The Archers

“Mendicants, suppose there were four well-trained expert archers with strong bows standing in the four quarters.*In Ja 476, the Bodhisatta performs this feat. And a man came along and thought, ‘When these four well-trained expert archers shoot arrows in four quarters, I’ll catch them before they reach the ground, and then I’ll bring them back.’

“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, cattāro daḷhadhammā dhanuggahā susikkhitā katahatthā katūpāsanā catuddisā ṭhitā assu. Atha puriso āgaccheyya: ‘ahaṁ imesaṁ catunnaṁ daḷhadhammānaṁ dhanuggahānaṁ susikkhitānaṁ katahatthānaṁ katūpāsanānaṁ catuddisā kaṇḍe khitte appatiṭṭhite pathaviyaṁ gahetvā āharissāmī’ti.

“Mendicants, suppose there were four well-trained expert archers with strong bows standing in the four quarters.*In Ja 476, the Bodhisatta performs this feat.“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, cattāro daḷhadhammā dhanuggahā susikkhitā katahatthā katūpāsanā catuddisā ṭhitā assu. And a man came along and thought, Atha puriso āgaccheyya: ‘When these four well-trained expert archers shoot arrows in four quarters, I’ll catch them before they reach the ground, and then I’ll bring them back.’ ‘ahaṁ imesaṁ catunnaṁ daḷhadhammānaṁ dhanuggahānaṁ susikkhitānaṁ katahatthānaṁ katūpāsanānaṁ catuddisā kaṇḍe khitte appatiṭṭhite pathaviyaṁ gahetvā āharissāmī’ti.

What do you think, mendicants? Are they qualified to be called ‘a speedster endowed with super-speed’?”

Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, ‘javano puriso paramena javena samannāgato’ti alaṁvacanāyā”ti?

What do you think, mendicants? Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, Are they qualified to be called ‘a speedster endowed with super-speed’?” ‘javano puriso paramena javena samannāgato’ti alaṁvacanāyā”ti?

“If he could catch an arrow shot by just one well-trained expert archer before it reaches the ground and bring it back, he’d be qualified to be called ‘a speedster endowed with super-speed’. How much more so arrows shot by four archers!”

“Ekassa cepi, bhantebhanteEn los textos pali, se usa como vocativo para dirigirse al Buddha o a un monje budista. En el uso moderno a menudo se emplea también como título.Ver en el glosario, daḷhadhammassa dhanuggahassa susikkhitassa katahatthassa katūpāsanassa kaṇḍaṁ khittaṁ appatiṭṭhitaṁ pathaviyaṁ gahetvā āhareyya: ‘javano puriso paramena javena samannāgato’ti alaṁvacanāya, ko pana vādo catunnaṁ daḷhadhammānaṁ dhanuggahānaṁ susikkhitānaṁ katahatthānaṁ katūpāsanānan”ti?

“If he could catch an arrow shot by just one well-trained expert archer before it reaches the ground and bring it back, “Ekassa cepi, bhantebhanteEn los textos pali, se usa como vocativo para dirigirse al Buddha o a un monje budista. En el uso moderno a menudo se emplea también como título.Ver en el glosario, daḷhadhammassa dhanuggahassa susikkhitassa katahatthassa katūpāsanassa kaṇḍaṁ khittaṁ appatiṭṭhitaṁ pathaviyaṁ gahetvā āhareyya: he’d be qualified to be called ‘a speedster endowed with super-speed’. How much more so arrows shot by four archers!” ‘javano puriso paramena javena samannāgato’ti alaṁvacanāya, ko pana vādo catunnaṁ daḷhadhammānaṁ dhanuggahānaṁ susikkhitānaṁ katahatthānaṁ katūpāsanānan”ti?

“As fast as that man is, the sun and moon are faster. As fast as that man is, as fast as the sun and moon are, and as fast as the deities that run before the sun and moon are, the waning of the life forces is faster.*One of the “deities who runs before the Sun” was Rohitassa, the “red horse” of the morning sunbeams who drew the Sun’s chariot (SN 2.26).

“Yathā ca, bhikkhave, tassa purisassa javo, yathā ca candimasūriyānaṁ javo, tato sīghataro. Yathā ca, bhikkhave, tassa purisassa javo yathā ca candimasūriyānaṁ javo yathā ca yā devatā candimasūriyānaṁ purato dhāvanti tāsaṁ devatānaṁ javo, (…) tato sīghataraṁ āyusaṅkhārā khīyanti.*(…) → tāsaṁ devatānaṁ javo) (bj, sya-all, km)

“As fast as that man is, the sun and moon are faster. “Yathā ca, bhikkhave, tassa purisassa javo, yathā ca candimasūriyānaṁ javo, tato sīghataro. As fast as that man is, as fast as the sun and moon are, and as fast as the deities that run before the sun and moon are, the waning of the life forces is faster.*One of the “deities who runs before the Sun” was Rohitassa, the “red horse” of the morning sunbeams who drew the Sun’s chariot (SN 2.26).Yathā ca, bhikkhave, tassa purisassa javo yathā ca candimasūriyānaṁ javo yathā ca yā devatā candimasūriyānaṁ purato dhāvanti tāsaṁ devatānaṁ javo, (…) tato sīghataraṁ āyusaṅkhārā khīyanti.*(…) → tāsaṁ devatānaṁ javo) (bj, sya-all, km)

So you should train like this: ‘We will stay diligent.’ That’s how you should train.”

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘appamattā viharissāmā’ti. Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.

So you should train like this: Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘We will stay diligent.’ ‘appamattā viharissāmā’ti. That’s how you should train.” Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.