Splitting Hairs

Then Venerable Ānanda robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Vesālī for alms.He saw several Licchavi youths practicing archery near the town hall. They were shooting arrows from a distance through a small keyhole, shaft after shaft without missing.*Poṅkha means “feathered shaft”, while the expression poṅkhānupoṅkha is treated in the Niddesas as meaning “repeatedly, continuously” (Cnd 12:24.4).

Atha kho āyasmā ānando pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya vesāliṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi. Addasā kho āyasmā ānando sambahule licchavikumārake santhāgāre upāsanaṁ karonte, dūratova sukhumena tāḷacchiggaḷena asanaṁ atipātente, poṅkhānupoṅkhaṁ avirādhitaṁ. *poṅkhānupoṅkhaṁ → pokhānupokhaṁ (sya-all, km); poṅkhānupoṅkaṁ (pts1ed)

Then Venerable Ānanda robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Vesālī for alms.Atha kho āyasmā ānando pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya vesāliṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi. He saw several Licchavi youths practicing archery near the town hall. They were shooting arrows from a distance through a small keyhole, shaft after shaft without missing.*Poṅkha means “feathered shaft”, while the expression poṅkhānupoṅkha is treated in the Niddesas as meaning “repeatedly, continuously” (Cnd 12:24.4).Addasā kho āyasmā ānando sambahule licchavikumārake santhāgāre upāsanaṁ karonte, dūratova sukhumena tāḷacchiggaḷena asanaṁ atipātente, poṅkhānupoṅkhaṁ avirādhitaṁ. *poṅkhānupoṅkhaṁ → pokhānupokhaṁ (sya-all, km); poṅkhānupoṅkaṁ (pts1ed)

When he saw this he thought,“These Licchavi youths really are trained, so well trained,in that they shoot arrows from a distance through a small keyhole, shaft after shaft without missing.”

Disvānassa etadahosi: “sikkhitā vatime licchavikumārakā, susikkhitā vatime licchavikumārakā; yatra hi nāma dūratova sukhumena tāḷacchiggaḷena asanaṁ atipātessanti poṅkhānupoṅkhaṁ avirādhitan”ti.

When he saw this he thought,Disvānassa etadahosi: “These Licchavi youths really are trained, so well trained,“sikkhitā vatime licchavikumārakā, susikkhitā vatime licchavikumārakā; in that they shoot arrows from a distance through a small keyhole, shaft after shaft without missing.”yatra hi nāma dūratova sukhumena tāḷacchiggaḷena asanaṁ atipātessanti poṅkhānupoṅkhaṁ avirādhitan”ti.

Then Ānanda wandered for alms in Vesālī. After the meal, on his return from almsround, he went to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened.

Atha kho āyasmā ānando vesāliṁ piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “idhāhaṁ, bhante, pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya vesāliṁ piṇḍāya pāvisiṁ. Addasaṁ khvāhaṁ, bhante, sambahule licchavikumārake santhāgāre upāsanaṁ karonte dūratova sukhumena tāḷacchiggaḷena asanaṁ atipātente poṅkhānupoṅkhaṁ avirādhitaṁ. Disvāna me etadahosi: ‘sikkhitā vatime licchavikumārakā, susikkhitā vatime licchavikumārakā; yatra hi nāma dūratova sukhumena tāḷacchiggaḷena asanaṁ atipātessanti poṅkhānupoṅkhaṁ avirādhitan’”ti.

Then Ānanda wandered for alms in Vesālī. After the meal, on his return from almsround, he went to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened.Atha kho āyasmā ānando vesāliṁ piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “idhāhaṁ, bhante, pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya vesāliṁ piṇḍāya pāvisiṁ. Addasaṁ khvāhaṁ, bhante, sambahule licchavikumārake santhāgāre upāsanaṁ karonte dūratova sukhumena tāḷacchiggaḷena asanaṁ atipātente poṅkhānupoṅkhaṁ avirādhitaṁ. Disvāna me etadahosi: ‘sikkhitā vatime licchavikumārakā, susikkhitā vatime licchavikumārakā; yatra hi nāma dūratova sukhumena tāḷacchiggaḷena asanaṁ atipātessanti poṅkhānupoṅkhaṁ avirādhitan’”ti.

“What do you think, Ānanda?Which is harder and more challenging:to shoot arrows from a distance through a small keyhole, shaft after shaft without missing? Or to take a horsehair split into seven strands and penetrate one tip with another tip?”

“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, ānanda, katamaṁ nu kho dukkarataraṁ vā durabhisambhavataraṁ vā—yo dūratova sukhumena tāḷacchiggaḷena asanaṁ atipāteyya poṅkhānupoṅkhaṁ avirādhitaṁ, yo vā sattadhā bhinnassa vālassa koṭiyā koṭiṁ paṭivijjheyyā”ti? *sattadhā → satadhā (bj, pts1ed)

“What do you think, Ānanda?“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, ānanda, Which is harder and more challenging:katamaṁ nu kho dukkarataraṁ vā durabhisambhavataraṁ vā—to shoot arrows from a distance through a small keyhole, shaft after shaft without missing? Or to take a horsehair split into seven strands and penetrate one tip with another tip?”yo dūratova sukhumena tāḷacchiggaḷena asanaṁ atipāteyya poṅkhānupoṅkhaṁ avirādhitaṁ, yo vā sattadhā bhinnassa vālassa koṭiyā koṭiṁ paṭivijjheyyā”ti? *sattadhā → satadhā (bj, pts1ed)