Chulavagga 5.6

Tipitaka >> Vinaya Pitaka >> Khandhaka >> Chulavagga >> Fifth Khandaka >> 5.6

Adapted from the Translation by T. W. Rhys Davids and Hermann Oldenberg

CHULAVAGGA (THE MINOR SECTION)

FIFTH KHANDHAKA (ON THE DAILY LIFE OF THE BHIKKHUS)

Chapter-6.

1. Now at that time a certain Bhikkhu died of the bite of a snake. They told the matter to the Lord Buddha.

'Now surely, that Bhikkhu, O Bhikkhus, had not let his love flow out over the four royal breeds of serpents! Had he done so, he would not die of the bite of a snake. And which are the four royal breeds of serpents? The Virupakkhas are a royal breed. The Erapathas are a royal breed. The Khabyaputtas are a royal breed. The Kanhagotamakas are a royal breed. Now surely that Bhikkhu, O Bhikkhus, had not let his love flow out over the four royal breeds of serpents! Had he done so, he would not die of the bite of a snake. I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to make use of a safeguard for yourselves for your security and protection, by letting your love flow out over the four royal breeds of serpents. And thus, O Bhikkhus, are you to do so.

'"I love Virupakkhas, the Erapathas I love.

'"I love Khabyaputtas, the Kanhagotamakas I love.

'"I love live things that have no feet, the bipeds too I love.

'"I love four-footed creatures, and things with many feet.

'"Let no footless thing do hurt to me, nor thing that has two feet.

'"Let no four-footed creature hurt, nor thing with many feet.

'"Let all creatures, all things that live, all beings of whatever kind,

'"Let all behold good fortune and let none fall into sin.

'"Infinite is the Buddha, infinite the Truth, infinite the Order. Finite are creeping things; snakes, scorpions and centipedes, spiders and lizards, rats and mice.

'"Made is my safeguard, made my defence. Let living things retreat,

'"While I revere the Lord Buddha, the Buddhas seven supreme."'

'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to let blood'.(from the snake bite)