In short: in the Simile of the Acrobat (SN 47.19) the Buddha teaches that looking after yourself and looking after others go together: by practising mindfulness you protect others, and by patience, harmlessness and kindness to others you protect yourself.
Two acrobats performed on a bamboo pole. The master said, "You look after me, and I shall look after you." The apprentice disagreed: "You look after yourself, and I shall look after myself." The Buddha said the apprentice was right, and drew the lesson:
Looking after yourself, you look after others; and looking after others, you look after yourself.
What it means
Caring for your own mind, through mindfulness, is not selfish; it is the ground for caring for others well. And caring for others "by acceptance, harmlessness, love, and sympathy" protects you too. A useful teaching for parents, carers and anyone under pressure. See the four foundations of mindfulness.
Read the full guide
The full text in Pāli and English
Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato, from SuttaCentral (SN47.19). Ellipses (…) are abbreviations in the original. Notes are ANEW's.
| Pāli | English |
|---|---|
| Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sumbhesu viharati sedakaṁ nāma sumbhānaṁ nigamo. | At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Sumbhas, near the town of the Sumbhas named Sedaka. |
| Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: | There the Buddha addressed the mendicants: |
| “bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, caṇḍālavaṁsiko caṇḍālavaṁsaṁ ussāpetvā medakathālikaṁ antevāsiṁ āmantesi: | “Once upon a time, mendicants, a pole acrobat of the corpse-workers set up the bamboo pole of his tribe and said to his apprentice Medakathālikā, |
| ‘ehi tvaṁ, samma medakathālike, caṇḍālavaṁsaṁ abhiruhitvā mama uparikhandhe tiṭṭhāhī’ti. | ‘Come now, dear Medakathālikā, climb up the bamboo pole and stand above my shoulders.’ |
| ‘Evaṁ, ācariyā’ti kho, bhikkhave, medakathālikā antevāsī caṇḍālavaṁsikassa paṭissutvā caṇḍālavaṁsaṁ abhiruhitvā ācariyassa uparikhandhe aṭṭhāsi. | ‘Yes, tutor,’ she replied. She climbed up the bamboo pole and stood above her tutor’s shoulders. |
| Atha kho, bhikkhave, caṇḍālavaṁsiko medakathālikaṁ antevāsiṁ etadavoca: | Then the pole acrobat of the corpse-workers said to Medakathālikā, |
| ‘tvaṁ, samma medakathālike, mamaṁ rakkha, ahaṁ taṁ rakkhissāmi. | ‘You look after me, dear Medakathālikā, and I shall look after you. |
| Evaṁ mayaṁ aññamaññaṁ guttā aññamaññaṁ rakkhitā sippāni ceva dassessāma, lābhañca lacchāma, sotthinā ca caṇḍālavaṁsā orohissāmā’ti. | That’s how, guarding and looking after each other, we’ll display our skill, collect our fee, and get down safely from the bamboo pole.’ |
| Evaṁ vutte, bhikkhave, medakathālikā antevāsī caṇḍālavaṁsikaṁ etadavoca: | When he said this, Medakathālikā said to her teacher, |
| ‘na kho panetaṁ, ācariya, evaṁ bhavissati. | ‘That’s not how it will be, tutor! |
| Tvaṁ, ācariya, attānaṁ rakkha, ahaṁ attānaṁ rakkhissāmi. | You look after yourself, and I shall look after myself. |
| Evaṁ mayaṁ attaguttā attarakkhitā sippāni ceva dassessāma, lābhañca lacchāma, sotthinā ca caṇḍālavaṁsā orohissāmā’”ti. | That’s how, guarding and looking after ourselves, we’ll display our skill, collect our fee, and get down safely from the bamboo pole.’ |
| “So tattha ñāyo”ti bhagavā etadavoca, “yathā medakathālikā antevāsī ācariyaṁ avoca. | That’s the way,” said the Buddha. “It’s just as Medakathālikā said to her tutor. |
| Attānaṁ, bhikkhave, rakkhissāmīti satipaṭṭhānaṁ sevitabbaṁ; | Thinking ‘I’ll look after myself,’ you should cultivate mindfulness meditation. |
| paraṁ rakkhissāmīti satipaṭṭhānaṁ sevitabbaṁ. | Thinking ‘I’ll look after others,’ you should cultivate mindfulness meditation. |
| Attānaṁ, bhikkhave, rakkhanto paraṁ rakkhati, paraṁ rakkhanto attānaṁ rakkhati. | Looking after yourself, you look after others; and looking after others, you look after yourself. |
| Kathañca, bhikkhave, attānaṁ rakkhanto paraṁ rakkhati? | And how do you look after others by looking after yourself? |
| Āsevanāya, bhāvanāya, bahulīkammena— | By development, cultivation, and practice of meditation. |
| evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, attānaṁ rakkhanto paraṁ rakkhati. | |
| Kathañca, bhikkhave, paraṁ rakkhanto attānaṁ rakkhati? | And how do you look after yourself by looking after others? |
| Khantiyā, avihiṁsāya, mettacittatāya, anudayatāya— | By acceptance, harmlessness, love, and sympathy. |
| evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, paraṁ rakkhanto attānaṁ rakkhati. | |
| Attānaṁ, bhikkhave, rakkhissāmīti satipaṭṭhānaṁ sevitabbaṁ; | Thinking ‘I’ll look after myself,’ you should cultivate mindfulness meditation. |
| paraṁ rakkhissāmīti satipaṭṭhānaṁ sevitabbaṁ. | Thinking ‘I’ll look after others,’ you should cultivate mindfulness meditation. |
| Attānaṁ, bhikkhave, rakkhanto paraṁ rakkhati, paraṁ rakkhanto attānaṁ rakkhatī”ti. | Looking after yourself, you look after others; and looking after others, you look after yourself.” |
| Navamaṁ. |
Who benefits most: the firebrand simile.
Another simile for practice: not too tight, not too slack.
Try it
Begin with a 3-minute practice, or make your teaching card for today.
Questions people ask
What is the acrobat simile?
In SN 47.19 two acrobats stay safe by each watching their own balance. The Buddha teaches: 'Looking after yourself, you look after others; and looking after others, you look after yourself.'