Sīhasutta

Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.33

Numbered Discourses 4.33

4. Cakkavagga

4. Situations

Sīhasutta

The Lion

“Sīho, bhikkhave, migarājā sāyanhasamayaṁ āsayā nikkhamati.

“Mendicants, toward evening the lion, king of beasts, emerges from his den,

Āsayā nikkhamitvā vijambhati.

yawns,

Vijambhitvā samantā catuddisā anuviloketi.

surveys the four quarters,

Samantā catuddisā anuviloketvā tikkhattuṁ sīhanādaṁ nadati.

and roars his lion’s roar three times.

Tikkhattuṁ sīhanādaṁ naditvā gocarāya pakkamati.

Then he sets out on the hunt.

Ye kho pana te, bhikkhave, tiracchānagatā pāṇā sīhassa migarañño nadato saddaṁ suṇanti, te yebhuyyena bhayaṁ saṁvegaṁ santāsaṁ āpajjanti.

And the animals who hear the roar of the lion, king of beasts, are typically filled with fear, awe, and terror.

Bilaṁ bilāsayā pavisanti, dakaṁ dakāsayā pavisanti, vanaṁ vanāsayā pavisanti, ākāsaṁ pakkhino bhajanti.

They return to their lairs, be they in a hole, the water, or a wood; and the birds take to the air.

Yepi te, bhikkhave, rañño nāgā gāmanigamarājadhānīsu daḷhehi varattehi bandhanehi baddhā, tepi tāni bandhanāni sañchinditvā sampadāletvā bhītā muttakarīsaṁ cajamānā yena vā tena vā palāyanti.

Even the royal elephants, bound with strong harnesses in the villages, towns, and capital cities, break apart their bonds, and urinate and defecate in terror as they flee here and there.

Evaṁ mahiddhiko kho, bhikkhave, sīho migarājā tiracchānagatānaṁ pāṇānaṁ, evaṁ mahesakkho evaṁ mahānubhāvo.

That’s how powerful is the lion, king of beasts, over animals, how illustrious and mighty.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, yadā tathāgato loke uppajjati arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā, so dhammaṁ deseti:

In the same way, when a Realized One arises in the world—perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those fit for training, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed—he teaches the Dhamma:

‘iti sakkāyo, iti sakkāyasamudayo, iti sakkāyanirodho, iti sakkāyanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti.

‘Such is substantial reality, such is the origin of substantial reality, such is the cessation of substantial reality, such is the practice that leads to the cessation of substantial reality.’

Yepi te, bhikkhave, devā dīghāyukā vaṇṇavanto sukhabahulā uccesu vimānesu ciraṭṭhitikā, tepi tathāgatassa dhammadesanaṁ sutvā yebhuyyena bhayaṁ saṁvegaṁ santāsaṁ āpajjanti:

Now, there are gods who are long-lived, beautiful, and very happy, lasting long in their divine palaces. When they hear this teaching by the Realized One, they’re typically filled with fear, awe, and terror.

‘aniccā vata kira, bho, mayaṁ samānā niccamhāti amaññimha;

‘Oh no! It turns out we’re impermanent, though we thought we were permanent!

addhuvā vata kira, bho, mayaṁ samānā dhuvamhāti amaññimha;

It turns out we don’t last, though we thought we were everlasting!

asassatā vata kira, bho, mayaṁ samānā sassatamhāti amaññimha.

It turns out we’re transient, though we thought we were eternal!

Mayaṁ kira, bho, aniccā addhuvā asassatā sakkāyapariyāpannā’ti.

It turns out that we’re impermanent, not lasting, transient, and included within substantial reality.’

Evaṁ mahiddhiko kho, bhikkhave, tathāgato sadevakassa lokassa, evaṁ mahesakkho evaṁ mahānubhāvoti.

That’s how powerful is the Realized One in the world with its gods, how illustrious and mighty.

Yadā buddho abhiññāya,

The Buddha, the unrivaled Teacher

dhammacakkaṁ pavattayī;

in all the world with its gods,

Sadevakassa lokassa,

rolls forth the Wheel of Dhamma

satthā appaṭipuggalo.

from his own insight:

Sakkāyañca nirodhañca,

substantial reality, its cessation,

sakkāyassa ca sambhavaṁ;

the origin of substantial reality,

Ariyañcaṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ,

and the noble eightfold path

dukkhūpasamagāminaṁ.

that leads to the stilling of suffering.

Yepi dīghāyukā devā,

And then the long-lived gods,

vaṇṇavanto yasassino;

so beautiful and glorious,

Bhītā santāsamāpāduṁ,

are afraid and full of terror,

sīhassevitare migā.

like the other beasts when they hear a lion.

Avītivattā sakkāyaṁ,

‘We haven’t passed beyond substantial reality!

aniccā kira bho mayaṁ;

It turns out we’re impermanent!’

Sutvā arahato vākyaṁ,

So they say when they hear the word

vippamuttassa tādino”ti.

of the perfected one, free and unaffected.”

Tatiyaṁ.