The Simile of the Angler

Bāḷisikopamasutta

The Simile of the Angler

Bāḷisikopamasutta

EN
“Mendicants, suppose an angler was to cast a baited hook into a deep lake. Seeing the bait, a fish would swallow it. And so the fish that swallowed the hook would meet with tragedy and disaster, and the angler can do what he wants with it. In the same way, there are these six hooks in the world that mean tragedy and slaughter for living creatures.
PL
“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, bāḷisiko āmisagatabaḷisaṁ gambhīre udakarahade pakkhipeyya. Tamenaṁ aññataro āmisacakkhu maccho gileyya. Evañhi so, bhikkhave, maccho gilitabaḷiso bāḷisikassa anayaṁ āpanno byasanaṁ āpanno yathākāmakaraṇīyo bāḷisikassa. Evameva kho, bhikkhave, chayime baḷisā lokasmiṁ anayāya sattānaṁ vadhāya pāṇinaṁ.
EN
What six? There are sights known by the eye, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing. If a mendicant approves, welcomes, and keeps clinging to them, they’re called a mendicant who has swallowed Māra’s hook. They’ve met with tragedy and disaster, and the Wicked One can do with them what he wants.
PL
Katame cha? Santi, bhikkhave, cakkhuviññeyyā rūpā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā. Tañce bhikkhu abhinandati abhivadati ajjhosāya tiṭṭhati. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhikkhu gilitabaḷiso, mārassa anayaṁ āpanno byasanaṁ āpanno yathākāmakaraṇīyo pāpimato …pe…
EN
There are sounds … smells … tastes … touches … ideas known by the mind, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing. If a mendicant approves, welcomes, and keeps clinging to them, they’re called a mendicant who has swallowed Māra’s hook. They’ve met with tragedy and disaster, and the Wicked One can do with them what he wants.
PL
santi, bhikkhave, jivhāviññeyyā rasā …pe…. Santi, bhikkhave, manoviññeyyā dhammā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā. Tañce bhikkhu abhinandati abhivadati ajjhosāya tiṭṭhati. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhikkhu gilitabaḷiso mārassa anayaṁ āpanno byasanaṁ āpanno yathākāmakaraṇīyo pāpimato.
EN
There are sights known by the eye, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing. If a mendicant doesn’t approve, welcome, and keep clinging to them, they’re called a mendicant who hasn’t swallowed Māra’s hook. They’ve broken the hook, destroyed it. They haven’t met with tragedy and disaster, and the Wicked One cannot do with them what he wants.
PL
Santi ca, bhikkhave, cakkhuviññeyyā rūpā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā. Tañce, bhikkhu, nābhinandati nābhivadati nājjhosāya tiṭṭhati. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhikkhu na gilitabaḷiso mārassa abhedi baḷisaṁ paribhedi baḷisaṁ na anayaṁ āpanno na byasanaṁ āpanno na yathākāmakaraṇīyo pāpimato …pe….
EN
There are sounds … smells … tastes … touches … ideas known by the mind, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing. If a mendicant doesn’t approve, welcome, and keep clinging to them, they’re called a mendicant who hasn’t swallowed Māra’s hook. They’ve broken the hook, destroyed it. They haven’t met with tragedy and disaster, and the Wicked One cannot do with them what he wants.”
PL
Santi, bhikkhave, jivhāviññeyyā rasā …pe…. Santi, bhikkhave, manoviññeyyā dhammā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā. Tañce bhikkhu nābhinandati nābhivadati nājjhosāya tiṭṭhati, ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhikkhu na gilitabaḷiso mārassa abhedi baḷisaṁ paribhedi baḷisaṁ na anayaṁ āpanno na byasanaṁ āpanno na yathākāmakaraṇīyo pāpimato”ti.
PL
Tatiyaṁ.

Pāli root text and English translation by Bhikkhu Sujato from SuttaCentral (https://suttacentral.net), CC0.

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