Yodhajiva Sutta – The Warrior (Parts 1 and 2)
SPIRITUALITY, 10 Apr 2023
Buddha Sutra – TRANSCEND Media Service
Nha Trang, Vietnam – Giant warrior sculpture at the side of Gautama Buddha near Hai Duc Pagoda overlooking Nha Trang
Getty Images – MarcPo
The Warrior (1)
“Monks, there are these five types of warriors who can be found existing in the world. Which five?
“There is the case of a warrior who, on seeing a cloud of dust stirred up by the enemy army, falters, faints, doesn’t steel himself, can’t engage in the battle. Some warriors are like this. This is the first type of warrior who can be found existing in the world.
“Then there is the warrior who can handle the cloud of dust, but on seeing the top of the enemy’s banner, he falters, faints, doesn’t steel himself, can’t engage in the battle. Some warriors are like this. This is the second type of warrior who can be found existing in the world.
“Then there is the warrior who can handle the cloud of dust and the top of the enemy’s banner, but on hearing the tumult of the approaching forces, he falters, faints, doesn’t steel himself, can’t engage in the battle. Some warriors are like this. This is the third type of warrior who can be found existing in the world.
“Then there is the warrior who can handle the cloud of dust, the top of the enemy’s banner, and the tumult, but when in hand-to-hand combat he is struck and falls wounded. Some warriors are like this. This is the fourth type of warrior who can be found existing in the world.
“Then there is the warrior who can handle the cloud of dust, the top of the enemy’s banner, the tumult, and the hand-to-hand combat. On winning the battle, victorious in battle, he comes out at the very head of the battle. Some warriors are like this. This is the fifth type of warrior who can be found existing in the world.
“These are the five types of warriors who can be found existing in the world.
“In the same way, monks, there are these five warrior-like individuals who can be found existing among the monks. Which five?
[1] “There is the case of the monk who, on seeing a cloud of dust, falters, faints, doesn’t steel himself, can’t continue in the holy life. Declaring his weakness in the training, he leaves the training and returns to the lower life. What is the cloud of dust for him? There is the case of the monk who hears, ‘In that village or town over there is a woman or girl who is shapely, good-looking, charming, endowed with the foremost lotus-like complexion.’ On hearing this, he falters, faints, doesn’t steel himself, can’t continue in the holy life. Declaring his weakness in the training, he leaves the training and returns to the lower life. That, for him, is the cloud of dust. This individual, I tell you, is like the warrior who, on seeing a cloud of dust, falters, faints, doesn’t steel himself, can’t engage in the battle. Some individuals are like this. This is the first type of warrior-like individual who can be found existing among the monks.
[2] “Then there is the case of the monk who can handle the cloud of dust, but on seeing the top of the enemy’s banner, he falters, faints, doesn’t steel himself, can’t continue in the holy life. Declaring his weakness in the training, he leaves the training and returns to the lower life. What is the top of the banner for him? There is the case of the monk who not only hears that ‘In that village or town over there is a woman or girl who is shapely, good-looking, charming, endowed with the foremost lotus-like complexion.’ He sees for himself that in that village or town over there is a woman or girl who is shapely, good-looking, charming, endowed with the foremost lotus-like complexion. On seeing her, he falters, faints, doesn’t steel himself, can’t continue in the holy life. Declaring his weakness in the training, he leaves the training and returns to the lower life. That, for him, is the top of the banner. This individual, I tell you, is like the warrior who can handle the cloud of dust, but on seeing the top of the enemy’s banner, he falters, faints, doesn’t steel himself, can’t engage in the battle. Some individuals are like this. This is the second type of warrior-like individual who can be found existing among the monks.
[3] “Then there is the case of the monk who can handle the cloud of dust and the top of the enemy’s banner, but on hearing the tumult [of the approaching forces], he falters, faints, doesn’t steel himself, can’t continue in the holy life. Declaring his weakness in the training, he leaves the training and returns to the lower life. What is the tumult for him? There is the case of the monk who has gone to the wilderness, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty building. A woman approaches him and giggles at him, calls out to him, laughs aloud, and teases him. On being giggled at, called out to, laughed at, and teased by the woman, he falters, faints, doesn’t steel himself, can’t continue in the holy life. Declaring his weakness in the training, he leaves the training and returns to the lower life. That, for him, is the tumult. This individual, I tell you, is like the warrior who can handle the cloud of dust and the top of the enemy’s banner, but on hearing the tumult he falters, faints, doesn’t steel himself, can’t engage in the battle. Some individuals are like this. This is the third type of warrior-like individual who can be found existing among the monks.
