A Turtle Kummasutta

At Sāvatthī. Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

“Possessions, honor, and popularity are grim … “Dāruṇo, bhikkhave, lābhasakkārasiloko …pe… adhigamāya.

Once upon a time in a certain lake there was a large family of turtles that had lived there for a long time. Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, aññatarasmiṁ udakarahade mahākummakulaṁ ciranivāsi ahosi. Then one of the turtles said to another, Atha kho, bhikkhave, aññataro kummo aññataraṁ kummaṁ etadavoca: ‘My dear turtle, don’t you go to that place.’ ‘mā kho tvaṁ, tāta kumma, etaṁ padesaṁ agamāsī’ti.

But that turtle did go to that place, Agamāsi kho, bhikkhave, so kummo taṁ padesaṁ. and a hunter pierced her with a harpoon. Tamenaṁ luddo papatāya vijjhi.

Then that turtle went back to the other turtle. Atha kho, bhikkhave, so kummo yena so kummo tenupasaṅkami. When the other turtle saw her coming off in the distance, Addasā kho, bhikkhave, so kummo taṁ kummaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ. he said, Disvāna taṁ kummaṁ etadavoca: ‘My dear turtle, I hope you didn’t go to that place!’ ‘kacci tvaṁ, tāta kumma, na taṁ padesaṁ agamāsī’ti?

‘I did.’ ‘Agamāsiṁ khvāhaṁ, tāta kumma, taṁ padesan’ti.

‘But my dear turtle, I hope you’re not hurt or injured!’ ‘Kacci panāsi, tāta kumma, akkhato anupahato’ti?

‘I’m not hurt or injured. But this cord keeps dragging behind me.’ ‘Akkhato khomhi, tāta kumma, anupahato, atthi ca me idaṁ suttakaṁ piṭṭhito piṭṭhito anubandhan’ti.

‘Indeed, my dear turtle, you’re hurt and injured! ‘Tagghasi, tāta kumma, khato, taggha upahato. Your father and grandfather met with tragedy and disaster because of such a cord. Etena hi te, tāta kumma, suttakena pitaro ca pitāmahā ca anayaṁ āpannā byasanaṁ āpannā. Go now, you are no longer one of us.’ Gaccha dāni tvaṁ, tāta kumma, na dāni tvaṁ amhākan’ti.

‘Hunter’ is a term for Māra the Wicked. Luddoti kho, bhikkhave, mārassetaṁ pāpimato adhivacanaṁ.

‘Harpoon’ is a term for possessions, honor, and popularity. Papatāti kho, bhikkhave, lābhasakkārasilokassetaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

‘Cord’ is a term for greed and relishing. Suttakanti kho, bhikkhave, nandīrāgassetaṁ adhivacanaṁ.

Whoever enjoys and likes arisen possessions, honor, and popularity is called a mendicant who has been pierced with a harpoon. They’ve met with tragedy and disaster, and the Wicked One can do with them what he wants. Yo hi koci, bhikkhave, bhikkhu uppannaṁ lābhasakkārasilokaṁ assādeti nikāmeti—ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhikkhu giddho papatāya anayaṁ āpanno byasanaṁ āpanno yathākāmakaraṇīyo pāpimato.

So grim are possessions, honor, and popularity. …” Evaṁ dāruṇo kho, bhikkhave, lābhasakkārasiloko …pe… evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.