Minor Collection
2. The Lesser Chapter

With Spiky

Khuddaka Nikāya
2. Cūḷavagga
Sūcilomasutta
Minor Collection
2. The Lesser Chapter
With Spiky
Khuddaka Nikāya
2. Cūḷavagga
Sūcilomasutta
With Spiky

Another yakkha challenges the Buddha with riddles and threatens to “hurl out his mind, rip open his heart, or hurl him across the River Ganges” if he doesn’t solve the riddles to the yakkha’s satisfaction.

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So I have heard.At one time the BuddhaBuddhaEl nombre dado a quien redescubre por sí mismo el sendero liberador del Dhamma, tras un largo período de haber sido olvidado por el mundo. Según la tradición, una larga línea de Buddhas se extiende hasta el pasado distante. El Buddha más reciente nació como Siddhattha Gotama en la India alrededor del año 500 a.e.c. Un joven bien educado y acomodado, renunció a su familia y su herencia principesca en la flor de la vida para buscar la verdadera libertad y el fin del sufrimiento (dukkha). Después de siete años de austeridades en el bosque, redescubrió el «camino medio» y alcanzó su meta, convirtiéndose en el Buddha.Ver en el glosario was staying near Gayā on the cut-stone ledge in the haunt of Spiky the native spirit.Now at that time the native spirits Shaggy and Spiky were passing by not far from the Buddha.*“Shaggy” is khara and “Spiky” is sūciloma, literally “needle-hair”. Some yakkhas are magnificent kings or warriors, but this pair are more like grotesque demons (rakkhasas), a stereotype that bedeviled yakṣas of later times. Khara is found for a number of demons in Sanskrit. We don’t find suciloma, but compare the demons Khara and his twin sister, the ugly and mutilated Śūrpaṇakhā (“wicker-nails”).So Shaggy said to Spiky,“That’s an ascetic.”“That’s no ascetic, he’s a faker!I’ll soon find out whether he’s an ascetic or a faker.”

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā gayāyaṁ viharati ṭaṅkitamañce sūcilomassa yakkhassa bhavane. Tena kho pana samayena kharo ca yakkho sūcilomo ca yakkho bhagavato avidūre atikkamanti. Atha kho kharo yakkho sūcilomaṁ yakkhaṁ etadavoca: “eso samaṇo”ti. “Neso samaṇo, samaṇako eso. Yāvāhaṁ jānāmi yadi vā so samaṇo, yadi vā so samaṇako”ti. *Yāvāhaṁ jānāmi → yāva jānāmi (bj, pts-vp-pli1); yāva ahaṁ pajānāmi (sya-all) | yadi vā so samaṇo → yadi vā samaṇo (sya-all) | yadi vā so samaṇako”ti → yadi vā samaṇakoti (bj, sya-all, pts-vp-pli1)

So I have heard.
Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
At one time the Buddha was staying near Gayā on the cut-stone ledge in the haunt of Spiky the native spirit.
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā gayāyaṁ viharati ṭaṅkitamañce sūcilomassa yakkhassa bhavane.
Now at that time the native spirits Shaggy and Spiky were passing by not far from the Buddha.*“Shaggy” is khara and “Spiky” is sūciloma, literally “needle-hair”. Some yakkhas are magnificent kings or warriors, but this pair are more like grotesque demons (rakkhasas), a stereotype that bedeviled yakṣas of later times. Khara is found for a number of demons in Sanskrit. We don’t find suciloma, but compare the demons Khara and his twin sister, the ugly and mutilated Śūrpaṇakhā (“wicker-nails”).
Tena kho pana samayena kharo ca yakkho sūcilomo ca yakkho bhagavato avidūre atikkamanti.
So Shaggy said to Spiky,
Atha kho kharo yakkho sūcilomaṁ yakkhaṁ etadavoca:
“That’s an ascetic.”
“eso samaṇo”ti.
“That’s no ascetic, he’s a faker!
“Neso samaṇo, samaṇako eso.
I’ll soon find out whether he’s an ascetic or a faker.”
Yāvāhaṁ jānāmi yadi vā so samaṇo, yadi vā so samaṇako”ti. *Yāvāhaṁ jānāmi → yāva jānāmi (bj, pts-vp-pli1); yāva ahaṁ pajānāmi (sya-all) | yadi vā so samaṇo → yadi vā samaṇo (sya-all) | yadi vā so samaṇako”ti → yadi vā samaṇakoti (bj, sya-all, pts-vp-pli1)

