ud4.4:0.1Heartfelt Sayings 4.4
ud4.4:0.2The Spirit’s Blow
ud4.4:1.1So I have heard.
ud4.4:1.2At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground.
ud4.4:1.3At that time the venerables Sāriputta and Moggallāna were staying near the pigeons’ alcove.
ud4.4:1.4Now at that time Venerable Sāriputta was sitting outdoors in the moonlight, his head freshly shaven, having entered a certain state of immersion.
ud4.4:2.1Now at that time two native spirits who were friends were on their way from the north to the south on some business.
ud4.4:2.2They saw Sāriputta meditating there.
ud4.4:2.3One of the spirits said to the other,
ud4.4:2.4“I feel inspired, my dear, to give this ascetic a blow on the head!”
ud4.4:2.5The other spirit replied,
ud4.4:2.6“Enough, my dear, don’t hit the ascetic!
ud4.4:2.7That is an eminent ascetic, powerful and mighty!”
ud4.4:3.1For a second time the first spirit said to the other,
ud4.4:3.2“I feel inspired to give this ascetic a blow on the head!”
ud4.4:3.3For a second time, the other spirit replied,
ud4.4:3.4“Enough, don’t hit the ascetic!
ud4.4:3.5That is an eminent ascetic, powerful and mighty!”
ud4.4:3.6For a third time the first spirit said to the other,
ud4.4:3.7“I feel inspired to give this ascetic a blow on the head!”
ud4.4:3.8For a third time, the other spirit replied,
ud4.4:3.9“Enough, don’t hit the ascetic!
ud4.4:3.10That is an eminent ascetic, powerful and mighty!”
ud4.4:4.1Ignoring his friend, the first spirit struck Sāriputta.
ud4.4:4.2The blow was so strong it would have felled a bull elephant seven or seven and a half cubits tall, or split apart a great mountain peak.
ud4.4:4.3But then the spirit, crying out, “I burn, I burn!” fell into the Great Hell right there.
ud4.4:5.1With clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, Venerable Moggallāna saw that spirit striking Venerable Sāriputta.
ud4.4:5.2He approached him and said,
ud4.4:5.3“I hope you’re keeping well, reverend, I hope you’re all right. I hope you are not in pain.”
ud4.4:5.4“I am keeping well, Reverend Moggallāna;
ud4.4:5.5but my head does hurt a little.”
ud4.4:6.1“It’s incredible, Reverend Sāriputta, it’s amazing!
ud4.4:6.2How mighty and powerful is Venerable Sāriputta!
ud4.4:6.3Just now, a native spirit struck you on the head.
ud4.4:6.4The blow was so strong it would have felled a bull elephant seven or seven and a half cubits tall, or split apart a great mountain peak.
ud4.4:6.5Yet you say, ‘I am keeping well, Reverend Moggallāna;
ud4.4:6.6but my head does hurt a little.’”
ud4.4:7.1“It’s incredible, Reverend Moggallāna, it’s amazing!
ud4.4:7.2How mighty and powerful is Venerable Moggallāna, in that he can even see a native spirit!
ud4.4:7.3Whereas I can’t even see a mud-goblin right now.”
ud4.4:8.1With clairaudience that is purified and superhuman, the Buddha heard that discussion between those two spiritual giants.
ud4.4:9.1Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:
ud4.4:10.1“One whose mind is like a rock,
ud4.4:10.2steady, never shaking,
ud4.4:10.3free of desire for desirable things,
ud4.4:10.4not getting annoyed when things are annoying:
ud4.4:10.5from where will suffering strike one
ud4.4:10.6whose mind is developed like this?”