The Simile of the Harp

“Mendicants, any monk or nun who has desire or greed or hate or delusion or aversion come up for sights known by the eye should shield their mind from them: *The same five defilements are listed at MN 151:3.3.‘This path is dangerous and perilous, thorny and tangled; it’s a wrong turn, a bad path, in poor condition. *“Poor condition” is duhitika, cf. Sanskrit durhita (Rig Veda 8.19.26; Atharva Veda 4.36.9). See too SN 42.9:2.1 and note, and the opposite suhita (“replete”) at MN 3:3.1, etc.This path is frequented by untrue persons, not by true persons. It’s not worthy of you.’ The mind should be shielded from this when it comes to sights known by the eye.

“Yassa kassaci, bhikkhave, bhikkhussa vā bhikkhuniyā vā cakkhuviññeyyesu rūpesu uppajjeyya chando vā rāgo vā doso vā moho vā paṭighaṁ vāpi cetaso, tato cittaṁ nivāreyya. *paṭighaṁ vāpi → paṭighaṁ vā (bj)Sabhayo ceso maggo sappaṭibhayo ca sakaṇṭako ca sagahano ca ummaggo ca kummaggo ca duhitiko ca. Asappurisasevito ceso maggo, na ceso maggo sappurisehi sevito. Na tvaṁ etaṁ arahasīti. Tato cittaṁ nivāraye cakkhuviññeyyehi rūpehi …pe…

“Mendicants, any monk or nun who has desire or greed or hate or delusion or aversion come up for sights known by the eye should shield their mind from them: *The same five defilements are listed at MN 151:3.3.“Yassa kassaci, bhikkhave, bhikkhussa vā bhikkhuniyā vā cakkhuviññeyyesu rūpesu uppajjeyya chando vā rāgo vā doso vā moho vā paṭighaṁ vāpi cetaso, tato cittaṁ nivāreyya. *paṭighaṁ vāpi → paṭighaṁ vā (bj)‘This path is dangerous and perilous, thorny and tangled; it’s a wrong turn, a bad path, in poor condition. *“Poor condition” is duhitika, cf. Sanskrit durhita (Rig Veda 8.19.26; Atharva Veda 4.36.9). See too SN 42.9:2.1 and note, and the opposite suhita (“replete”) at MN 3:3.1, etc.Sabhayo ceso maggo sappaṭibhayo ca sakaṇṭako ca sagahano ca ummaggo ca kummaggo ca duhitiko ca. This path is frequented by untrue persons, not by true persons. Asappurisasevito ceso maggo, na ceso maggo sappurisehi sevito. It’s not worthy of you.’ Na tvaṁ etaṁ arahasīti. The mind should be shielded from this when it comes to sights known by the eye. Tato cittaṁ nivāraye cakkhuviññeyyehi rūpehi …pe…

Any monk or nun who has desire or greed or hate or delusion or repulsion come up for sounds … smells … tastes … touches … ideas known by the mind should shield their mind against them: ‘This path is dangerous and perilous, thorny and tangled; it’s a wrong turn, a bad path, a sorry state. This path is frequented by untrue persons, not by true persons. It’s not worthy of you.’ The mind should be shielded from this when it comes to ideas known by the mind.

yassa kassaci, bhikkhave, bhikkhussa vā bhikkhuniyā vā jivhāviññeyyesu rasesu …pe… manoviññeyyesu dhammesu uppajjeyya chando vā rāgo vā doso vā moho vā paṭighaṁ vāpi cetaso tato cittaṁ nivāreyya. Sabhayo ceso maggo sappaṭibhayo ca sakaṇṭako ca sagahano ca ummaggo ca kummaggo ca duhitiko ca. Asappurisasevito ceso maggo, na ceso maggo sappurisehi sevito. Na tvaṁ etaṁ arahasīti. Tato cittaṁ nivāraye manoviññeyyehi dhammehi.

