolded,1.5‘ayañca so āyasmā evaṅkārī evaṁsamācāro asucigāmakaṇṭako’ti.‘This venerable, acting like this, behaving like this, is a filthy village thorn.’11.6Taṁ kaṇṭakoti iti viditvā saṁvaro ca asaṁvaro ca veditabbo.Understanding that they’re a thorn, they should understand restraint and lack of restraint.

2.1Kathañca, bhikkhave, asaṁvaro hoti?And how is someone unrestrained?

2.2Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā piyarūpe rūpe adhimuccati, appiyarūpe rūpe byāpajjati, anupaṭṭhitakāyassati ca viharati parittacetaso.Take a mendicant who sees a sight with their eyes. If it’s pleasant they hold on to it, but if it’s unpleasant they dislike it. They live with mindfulness of the body unestablished and their heart stunted.2.3Tañca cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti, yatthassa te uppannā pāpakā akusalā dhammā aparisesā nirujjhanti.And they don’t truly understand the freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom where those arisen bad, unskillful qualities cease without remainder.

2.4Sotena saddaṁ sutvā …When they hear a sound with their ears …

2.5ghānena gandhaṁ ghāyitvā …When they smell an odor with their nose …

2.6jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā …When they taste a flavor with their tongue …

2.7kāyena phoṭṭhabbaṁ phusitvā …When they feel a touch with their body …

2.8manasā dhammaṁ viññāya piyarūpe dhamme adhimuccati, appiyarūpe dhamme byāpajjati, anupaṭṭhitakāyassati ca viharati parittacetaso,When they know an idea with their mind, if it’s pleasant they hold on to it, but if it’s unpleasant they dislike it. They live with mindfulness of the body unestablished and their heart stunted.2.9tañca cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti, yatthassa te uppannā pāpakā akusalā dhammā aparisesā nirujjhanti.And they don’t truly understand the freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom where those arisen bad, unskillful qualities cease without remainder.

3.1PTS 4.199Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso chappāṇake gahetvā nānāvisaye nānāgocare daḷhāya rajjuyā bandheyya.Suppose a person was to catch six animals, with diverse territories and feeding grounds, and tie them up with a strong rope.23.2Ahiṁ gahetvā daḷhāya rajjuyā bandheyya.They’d catch a snake,33.3Susumāraṁ gahetvā daḷhāya rajjuyā bandheyya.a dolphin,43.4Pakkhiṁ gahetvā daḷhāya rajjuyā bandheyya.a bird,53.5Kukkuraṁ gahetvā daḷhāya rajjuyā bandheyya.a dog,63.6Siṅgālaṁ gahetvā daḷhāya rajjuyā bandheyya.a jackal,73.7Makkaṭaṁ gahetvā daḷhāya rajjuyā bandheyya.and a monkey,83.8Daḷhāya rajjuyā bandhitvā majjhe gaṇṭhiṁ karitvā ossajjeyya.tie each up with a strong rope, then tie a knot in the middle and let them loose.

3.9Atha kho, te, bhikkhave, chappāṇakā nānāvisayā nānāgocarā sakaṁ sakaṁ gocaravisayaṁ āviñcheyyuṁ—Then those six animals with different domains and ranges would each pull toward their own domain and range.3.10ahi āviñcheyya ‘vammikaṁ pavekkhāmī’ti, susumāro āviñcheyya ‘udakaṁ pavekkhāmī’ti, pakkhī āviñcheyya ‘ākāsaṁ ḍessāmī’ti, kukkuro āviñcheyya ‘gāmaṁ pavekkhāmī’ti, siṅgālo āviñcheyya ‘sīvathikaṁ pavekkhāmī’ti, makkaṭo āviñcheyya ‘vanaṁ pavekkhāmī’ti.The snake would pull one way, thinking ‘I’m going into a termite mound!’ The dolphin would pull another way, thinking ‘I’m going into the water!’ The bird would pull another way, thinking ‘I’m flying into the atmosphere!’ The dog would pull another way, thinking ‘I’m going into the village!’ The jackal would pull another way, thinking ‘I’m going into the charnel ground!’ The monkey would pull another way, thinking ‘I’m going into the jungle!’93.11Yadā kho te, bhikkhave, chappāṇakā jhattā assu kilantā, atha kho yo nesaṁ pāṇakānaṁ balavataro assa tassa te anuvatteyyuṁ, anuvidhāyeyyuṁ vasaṁ gaccheyyuṁ.When those six animals became exhausted and worn out, the strongest of them would get their way, and they’d all have to submit to their control.

