In short: in the Taking Up Arms Sutta (Snp 4.15) the Buddha describes how seeing people in conflict, floundering like fish in a little puddle, filled him with urgency. He saw the dart of craving in the heart that drives it all, and pulled it out.
Peril stems from those who take up arms; just look how people conflict! I shall extol how I came to be stirred with a sense of urgency. I saw this population flounder, like a fish in a little puddle. Seeing them at odds with each other, fear came upon me.
Snp 4.15, translated by Bhikkhu Sujato.
What it means
In one of the most personal poems in the early texts, the Buddha describes seeing a world in conflict, "like a fish in a little puddle", and then seeing "a dart there, so hard to see, stuck in the heart": craving. Pulling it out brings peace. A powerful reading for times of conflict. See the Four Noble Truths.
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The full text in Pāli and English
Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato, from SuttaCentral (SNP4.15). Ellipses (…) are abbreviations in the original. Notes are ANEW's.
| Pāli | English |
|---|---|
| “Attadaṇḍā bhayaṁ jātaṁ, | Peril stems from those who take up arms— |
| janaṁ passatha medhagaṁ; | just look how people conflict! |
| Saṁvegaṁ kittayissāmi, | I shall extol how I came to be |
| yathā saṁvijitaṁ mayā. | stirred with a sense of urgency. |
| Phandamānaṁ pajaṁ disvā, | I saw this population flounder, |
| macche appodake yathā; | like a fish in a little puddle. |
| Aññamaññehi byāruddhe, | Seeing them at odds with each other, |
| disvā maṁ bhayamāvisi. | fear came upon me. |
| Samantamasāro loko, | The world around was volatile, |
| disā sabbā sameritā; | all directions were in turmoil. |
| Icchaṁ bhavanamattano, | Wanting a home for myself, |
| nāddasāsiṁ anositaṁ. | I saw nowhere unsettled. |
| Osāne tveva byāruddhe, | Yet even in their settlement they were at odds— |
| Disvā me aratī ahu; | seeing that, I grew uneasy. |
| Athettha sallamaddakkhiṁ, | Then I saw a dart there, |
| Duddasaṁ hadayanissitaṁ. | so hard to see, stuck in the heart. |
| Yena sallena otiṇṇo, | When struck by that dart, |
| disā sabbā vidhāvati; | you run around in all directions. |
| Tameva sallamabbuyha, | But when that same dart has been plucked out, |
| na dhāvati na sīdati. | you neither run around nor sink down. |
| Tattha sikkhānugīyanti, | (On that topic, the trainings are recited.) |
| yāni loke gadhitāni; | Whatever attachments there are in the world, |
| Na tesu pasuto siyā, | don’t pursue them. |
| nibbijjha sabbaso kāme; | Having pierced through sensual pleasures <j>in every way, |
| Sikkhe nibbānamattano. | train yourself for extinguishment. |
| Sacco siyā appagabbho, | Be truthful, not rude, |
| amāyo rittapesuṇo; | free of deceit, and rid of slander; |
| Akkodhano lobhapāpaṁ, | without anger, a sage would cross over |
| vevicchaṁ vitare muni. | the evils of greed and avarice. |
| Niddaṁ tandiṁ sahe thīnaṁ, | Prevail over sleepiness, sloth, and drowsiness, |
| pamādena na saṁvase; | don’t abide in negligence, |
| Atimāne na tiṭṭheyya, | A person intent on quenching |
| nibbānamanaso naro. | would not stand for arrogance. |
| Mosavajje na nīyetha, | Don’t be led into lying, |
| rūpe snehaṁ na kubbaye; | or get caught up in affection for form. |
| Mānañca parijāneyya, | Completely understand conceit, |
| sāhasā virato care. | and desist from hasty conduct. |
| Purāṇaṁ nābhinandeyya, | Don’t relish the old, |
| Nave khantiṁ na kubbaye; | or welcome the new. |
| Hiyyamāne na soceyya, | Don’t grieve for what is running out, |
| Ākāsaṁ na sito siyā. | or get attached to things that pull you in. |
| Gedhaṁ brūmi mahoghoti, | Greed, I say, is the great flood, |
| Ājavaṁ brūmi jappanaṁ; | and longing is the current— |
| Ārammaṇaṁ pakappanaṁ, | the basis, the compulsion, |
| Kāmapaṅko duraccayo. | the swamp of sensuality so hard to get past. |
| Saccā avokkamma muni, | The sage never strays from the truth; |
| Thale tiṭṭhati brāhmaṇo; | the brahmin stands on solid ground. |
| Sabbaṁ so paṭinissajja, | Having given up everything, |
| Sa ve santoti vuccati. | they are said to be at peace. |
| Sa ve vidvā sa vedagū, | They have truly known, they’re a knowledge master, |
| Ñatvā dhammaṁ anissito; | understanding the teaching, they are independent. |
| Sammā so loke iriyāno, | They rightly proceed in the world, |
| Na pihetīdha kassaci. | not coveting anything here. |
| Yodha kāme accatari, | One who has crossed over sensuality here, |
| Saṅgaṁ loke duraccayaṁ; | the chain in the world so hard to get past, |
| Na so socati nājjheti, | grieves not, nor hopes; |
| Chinnasoto abandhano. | they’ve cut the strings, they’re no longer bound. |
| Yaṁ pubbe taṁ visosehi, | What came before, let wither away, |
| Pacchā te māhu kiñcanaṁ; | and after, let there be nothing. |
| Majjhe ce no gahessasi, | If you don’t grasp at the middle, |
| Upasanto carissasi. | you will live at peace. |
| Sabbaso nāmarūpasmiṁ, | One who has no sense of ownership |
| Yassa natthi mamāyitaṁ; | in the whole realm of name and form, |
| Asatā ca na socati, | does not grieve for that which is not, |
| Sa ve loke na jīyati. | they suffer no loss in the world. |
| Yassa natthi idaṁ meti, | If you don’t think of anything |
| Paresaṁ vāpi kiñcanaṁ; | as belonging to yourself or others, |
| Mamattaṁ so asaṁvindaṁ, | not finding any possessiveness, |
| Natthi meti na socati. | you won’t grieve, thinking “I don’t have it”. |
| Aniṭṭhurī ananugiddho, | Not bitter, not fawning, |
| Anejo sabbadhī samo; | unstirred, everywhere even; |
| Tamānisaṁsaṁ pabrūmi, | when asked about one who is unwavering, |
| Pucchito avikampinaṁ. | I declare that that is the benefit. |
| Anejassa vijānato, | For the unstirred who understand, |
| Natthi kāci nisaṅkhati; | there’s no performance of deeds. |
| Virato so viyārabbhā, | Desisting from instigation, |
| Khemaṁ passati sabbadhi. | they see sanctuary everywhere. |
| Na samesu na omesu, | A sage doesn’t speak of themselves as being |
| Na ussesu vadate muni; | among superiors, inferiors, or equals. |
| Santo so vītamaccharo, | Peaceful, rid of stinginess, |
| Nādeti na nirassatī”ti. | they are neither ditching nor taking up. |
| Attadaṇḍasuttaṁ pannarasamaṁ. |
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Questions people ask
What is the Attadanda Sutta?
Snp 4.15, 'Taking Up Arms', a poem where the Buddha describes his sense of urgency at seeing people in conflict and finding the 'dart' of craving in the heart.