The Salaḷa Tree Hut

At one time Venerable Anuruddha was staying near Sāvatthī in the <i lang='pi' translate='no'>salaḷa</i> tree hut.*Salaḷa was the awakening tree of the Buddha Paduma (Tha Ap 179:1.2), which suggests it was a large tree. It is sometimes identified with frankincense (sallakī, Sanskrit śallakī, Boswellia serrata), but seems to me unlikely. Frankincense thrives in arid highlands quite distant from the rich riverlands of Sāvatthī, and is a straggly tree unsuited to construction (although the hut could simply be near a frankincense). The flowers or garlands of salaḷa are, in poetry, abundant (eg. Ja 511:27.3, Tha Ap 209, Tha Ap 556:3.3)), BUT THE FRANKINCENSE FLOWER IS SMALL AND A POOR CANDIDATE FOR GARLANDS. [MN 93:11.6 and MN 96:16.3 speak of the fire of the salaḷa, but no Pali reference, so far as I know, speaks of the most characteristic feature of frankincense, its aromatic gum used for incense. Sometimes the variant readings suggest a confusion with the pine tree sarala (Pinus roxburghii, SN 56.32:2.2), but that of course has no flowers.There Venerable Anuruddha addressed the mendicants:“Reverends, suppose that, although the Ganges river slants, slopes, and inclines to the east,a large crowd were to come along with a spade and basket, saying:‘We’ll make this Ganges river slant, slope, and incline to the west!’What do you think, reverends? Would they succeed?”

Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā anuruddho sāvatthiyaṁ viharati salaḷāgāre. *salaḷāgāre → salalāgāre (bj)Tatra kho āyasmā anuruddho bhikkhū āmantesi …pe… etadavoca: “seyyathāpi, āvuso, gaṅgā nadī pācīnaninnā pācīnapoṇā pācīnapabbhārā. Atha mahājanakāyo āgaccheyya kudālapiṭakaṁ ādāya: *kudālapiṭakaṁ → kuddālapiṭakaṁ (bahūsu)‘mayaṁ imaṁ gaṅgānadiṁ pacchāninnaṁ karissāma pacchāpoṇaṁ pacchāpabbhāran’ti. Taṁ kiṁ maññathāvuso, api nu so mahājanakāyo gaṅgānadiṁ pacchāninnaṁ kareyya pacchāpoṇaṁ pacchāpabbhāran”ti?

At one time Venerable Anuruddha was staying near Sāvatthī in the <i lang='pi' translate='no'>salaḷa</i> tree hut.*Salaḷa was the awakening tree of the Buddha Paduma (Tha Ap 179:1.2), which suggests it was a large tree. It is sometimes identified with frankincense (sallakī, Sanskrit śallakī, Boswellia serrata), but seems to me unlikely. Frankincense thrives in arid highlands quite distant from the rich riverlands of Sāvatthī, and is a straggly tree unsuited to construction (although the hut could simply be near a frankincense). The flowers or garlands of salaḷa are, in poetry, abundant (eg. Ja 511:27.3, Tha Ap 209, Tha Ap 556:3.3)), BUT THE FRANKINCENSE FLOWER IS SMALL AND A POOR CANDIDATE FOR GARLANDS. [MN 93:11.6 and MN 96:16.3 speak of the fire of the salaḷa, but no Pali reference, so far as I know, speaks of the most characteristic feature of frankincense, its aromatic gum used for incense. Sometimes the variant readings suggest a confusion with the pine tree sarala (Pinus roxburghii, SN 56.32:2.2), but that of course has no flowers.Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā anuruddho sāvatthiyaṁ viharati salaḷāgāre. *salaḷāgāre → salalāgāre (bj)There Venerable Anuruddha addressed the mendicants:Tatra kho āyasmā anuruddho bhikkhū āmantesi …pe… etadavoca: “Reverends, suppose that, although the Ganges river slants, slopes, and inclines to the east,“seyyathāpi, āvuso, gaṅgā nadī pācīnaninnā pācīnapoṇā pācīnapabbhārā. a large crowd were to come along with a spade and basket, saying:Atha mahājanakāyo āgaccheyya kudālapiṭakaṁ ādāya: *kudālapiṭakaṁ → kuddālapiṭakaṁ (bahūsu)‘We’ll make this Ganges river slant, slope, and incline to the west!’‘mayaṁ imaṁ gaṅgānadiṁ pacchāninnaṁ karissāma pacchāpoṇaṁ pacchāpabbhāran’ti. What do you think, reverends? Would they succeed?”Taṁ kiṁ maññathāvuso, api nu so mahājanakāyo gaṅgānadiṁ pacchāninnaṁ kareyya pacchāpoṇaṁ pacchāpabbhāran”ti?

“No, reverend.Why is that?The Ganges river slants, slopes, and inclines to the east.It’s not easy to make it slant, slope, and incline to the west.That large crowd will eventually get weary and frustrated.”

“No hetaṁ, āvuso”. “Taṁ kissa hetu”? “Gaṅgā, āvuso, nadī pācīnaninnā pācīnapoṇā pācīnapabbhārā. Sā na sukarā pacchāninnaṁ kātuṁ pacchāpoṇaṁ pacchāpabbhāraṁ. Yāvadeva ca pana so mahājanakāyo kilamathassa vighātassa bhāgī assā”ti.