3.12Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yassa kassaci bhikkhuno kāyagatāsati abhāvitā abahulīkatā, taṁ cakkhu āviñchati manāpiyesu rūpesu, amanāpiyā rūpā paṭikūlā honti …pe…In the same way, when a mendicant has not developed or cultivated mindfulness of the body, their eye pulls toward pleasant sights, but is put off by unpleasant sights. Their ear … nose … tongue … body …3.13mano āviñchati manāpiyesu dhammesu, amanāpiyā dhammā paṭikūlā honti.mind pulls toward pleasant ideas, but is put off by unpleasant ideas.

3.14Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, asaṁvaro hoti.This is how someone is unrestrained.

4.1PTS 4.200Kathañca, bhikkhave, saṁvaro hoti?And how is someone restrained?

4.2Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā piyarūpe rūpe nādhimuccati, appiyarūpe rūpe na byāpajjati, upaṭṭhitakāyassati ca viharati appamāṇacetaso,Take a mendicant who sees a sight with their eyes. If it’s pleasant they don’t hold on to it, and if it’s unpleasant they don’t dislike it. They live with mindfulness of the body established and a limitless heart.4.3tañca cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, yatthassa te uppannā pāpakā akusalā dhammā aparisesā nirujjhanti …pe…And they truly understand the freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom where those arisen bad, unskillful qualities cease without remainder.

4.4jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā …pe…They hear a sound … smell an odor … taste a flavor … feel a touch …4.5manasā dhammaṁ viññāya piyarūpe dhamme nādhimuccati, appiyarūpe dhamme na byāpajjati, upaṭṭhitakāyassati ca viharati appamāṇacetaso,know an idea with their mind. If it’s pleasant they don’t hold on to it, and if it’s unpleasant they don’t dislike it. They live with mindfulness of the body established and a limitless heart.4.6tañca cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti yatthassa te uppannā pāpakā akusalā dhammā aparisesā nirujjhanti.And they truly understand the freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom where those arisen bad, unskillful qualities cease without remainder.

5.1Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso chappāṇake gahetvā nānāvisaye nānāgocare daḷhāya rajjuyā bandheyya.Suppose a person was to catch six animals, with diverse territories and feeding grounds, and tie them up with a strong rope.5.2Ahiṁ gahetvā daḷhāya rajjuyā bandheyya.They’d catch a snake,5.3Susumāraṁ gahetvā daḷhāya rajjuyā bandheyya.a dolphin,5.4Pakkhiṁ gahetvā …pe…a bird,5.5kukkuraṁ gahetvā …a dog,5.6siṅgālaṁ gahetvā …a jackal,5.7makkaṭaṁ gahetvā daḷhāya rajjuyā bandheyya.and a monkey,5.8Daḷhāya rajjuyā bandhitvā daḷhe khīle vā thambhe vā upanibandheyya.tie each up with a strong rope, then tether them to a strong post or pillar.

