The Simile of the MountainPabbatūpamasutta

At Sāvatthī.Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

King Pasenadi of Kosala sat to one side, and the Buddha said to him,Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho rājānaṁ pasenadiṁ kosalaṁ bhagavā etadavoca: “So, Great King, where are you coming from in the middle of the day?”“handa kuto nu tvaṁ, mahārāja, āgacchasi divā divassā”ti?

“Sir, there are anointed aristocratic kings who are infatuated with authority, and obsessed with greed for sensual pleasures. They have attained stability in the country, occupying a vast conquered territory. Today I have been busy fulfilling the duties of such kings.”“Yāni tāni, bhante, raññaṁ khattiyānaṁ muddhāvasittānaṁ issariyamadamattānaṁ kāmagedhapariyuṭṭhitānaṁ janapadatthāvariyappattānaṁ mahantaṁ pathavimaṇḍalaṁ abhivijiya ajjhāvasantānaṁ rājakaraṇīyāni bhavanti, tesu khvāhaṁ, etarahi ussukkamāpanno”ti.

“What do you think, Great King?“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, mahārāja, Suppose a trustworthy and dependable man were to come from the east.idha te puriso āgaccheyya puratthimāya disāya saddhāyiko paccayiko. He’d approach you and say:So taṁ upasaṅkamitvā evaṁ vadeyya: ‘Please, Great King, you should know this. I come from the east.‘yagghe, mahārāja, jāneyyāsi, ahaṁ āgacchāmi puratthimāya disāya. There I saw a big mountain that reached the clouds. And it was coming this way, crushing all creatures.Tatthaddasaṁ mahantaṁ pabbataṁ abbhasamaṁ, sabbe pāṇe nippothento āgacchati. So then, Great King, do what you must!’Yaṁ te, mahārāja, karaṇīyaṁ, taṁ karohī’ti.

Then a second trustworthy and dependable man were to come from the west …Atha dutiyo puriso āgaccheyya pacchimāya disāya …pe… a third from the north …atha tatiyo puriso āgaccheyya uttarāya disāya … and a fourth from the south.atha catuttho puriso āgaccheyya dakkhiṇāya disāya saddhāyiko paccayiko. He’d approach you and say:So taṁ upasaṅkamitvā evaṁ vadeyya: ‘Please, Great King, you should know this. I come from the south.‘yagghe, mahārāja, jāneyyāsi, ahaṁ āgacchāmi dakkhiṇāya disāya. There I saw a big mountain that reached the clouds. And it was coming this way, crushing all creatures.Tatthaddasaṁ mahantaṁ pabbataṁ abbhasamaṁ sabbe pāṇe nippothento āgacchati. So then, Great King, do what you must!’Yaṁ te, mahārāja, karaṇīyaṁ taṁ karohī’ti.

Should such a dire threat arise—a grim loss of human life, when human birth is so rare—what would you do?”Evarūpe te, mahārāja, mahati mahabbhaye samuppanne dāruṇe manussakkhaye dullabhe manussatte kimassa karaṇīyan”ti?

“Sir, what could I do but practice the teachings, practice morality, doing skillful and good actions?”“Evarūpe me, bhante, mahati mahabbhaye samuppanne dāruṇe manussakkhaye dullabhe manussatte kimassa karaṇīyaṁ aññatra dhammacariyāya aññatra samacariyāya aññatra kusalakiriyāya aññatra puññakiriyāyā”ti?

“I tell you, Great King, I announce to you: old age and death are advancing upon you.“Ārocemi kho te, mahārāja, paṭivedemi kho te, mahārāja, adhivattati kho taṁ, mahārāja, jarāmaraṇaṁ. Since old age and death are advancing upon you, what would you do?”Adhivattamāne ce te, mahārāja, jarāmaraṇe kimassa karaṇīyan”ti?

“Sir, what can I do but practice the teachings, practice morality, doing skillful and good actions?“Adhivattamāne ca me, bhante, jarāmaraṇe kimassa karaṇīyaṁ aññatra dhammacariyāya samacariyāya kusalakiriyāya puññakiriyāya?

