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[page 1] Snp. 1.3 Sutta Nipāta Uraga Vagga Khaggavisāṇa Sutta “The Horned Rhinoceros” Translated by Bhikkhu Candana Copyright © Bhikkhu Candana 2022 35. Having relinquished all manner of violence and any desire to cause harm to anyone, do not wish for sons, nor the close association with another, and instead continue on your path, living alone like a solitary horned rhinoceros. 36. As a result of closely associating with another, affection arises due to love, bringing you sorrow and much pain. By seeing the hidden danger born out of the affection for loved ones, continue on your path, living alone like a solitary horned rhinoceros. 37. Giving attention, offering sympathy, and worrying about the welfare of loved ones and friends, you miss out by delaying your own progress in the Holy Life. Reflecting on the dangers of the shackles of intimacy, continue on your path, living alone like a solitary horned rhinoceros. 38. Desiring for children, wives, and the attention of other women, is like the uncontrolled proliferation of bamboo trees, entangled and trapped. Much like a young bamboo shoot, still uninvolved and free, continue on your path, living alone like a solitary horned rhinoceros. 39. As a wild deer, untied and set loose into the wide forest, roaming free into the expanse, a wise man reflecting on such a freedom lives alone like a solitary horned rhinoceros. 40. Living among companions, whether one is trying to lay down and rest, or stand, or go on a journey, there is always someone coming to disturb your peace, making requests, or asking questions. Seek the kind of freedom that is not sought after by the crowds, as you live alone like a solitary horned rhinoceros. 41. While being with friends, you engage and indulge in all kinds of amusements, games, and playful activities, where you become delighted in being part of a large family and in the desire for having children. Even though you cannot bear separating yourself from those dear to you, nevertheless, continue on your path, living alone like a solitary horned rhinoceros. [page 2] 42. Being comfortable and at ease, with no hostilities towards anyone in the four directions, content with whatever comes your way, fearlessly facing whatever troubles along the way, continue on your path, living alone like a solitary horned rhinoceros. 43. Donning the robes of a recluse, some monastics behave more like householders than monks, being contentious and so difficult to please. Instead, leave the worries of household life to laypeople, and continue on your path, living alone like a solitary horned rhinoceros. 44. But, once having removed your layman’s attire, now wearing the robes of a Bhikkhu in the color of the fallen Koviḷāra leaves, cut off the shackles that bind householders and, just like a hero, continue resolutely on your path, living alone like a solitary horned rhinoceros. 45. If you find yourself a dedicated friend, a virtuous and a wise friend, then without looking back, having overcome all dangers, fearlessly walk with him, with a mind that is joyful. 46. But, in case you are unable to find a dedicated friend to be your virtuous and wise companion, then, just like a king who has relinquished his vanquished kingdom, continue resolutely on your path, living alone like a solitary horned rhinoceros. 47. Certainly, it is indeed considered a great fortune to have a friend, who is superior or at the very least, equal to oneself in both virtue and wisdom, but if you are unable to find one who has already attained to the Paths and Fruits, then while living blamelessly, continue on your path, living alone like a solitary horned rhinoceros. 48. See the way shiny double bracelets behave, for even though made of gold by a goldsmith, they keep clashing as they jingle together, while sharing the same arm! So, just continue on your path, living alone like a solitary horned rhinoceros. 49. ‘In just the same way, when there is another living with me, soon there will be words of praise or abuse, directed at each other.’ Considering this troublesome possibility for the future, just continue on your path, living alone like a solitary horned rhinoceros. 50. Different kinds of sense pleasures, disguising themselves as sweet and delightful, only serve to agitate the heart. By exposing the dangers hiding in the five ropes of sense pleasures, just continue on your path, living alone like a solitary horned rhinoceros. 51. ‘It is a disaster, a catastrophe, a sore, a sickness, a trouble, a hook, and this is frightful for me!’ Seeing this fearful reality hidden within sense pleasures clearly, just continue on your path, living alone like a solitary horned rhinoceros. 52. Whether it is the hot weather, or the cold, the hunger or thirst, the dry and scorching wind or the humidity, or being harassed by gadflies and by crawly things, while enduring all these, just continue on your path, living alone like a solitary horned rhinoceros. [page 3] 53. Like the mature elephant, that has seen it all, turns his back to the fresh waters of lotus-filled ponds, leaving his herd behind, as he roams free anywhere he chooses in the forest, you too, just continue on your path, living alone like a solitary horned rhinoceros. 54. ‘It is an impossibility for the one who enjoys and delights in having companions around to gain even a temporary release.’ Now, having heard these words from the Kinsman of the Sun, just continue on your path, living alone like a solitary horned rhinoceros. 55. Reminding yourself by saying, ‘I have left behind the net of wrong views, and now, having gained the certitude of the correct Path, as true knowledge arises in me, no longer am I led by anyone else,’ just continue on your path, living alone like a solitary horned rhinoceros. 