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Sisupacala Sutta: Sister Sisupacala

Sisupacala Sutta

Summary: Sister Sisupacala shows Mara how following the path of Dhamma doesn't mean buying into to a fixed philosophy.

SN 5.8 PTS: S i 133 CDB i 227

translated from the Pali by

Thanissaro Bhikkhu

1998-2018

Alternate translation: Bodhi

- Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammā-sambuddhassa -

At Savatthi. Then, early in the morning, Sisupacala the nun put on her robes and, taking her bowl & outer robe, went into Savatthi for alms. When she had gone for alms in Savatthi and had returned from her alms round, after her meal she went to the Grove of the Blind to spend the day. Having gone deep into the Grove of the Blind, she sat down at the foot of a tree for the day's abiding.

Then Mara the Evil One, wanting to arouse fear, horripilation, & terror in her, wanting to make her fall from solitude, approached her & said, “Whose philosophy do you approve of, nun?”

“I don't approve of anyone's philosophy, my friend.”

[Mara:]

For whose sake

have you shaved your head?

You look like a contemplative but don't approve of a philosophy, so why are you wandering here

confused?

[Sister Sisupacala:]

Outside philosophers place their confidence in views. I don't approve

of their teaching.

They're not adept

in the Dhamma.
But there is

the Awakened One, born in the Sakyan clan, a person without peer:

all-conquering,
Mara's subduer,

everywhere undefeated, everywhere freed, independent;

	endowed with an Eye
all-seeing, reaching the end of
all kamma —

with the ending of acquisitions,

released.

He, that Blessed One,

is my teacher.

It's in his Dhamma

that I delight.

Then Mara the Evil One — sad & dejected at realizing, “Sisupacala the nun knows me” — vanished right there.

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Provenance:

The source of this work is the gift within Access to Insight “Offline Edition 2012.09.10.14”, last replication 12. March 2013, generously given by John Bullitt and mentioned as: ©1998 Thanissaro Bhikkhu.

Transcribed from a file provided by the translator.

This Zugang zur Einsicht edition is 2013 (ATI 1998-2012).

Translations, rebublishing, editing and additions are in the sphere of responsibility of Zugang zur Einsicht.

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How to cite this document (one suggested style): “Sisupacala Sutta: Sister Sisupacala” (SN 5.8), translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. Access to Insight, 17 June 2010, http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn05/sn05.008.than.html . Retrieved on 10 September 2012 (Offline Edition 2012.09.10.14), republished by Zugang zur Einsicht on http://www.zugangzureinsicht.org/html/tipitaka/sn/sn05/sn05.008.than_en.html retreived on: “date”

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