24.2 The Story about the Young Sow

Dhp 338-343

Burlingame: The Young Sow

One day the Buddha saw a sow and smiled; when Elder Ānanda asked him the reason for his smile he told of the various forms of existence that the sow had been through, including being reborn in the Brahma worlds in the life before this one; he then taught the monastics on the wickedness of craving with some verses.

Cast: Elder Ānanda, Buddha Kakusandha, Princess Ubbarī, Sumanā, Lakuṇṭaka Atimbara, King Duṭṭhagāmaṇī, Elder Anula, Elder Mahā Tissa

Keywords: Animals, Listening to Dhamma, Meditation, Past Lives, Rich Men, Bhikkhunīs

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“Just as when the root remains untroubled,” this Dhamma teaching was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Veḷuvana with reference to a certain young sow which wallowed in dung. {4.46}

It seems that one day, as the Teacher was entering Rājagaha for alms, seeing a young sow, he smiled. Elder Ānanda, seeing the circle of light which proceeded from his teeth and came forth from his open mouth, asked the Teacher his reason for smiling, saying: “Venerable Sir, what is the cause of your smile?” The Teacher said to him: “Ānanda, do you see that young sow?” – “Yes, venerable Sir.”

“In the dispensation of the Fortunate One Kakusandha she was a hen that lived in the neighborhood of a certain Assembly Hall. She used to listen to a certain bhikkhu who lived the life of contemplation, as he repeated a meditation subject leading to insight. Merely from hearing the sound of those sacred words, when she passed out of that state of existence, she was reborn in the royal household as a princess named Ubbarī.

One day she went to the privy and saw a heap of maggots. {4.47} Then and there, by gazing upon the maggots, she formed the conception of maggots and entered into the first absorption. After remaining in that state of existence during the term of life allotted to her, she passed out of that state of existence and was reborn in the world of Brahma. Passing from that state of existence, buffeted by rebirth, she has now been reborn as a young sow. It was because I knew these circumstances that I smiled.”

As the bhikkhus led by Elder Ānanda listened to the Teacher, they [30.220] were moved by spiritual urgency. The Teacher, having created urgency, proclaimed the dangers of craving, and even as he stood there in the middle of the street, pronounced the following verses:

338. Yathā pi mūle anupaddave daḷhe
chinno pi rukkho, punar-eva rūhati,
evam-pi taṇhānusaye anūhate
nibbattatī dukkham-idaṁ punappunaṁ.

Just as when the root remains untroubled
though the tree was cut down, it grows again,
so when craving is not rooted out, this
suffering appears again and again.

339. Yassa chattiṁsatī sotā manāpassavanā bhusā,
vāhā vahanti duddiṭṭhiṁ saṅkappā rāganissitā.

He in whom the thirty-six streams
flow pleasantly and strong, the one
with wrong view, is carried away
by his passionate intentions.

340. Savanti sabbadhī sotā, latā ubbhijja tiṭṭhati,
tañ-ca disvā lataṁ jātaṁ mūlaṁ paññāya chindatha.

Streams are flowing everywhere,
the creepers remain where they grow,
seeing this, cut the creeper’s root
that has arisen with wisdom.

341. Saritāni sinehitāni ca
sŏmanassāni bhavanti jantuno,
te sātasitā sukhesino,
te ve jātijarūpagā narā.

There are flowing streams of affection and
mental happinesses for a person,
pleasure-dependent they seek happiness,
those people undergo birth and old age.

342. Tasiṇāya purakkhatā pajā
parisappanti saso va bādhito,
saṁyojanasaṅgasattakā
dukkham-upenti punappunaṁ cirāya.

People surrounded by craving
crawl round like a hare in a trap,
attached and clinging to fetters
they come back again and again
to suffering for a long time. {4.48}

343. Tasiṇāya purakkhatā pajā
parisappanti saso va bādhito,
tasmā tasiṇaṁ vinodaye –
bhikkhu ākaṅkha’ virāgam-attano.

People surrounded by craving
crawl round like a hare in a trap,
therefore he should remove craving –
the monk who longs for dispassion. {4.50}

The young sow, after passing out of that state of existence, was reborn in Suvaṇṇabhūmi in the royal household. Passing from that state of existence, she was reborn at Bārāṇasī; passing from that state of existence, she was reborn at Suppāraka Port in the household of a dealer in horses, then at Kāvīra Port in the household of a mariner. Passing from that state of existence, she was reborn in Anurādhapura in the household of a nobleman of high rank. Passing from that state of existence, she was reborn in the Southern Country in the village of Bhokkanta as the daughter of a householder named Sumana, being named Sumanā after her father.

When this village was deserted by its inhabitants, her father went to the kingdom of Dīghavāpi, and took up his residence in the village of Mahāmuni. There came on some errand or other Lakuṇṭaka Atimbara, minister of King Duṭṭhagāmaṇī, and meeting her, married her with great pomp, and took her with him to live in the village of Mahāpuṇṇa.

One day Elder Anula, whose residence was the Mahā Viharā of Koṭipabbata, stopped at the door of her house as he was going his rounds for alms, and seeing her, spoke thus to the bhikkhus: “Friends, what a wonderful thing that a young sow should become the wife of Lakuṇṭaka Atimbara, the prime minister of the king!” {4.51}

When she heard his words, having learned about her past lives, she remembered her previous births. [30.221] Instantly she was moved by spirtual urgency, and obtaining the permission of her husband, she went forth amongst the elders with the five strengths in great glory.

After listening to the recitation of the Long Discourse about the Ways of Attending to Mindfulness AJ: DN 22. in Tissa Mahā Vihara, she was established in the fruition of Stream-entry. Subsequently, after the crushing of the Damilas, she returned to the village of Bhokkanta, where her mother and father lived, and took up her residence there. After listening to the Discourse having the Simile about the Snakes AJ: SN 35.238. in Kallaka Mahā Vihara, she attained Arahatship.

On the day when she passed into Parinibbāna, questioned by the bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs, she related this whole story to the community of bhikkhunīs from the beginning to the end; likewise in the midst of the assembled community of bhikkhus, associating herself with the Elder Mahā Tissa, a reciter of the Dhamma Verses and a resident of Maṇḍalārāma, she related the story as follows: “In former times I fell from the human estate and was reborn as a hen. In this state of existence my head was cut off by a hawk. I was reborn at Rājagaha, went forth, and became a wandering nun, and was reborn in the world of the first absorption. AJ: it means one of the first three levels of the Brahma worlds. Passing from that state of existence, I was reborn in the household of a rich man. In but a short time I passed from that state of existence and was reborn as a young sow. Passing from that state of existence, I was reborn in Suvaṇṇabhūmi; passing from that state of existence, I was reborn at Bārāṇasī; passing from that state of existence, I was reborn at Suppāraka Port; passing from that state of existence, I was reborn at Kāvīra Port; passing from that state of existence, I was reborn at Anurādhapura; passing from that state of existence, I was reborn in Bhokkanta village.

Having thus passed through thirteen states of existence, for better or for worse, in my present state of existence I became dissatisfied, went forth, and attained Arahatship. Everyone of you, work out your salvation with heedfulness.” Having said this, having created spiritual urgency in the four assemblies, she passed into Parinibbāna.