Any monk or nun who has desire or greed or hate or delusion or repulsion come up for sounds … smells … tastes … touches … yassa kassaci, bhikkhave, bhikkhussa vā bhikkhuniyā vā jivhāviññeyyesu rasesu …pe… ideas known by the mind should shield their mind against them: manoviññeyyesu dhammesu uppajjeyya chando vā rāgo vā doso vā moho vā paṭighaṁ vāpi cetaso tato cittaṁ nivāreyya. ‘This path is dangerous and perilous, thorny and tangled; it’s a wrong turn, a bad path, a sorry state. Sabhayo ceso maggo sappaṭibhayo ca sakaṇṭako ca sagahano ca ummaggo ca kummaggo ca duhitiko ca. This path is frequented by untrue persons, not by true persons. Asappurisasevito ceso maggo, na ceso maggo sappurisehi sevito. It’s not worthy of you.’ Na tvaṁ etaṁ arahasīti. The mind should be shielded from this when it comes to ideas known by the mind. Tato cittaṁ nivāraye manoviññeyyehi dhammehi.

Suppose the crops have ripened, but the caretaker is negligent. If an ox fond of crops invades the crops they’d indulge themselves as much as they like.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, kiṭṭhaṁ sampannaṁ. Kiṭṭhārakkho ca pamatto, goṇo ca kiṭṭhādo aduṁ kiṭṭhaṁ otaritvā yāvadatthaṁ madaṁ āpajjeyya pamādaṁ āpajjeyya; *Kiṭṭhārakkho → kiṭṭharakkhako (bj); kitthārakkho (pts1ed)

Suppose the crops have ripened, Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, kiṭṭhaṁ sampannaṁ. but the caretaker is negligent. If an ox fond of crops invades the crops they’d indulge themselves as much as they like. Kiṭṭhārakkho ca pamatto, goṇo ca kiṭṭhādo aduṁ kiṭṭhaṁ otaritvā yāvadatthaṁ madaṁ āpajjeyya pamādaṁ āpajjeyya; *Kiṭṭhārakkho → kiṭṭharakkhako (bj); kitthārakkho (pts1ed)

Suppose the crops have ripened, and the caretaker is diligent. If an ox fond of crops invades the crops the caretaker would grab them firmly by the muzzle. Then they’d grab them above the hump and hold them fast there. *The ghaṭā (“pot”) is the prominent hump of a zebu bull, which is grabbed to this day by bull wranglers.Then they’d give them a good thrashing before driving them away. For a second time, and even a third time, the same thing might happen. As a result, no matter how often they might stand or sit in a village or wilderness, that ox fond of crops would never invade that crop again, remembering the beating they got earlier.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, kiṭṭhaṁ sampannaṁ kiṭṭhārakkho ca appamatto goṇo ca kiṭṭhādo aduṁ kiṭṭhaṁ otareyya. Tamenaṁ kiṭṭhārakkho nāsāyaṁ suggahitaṁ gaṇheyya. Nāsāyaṁ suggahitaṁ gahetvā uparighaṭāyaṁ suniggahitaṁ niggaṇheyya. Uparighaṭāyaṁ suniggahitaṁ niggahetvā daṇḍena sutāḷitaṁ tāḷeyya. Daṇḍena sutāḷitaṁ tāḷetvā osajjeyya. Dutiyampi kho, bhikkhave …pe… tatiyampi kho, bhikkhave, goṇo kiṭṭhādo aduṁ kiṭṭhaṁ otareyya. Tamenaṁ kiṭṭhārakkho nāsāyaṁ suggahitaṁ gaṇheyya. Nāsāyaṁ suggahitaṁ gahetvā uparighaṭāyaṁ suniggahitaṁ niggaṇheyya. Uparighaṭāyaṁ suniggahitaṁ niggahetvā daṇḍena sutāḷitaṁ tāḷeyya. Daṇḍena sutāḷitaṁ tāḷetvā osajjeyya. Evañhi so, bhikkhave, goṇo kiṭṭhādo gāmagato vā araññagato vā, ṭhānabahulo vā assa nisajjabahulo vā na taṁ kiṭṭhaṁ puna otareyya—tameva purimaṁ daṇḍasamphassaṁ samanussaranto.