56. Without any greed or hypocrisy, with all impurities of the heart removed, and no more desires left in it for the world, just continue on your path, living alone like a solitary horned rhinoceros. 57. Stay away from evil friends who possess wrong behavior; those who are blind to the Goal of the Holy life, and who choose to constantly engage in immoral actions. So, instead of hankering after those with wrong views, do not abandon working on yourself, and just continue on your path, living alone like a solitary horned rhinoceros. 58. Keep company with the noble friend, who is quite learned, possessing a solid grasp of the Dhamma; a true friend who trains you with his uplifting and eloquent speech, pulling you out of ignorance. By having your doubts removed thus, just continue on your path, living alone like a solitary horned rhinoceros. 59. No longer finding any satisfaction in whatever the world considers ‘fulfilling’ or ‘delightful,’ experiencing them instead as insufficient and incomplete, stand unadorned while speaking your truth, and just continue on your path, living alone like a solitary horned rhinoceros. 60. Leaving behind children and spouse, father and mother, wealth, possessions, and relatives too, along with sensual pleasures as much as you are able to, just continue on your path, living alone like a solitary horned rhinoceros. 61. “It is a trap, an attachment from which there can be no protection or satisfaction but only misery, so long as you are in it.” Understanding this to be the truth, the wise should just continue on their path, living alone like a solitary horned rhinoceros. 62. Tear up those shackles and ropes that bind you, just like the fish, fighting for its life, bursts through the suffocating net and swims free, or like the blazing fire, having burned through, does not return back to the ground it has scorched, similarly, just continue on your path, living alone like a solitary horned rhinoceros. 63. With eyes lowered, with no desire left for exploring new places of travel, with sense faculties guarded and the mind protected, without any leakage of mental contaminants nor burning with longing, just continue on your path, living alone like a solitary horned rhinoceros. [page 4] 64. Having left behind a layman’s attire, much like a coral tree that has shed all its leaves, now while you wear the saffron robes of a Bhikkhu, continue resolutely on your path, living alone like a solitary horned rhinoceros. 65. No longer lusting after the flavors of the senses, not contentious, and no longer responsible for another, going from one place to the next on your alms round for your sustenance, and no more bound to this or that family, just continue resolutely on your path, living alone like a solitary horned rhinoceros. 66. By giving up the five hindrances and kicking out all the deceptions from the heart, neither depending on others, nor having any affection or hatred towards anyone, continue resolutely on your path, living alone like a solitary horned rhinoceros. 67. Having left both happiness and pain behind you, along with the delights and miseries of the past, while attaining to equanimity that is the stainless serenity of the heart, just continue resolutely on your path, living alone like a solitary horned rhinoceros. 68. Resolutely putting the effort to reach the Highest Goal, neither drowsy nor half-hearted, but driven and with strong intent, powerfully and vigorously continue on your path, living alone like a solitary horned rhinoceros. 69. Not neglecting the importance of seclusion, while going through the Jhānas, always living in accordance with the Dhamma, so to never go back to the wretched states of existence and rebirths, just continue resolutely on your path, living alone like a solitary horned rhinoceros. 70. Through the destruction of craving, no longer being at the mercy of the king of death, staying vigilant and maintaining sati, and wisely seeing through the conditionality of all phenomena, thus set on your sure path to Awakening, just continue resolutely on your path, living alone like a solitary horned rhinoceros. 71. Remain unshaken as a lion, untroubled by the sounds you hear, untouched by the passions, like the wind that is never caught in a fisherman’s net, nor become defiled by the world, much like the lotus, staying untouched by the water it rises through, just continue resolutely on your path, living alone like a solitary horned rhinoceros. 72. Like the mighty king of the beasts, the lion, moves about the jungle victoriously with his powerful teeth, so should you, while wandering or going to houses for alms, having absolute control over your behavior, as you continue resolutely on your path, living alone like a solitary horned rhinoceros. 73. With time and consistency, gain your release through loving kindness, equanimity, and compassion, along with altruistic joy, as you stay undisturbed by anything in the world, and so, continue resolutely on your path, living alone like a solitary horned rhinoceros. [page 5] 74. Having left behind you a world of lust, hate, and delusion, tear through all the fetters that bind, never again afraid until the end of life, as you continue resolutely on your path, living alone like a solitary horned rhinoceros. 75. People become friends or even serve you but while following their own ulterior motives. In today’s world, it is very difficult to find people who are genuine friends. Therefore, be careful and alert, as there are those who are impure, who work and scheme only to profit themselves, so, continue resolutely on your path, living alone like a solitary horned rhinoceros. Sādhu Sādhu Sādhu
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