Reference lookup

Q & A
1

Reading the classic A swift Pair of Messengers, I came a cross the following citation (see below), but the reference seems to be wrong and I can’t find the text. Can anyone assist? I am looking for the Pali.

‘It is always good for the mindful
The mindful one thrives in bliss
It is better each day for the mindful one
But he is not released from enmity.

‘One whose mind all day and night
Finds delight in harmlessness
Who has loving-kindness for all living beings
For him there is enmity with none.’

p.59-60.

Reference is given to SN 1.813-814 - but this must be a mistake because there isn’t such numeration. The style seems to fit Snp, but at 813 I couldn’t find the it either.

Any idea?

2

Maybe you are referring to this similar meaning in SN 10.4:

“It’s always auspicious for the mindful;
the mindful prosper in happiness.
Each new day is better for the mindful,
and they’re freed from enmity.”

“It’s always auspicious for the mindful;
the mindful prosper in happiness.
Each new day is better for the mindful,
but they’re not freed from enmity.

But someone whose mind delights in harmlessness,
all day and all night,
with love for all living creatures—
they have no enmity for anyone.”

In Pali:

“Satīmato sadā bhaddaṁ,
satimā sukhamedhati;
Satīmato suve seyyo,
verā ca parimuccatī”ti.

“Satīmato sadā bhaddaṁ,
satimā sukhamedhati;
Satīmato suve seyyo,
verā na parimuccati.

Yassa sabbamahorattaṁ, Variant: sabbamahorattaṁ → sabbamahorrattiṁ (sya-all, km, mr)
ahiṁsāya rato mano;
Mettaṁso sabbabhūtesu,
veraṁ tassa na kenacī”ti.

3 Likes
3

Perhaps Bhante @sujato can help. It’s his book :grin:

4

Thank you @ORsEnTURVi
SN 10.4 indeed looks looks very similar to the quote from bhante @sujato 's book.
And I’d love him to comment, as I now see an issue with this citation.
In the book it is brought as a support to the claim that the Buddha said that by using mindfulness alone it is not possible to fully overcome ill will.
But in the sutta, the first passage (not quoted in the book) says it does:

Blockquote
“It’s always auspicious for the mindful;
the mindful prosper in happiness.
Each new day is better for the mindful,
and they’re freed from enmity.”
Blockquote

all in all the whole text looks problematic - the first two paragraphs are identical with only one difference - ca/na in pali. I can only speculate why this is the case.
The words are also not attributed to the Buddha, but to a yakkha.

Please share your views and perspectives.

5

…oh, I see now what the solution might be.

  1. as for the reference. SN10.4 is also SN book of verses (sagathavagga) no. 813. Sutta Central doesn’t give this reference. But Bhikkhu Bodhi does.
  2. Bodhi mentions that the text is a conversation between the Yakkha and the Buddha. First para is by the Yakkha, and the following two verses are by the Buddha. This is a common feature of the sagathavagga.

I hope I got it right.

6

Yes you got it right :+1:

1 Like