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← Theragāthā

Soṇakoḷivisa

Thag 13.1 · Soṇakoḷivisattheragāthā

A slender woodland snake rests among fallen leaves and roots.

He who was special in the kingdom, the footman to the king of Aṅga, today is special in the Dhamma—Soṇa has gone beyond suffering.

Five to cut, five to drop, and five more to develop. When a mendicant slips five chains they’re said to have crossed the flood.

If a monk is insolent and negligent, concerned only with externals, their ethics, immersion, and wisdom do not become fulfilled.

They dump what should be done, and do what should not be done. For the insolent and the negligent, their defilements only grow.

Those that have properly undertaken constant mindfulness of the body, don’t cultivate what should not be done, but always do what should be done. Mindful and aware, their defilements come to an end.

The straight path has been explained—go on it and don’t turn back. Urge yourself on and take yourself to extinguishment.

When my energy was over-exerted, the supreme Teacher in the world created the simile of the arched harp for me. The Clear-eyed One taught the Dhamma, and when I heard what he said, I happily did his bidding.

Practicing serenity of mind for the attainment of the highest goal. I’ve attained the three knowledges and fulfilled the Buddha’s instructions.

When you’re dedicated to renunciation and seclusion of the heart; when you’re dedicated to kindness and the end of grasping;

when you’re dedicated to the ending of craving and clarity of heart; and you’ve seen the arising of the senses, your mind is rightly freed.

For that one, rightly freed, a mendicant with peaceful mind, there’s nothing to be improved, and nothing more to do.

As the wind cannot stir a solid mass of rock, so too sights, tastes, sounds, smells, and touches—the lot—

and ideas, whether liked or disliked, don’t disturb the unaffected one. Their mind is steady and unfettered as they observe fall.

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About this edition

Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato and Jessica Walton · 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.

The opening image is AI-generated nature artwork for Buddhist Atlas, an evocative companion rather than a historical depiction.