The Simile of the VipersĀsīvisopamasutta

“Mendicants, suppose there were four venomous vipers of awesome might.“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, cattāro āsīvisā uggatejā ghoravisā. Then a person would come along who wants to live and doesn’t want to die, who wants to be happy and recoils from pain.Atha puriso āgaccheyya jīvitukāmo amaritukāmo sukhakāmo dukkhappaṭikūlo.

They’d say to him,Tamenaṁ evaṁ vadeyyuṁ: ‘My man, here are four venomous vipers of awesome might. They must be periodically picked up, washed, fed, and put to sleep.‘ime te, ambho purisa, cattāro āsīvisā uggatejā ghoravisā kālena kālaṁ vuṭṭhāpetabbā, kālena kālaṁ nhāpetabbā, kālena kālaṁ bhojetabbā, kālena kālaṁ saṁvesetabbā. But when one or other of these four venomous vipers gets angry with you, you’ll meet with death or deadly pain.Yadā ca kho te, ambho purisa, imesaṁ catunnaṁ āsīvisānaṁ uggatejānaṁ ghoravisānaṁ aññataro vā aññataro vā kuppissati, tato tvaṁ, ambho purisa, maraṇaṁ vā nigacchasi, maraṇamattaṁ vā dukkhaṁ. So then, my man, do what has to be done.’Yaṁ te, ambho purisa, karaṇīyaṁ taṁ karohī’ti.

Then that man, terrified of those four venomous vipers, would flee this way or that.Atha kho so, bhikkhave, puriso bhīto catunnaṁ āsīvisānaṁ uggatejānaṁ ghoravisānaṁ yena vā tena vā palāyetha.

They’d say to him,Tamenaṁ evaṁ vadeyyuṁ: ‘My man, there are five deadly enemies chasing you, thinking: “When we catch sight of him, we’ll murder him right there!”‘ime kho, ambho purisa, pañca vadhakā paccatthikā piṭṭhito piṭṭhito anubandhā, yattheva naṁ passissāma tattheva jīvitā voropessāmāti. So then, my man, do what has to be done.’Yaṁ te, ambho purisa, karaṇīyaṁ taṁ karohī’ti.

Then that man, terrified of those four venomous vipers and those five deadly enemies, would flee this way or that.Atha kho so, bhikkhave, puriso bhīto catunnaṁ āsīvisānaṁ uggatejānaṁ ghoravisānaṁ, bhīto pañcannaṁ vadhakānaṁ paccatthikānaṁ yena vā tena vā palāyetha.

They’d say to him,Tamenaṁ evaṁ vadeyyuṁ: ‘My man, there’s a sixth hidden killer chasing you with a drawn sword, thinking: “When I catch sight of him, I’ll chop off his head right there!”‘ayaṁ te, ambho purisa, chaṭṭho antaracaro vadhako ukkhittāsiko piṭṭhito piṭṭhito anubandho yattheva naṁ passissāmi tattheva siro pātessāmīti. So then, my man, do what has to be done.’Yaṁ te, ambho purisa, karaṇīyaṁ taṁ karohī’ti.

Then that man, terrified of those four venomous vipers and those five deadly enemies and the hidden killer, would flee this way or that.Atha kho so, bhikkhave, puriso bhīto catunnaṁ āsīvisānaṁ uggatejānaṁ ghoravisānaṁ, bhīto pañcannaṁ vadhakānaṁ paccatthikānaṁ, bhīto chaṭṭhassa antaracarassa vadhakassa ukkhittāsikassa yena vā tena vā palāyetha.

He’d see an empty village.So passeyya suññaṁ gāmaṁ. But whatever house he enters is vacant, deserted, and empty.Yaññadeva gharaṁ paviseyya rittakaññeva paviseyya tucchakaññeva paviseyya suññakaññeva paviseyya. And whatever vessel he touches is vacant, hollow, and empty.Yaññadeva bhājanaṁ parimaseyya rittakaññeva parimaseyya tucchakaññeva parimaseyya suññakaññeva parimaseyya.

They’d say to him,Tamenaṁ evaṁ vadeyyuṁ: ‘My man, there are bandits who raid villages, and they’re striking now.‘idāni, ambho purisa, imaṁ suññaṁ gāmaṁ corā gāmaghātakā pavisanti. So then, my man, do what has to be done.’Yaṁ te, ambho purisa, karaṇīyaṁ taṁ karohī’ti.

Then that man, terrified of those four venomous vipers and those five deadly enemies and the hidden killer and the bandits, would flee this way or that.Atha kho so, bhikkhave, puriso bhīto catunnaṁ āsīvisānaṁ uggatejānaṁ ghoravisānaṁ, bhīto pañcannaṁ vadhakānaṁ paccatthikānaṁ, bhīto chaṭṭhassa antaracarassa vadhakassa ukkhittāsikassa, bhīto corānaṁ gāmaghātakānaṁ yena vā tena vā palāyetha.

He’d see a large deluge, whose near shore is dubious and perilous, while the far shore is a sanctuary free of peril.So passeyya mahantaṁ udakaṇṇavaṁ orimaṁ tīraṁ sāsaṅkaṁ sappaṭibhayaṁ, pārimaṁ tīraṁ khemaṁ appaṭibhayaṁ. But there’s no ferryboat or bridge for crossing over.Na cassa nāvā santāraṇī uttarasetu vā apārā pāraṁ gamanāya.

