Sutta Nipāta 2-5: Sūcilomasutta

So it was heard by me:

At one time Bhagavat dwelt at Gayā (seated) on a stone seat in the realm of the Yakkha Sūciloma. And at that time the Yakkha Khara and the Yakkha Sūciloma passed by, not far from Bhagavat. And then the Yakkha Khara said this to the Yakkha Sūciloma: ‘Is this man a Samaṇa?’

Sūciloma answered: ‘He is no Samaṇa, he is a Samaṇaka (a wretched Samaṇa); however I will ascertain whether he is a Samaṇa or a Samaṇaka.’

Then the Yakkha Sūciloma went up to Bhagavat, and having gone up to him, he brushed against Bhagavat’s body. Then Bhagavat took away his body. Then the Yakkha Sūciloma said this to Bhagavat: ‘O Samaṇa, art thou afraid of me?’

Bhagavat answered: ‘No, friend, I am not afraid of thee, but thy touching me is sinful.’

Sūciloma said: ‘I will ask thee a question, O Samaṇa; if thou canst not answer it I will either scatter thy thoughts or cleave thy heart, or take thee by the feet and throw thee over to the other shore of the Gaṅgā.’

Bhagavat answered: ‘I do not see, O friend, neither in this world together with the world of the Devas, Māras, Brahmans, nor amongst the generation of Samaṇa and Brāhmaṇas, gods and men, the one who can either scatter my thoughts or cleave my heart, or take me by the feet and throw me over to the other shore of the Gaṅgā. However ask, O friend, what thou pleasest.’ Then the Yakkha Sūciloma addressed Bhagavat in a stanza:

1. ‘What origin have passion and hatred, disgust, delight, and horror? wherefrom do they arise? whence arising do doubts vex the mind, as boys vex a crow?’ (269)

2. Buddha said: ‘Passion and hatred have their origin from this (body), disgust, delight, and horror arise from this body; arising from this (body) doubts vex the mind, as boys vex a crow. (270)

3. ‘They originate in desire, they arise in self, like the shoots of the banyan tree; far and wide they are connected, with sensual pleasures, like the māluvā creeper spread in the wood. (271)

4. ‘Those who know whence it (sin) arises, drive it away. Listen, O Yakkha! They cross over this stream that is difficult to cross, and has not been crossed before, with a view to not being born again.’ (272)

Sūcilomasutta is ended.