Suppose the crops have ripened, and the caretaker is diligent. If an ox fond of crops invades the crops Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, kiṭṭhaṁ sampannaṁ kiṭṭhārakkho ca appamatto goṇo ca kiṭṭhādo aduṁ kiṭṭhaṁ otareyya. the caretaker would grab them firmly by the muzzle. Tamenaṁ kiṭṭhārakkho nāsāyaṁ suggahitaṁ gaṇheyya. Then they’d grab them above the hump and hold them fast there. *The ghaṭā (“pot”) is the prominent hump of a zebu bull, which is grabbed to this day by bull wranglers.Nāsāyaṁ suggahitaṁ gahetvā uparighaṭāyaṁ suniggahitaṁ niggaṇheyya. Then they’d give them a good thrashing Uparighaṭāyaṁ suniggahitaṁ niggahetvā daṇḍena sutāḷitaṁ tāḷeyya. before driving them away. Daṇḍena sutāḷitaṁ tāḷetvā osajjeyya. For a second time, Dutiyampi kho, bhikkhave …pe… and even a third time, the same thing might happen. tatiyampi kho, bhikkhave, goṇo kiṭṭhādo aduṁ kiṭṭhaṁ otareyya. Tamenaṁ kiṭṭhārakkho nāsāyaṁ suggahitaṁ gaṇheyya. Nāsāyaṁ suggahitaṁ gahetvā uparighaṭāyaṁ suniggahitaṁ niggaṇheyya. Uparighaṭāyaṁ suniggahitaṁ niggahetvā daṇḍena sutāḷitaṁ tāḷeyya. Daṇḍena sutāḷitaṁ tāḷetvā osajjeyya. As a result, no matter how often they might stand or sit in a village or wilderness, that ox fond of crops would never invade that crop again, Evañhi so, bhikkhave, goṇo kiṭṭhādo gāmagato vā araññagato vā, ṭhānabahulo vā assa nisajjabahulo vā na taṁ kiṭṭhaṁ puna otareyya—remembering the beating they got earlier. tameva purimaṁ daṇḍasamphassaṁ samanussaranto.

Suppose a king or their chief minister had never heard the sound of an arched harp. *The “arched harp” (vīṇa) was a multi-stringed instrument held in the lap, whose form is clear from representations in ancient Indian sculptures in Bharhut, Amarāvatī, and Pawāyā, as well as the coins of Samudragupta. The strings, typically seven in number, were attached to the base of the soundbox and passed through holes in the parchment resonator to be tied with cords to the curved neck. It accompanied song or dance, and was played equally by men and women. It is not the modern Indian instrument called veena, which is a lute or stick zither, but rather is similar to the Burmese saung.When he first hears the sound, he’d say, ‘Oh my, what is making this sound, so arousing, sensuous, intoxicating, infatuating, and captivating?’

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, rañño vā rājamahāmattassa vā vīṇāya saddo assutapubbo assa. So vīṇāsaddaṁ suṇeyya. So evaṁ vadeyya: ‘ambho, kassa nu kho eso saddo evaṁrajanīyo evaṅkamanīyo evaṁmadanīyo evaṁmucchanīyo evambandhanīyo’ti? *kassa → kissa (bj, pts1ed)

Suppose a king or their chief minister had never heard the sound of an arched harp. *The “arched harp” (vīṇa) was a multi-stringed instrument held in the lap, whose form is clear from representations in ancient Indian sculptures in Bharhut, Amarāvatī, and Pawāyā, as well as the coins of Samudragupta. The strings, typically seven in number, were attached to the base of the soundbox and passed through holes in the parchment resonator to be tied with cords to the curved neck. It accompanied song or dance, and was played equally by men and women. It is not the modern Indian instrument called veena, which is a lute or stick zither, but rather is similar to the Burmese saung.Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, rañño vā rājamahāmattassa vā vīṇāya saddo assutapubbo assa. When he first hears the sound, So vīṇāsaddaṁ suṇeyya. he’d say, So evaṁ vadeyya: ‘Oh my, what is making this sound, so arousing, sensuous, intoxicating, infatuating, and captivating?’ ‘ambho, kassa nu kho eso saddo evaṁrajanīyo evaṅkamanīyo evaṁmadanīyo evaṁmucchanīyo evambandhanīyo’ti? *kassa → kissa (bj, pts1ed)

They’d say to him, ‘That, sir, is an arched harp.’