[4] “Then there is the case of the monk who can handle the cloud of dust, the top of the enemy’s banner, and the tumult, but when in hand-to-hand combat he is struck and falls wounded. What is the hand-to-hand combat for him? There is the case of the monk who has gone to the wilderness, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty building. A woman approaches him and sits down right next to him, lies down right next to him, throws herself all over him. When she sits down right next to him, lies down right next to him, and throws herself all over him, he — without renouncing the training, without declaring his weakness — engages in sexual intercourse. This, for him, is hand-to-hand combat. This individual, I tell you, is like the warrior who can handle the cloud of dust, the top of the enemy’s banner, and the tumult, but when in hand-to-hand combat he is struck and falls wounded. Some individuals are like this. This is the fourth type of warrior-like individual who can be found existing among the monks.
[5] “Then there is the case of the monk who can handle the cloud of dust, the top of the enemy’s banner, the tumult, and hand-to-hand combat. On winning the battle, victorious in battle, he comes out at the very head of the battle. What is victory in the battle for him? There is the case of the monk who has gone to the wilderness, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty dwelling. A woman approaches him and sits down right next to him, lies down right next to him, throws herself all over him. When she sits down right next to him, lies down right next to him, and throws herself all over him, he extricates himself, frees himself, and goes off where he will.
“He resorts to a secluded dwelling place: the wilderness, the foot of a tree, a mountain, a glen, a hillside cave, a charnel ground, a forest grove, the open air, a haystack. Having gone to the wilderness, the foot of a tree, or an empty building, he sits down, crosses his legs, holds his body erect, and brings mindfulness to the fore.
“Abandoning covetousness with regard to the world, he dwells with an awareness devoid of covetousness. He cleanses his mind of covetousness. Abandoning ill will and anger, he dwells with an awareness devoid of ill will, sympathetic with the welfare of all living beings. He cleanses his mind of ill will and anger. Abandoning sloth and drowsiness, he dwells with an awareness devoid of sloth and drowsiness, mindful, alert, percipient of light. He cleanses his mind of sloth and drowsiness. Abandoning restlessness and anxiety, he dwells undisturbed, his mind inwardly stilled. He cleanses his mind of restlessness and anxiety. Abandoning uncertainty, he dwells having crossed over uncertainty, with no perplexity with regard to skillful mental qualities. He cleanses his mind of uncertainty.
“Having abandoned these five hindrances, corruptions of awareness that weaken discernment, then — quite withdrawn from sensual pleasures, withdrawn from unskillful (mental) qualities — he enters and remains in the first jhana: rapture and pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought and evaluation. With the stilling of directed thought and evaluation, he enters and remains in the second jhana: rapture and pleasure born of concentration, unification of awareness free from directed thought and evaluation — internal assurance. With the fading of rapture, he remains in equanimity, mindful and fully aware, and physically sensitive of pleasure. He enters and remains in the third jhana, of which the Noble Ones declare, ‘Equanimous and mindful, he has a pleasurable abiding.’ With the abandoning of pleasure and pain — as with the earlier disappearance of elation and distress — he enters and remains in the fourth jhana: purity of equanimity and mindfulness, neither pleasure nor pain.
“With his mind thus concentrated, purified, and bright, unblemished, free from defects, pliant, malleable, steady, and attained to imperturbability, he directs and inclines it to the knowledge of the ending of the mental fermentations. He discerns, as it is actually present, that ‘this is stress… This is the origination of stress… This is the cessation of stress… This is the way leading to the cessation of stress… These are mental fermentations… This is the origination of fermentations… This is the cessation of fermentations… This is the way leading to the cessation of fermentations.’ His heart, thus knowing, thus seeing, is released from the fermentation of sensuality, the fermentation of becoming, the fermentation of ignorance. With release, there is the knowledge, ‘Released.’ He discerns that ‘Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for this world.’
