Upasena and the ViperUpasenaāsīvisasutta

At one time the venerables Sāriputta and Upasena were staying near Rājagaha in the Cool Grove, under the Cobra’s Hood Grotto.Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā ca sāriputto āyasmā ca upaseno rājagahe viharanti sītavane sappasoṇḍikapabbhāre. Now at that time a viper fell on Upasena’s body.Tena kho pana samayena āyasmato upasenassa kāye āsīviso patito hoti. He addressed the mendicants,Atha kho āyasmā upaseno bhikkhū āmantesi: “Come, reverends, lift this body onto a cot and carry it outside“etha me, āvuso, imaṁ kāyaṁ mañcakaṁ āropetvā bahiddhā nīharatha. before it’s scattered right herePurāyaṁ kāyo idheva vikirati; like a handful of hay.”seyyathāpi bhusamuṭṭhī”ti.

When he said this, Sāriputta said to him,Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā sāriputto āyasmantaṁ upasenaṁ etadavoca: “But we don’t see any impairment in your body or deterioration of your faculties.“na kho pana mayaṁ passāma āyasmato upasenassa kāyassa vā aññathattaṁ indriyānaṁ vā vipariṇāmaṁ. Yet you say:Atha ca panāyasmā upaseno evamāha: ‘Come, reverends, lift this body onto a cot and carry it outside‘etha me, āvuso, imaṁ kāyaṁ mañcakaṁ āropetvā bahiddhā nīharatha. before it’s scattered right herePurāyaṁ kāyo idheva vikirati; like a handful of hay.’”seyyathāpi bhusamuṭṭhī’”ti.

“Reverend Sāriputta, there may be an impairment in body or deterioration of faculties for someone who thinks:“Yassa nūna, āvuso sāriputta, evamassa: ‘I am the eye’ or ‘the eye is mine.’‘ahaṁ cakkhūti vā mama cakkhūti vā …pe… Or ‘I am the ear … nose … tongue … body …’ahaṁ jivhāti vā mama jivhāti vā … Or ‘I am the mind’ or ‘the mind is mine.’ahaṁ manoti vā mama mano’ti vā.

But I don’t think like that.Mayhañca kho, āvuso sāriputta, na evaṁ hoti: So why would there be an impairment in my body or deterioration of my faculties?”Tassa mayhañca kho, āvuso sāriputta, kiṁ kāyassa vā aññathattaṁ bhavissati, indriyānaṁ vā vipariṇāmo”ti.

“That must be because Venerable Upasena has long ago totally eradicated I-making, mine-making, and the underlying tendency to conceit.Tathā hi panāyasmato upasenassa dīgharattaṁ ahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānusayo susamūhato.

That’s why it doesn’t occur to you:Tasmā āyasmato upasenassa na evaṁ hoti: ‘I am the eye’ or ‘the eye is mine.’ Or ‘I am the ear …“‘ahaṁ cakkhūti vā mama cakkhūti vā …pe… nose … tongue … body …’ahaṁ jivhāti vā mama jivhāti vā …pe… Or ‘I am the mind’ or ‘the mind is mine.’”ahaṁ manoti vā mama mano’ti vā”ti.

Then those mendicants lifted Upasena’s body onto a cot and carried it outside.Atha kho te bhikkhū āyasmato upasenassa kāyaṁ mañcakaṁ āropetvā bahiddhā nīhariṁsu. And his body was scattered right thereAtha kho āyasmato upasenassa kāyo tattheva vikiri; like a handful of hay.seyyathāpi bhusamuṭṭhīti.