So I have heard.Evaṁ me sutaṁ—At one time the Buddha was staying near Gayā on the cut-stone ledge in the haunt of Spiky the native spirit.ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā gayāyaṁ viharati ṭaṅkitamañce sūcilomassa yakkhassa bhavane. Now at that time the native spirits Shaggy and Spiky were passing by not far from the Buddha.*“Shaggy” is khara and “Spiky” is sūciloma, literally “needle-hair”. Some yakkhas are magnificent kings or warriors, but this pair are more like grotesque demons (rakkhasas), a stereotype that bedeviled yakṣas of later times. Khara is found for a number of demons in Sanskrit. We don’t find suciloma, but compare the demons Khara and his twin sister, the ugly and mutilated Śūrpaṇakhā (“wicker-nails”).Tena kho pana samayena kharo ca yakkho sūcilomo ca yakkho bhagavato avidūre atikkamanti. So Shaggy said to Spiky,Atha kho kharo yakkho sūcilomaṁ yakkhaṁ etadavoca: “That’s an ascetic.”“eso samaṇo”ti. “That’s no ascetic, he’s a faker!“Neso samaṇo, samaṇako eso. I’ll soon find out whether he’s an ascetic or a faker.”Yāvāhaṁ jānāmi yadi vā so samaṇo, yadi vā so samaṇako”ti. *Yāvāhaṁ jānāmi → yāva jānāmi (bj, pts-vp-pli1); yāva ahaṁ pajānāmi (sya-all) | yadi vā so samaṇo → yadi vā samaṇo (sya-all) | yadi vā so samaṇako”ti → yadi vā samaṇakoti (bj, sya-all, pts-vp-pli1)

Then Spiky went up to the Buddha and leaned up against his body,but the Buddha pulled away.Then Spiky said to the Buddha,“Are you afraid, ascetic?”“No, respectable sir, I’m not afraid.But your touch is nasty.”

Atha kho sūcilomo yakkho yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavato kāyaṁ upanāmesi. Atha kho bhagavā kāyaṁ apanāmesi. Atha kho sūcilomo yakkho bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “bhāyasi maṁ, samaṇā”ti? “Na khvāhaṁ taṁ, āvuso, bhāyāmi; api ca te samphasso pāpako”ti.

Then Spiky went up to the Buddha and leaned up against his body,
Atha kho sūcilomo yakkho yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavato kāyaṁ upanāmesi.
but the Buddha pulled away.
Atha kho bhagavā kāyaṁ apanāmesi.
Then Spiky said to the Buddha,
Atha kho sūcilomo yakkho bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
“Are you afraid, ascetic?”
“bhāyasi maṁ, samaṇā”ti?
“No, respectable sir, I’m not afraid.
“Na khvāhaṁ taṁ, āvuso, bhāyāmi;
But your touch is nasty.”
api ca te samphasso pāpako”ti.

Then Spiky went up to the Buddha and leaned up against his body,Atha kho sūcilomo yakkho yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavato kāyaṁ upanāmesi. but the Buddha pulled away.Atha kho bhagavā kāyaṁ apanāmesi. Then Spiky said to the Buddha,Atha kho sūcilomo yakkho bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “Are you afraid, ascetic?”“bhāyasi maṁ, samaṇā”ti? “No, respectable sir, I’m not afraid.“Na khvāhaṁ taṁ, āvuso, bhāyāmi; But your touch is nasty.”api ca te samphasso pāpako”ti.

“I will ask you a question, ascetic.If you don’t answer me, I’ll drive you insane, or explode your heart, or grab you by the feet and throw you to the far shore of the Ganges!”*Considering the Ganges is 100 km away, this is even more impressive.

“Pañhaṁ taṁ, samaṇa, pucchissāmi. Sace me na byākarissasi, cittaṁ vā te khipissāmi, hadayaṁ vā te phālessāmi, pādesu vā gahetvā pāragaṅgāya khipissāmī”ti.

“I will ask you a question, ascetic.
“Pañhaṁ taṁ, samaṇa, pucchissāmi.
If you don’t answer me, I’ll drive you insane, or explode your heart, or grab you by the feet and throw you to the far shore of the Ganges!”*Considering the Ganges is 100 km away, this is even more impressive.
Sace me na byākarissasi, cittaṁ vā te khipissāmi, hadayaṁ vā te phālessāmi, pādesu vā gahetvā pāragaṅgāya khipissāmī”ti.