Tamenaṁ evaṁ vadeyyuṁ: ‘esā, kho, bhante, vīṇā nāma, yassā eso saddo evaṁrajanīyo evaṅkamanīyo evaṁmadanīyo evaṁmucchanīyo evambandhanīyo’ti.

They’d say to him, Tamenaṁ evaṁ vadeyyuṁ: ‘That, sir, is an arched harp.’ ‘esā, kho, bhante, vīṇā nāma, yassā eso saddo evaṁrajanīyo evaṅkamanīyo evaṁmadanīyo evaṁmucchanīyo evambandhanīyo’ti.

He’d say, ‘Go, mister, fetch me that arched harp.’

So evaṁ vadeyya: ‘gacchatha me, bho, taṁ vīṇaṁ āharathā’ti.

He’d say, So evaṁ vadeyya: ‘Go, mister, fetch me that arched harp.’ ‘gacchatha me, bho, taṁ vīṇaṁ āharathā’ti.

So they’d fetch it and say, ‘This, sir, is that arched harp.’

Tassa taṁ vīṇaṁ āhareyyuṁ. Tamenaṁ evaṁ vadeyyuṁ: ‘ayaṁ kho sā, bhante, vīṇā yassā eso saddo evaṁrajanīyo evaṅkamanīyo evaṁmadanīyo evaṁmucchanīyo evambandhanīyo’ti.

So they’d fetch it Tassa taṁ vīṇaṁ āhareyyuṁ. and say, Tamenaṁ evaṁ vadeyyuṁ: ‘This, sir, is that arched harp.’ ‘ayaṁ kho sā, bhante, vīṇā yassā eso saddo evaṁrajanīyo evaṅkamanīyo evaṁmadanīyo evaṁmucchanīyo evambandhanīyo’ti.

He’d say, ‘I’ve had enough of that arched harp! Just fetch me the sound.’

So evaṁ vadeyya: ‘alaṁ me, bho, tāya vīṇāya, tameva me saddaṁ āharathā’ti.

He’d say, So evaṁ vadeyya: ‘I’ve had enough of that arched harp! Just fetch me the sound.’ ‘alaṁ me, bho, tāya vīṇāya, tameva me saddaṁ āharathā’ti.

They’d say, ‘Sir, this arched harp is made of many components assembled together, which make a sound when they’re played. That is, it depends on the soundbox, the leather resonator, the neck, the tuning cords, the strings, the plectrum, and a person to play it properly. That’s how an arched harp is made of many components assembled together, *Most of these were established by Ananda K. Coomaraswamy, “The Parts of a Vīnā”, Journal of the American Oriental Society, Vol. 50 (1930), pp. 244–253. “Soundbox” is doṇi (“tub”); “leather resonator” is camma, a piece of leather stretched over the soundbox to enhance the resonance; “neck” is daṇḍa, the curved arm or frame to which the strings were attached; “strings” is tantiyo; and “plectrum” is koṇa. The remaining part is variously spelled as upaviṇe, upadhiraṇe, upadhāraṇe, or upaveṇaṁ, suggesting an early corruption. The preponderance of plural forms nonetheless supports Coomaraswamy’s revised understanding (“The Parts of a Vīṇā”, JAOS, Vol. 57, No. 1 (March 1937), pp. 101–103) that this is Sanskrit upavīṇa, upavāṇa, or upaveṇa having the sense “bindings”. This would be the “tuning cords” by which the strings are tied to the neck and which also serve for tuning.which make a sound when they’re played.’ *Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 2.4.9 says you can only catch the sound of a harp by getting hold of the lute or player, using this as a metaphor for the search for the Self. DN 23:19.3 tells a similar parable, only with a horn. The Upaniṣad has both instruments.

