The Lion’s Roar at the Monastery of Lady Udumbarikā 20.1-11

20.1

Yadā aññāsi sandhāno gahapati:

Then the householder Sandhāna realized,

20.2

“aññadatthu kho dānime aññatitthiyā paribbājakā bhagavato bhāsitaṃ sussūsanti, sotaṃ odahanti, aññācittaṃ upaṭṭhāpentī”ti.

“Obviously, now these wanderers want to listen to what the Buddha says. They’re actively listening and trying to understand!”

20.3

Atha nigrodhaṃ paribbājakaṃ etadavoca:

So he said to the wanderer Nigrodha,

20.4

“iti kho, bhante nigrodha, yaṃ maṃ tvaṃ avacāsi:

“Honorable Nigrodha, remember you said this to me:

20.5

‘yagghe, gahapati, jāneyyāsi, kena samaṇo gotamo saddhiṃ sallapati, kena sākacchaṃ samāpajjati, kena paññāveyyattiyaṃ samāpajjati,

‘Surely, householder, you should know better! With whom does the ascetic Gotama converse? With whom does he engage in discussion? With whom does he achieve lucidity of wisdom?

20.6

suññāgārahatā samaṇassa gotamassa paññā, aparisāvacaro samaṇo gotamo nālaṃ sallāpāya, so antamantāneva sevati;

Staying in empty huts has destroyed the ascetic Gotama’s wisdom. Not frequenting assemblies, he is unable to hold a discussion. He just lurks on the periphery.

20.7

seyyathāpi nāma gokāṇā pariyantacārinī antamantāneva sevati.

He’s just like a one-eyed cow, circling around and lurking on the periphery.

20.8

Evameva suññāgārahatā samaṇassa gotamassa paññā, aparisāvacaro samaṇo gotamo nālaṃ sallāpāya; so antamantāneva sevati;

20.9

iṅgha, gahapati, samaṇo gotamo imaṃ parisaṃ āgaccheyya, ekapañheneva naṃ saṃsādeyyāma, tucchakumbhīva naṃ maññe orodheyyāmā’ti.

Please, householder, let the ascetic Gotama come to this assembly. I’ll sink him with just one question! I’ll roll him over and wrap him up like a hollow pot!’

20.10

Ayaṃ kho so, bhante, bhagavā arahaṃ sammāsambuddho idhānuppatto, aparisāvacaraṃ pana naṃ karotha, gokāṇaṃ pariyantacāriniṃ karotha, ekapañheneva naṃ saṃsādetha, tucchakumbhīva naṃ orodhethā”ti.

Now the Blessed One, perfected and fully awakened, has arrived here. Why don’t you send him out of the assembly to the periphery like a one-eyed cow? Why don’t you sink him with just one question? Why don’t you roll him over and wrap him up like a hollow pot?”

20.11

Evaṃ vutte, nigrodho paribbājako tuṇhībhūto maṅkubhūto pattakkhandho adhomukho pajjhāyanto appaṭibhāno nisīdi.

When he said this, Nigrodha sat silent, dismayed, shoulders drooping, downcast, depressed, with nothing to say.