Saṅkhapāla’s Conduct

“Then again when I wasSaṅkhapāla, a dragon of great psychic power,deadly-fanged, lethally venomous,two-tongued, lord of serpents.

“Punāparaṁ yadā homi, saṅkhapālo mahiddhiko; Dāṭhāvudho ghoraviso, dvijivho uragādhibhū.

“Then again when I was“Punāparaṁ yadā homi, Saṅkhapāla, a dragon of great psychic power,saṅkhapālo mahiddhiko; deadly-fanged, lethally venomous,Dāṭhāvudho ghoraviso, two-tongued, lord of serpents.dvijivho uragādhibhū.

At a crossroad on a highwaycrowded with many people,I resolved on the four factors,and made my home there.

Catuppathe mahāmagge, nānājanasamākule; Caturo aṅge adhiṭṭhāya, tattha vāsamakappayiṁ.

At a crossroad on a highwayCatuppathe mahāmagge, crowded with many people,nānājanasamākule; I resolved on the four factors,Caturo aṅge adhiṭṭhāya, and made my home there.tattha vāsamakappayiṁ.

‘My outer skin and inner, flesh,sinews and bones:whoever has use for these,they are already given, please take them.’

Chaviyā cammena maṁsena, Nahāruaṭṭhikehi vā; Yassa etena karaṇīyaṁ, Dinnaṁyeva harātu so.

‘My outer skin and inner, flesh,Chaviyā cammena maṁsena, sinews and bones:Nahāruaṭṭhikehi vā; whoever has use for these,Yassa etena karaṇīyaṁ, they are already given, please take them.’Dinnaṁyeva harātu so.

Seeing me, the Bhojans,*People from the country of Bhoja in the Vindhya range. In Sanskrit texts they are renowned for cruelty, being devotees of Durga.those violent and pitiless hunters,came to me therewith sticks and hammers in their hands.*At Bu NP 4:2.1.16, a muggara is used to beat dyed cloth.

Addasaṁsu bhojaputtā, kharā luddā akāruṇā; Upagañchuṁ mamaṁ tattha, daṇḍamuggarapāṇino.

Seeing me, the Bhojans,*People from the country of Bhoja in the Vindhya range. In Sanskrit texts they are renowned for cruelty, being devotees of Durga.Addasaṁsu bhojaputtā, those violent and pitiless hunters,kharā luddā akāruṇā; came to me thereUpagañchuṁ mamaṁ tattha, with sticks and hammers in their hands.*At Bu NP 4:2.1.16, a muggara is used to beat dyed cloth.daṇḍamuggarapāṇino.

Having pierced my nose,tail, and spine,and fastened me to a pole,the Bhojans carried me away.

Nāsāya vinivijjhitvā, naṅguṭṭhe piṭṭhikaṇṭake; Kāje āropayitvāna, bhojaputtā hariṁsu maṁ.

Having pierced my nose,Nāsāya vinivijjhitvā, tail, and spine,naṅguṭṭhe piṭṭhikaṇṭake; and fastened me to a pole,Kāje āropayitvāna, the Bhojans carried me away.bhojaputtā hariṁsu maṁ.

The earth from sea to sea,with its forests and mountains—had I wished, right thereI could have burnt it up with a blast from my nose.

Sasāgarantaṁ pathaviṁ, sakānanaṁ sapabbataṁ; Icchamāno cahaṁ tattha, nāsāvātena jhāpaye.

The earth from sea to sea,Sasāgarantaṁ pathaviṁ, with its forests and mountains—sakānanaṁ sapabbataṁ; had I wished, right thereIcchamāno cahaṁ tattha, I could have burnt it up with a blast from my nose.nāsāvātena jhāpaye.

Though pierced with stakes,and stabbed with knives,I did not get upset with the Bhojans:this is my perfection of ethics.”

Sūlehi vinivijjhante, Koṭṭayantepi sattibhi; Bhojaputte na kuppāmi, Esā me sīlapāramī”ti.

Though pierced with stakes,Sūlehi vinivijjhante, and stabbed with knives,Koṭṭayantepi sattibhi; I did not get upset with the Bhojans:Bhojaputte na kuppāmi, this is my perfection of ethics.”Esā me sīlapāramī”ti.