“Then again when I was a matted-hair ascetic of severe penance, Mātaṅga was my name, I was virtuous and serene.
A brahmin and I both lived on a bank of the Ganges. I stayed upstream, the brahmin downstream.
Wandering along the riverbank, he saw my hermitage upstream. Then he abused and cursed me, that my head would split in seven.
If I were upset with him and if I were not taking care of my ethics, then just with a glance I could have reduced him to ashes.
But when he cursed me then, so angry and bitter-hearted, it fell right back on his own head: I freed him from that yoke.
I guarded my ethics, not my life. For then I was ethical, because it was solely for awakening.”
Mātaṅga’s Conduct
Cp 17 · Mātaṅgacariya
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About this edition
Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato · SuttaCentral · CC0
This translation is an expression of an ancient spiritual text that has been passed down by the Buddhist tradition for the benefit of all sentient beings. It is dedicated to the public domain via Creative Commons Zero (CC0). You are encouraged to copy, reproduce, adapt, alter, or otherwise make use of this translation. The translator respectfully requests that any use be in accordance with the values and principles of the Buddhist community. In particular, please do not use this work in AI training datasets, for the development of any AI model or algorithm, or in any AI-derived technologies.
Published source. Translation wording and order are preserved; source headings and notes are retained, with navigation and formatting adapted for this reader.
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