“No, reverend.“No hetaṁ, āvuso”. Why is that?“Taṁ kissa hetu”? The Ganges river slants, slopes, and inclines to the east.“Gaṅgā, āvuso, nadī pācīnaninnā pācīnapoṇā pācīnapabbhārā. It’s not easy to make it slant, slope, and incline to the west.Sā na sukarā pacchāninnaṁ kātuṁ pacchāpoṇaṁ pacchāpabbhāraṁ. That large crowd will eventually get weary and frustrated.”Yāvadeva ca pana so mahājanakāyo kilamathassa vighātassa bhāgī assā”ti.

“In the same way, while a mendicant develops and cultivates the four kinds of mindfulnesssatiAtención plena, memoria, poderes de referencia y retención. En algunos contextos, la palabra sati cuando se usa sola cubre también la alerta (sampajañña).Ver en el glosario meditation, if rulers or their chief ministers, friends or colleagues, relatives or family should invite them to accept wealth, saying:‘Please, my man, why let these ocher robes torment you?Why follow the practice of shaving your head and carrying an alms bowl?Come, return to a lesser life, enjoy wealth, and make merit!’

“Evameva kho, āvuso, bhikkhuṁ cattāro satipaṭṭhāne bhāventaṁ cattāro satipaṭṭhāne bahulīkarontaṁ rājāno vā rājamahāmattā vā mittā vā amaccā vā ñātī vā sālohitā vā bhogehi abhihaṭṭhuṁ pavāreyyuṁ: ‘ehambho purisa, kiṁ te ime kāsāvā anudahanti? Kiṁ muṇḍo kapālamanusañcarasi? Ehi hīnāyāvattitvā bhoge ca bhuñjassu puññāni ca karohī’ti.

“In the same way, while a mendicant develops and cultivates the four kinds of mindfulness meditation, if rulers or their chief ministers, friends or colleagues, relatives or family should invite them to accept wealth, saying:“Evameva kho, āvuso, bhikkhuṁ cattāro satipaṭṭhāne bhāventaṁ cattāro satipaṭṭhāne bahulīkarontaṁ rājāno vā rājamahāmattā vā mittā vā amaccā vā ñātī vā sālohitā vā bhogehi abhihaṭṭhuṁ pavāreyyuṁ: ‘Please, my man, why let these ocher robes torment you?‘ehambho purisa, kiṁ te ime kāsāvā anudahanti? Why follow the practice of shaving your head and carrying an alms bowl?Kiṁ muṇḍo kapālamanusañcarasi? Come, return to a lesser life, enjoy wealth, and make merit!’Ehi hīnāyāvattitvā bhoge ca bhuñjassu puññāni ca karohī’ti.

It is quite impossible for a mendicant who is developing and cultivating the four kinds of mindfulness meditation to resign the training and return to a lesser life.Why is that?Because for a long time that mendicant’s mind has slanted, sloped, and inclined to seclusion. So it’s impossible for them to return to a lesser life.

So vata, āvuso, bhikkhu cattāro satipaṭṭhāne bhāvento cattāro satipaṭṭhāne bahulīkaronto sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattissatīti—netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati. Taṁ kissa hetu? Yañhi taṁ, āvuso, cittaṁ dīgharattaṁ vivekaninnaṁ vivekapoṇaṁ vivekapabbhāraṁ taṁ vata hīnāyāvattissatīti—netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.

It is quite impossible for a mendicant who is developing and cultivating the four kinds of mindfulness meditation to resign the training and return to a lesser life.So vata, āvuso, bhikkhu cattāro satipaṭṭhāne bhāvento cattāro satipaṭṭhāne bahulīkaronto sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattissatīti—netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati. Why is that?Taṁ kissa hetu? Because for a long time that mendicant’s mind has slanted, sloped, and inclined to seclusion. So it’s impossible for them to return to a lesser life.Yañhi taṁ, āvuso, cittaṁ dīgharattaṁ vivekaninnaṁ vivekapoṇaṁ vivekapabbhāraṁ taṁ vata hīnāyāvattissatīti—netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.

And how does a mendicant develop and cultivate the four kinds of mindfulness meditation?It’s when a mendicant meditates by observing an aspect of the body …feelings …mind …principles—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.That’s how a mendicant develops and cultivates the four kinds of mindfulness meditation.”

Kathañcāvuso, bhikkhu cattāro satipaṭṭhāne bhāveti, cattāro satipaṭṭhāne bahulīkarotīti? Idhāvuso, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati …pe… vedanāsu …pe… citte …pe… dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ. Evaṁ kho, āvuso, bhikkhu cattāro satipaṭṭhāne bhāveti, cattāro satipaṭṭhāne bahulīkarotī”ti.

And how does a mendicant develop and cultivate the four kinds of mindfulness meditation?Kathañcāvuso, bhikkhu cattāro satipaṭṭhāne bhāveti, cattāro satipaṭṭhāne bahulīkarotīti? It’s when a mendicant meditates by observing an aspect of the body …Idhāvuso, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati …pe… feelings …vedanāsu …pe… mind …citte …pe… principles—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ. That’s how a mendicant develops and cultivates the four kinds of mindfulness meditation.”Evaṁ kho, āvuso, bhikkhu cattāro satipaṭṭhāne bhāveti, cattāro satipaṭṭhāne bahulīkarotī”ti.