“I will ask you a question, ascetic.“Pañhaṁ taṁ, samaṇa, pucchissāmi. If you don’t answer me, I’ll drive you insane, or explode your heart, or grab you by the feet and throw you to the far shore of the Ganges!”*Considering the Ganges is 100 km away, this is even more impressive.Sace me na byākarissasi, cittaṁ vā te khipissāmi, hadayaṁ vā te phālessāmi, pādesu vā gahetvā pāragaṅgāya khipissāmī”ti.

“I don’t see anyone in this world with its gods, MārasMāraLa personificación del mal y la tentación. En los textos tempranos, tratado tanto como una deidad del reino de los sentidos como una metáfora.Ver en el glosario, and Divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans who could do that to me.But anyway, ask what you wish.”Then Spiky addressed the Buddha in verse:

“Na khvāhaṁ taṁ, āvuso, passāmi sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya yo me cittaṁ vā khipeyya hadayaṁ vā phāleyya pādesu vā gahetvā pāragaṅgāya khipeyya. Api ca tvaṁ, āvuso, puccha yadākaṅkhasī”ti. Atha kho sūcilomo yakkho bhagavantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

“I don’t see anyone in this world with its gods, Māras, and Divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans who could do that to me.
“Na khvāhaṁ taṁ, āvuso, passāmi sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya yo me cittaṁ vā khipeyya hadayaṁ vā phāleyya pādesu vā gahetvā pāragaṅgāya khipeyya.
But anyway, ask what you wish.”
Api ca tvaṁ, āvuso, puccha yadākaṅkhasī”ti.
Then Spiky addressed the Buddha in verse:
Atha kho sūcilomo yakkho bhagavantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

“I don’t see anyone in this world with its gods, Māras, and Divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans who could do that to me.“Na khvāhaṁ taṁ, āvuso, passāmi sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya yo me cittaṁ vā khipeyya hadayaṁ vā phāleyya pādesu vā gahetvā pāragaṅgāya khipeyya. But anyway, ask what you wish.”Api ca tvaṁ, āvuso, puccha yadākaṅkhasī”ti. Then Spiky addressed the Buddha in verse:Atha kho sūcilomo yakkho bhagavantaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

“Where do greed and hate come from?*Despite their savage demeanor, they pivot right away to deep Dhamma questions. This kind of rapid pivot is characteristic of such conversion narratives.From where spring discontent, desire, and terror?Where do the mind’s thoughts originate,like a crow let loose by boys.”

“Rāgo ca doso ca kutonidānā, Aratī ratī lomahaṁso kutojā; Kuto samuṭṭhāya manovitakkā, Kumārakā dhaṅkamivossajanti”.

“Where do greed and hate come from?*Despite their savage demeanor, they pivot right away to deep Dhamma questions. This kind of rapid pivot is characteristic of such conversion narratives.
“Rāgo ca doso ca kutonidānā,
From where spring discontent, desire, and terror?
Aratī ratī lomahaṁso kutojā;
Where do the mind’s thoughts originate,
Kuto samuṭṭhāya manovitakkā,
like a crow let loose by boys.”
Kumārakā dhaṅkamivossajanti”.

“Where do greed and hate come from?*Despite their savage demeanor, they pivot right away to deep Dhamma questions. This kind of rapid pivot is characteristic of such conversion narratives.“Rāgo ca doso ca kutonidānā, From where spring discontent, desire, and terror?Aratī ratī lomahaṁso kutojā; Where do the mind’s thoughts originate,Kuto samuṭṭhāya manovitakkā, like a crow let loose by boys.”Kumārakā dhaṅkamivossajanti”.

“Greed and hate come from here;from here spring discontent, desire, and terror;here’s where the mind’s thoughts originate,like a crow let loose by boys.

“Rāgo ca doso ca itonidānā, Aratī ratī lomahaṁso itojā; Ito samuṭṭhāya manovitakkā, Kumārakā dhaṅkamivossajanti.

“Greed and hate come from here;
“Rāgo ca doso ca itonidānā,
from here spring discontent, desire, and terror;
Aratī ratī lomahaṁso itojā;
here’s where the mind’s thoughts originate,
Ito samuṭṭhāya manovitakkā,
like a crow let loose by boys.
Kumārakā dhaṅkamivossajanti.

“Greed and hate come from here;“Rāgo ca doso ca itonidānā, from here spring discontent, desire, and terror;Aratī ratī lomahaṁso itojā; here’s where the mind’s thoughts originate,Ito samuṭṭhāya manovitakkā, like a crow let loose by boys.Kumārakā dhaṅkamivossajanti.

