Dighanikaya 25.53_4

25.53_4

Iti paribbājako satthu suvaṇṇavaṇṇaṃ nalāṭamaṇḍalaṃ apassanto dasabalassa parammukhā attano balaṃ dīpento asambhinnaṃ khattiyakumāraṃ jātiyā ghaṭṭayanto caṇḍālaputto viya asambhinnakesarasīhaṃ migarājānaṃ thāmena ghaṭṭento jarasiṅgālo viya ca nānappakāraṃ tucchagajjitaṃ gajji. Upāsakopi cintesi ‘‘ayaṃ paribbājako ati viya gajjati, avīciphusanatthāya pādaṃ, bhavaggaggahaṇatthāya hatthaṃ pasārayanto viya niratthakaṃ vāyamati. Sace me satthā imaṃ ṭhānamāgaccheyya, imassa paribbājakassa yāva bhavaggā ussitaṃ mānaddhajaṃ ṭhānasova opāteyyā’’ti.

Thus the wanderer, not seeing the golden-hued forehead-disc of the Teacher, showing off his own strength behind the back of the Ten-Powered One, uttered all kinds of empty roars—like the son of an outcaste challenging a pure-bred warrior prince in birth, or like an old jackal challenging the king of beasts, a lion of unmixed mane, in strength. The lay follower also thought: "This wanderer roars exceedingly; he strives in vain, like one stretching out a foot to touch the Avīci hell, or stretching out a hand to seize the summit of existence. If my Teacher were to come to this place, he would cast down on the spot this wanderer's banner of conceit raised as high as the summit of existence."