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Samyutta Nikaya

# SN 35.69 Upasena Āsīvisa Sutta (The Venerable Upasena and the Snake) SN 35.69

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- The Connected Discourses: SN 35.69 - Upasena Āsīvisa Sutta (The Venerable Upasena & The Snake). (Duration: 7:27)

## Text

    [page 1]
    SN 35.69
    Saṁyutta Nikāya
    The Connected Discourses

    Saḷāyatanavagga Saṁyutta
    Group of Connected Discourses on the Six Sense Spheres
    Saḷāyatana Saṁyutta
    Connected Discourses on the Six Sense Spheres
    Migajāla Vagga
    The Section on Migajāla

    Upasena Āsīvisa Sutta
    “The Venerable Upasena and the Snake”

    Translated by Bhikkhu Candana
    Copyright © Bhikkhu Candana 2024

    At one time, the Venerable Sāriputta and the Venerable Upasena, along with their
    students, were staying within the Snake’s Hood Cave, at Rājagaha’s Cool Forest.

    It was then that one day, while sitting, a venomous snake fell upon the Venerable Upasena’s
    body, at which point, the Venerable Upasena addressed the Bhikkhus next to him by saying:

    “Friends, come and lift this body of mine onto the bed and carry it outside into the open air,
    before it gets scattered right here, much like a handful of discarded chaff blown by the wind.”

    Now, once he said this, the Venerable Sāriputta turned to the Venerable Upasena and remarked:

    “But friend, we did not notice any sudden reactions nor changes within our Venerable Upasena’s
    body, at all! Your faculties seem as sharp as ever, with no changes detected whatsoever in your
    behavior. Yet, why is the Venerable Upasena saying:

    ‘Friends, come and lift this body of mine onto the bed and carry it outside into the open air,
    before it gets scattered right here, much like a handful of discarded chaff blown by the wind?’”

    Then, the Venerable Upasena responded to the Venerable Sāriputta’s remarks by saying:

    “Friend Sāriputta, you would indeed notice a sudden reaction or definite changes within this
    body, as well as in my faculties, which would be seriously affected, and all that turmoil in my

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    behavior would be fully witnessed and detected by you, had I been someone who goes on
    thinking:

    ‘I am my eye,’ or ‘this eye is mine!’ while perceiving the whole phenomena as: ‘The eye and
    myself are one and the same!’

    Or that –

    ‘I am my ear,’ or ‘this ear is mine!’ while perceiving the whole phenomena as: ‘The ear and
    myself are one and the same!’

    Or that –

    ‘I am my nose,’ or ‘this nose is mine!’ while perceiving the whole phenomena as: ‘The nose and
    myself are one and the same!’

    Or that –

    ‘I am my tongue,’ or ‘this tongue is mine!’ while perceiving the whole phenomena as: ‘The
    tongue and myself are one and the same!’

    Or that –

    ‘I am my body,’ or ‘this body is mine!’ while perceiving the whole phenomena as: ‘The body and
    myself are one and the same!’

    Or that –

    ‘I am my mind,’ or ‘this mind is mine!’ while perceiving the whole phenomena as: ‘The mind and
    myself are one and the same!’

    “But, Friend Sāriputta, seeing that no such thinking or perceiving takes place within me, why
    would there be any change in my faculties, demeanor, or behavior for you and other observers to
    witness or detect?”

    And the Venerable Sāriputta said:

    “In that case, it is clear to us that Our Dear Venerable Upasena has already relinquished long ago
    all that sort of self-obsessed ways of thinking and conceit; no longer allowing but having already
    pulled to pieces that inner drive or assumption within, which says: “this is mine,” or “this is
    happening to me, or belonging to me,” or “this is who, how, or what I am!”

    “It is so wonderful, indeed, to see how Our Dear Venerable Upasena has completely pulled out
    from its roots the very ignorance, which is responsible for the deluded thinking that says:

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    ‘I am my eye,’ or ‘this eye is mine!’ while perceiving the whole phenomena as: ‘The eye and
    myself are one and the same!’

    Or that –

    ‘I am my ear,’ or ‘this ear is mine!’ while perceiving the whole phenomena as: ‘The ear and
    myself are one and the same!’

    Or that –

    ‘I am my nose,’ or ‘this nose is mine!’ while perceiving the whole phenomena as: ‘The nose and
    myself are one and the same!’

    Or that –

    ‘I am my tongue,’ or ‘this tongue is mine!’ while perceiving the whole phenomena as: ‘The
    tongue and myself are one and the same!’

    Or that –

    ‘I am my body,’ or ‘this body is mine!’ while perceiving the whole phenomena as: ‘The body and
    myself are one and the same!’

    Or that –

    ‘I am my mind,’ or ‘this mind is mine!’ while perceiving the whole phenomena as: ‘The mind and
    myself are one and the same!’”

    And as this was being said, the Bhikkhus gathered there proceeded to quickly lift the Venerable
    Upasena, while helping him onto the bed as they carried him outside into the open air.

    Not long after, the Venerable Upasena’s body disintegrated in front of their eyes, as it scattered
    right there into the open air and vanished, much like a handful of discarded chaff blown by the
    wind.

    Sādhu

    Sādhu

    Sādhu

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