Born of affection, originating in oneself,like prop roots sprouting from a banyan;*The banyan is “trunk-born” (khandhaja) in two ways. As an epiphyte, it is sometimes called the “strangler fig”, since it grows around the trunk of a previous tree, strangling it. Then the banyan sends out aerial roots from the branches; when they reach the ground they establish themselves as supportive trunks known as “prop roots”, so that even if original trunk dies, the tree survives. Thus the tree itself is “trunk-born” and its multiple prop roots are also “trunk-born”. Grammar and commentary indicate the second sense is meant here. The metaphor is even more apt, since the word nigrodha (“banyan”) means “down-grower”, as the tree grows not to the sky but back into the earth.the many kinds of attachment to sensual pleasuresare like camel’s foot creeper <j>creeping through the woods.*The “camel’s foot creeper” (māluva) takes root and grows over the tree, ultimately engulfing and destroying it (MN 45:4.1).

Snehajā attasambhūtā, Nigrodhasseva khandhajā; Puthū visattā kāmesu, Māluvāva vitatāvane.

Born of affection, originating in oneself,
Snehajā attasambhūtā,
like prop roots sprouting from a banyan;*The banyan is “trunk-born” (khandhaja) in two ways. As an epiphyte, it is sometimes called the “strangler fig”, since it grows around the trunk of a previous tree, strangling it. Then the banyan sends out aerial roots from the branches; when they reach the ground they establish themselves as supportive trunks known as “prop roots”, so that even if original trunk dies, the tree survives. Thus the tree itself is “trunk-born” and its multiple prop roots are also “trunk-born”. Grammar and commentary indicate the second sense is meant here. The metaphor is even more apt, since the word nigrodha (“banyan”) means “down-grower”, as the tree grows not to the sky but back into the earth.
Nigrodhasseva khandhajā;
the many kinds of attachment to sensual pleasures
Puthū visattā kāmesu,
are like camel’s foot creeper <j>creeping through the woods.*The “camel’s foot creeper” (māluva) takes root and grows over the tree, ultimately engulfing and destroying it (MN 45:4.1).
Māluvāva vitatāvane.

Born of affection, originating in oneself,Snehajā attasambhūtā, like prop roots sprouting from a banyan;*The banyan is “trunk-born” (khandhaja) in two ways. As an epiphyte, it is sometimes called the “strangler fig”, since it grows around the trunk of a previous tree, strangling it. Then the banyan sends out aerial roots from the branches; when they reach the ground they establish themselves as supportive trunks known as “prop roots”, so that even if original trunk dies, the tree survives. Thus the tree itself is “trunk-born” and its multiple prop roots are also “trunk-born”. Grammar and commentary indicate the second sense is meant here. The metaphor is even more apt, since the word nigrodha (“banyan”) means “down-grower”, as the tree grows not to the sky but back into the earth.Nigrodhasseva khandhajā; the many kinds of attachment to sensual pleasuresPuthū visattā kāmesu, are like camel’s foot creeper <j>creeping through the woods.*The “camel’s foot creeper” (māluva) takes root and grows over the tree, ultimately engulfing and destroying it (MN 45:4.1).Māluvāva vitatāvane.

Those who understand where they come fromget rid of them—listen up, spirit!They cross this flood so hard to cross,not crossed before, so as to not be reborn.”

Ye naṁ pajānanti yatonidānaṁ, Te naṁ vinodenti suṇohi yakkha; Te duttaraṁ oghamimaṁ taranti, Atiṇṇapubbaṁ apunabbhavāyā”ti.

Those who understand where they come from
Ye naṁ pajānanti yatonidānaṁ,
get rid of them—listen up, spirit!
Te naṁ vinodenti suṇohi yakkha;
They cross this flood so hard to cross,
Te duttaraṁ oghamimaṁ taranti,
not crossed before, so as to not be reborn.”
Atiṇṇapubbaṁ apunabbhavāyā”ti.

Those who understand where they come fromYe naṁ pajānanti yatonidānaṁ, get rid of them—listen up, spirit!Te naṁ vinodenti suṇohi yakkha; They cross this flood so hard to cross,Te duttaraṁ oghamimaṁ taranti, not crossed before, so as to not be reborn.”Atiṇṇapubbaṁ apunabbhavāyā”ti.

Sūcilomasuttaṁ pañcamaṁ.

Sūcilomasuttaṁ pañcamaṁ.

Sūcilomasuttaṁ pañcamaṁ.