Tamenaṁ evaṁ vadeyyuṁ: ‘ayaṁ kho, bhante, vīṇā nāma anekasambhārā mahāsambhārā. Anekehi sambhārehi samāraddhā vadati, seyyathidaṁ—doṇiñca paṭicca cammañca paṭicca daṇḍañca paṭicca upadhāraṇe ca paṭicca tantiyo ca paṭicca koṇañca paṭicca purisassa ca tajjaṁ vāyāmaṁ paṭicca evāyaṁ, bhante, vīṇā nāma anekasambhārā mahāsambhārā. Anekehi sambhārehi samāraddhā vadatī’ti.

They’d say, Tamenaṁ evaṁ vadeyyuṁ: ‘Sir, this arched harp is made of many components assembled together, ‘ayaṁ kho, bhante, vīṇā nāma anekasambhārā mahāsambhārā. which make a sound when they’re played. That is, Anekehi sambhārehi samāraddhā vadati, seyyathidaṁ—it depends on the soundbox, the leather resonator, the neck, the tuning cords, the strings, the plectrum, and a person to play it properly. That’s how an arched harp is made of many components assembled together, *Most of these were established by Ananda K. Coomaraswamy, “The Parts of a Vīnā”, Journal of the American Oriental Society, Vol. 50 (1930), pp. 244–253. “Soundbox” is doṇi (“tub”); “leather resonator” is camma, a piece of leather stretched over the soundbox to enhance the resonance; “neck” is daṇḍa, the curved arm or frame to which the strings were attached; “strings” is tantiyo; and “plectrum” is koṇa. The remaining part is variously spelled as upaviṇe, upadhiraṇe, upadhāraṇe, or upaveṇaṁ, suggesting an early corruption. The preponderance of plural forms nonetheless supports Coomaraswamy’s revised understanding (“The Parts of a Vīṇā”, JAOS, Vol. 57, No. 1 (March 1937), pp. 101–103) that this is Sanskrit upavīṇa, upavāṇa, or upaveṇa having the sense “bindings”. This would be the “tuning cords” by which the strings are tied to the neck and which also serve for tuning.doṇiñca paṭicca cammañca paṭicca daṇḍañca paṭicca upadhāraṇe ca paṭicca tantiyo ca paṭicca koṇañca paṭicca purisassa ca tajjaṁ vāyāmaṁ paṭicca evāyaṁ, bhante, vīṇā nāma anekasambhārā mahāsambhārā. which make a sound when they’re played.’ *Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 2.4.9 says you can only catch the sound of a harp by getting hold of the lute or player, using this as a metaphor for the search for the Self. DN 23:19.3 tells a similar parable, only with a horn. The Upaniṣad has both instruments.Anekehi sambhārehi samāraddhā vadatī’ti.

But he’d split that harp into ten pieces or a hundred pieces, then splinter it up. He’d burn the splinters with fire, and reduce them to ashes. Then he’d whisk away the ashes in a strong wind, or glide them down a swift stream.

So taṁ vīṇaṁ dasadhā vā satadhā vā phāleyya, dasadhā vā satadhā vā taṁ phāletvā sakalikaṁ sakalikaṁ kareyya. Sakalikaṁ sakalikaṁ karitvā agginā ḍaheyya, agginā ḍahitvā masiṁ kareyya. Masiṁ karitvā mahāvāte vā ophuneyya, nadiyā vā sīghasotāya pavāheyya. *ophuneyya → opuneyya (bj, pts1ed); ophuṇeyya (?)

