Saṁyutta Nikāya,
V: Mahā-Vagga
47. Satipaṭṭhana Saṁyutta
2. Nālandā Vagga
The Great Chapter,
47: Kindred Sayings on the Stations of Mindfulness
Chapter II: Nālandā
Sutta 20
Janapadakalyāṇī Suttaṁ
The Countryside
THUS have I heard:
On a certain occasion the Exalted One was staying among the Sumbhā, at Desakā, a district of the Sumbhā.
On that occasion the Exalted One addressed the monks, saying:
"Suppose, monks, the multitude flock together, crying:
'The fairest lass in all the country-side!
The fairest lass in all the country-side!'1
Then that girl,
displaying all her charms,2
dances for them,
sings for them,
and a still greater multitude would flock together crying:
'The fairest lass in all the countryside
is dancing,
she is singing!'
Then comes a man,
fond of his life,
not in love with death,
fond of ease,
averse from pain,
and they say to him:
'See here, my man!
Here's a bowl brimful of oil.
You must carry it round3
between the crowd
and the fairest lass in all the countryside.
Behind you
in your tracks
comes a man with uplifted sword.
If you spill a drop,
off goes your head!'
Now what think ye, monks?
Would that fellow,
neglecting that bowl of oil,
turn away his attention
to outside things4
and grow slack?"
"Surely not, lord."
"Well, monks, this is a parable I have made
for your understanding.
This is the meaning of it.
'The bowl brimful of oil,' monks,
is a term for mindfulness relating to body.5
Wherefore, monks, thus must ye train yourselves:
'Mindfulness relating to body
shall be cultivated by us,
shall be made much of,
made a vehicle,6
established,
made effective.
It shall be increased and well applied.'
Thus, monks, must ye train yourselves."
1 Janapada-kalyāṇi. Cf. D. 1, 193; K.S. ii, 159; JA. i, 394 (the comment on which our Comy. repeats or (?) vice versa); vol. i, p. 232, of Lord Chalmers' translation in the Cambridge University series. (For the points of beauty in a woman, cf. also UdA. 170.)
2 Parama-pasāvī.
3 Reading v.l. of text, pariharitabbo (JA. hāretabbo).
4 Badhiddha pamādam āhareyya.
5 Kāya-gata-sati. Cf. K.S. iv, 76, etc.
6 Cf. K.S. 1, 146.