5.9Atha kho te, bhikkhave, chappāṇakā nānāvisayā nānāgocarā sakaṁ sakaṁ gocaravisayaṁ āviñcheyyuṁ—Then those six animals with different domains and ranges would each pull toward their own domain and range.5.10ahi āviñcheyya ‘vammikaṁ pavekkhāmī’ti, susumāro āviñcheyya ‘udakaṁ pavekkhāmī’ti, pakkhī āviñcheyya ‘ākāsaṁ ḍessāmī’ti, kukkuro āviñcheyya ‘gāmaṁ pavekkhāmī’ti, siṅgālo āviñcheyya ‘sīvathikaṁ pavekkhāmī’ti, makkaṭo āviñcheyya ‘vanaṁ pavekkhāmī’ti.The snake would pull one way, thinking ‘I’m going into a termite mound!’ The dolphin would pull another way, thinking ‘I’m going into the water!’ The bird would pull another way, thinking ‘I’m flying into the atmosphere!’ The dog would pull another way, thinking ‘I’m going into the village!’ The jackal would pull another way, thinking ‘I’m going into the charnel ground!’ The monkey would pull another way, thinking ‘I’m going into the jungle!’5.11Yadā kho te, bhikkhave, chappāṇakā jhattā assu kilantā, atha tameva khīlaṁ vā thambhaṁ vā upatiṭṭheyyuṁ, upanisīdeyyuṁ, upanipajjeyyuṁ.When those six animals became exhausted and worn out, they’d stand or sit or lie down right by that post or pillar.

5.12Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yassa kassaci bhikkhuno kāyagatāsati bhāvitā bahulīkatā, taṁ cakkhu nāviñchati manāpiyesu rūpesu, amanāpiyā rūpā nappaṭikūlā honti …pe… jivhā nāviñchati manāpiyesu rasesu …pe…In the same way, when a mendicant has developed and cultivated mindfulness of the body, their eye doesn’t pull toward pleasant sights, and isn’t put off by unpleasant sights. Their ear … nose … tongue … body …5.13mano nāviñchati manāpiyesu dhammesu, amanāpiyā dhammā nappaṭikūlā honti.mind doesn’t pull toward pleasant ideas, and isn’t put off by unpleasant ideas.5.14Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, saṁvaro hoti.This is how someone is restrained.

6.1‘Daḷhe khīle vā thambhe vā’ti kho, bhikkhave, kāyagatāya satiyā etaṁ adhivacanaṁ.‘A strong post or pillar’ is a term for mindfulness of the body.

6.2Tasmātiha vo, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ:So you should train like this:6.3‘kāyagatā no sati bhāvitā bhavissati bahulīkatā yānīkatā vatthukatā anuṭṭhitā paricitā susamāraddhā’ti.‘We will develop mindfulness of the body. We’ll cultivate it, make it our vehicle and our basis, keep it up, consolidate it, and properly implement it.’6.4Evañhi kho, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.That’s how you should train.”

6.5Dasamaṁ.

Translator’s notes

  1. Manu 9.256–260 describes various “thorns” (i.e. “pests”) as thieves, etc. Kauṭilya’s Arthaśāstra devotes the entirety of book 4 to removing thorns to the realm.

    ↩ sn35.247:1.5
  2. Each of the six animals is connected to the corresponding sense in some way.

    ↩ sn35.247:3.1
  3. Ahi (“snake”) puns with akkhi (“eye”). Also, the cobra is famed for the false eyes on its hood.

    ↩ sn35.247:3.2
  4. Susumāra (literally “child-killer”) may be either the Gangetic dolphin (MN 129:21.3) or the crocodile (Cp 27:1.3). Here it is probably the dolphin, which has residual eyesight and primarily relies on echolocation. This association may be reinforced by the blowhole appearing like a prominent ear.

    ↩ sn35.247:3.3
  5. A bird is notable for its beaked “nose”.

    ↩ sn35.247:3.4
  6. Dogs are notoriously ravenous, thus standing for the tongue.

    ↩ sn35.247:3.5
  7. Jackals lurk around dead bodies.

    ↩ sn35.247:3.6
  8. The “monkey mind”.

    ↩ sn35.247:3.7
  9. The termite mound is said to be the body (MN 23:4.1), to which the eye is attracted.

    The dolphin follows its ear.

    The bird flies to the sky like someone sniffing the air.

    The dog goes to the village where the food is.

    The jackal feeds on discarded bodies.

    The monkey leaps from branch to branch in the jungle (SN 12.61:4.2).

    ↩ sn35.247:3.10