“This, for him, is victory in the battle. This individual, I tell you, is like the warrior who can handle the cloud of dust, the top of the enemy’s banner, the tumult, and hand-to-hand combat. On winning the battle, victorious in battle, he comes out at the very head of the battle. Some individuals are like this. This is the fifth type of warrior-like individual who can be found existing among the monks.
“These are the five warrior-like individuals who can be found existing among the monks.”
The Warrior (2)
“Monks, there are these five types of warriors who can be found existing in the world. Which five?
“There is the case of a warrior who — taking his sword and shield, strapping on his bow and quiver — goes down into the thick of battle. There in the battle he strives and makes effort. But while he is striving and making an effort, his opponents strike him down and finish him off. Some warriors are like this. This is the first type of warrior who can be found existing in the world.
“Then there is the warrior who — taking his sword and shield, strapping on his bow and quiver — goes down into the thick of battle. There in the battle he strives and makes effort. But while he is striving and making an effort, his opponents wound him. He gets carried out and taken to his relatives. But while he is being taken to his relatives, before he has reached them he dies along the way. Some warriors are like this. This is the second type of warrior who can be found existing in the world.
“Then there is the warrior who — taking his sword and shield, strapping on his bow and quiver — goes down into the thick of battle. There in the battle he strives and makes effort. But while he is striving and making an effort, his opponents wound him. He gets carried out and taken to his relatives, who nurse him and care for him, but he dies of that injury. Some warriors are like this. This is the third type of warrior who can be found existing in the world.
“Then there is the warrior who — taking his sword and shield, strapping on his bow and quiver — goes down into the thick of battle. There in the battle he strives and makes effort. But while he is striving and making an effort, his opponents wound him. He gets carried out and taken to his relatives. His relatives nurse him and care for him, and he recovers from his injury. Some warriors are like this. This is the fourth type of warrior who can be found existing in the world.
“Then there is the warrior who — taking his sword and shield, strapping on his bow and quiver — goes down into the thick of battle. On winning the battle, victorious in battle, he comes out at the very head of the battle. Some warriors are like this. This is the fifth type of warrior who can be found existing in the world.
“These are the five types of warriors who can be found existing in the world.
“In the same way, monks, there are these five warrior-like individuals who can be found existing among the monks. Which five?
[1] “There is the case of the monk who dwells in dependence on a certain village or town. Early in the morning, having put on his robes and carrying his bowl and outer robe, he goes into the village or town for alms — with his body, speech, and mind unprotected, with mindfulness un-established, with his sense faculties unguarded. There he sees a woman improperly dressed or half-naked. As he sees her improperly dressed or half-naked, lust ravages his mind. With his mind ravaged by lust, he — without renouncing the training, without declaring his weakness — engages in sexual intercourse. This individual, I tell you, is like the warrior who — taking his sword and shield, strapping on his bow and quiver — goes down into the thick of battle. There in the battle he strives and makes effort. But while he is striving and making an effort, his opponents strike him down and finish him off. Some individuals are like this. This is the first type of warrior-like individual who can be found existing among the monks.
[2] “Then there is the case of the monk who dwells in dependence on a certain village or town. Early in the morning, having put on his robes and carrying his bowl and outer robe, he goes into the village or town for alms — with his body, speech, and mind unprotected, with mindfulness un-established, with his sense faculties unguarded. There he sees a woman improperly dressed or half-naked. As he sees her improperly dressed or half-naked, lust ravages his mind. With his mind ravaged by lust, he burns in body and mind. The thought occurs to him: ‘What if I were to go to the monastery and tell the monks: “Friends, I am assailed by lust, overcome by lust. I can’t continue in the holy life. Declaring my weakness in the training, renouncing the training, I will return to the lower life.”‘ He heads toward the monastery, but before he arrives there, along the way, he declares his weakness in the training, renounces the training, and returns to the lower life. This individual, I tell you, is like the warrior who — taking his sword and shield, strapping on his bow and quiver — goes down into the thick of battle. There in the battle he strives and makes effort. But while he is striving and making an effort, his opponents wound him. He gets carried out and taken to his relatives. But while he is being taken to his relatives, before he has reached them he dies along the way. Some individuals are like this. This is the second type of warrior-like individual who can be found existing among the monks.