But he’d split that harp into ten pieces or a hundred pieces, then splinter it up. So taṁ vīṇaṁ dasadhā vā satadhā vā phāleyya, dasadhā vā satadhā vā taṁ phāletvā sakalikaṁ sakalikaṁ kareyya. He’d burn the splinters with fire, and reduce them to ashes. Sakalikaṁ sakalikaṁ karitvā agginā ḍaheyya, agginā ḍahitvā masiṁ kareyya. Then he’d whisk away the ashes in a strong wind, or glide them down a swift stream. Masiṁ karitvā mahāvāte vā ophuneyya, nadiyā vā sīghasotāya pavāheyya. *ophuneyya → opuneyya (bj, pts1ed); ophuṇeyya (?)

Then he’d say, ‘It seems that there’s nothing to this thing called an arched harp or whatever’s called an arched harp! But people waste their time with it, negligent and heedless!’

So evaṁ vadeyya: ‘asatī kirāyaṁ, bho, vīṇā nāma, yathevaṁ yaṁ kiñci vīṇā nāma ettha ca panāyaṁ jano ativelaṁ pamatto palaḷito’ti. *yathevaṁ yaṁ → yathevayaṁ (pts1ed) | ettha ca panāyaṁ jano → ettha panāyaṁ jano (sya-all, km); ettha ca mahājano (pts1ed, mr)

Then he’d say, So evaṁ vadeyya: ‘It seems that there’s nothing to this thing called an arched harp or whatever’s called an arched harp! But people waste their time with it, negligent and heedless!’ ‘asatī kirāyaṁ, bho, vīṇā nāma, yathevaṁ yaṁ kiñci vīṇā nāma ettha ca panāyaṁ jano ativelaṁ pamatto palaḷito’ti. *yathevaṁ yaṁ → yathevayaṁ (pts1ed) | ettha ca panāyaṁ jano → ettha panāyaṁ jano (sya-all, km); ettha ca mahājano (pts1ed, mr)

In the same way, a mendicant searches for form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness anywhere they might be reborn. *The rare verb samanvesati is used in SN 4.23:10.4 and SN 22.87:11.5 of Māra “searching” for the consciousness of a deceased arahant.As they search in this way, their ideas of ‘I’ or ‘mine’ or ‘I am’ are no more.”

Evameva kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu rūpaṁ samanvesati yāvatā rūpassa gati, vedanaṁ samanvesati yāvatā vedanāya gati, saññaṁ samanvesati yāvatā saññāya gati, saṅkhāre samanvesati yāvatā saṅkhārānaṁ gati, viññāṇaṁ samanvesati yāvatā viññāṇassa gati. *samanvesati → samannesati (bj, sya-all, km); samanesati (pts1ed)Tassa rūpaṁ samanvesato yāvatā rūpassa gati, vedanaṁ samanvesato …pe… saññaṁ … saṅkhāre … viññāṇaṁ samanvesato yāvatā viññāṇassa gati. Yampissa taṁ hoti ahanti vā mamanti vā asmīti vā tampi tassa na hotī”ti.

In the same way, a mendicant searches for form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness anywhere they might be reborn. *The rare verb samanvesati is used in SN 4.23:10.4 and SN 22.87:11.5 of Māra “searching” for the consciousness of a deceased arahant.Evameva kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu rūpaṁ samanvesati yāvatā rūpassa gati, vedanaṁ samanvesati yāvatā vedanāya gati, saññaṁ samanvesati yāvatā saññāya gati, saṅkhāre samanvesati yāvatā saṅkhārānaṁ gati, viññāṇaṁ samanvesati yāvatā viññāṇassa gati. *samanvesati → samannesati (bj, sya-all, km); samanesati (pts1ed)As they search in this way, Tassa rūpaṁ samanvesato yāvatā rūpassa gati, vedanaṁ samanvesato …pe… saññaṁ … saṅkhāre … viññāṇaṁ samanvesato yāvatā viññāṇassa gati. their ideas of ‘I’ or ‘mine’ or ‘I am’ are no more.” Yampissa taṁ hoti ahanti vā mamanti vā asmīti vā tampi tassa na hotī”ti.