In short: in the Simile of the Blind Turtle (SN 56.48) the Buddha says a human life is as rare as a one-eyed turtle, surfacing once a century in a world-wide ocean, putting its head through a single drifting yoke. The point: don't waste this chance to practise.
Imagine the whole earth covered in ocean. A yoke with a single hole drifts on it. "And there was a one-eyed turtle who popped up once every hundred years." Would it ever put its neck through the hole? The Buddha said: "That's how anomalous it is to get reborn as a human being."
What it means
The point is not fear but gratitude and urgency: a human life, with the chance to meet the teaching, is extraordinarily rare. "And now, mendicants, you have been reborn as a human being… That's why you should practice." Start today with a 3-minute practice.
Read the full guide
The full text in Pāli and English
Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato, from SuttaCentral (SN56.48). Ellipses (…) are abbreviations in the original. Notes are ANEW's.
| Pāli | English |
|---|---|
| “Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ayaṁ mahāpathavī ekodakā assa. | “Mendicants, suppose the earth was entirely covered with water. |
| Tatra puriso ekacchiggaḷaṁ yugaṁ pakkhipeyya. | And a person threw a yoke with a single hole into it. |
| Tamenaṁ puratthimo vāto pacchimena saṁhareyya, pacchimo vāto puratthimena saṁhareyya, uttaro vāto dakkhiṇena saṁhareyya, dakkhiṇo vāto uttarena saṁhareyya. | The east wind wafts it west; the west wind wafts it east; the north wind wafts it south; and the south wind wafts it north. |
| Tatrassa kāṇo kacchapo. So vassasatassa vassasatassa accayena sakiṁ sakiṁ ummujjeyya. | And there was a one-eyed turtle who popped up once every hundred years. |
| Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, | What do you think, mendicants? |
| api nu kho kāṇo kacchapo vassasatassa vassasatassa accayena sakiṁ sakiṁ ummujjanto amusmiṁ ekacchiggaḷe yuge gīvaṁ paveseyyā”ti? | Would that one-eyed turtle, popping up once every hundred years, still poke its neck through the hole in that yoke?” |
| “Adhiccamidaṁ, bhante, yaṁ so kāṇo kacchapo vassasatassa vassasatassa accayena sakiṁ sakiṁ ummujjanto amusmiṁ ekacchiggaḷe yuge gīvaṁ paveseyyā”ti. | “It would be an anomaly, sir.” |
| “Evaṁ adhiccamidaṁ, bhikkhave, yaṁ manussattaṁ labhati. | “That’s how anomalous it is to get reborn as a human being. |
| Evaṁ adhiccamidaṁ, bhikkhave, yaṁ tathāgato loke uppajjati arahaṁ sammāsambuddho. | And that’s how anomalous it is for a Realized One to arise in the world, a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha. |
| Evaṁ adhiccamidaṁ, bhikkhave, yaṁ tathāgatappavedito dhammavinayo loke dibbati. | And that’s how anomalous it is for the teaching and training proclaimed by a Realized One to shine in the world. |
| Tassidaṁ, bhikkhave, manussattaṁ laddhaṁ, tathāgato loke uppanno arahaṁ sammāsambuddho, tathāgatappavedito ca dhammavinayo loke dibbati. | And now, mendicants, you have been reborn as a human being. A Realized One has arisen in the world, a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha. And the teaching and training proclaimed by a Realized One shines in the world. |
| Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yogo karaṇīyo …pe… ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yogo karaṇīyo”ti. | That’s why you should practice meditation …” |
| Aṭṭhamaṁ. |
Try it
Begin with a 3-minute practice, or make your teaching card for today.
Questions people ask
What is the blind turtle simile?
In SN 56.48 the Buddha says a human birth is as rare as a one-eyed turtle, surfacing once a century, putting its head through a single yoke floating on a vast ocean.