[3] “Then there is the case of the monk who dwells in dependence on a certain village or town. Early in the morning, having put on his robes and carrying his bowl and outer robe, he goes into the village or town for alms — with his body, speech, and mind unprotected, with mindfulness un-established, with his sense faculties unguarded. There he sees a woman improperly dressed or half-naked. As he sees her improperly dressed or half-naked, lust ravages his mind. With his mind ravaged by lust, he burns in body and mind. The thought occurs to him: ‘What if I were to go to the monastery and tell the monks: “Friends, I am assailed by lust, overcome by lust. I can’t continue in the holy life. Declaring my weakness in the training, renouncing the training, I will return to the lower life.”‘ Going to the monastery, he tells the monks, ‘Friends, I am assailed by lust, overcome by lust. I can’t continue in the holy life. Declaring my weakness in the training, renouncing the training, I will return to the lower life.’
“Then his companions in the holy life admonish and instruct him, ‘Friend, the Blessed One has said that sensual pleasures are of little satisfaction, of much stress, much despair, and greater drawbacks. The Blessed One has compared sensual pleasures to a chain of bones — of much stress, much despair, and greater drawbacks. He has compared sensual pleasures to a lump of flesh… a grass torch… a pit of glowing embers… a dream… borrowed goods… the fruits of a tree… a slaughterhouse… spears and swords… a poisonous snake — of much stress, much despair, and greater drawbacks. Find delight, friend, in the holy life. Don’t declare your weakness in the training, renounce the training, or return to the lower life.’
“Thus admonished and instructed by his companions in the holy life, he says, ‘Even though the Blessed One has said that sensual pleasures are of little satisfaction, of much stress, much despair, and greater drawbacks, still I can’t continue in the holy life. Declaring my weakness in the training, renouncing the training, I will return to the lower life.’ So he declares his weakness in the training, renounces the training, and returns to the lower life. This individual, I tell you, is like the warrior who — taking his sword and shield, strapping on his bow and quiver — goes down into the thick of battle. There in the battle he strives and makes effort. But while he is striving and making an effort, his opponents wound him. He gets carried out and taken to his relatives, who nurse him and care for him, but he dies of that injury. Some individuals are like this. This is the third type of warrior-like individual who can be found existing among the monks.
[4] “Then there is the case of the monk who dwells in dependence on a certain village or town. Early in the morning, having put on his robes and carrying his bowl and outer robe, he goes into the village or town for alms — with his body, speech, and mind unprotected, with mindfulness un-established, with his sense faculties unguarded. There he sees a woman improperly dressed or half-naked. As he sees her improperly dressed or half-naked, lust ravages his mind. With his mind ravaged by lust, he burns in body and mind. The thought occurs to him: ‘What if I were to go to the monastery and tell the monks: “Friends, I am assailed by lust, overcome by lust. I can’t continue in the holy life. Declaring my weakness in the training, renouncing the training, I will return to the lower life.”‘ Going to the monastery, he tells the monks, ‘Friends, I am assailed by lust, overcome by lust. I can’t continue in the holy life. Declaring my weakness in the training, renouncing the training, I will return to the lower life.’
“Then his companions in the holy life admonish and instruct him, ‘Friend, the Blessed One has said that sensual pleasures are of little satisfaction, of much stress, much despair, and greater drawbacks. The Blessed One has compared sensual pleasures to a chain of bones — of much stress, much despair, and greater drawbacks. He has compared sensual pleasures to a lump of flesh… a grass torch… a pit of glowing embers… a dream… borrowed goods… the fruits of a tree… a slaughterhouse… spears and swords… a poisonous snake — of much stress, much despair, and greater drawbacks. Find delight, friend, in the holy life. Don’t declare your weakness in the training, renounce the training, or return to the lower life.’
“Thus admonished and instructed by his companions in the holy life, he responds, ‘I will strive, friends. I will remember. I will find delight in the holy life. I won’t yet declare my weakness in the training, renounce the training, or return to the lower life.’ This individual, I tell you, is like the warrior who — taking his sword and shield, strapping on his bow and quiver — goes down into the thick of battle. There in the battle he strives and makes effort. But while he is striving and making an effort, his opponents wound him. He gets carried out and taken to his relatives, who nurse him and care for him, and he recovers from his injury. Some individuals are like this. This is the fourth type of warrior-like individual who can be found existing among the monks.