Then that man would think,Atha kho, bhikkhave, tassa purisassa evamassa: ‘Why don’t I gather grass, sticks, branches, and leaves and make a raft? Riding on the raft, and paddling with my hands and feet, I can safely reach the far shore.’Yannūnāhaṁ tiṇakaṭṭhasākhāpalāsaṁ saṅkaḍḍhitvā kullaṁ bandhitvā taṁ kullaṁ nissāya hatthehi ca pādehi ca vāyamamāno sotthinā pāraṁ gaccheyyan’ti.

And so that man did exactly that. Having crossed over and gone to the far shore, the brahmin stands on solid ground.Atha kho so, bhikkhave, puriso tiṇakaṭṭhasākhāpalāsaṁ saṅkaḍḍhitvā kullaṁ bandhitvā taṁ kullaṁ nissāya hatthehi ca pādehi ca vāyamamāno sotthinā pāraṁ gaccheyya, tiṇṇo pāraṅgato thale tiṭṭhati brāhmaṇo.

I’ve made up this simile to make a point.Upamā kho myāyaṁ, bhikkhave, katā atthassa viññāpanāya. And this is the point.Ayañcettha attho—

‘Four venomous vipers of awesome might’ is a term for the four principal states:cattāro āsīvisā uggatejā ghoravisāti kho, bhikkhave, catunnetaṁ mahābhūtānaṁ adhivacanaṁ— the elements of earth, water, fire, and air.pathavīdhātuyā, āpodhātuyā, tejodhātuyā, vāyodhātuyā.

‘Five deadly enemies’ is a term for the five grasping aggregates, that is:Pañca vadhakā paccatthikāti kho, bhikkhave, pañcannetaṁ upādānakkhandhānaṁ adhivacanaṁ, seyyathidaṁ— form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness.rūpupādānakkhandhassa, vedanupādānakkhandhassa, saññupādānakkhandhassa, saṅkhārupādānakkhandhassa, viññāṇupādānakkhandhassa.

‘The sixth hidden killer with a drawn sword’ is a term for relishing and greed.Chaṭṭho antaracaro vadhako ukkhittāsikoti kho, bhikkhave, nandīrāgassetaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

‘Empty village’ is a term for the six interior sense fields.Suñño gāmoti kho, bhikkhave, channetaṁ ajjhattikānaṁ āyatanānaṁ adhivacanaṁ. If an astute, competent, intelligent person investigates this in relation to the eye, it appears vacant, hollow, and empty.Cakkhuto cepi naṁ, bhikkhave, paṇḍito byatto medhāvī upaparikkhati rittakaññeva khāyati, tucchakaññeva khāyati, suññakaññeva khāyati …pe… If an astute, competent, intelligent person investigates this in relation to the ear … nose … tongue … body …jivhāto cepi naṁ, bhikkhave …pe… mind, it appears vacant, hollow, and empty.manato cepi naṁ, bhikkhave, paṇḍito byatto medhāvī upaparikkhati rittakaññeva khāyati, tucchakaññeva khāyati, suññakaññeva khāyati.

‘Bandits who raid villages’ is a term for the six exterior sense fields.Corā gāmaghātakāti kho, bhikkhave, channetaṁ bāhirānaṁ āyatanānaṁ adhivacanaṁ. The eye is struck by both agreeable and disagreeable sights.Cakkhu, bhikkhave, haññati manāpāmanāpesu rūpesu; The ear …sotaṁ, bhikkhave …pe… nose …ghānaṁ, bhikkhave …pe… tongue …jivhā, bhikkhave, haññati manāpāmanāpesu rasesu; body …kāyo, bhikkhave …pe… mind is struck by both agreeable and disagreeable ideas.mano, bhikkhave, haññati manāpāmanāpesu dhammesu.

‘Large deluge’ is a term for the four floods:Mahā udakaṇṇavoti kho, bhikkhave, catunnetaṁ oghānaṁ adhivacanaṁ— the floods of sensual pleasures, desire to be reborn, views, and ignorance.kāmoghassa, bhavoghassa, diṭṭhoghassa, avijjoghassa.

‘The near shore that’s dubious and perilous’ is a term for substantial reality.Orimaṁ tīraṁ sāsaṅkaṁ sappaṭibhayanti kho, bhikkhave, sakkāyassetaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

‘The far shore, a sanctuary free of peril’ is a term for extinguishment.Pārimaṁ tīraṁ khemaṁ appaṭibhayanti kho, bhikkhave, nibbānassetaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

‘The raft’ is a term for the noble eightfold path, that is:Kullanti kho, bhikkhave, ariyassetaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikassa maggassa adhivacanaṁ, seyyathidaṁ— right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion.sammādiṭṭhi …pe… sammāsamādhi.

‘Paddling with hands and feet’ is a term for rousing energy.Tassa hatthehi ca pādehi ca vāyāmoti kho, bhikkhave, vīriyārambhassetaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

‘Crossed over, gone to the far shore, the brahmin stands on solid ground’ is a term for a perfected one.”Tiṇṇo pāraṅgato thale tiṭṭhati brāhmaṇoti kho, bhikkhave, arahato etaṁ adhivacanan”ti.