Sir, there are anointed aristocratic kings who are infatuated with authority, and obsessed with greed for sensual pleasures. They have attained stability in the country, occupying a vast conquered territory. Such kings engage in battles of elephants,Yāni tāni, bhante, raññaṁ khattiyānaṁ muddhāvasittānaṁ issariyamadamattānaṁ kāmagedhapariyuṭṭhitānaṁ janapadatthāvariyappattānaṁ mahantaṁ pathavimaṇḍalaṁ abhivijiya ajjhāvasantānaṁ hatthiyuddhāni bhavanti; cavalry,ajjhāvasantānaṁ assayuddhāni bhavanti …pe… chariots,rathayuddhāni bhavanti …pe… or infantry.pattiyuddhāni bhavanti; But there is no place, no domain for such battles when old age and death are advancing.tesampi, bhante, pattiyuddhānaṁ natthi gati natthi visayo adhivattamāne jarāmaraṇe.

In this royal court there are ministers of wise counsel who are capable of dividing an approaching enemy by wise counsel.Santi kho pana, bhante, imasmiṁ rājakule mantino mahāmattā, ye pahonti āgate paccatthike mantehi bhedayituṁ. But there is no place, no domain for such diplomatic battles when old age and death are advancing.Tesampi, bhante, mantayuddhānaṁ natthi gati natthi visayo adhivattamāne jarāmaraṇe.

In this royal court there is abundant gold, both coined and uncoined, stored above and below ground. Using this wealth we can bribe an approaching enemy.Saṁvijjati kho pana, bhante, imasmiṁ rājakule pahūtaṁ hiraññasuvaṇṇaṁ bhūmigatañceva vehāsaṭṭhañca, yena mayaṁ pahoma āgate paccatthike dhanena upalāpetuṁ. But there is no place, no domain for such monetary battles when old age and death are advancing.Tesampi, bhante, dhanayuddhānaṁ natthi gati natthi visayo adhivattamāne jarāmaraṇe.

When old age and death are advancing, what can I do but practice the teachings, practice morality, doing skillful and good actions?”Adhivattamāne ca me, bhante, jarāmaraṇe kimassa karaṇīyaṁ aññatra dhammacariyāya samacariyāya kusalakiriyāya puññakiriyāyā”ti?

“That’s so true, Great King! That’s so true!“Evametaṁ, mahārāja, evametaṁ, mahārāja. When old age and death are advancing, what can you do but practice the teachings, practice morality, doing skillful and good actions?”Adhivattamāne jarāmaraṇe kimassa karaṇīyaṁ aññatra dhammacariyāya samacariyāya kusalakiriyāya puññakiriyāyā”ti?

That is what the Buddha said.Idamavoca bhagavā …pe… Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:satthā:

“Suppose there were vast mountains“Yathāpi selā vipulā, of solid rock pressing against the skynabhaṁ āhacca pabbatā; drawing in from all sidesSamantānupariyāyeyyuṁ, and crushing the four quarters.nippothento catuddisā.

So too old age and deathEvaṁ jarā ca maccu ca, advance upon all living creatures—adhivattanti pāṇine; aristocrats, brahmins, peasants,Khattiye brāhmaṇe vesse, menials, corpse-workers, and scavengers.sudde caṇḍālapukkuse; They spare nothing.Na kiñci parivajjeti, They crush all beneath them.sabbamevābhimaddati.

There’s nowhere for elephants to take a stand,Na tattha hatthīnaṁ bhūmi, nor chariots nor infantry.na rathānaṁ na pattiyā; They can’t be defeatedNa cāpi mantayuddhena, by diplomatic battles or by wealth.sakkā jetuṁ dhanena vā.

That’s why an astute person,Tasmā hi paṇḍito poso, seeing what’s good for themselves,sampassaṁ atthamattano; being wise, would place faithBuddhe dhamme ca saṅghe ca, in the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha.dhīro saddhaṁ nivesaye.

Whoever lives by the teachingYo dhammaṁ cari kāyena, in body, speech, and mind,vācāya uda cetasā; is praised in this lifeIdheva naṁ pasaṁsanti, and departs to rejoice in heaven.”pecca sagge pamodatī”ti.

The Linked Discourses with the Kosalan are complete.Kosalasaṁyuttaṁ samattaṁ.