[5] “Then there is the case of the monk who dwells in dependence on a certain village or town. Early in the morning, having put on his robes and carrying his bowl and outer robe, he goes into the village or town for alms — with his body, speech, and mind protected, with mindfulness established, with his sense faculties guarded. On seeing a form with the eye, does not grasp at any theme or particulars by which — if he were to dwell without restraint over the faculty of the eye — evil, unskillful qualities such as greed or distress might assail him. He practices with restraint. He guards the faculty of the eye. He achieves restraint with regard to the faculty of the eye.
“On hearing a sound with the ear…
“On smelling an aroma with the nose…
“On tasting a flavor with the tongue…
“On touching a tactile sensation with the body…
“On cognizing an idea with the intellect, he does not grasp at any theme or particulars by which — if he were to dwell without restraint over the faculty of the intellect — evil, unskillful qualities such as greed or distress might assail him. He practices with restraint. He guards the faculty of the intellect. He achieves restraint with regard to the faculty of the intellect.
“Returning from his alms-round, after his meal, he resorts to a secluded dwelling place: the wilderness, the foot of a tree, a mountain, a glen, a hillside cave, a charnel ground, a forest grove, the open air, a haystack. Having gone to the wilderness, the foot of a tree, or an empty building, he sits down, crosses his legs, holds his body erect, and brings mindfulness to the fore.
“Abandoning covetousness with regard to the world, he dwells with an awareness devoid of covetousness. He cleanses his mind of covetousness. Abandoning ill will and anger, he dwells with an awareness devoid of ill will, sympathetic with the welfare of all living beings. He cleanses his mind of ill will and anger. Abandoning sloth and drowsiness, he dwells with an awareness devoid of sloth and drowsiness, mindful, alert, percipient of light. He cleanses his mind of sloth and drowsiness. Abandoning restlessness and anxiety, he dwells undisturbed, his mind inwardly stilled. He cleanses his mind of restlessness and anxiety. Abandoning uncertainty, he dwells having crossed over uncertainty, with no perplexity with regard to skillful mental qualities. He cleanses his mind of uncertainty.
“Having abandoned these five hindrances, corruptions of awareness that weaken discernment, then — quite withdrawn from sensual pleasures, withdrawn from unskillful mental qualities — he enters and remains in the first jhana: rapture and pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought and evaluation. With the stilling of directed thought and evaluation, he enters and remains in the second jhana: rapture and pleasure born of concentration, unification of awareness free from directed thought and evaluation — internal assurance. With the fading of rapture, he remains in equanimity, mindful and fully aware, and physically sensitive of pleasure. He enters and remains in the third jhana, of which the Noble Ones declare, ‘Equanimous and mindful, he has a pleasurable abiding.’ With the abandoning of pleasure and pain — as with the earlier disappearance of elation and distress — he enters and remains in the fourth jhana: purity of equanimity and mindfulness, neither pleasure nor pain.
“With his mind thus concentrated, purified, and bright, unblemished, free from defects, pliant, malleable, steady, and attained to imperturbability, he directs and inclines it to the knowledge of the ending of the mental fermentations. He discerns, as it is actually present, that ‘This is stress… This is the origination of stress… This is the cessation of stress… This is the way leading to the cessation of stress… These are mental fermentations… This is the origination of fermentations… This is the cessation of fermentations… This is the way leading to the cessation of fermentations.’ His heart, thus knowing, thus seeing, is released from the fermentation of sensuality, the fermentation of becoming, the fermentation of ignorance. With release, there is the knowledge, ‘Released.’ He discerns that ‘Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for this world.’
“This individual, I tell you, is like the warrior who — taking his sword and shield, strapping on his bow and quiver — goes down into the thick of battle. On winning the battle, victorious in battle, he comes out at the very head of the battle. Some individuals are like this. This is the fifth type of warrior-like individual who can be found existing among the monks.
“These are the five warrior-like individuals who can be found existing among the monks.”
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Translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu, for free distribution only.
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