Sn 4.12

Cula-viyuha Sutta

The Lesser Array

Translated from the Pali by

Thanissaro Bhikkhu

“Dwelling on

their own views,

quarreling,

different skilled people say:

‘Whoever knows this, understands Dhamma.

Whoever rejects this, is

                 imperfect.’

Thus quarreling, they dispute:

‘My opponent’s a fool & unskilled.’

Which of these statements is true

when all of them say they are skilled?”

“If, in not accepting

an opponent’s doctrine,

one’s a fool, a beast of inferior discernment,

then all are fools

of inferior discernment — 

all of these

who dwell on their views.

But if, in siding with a view,

one’s cleansed,

with discernment made pure,

         intelligent, skilled,

then none of them

are of inferior discernment,

for all of them

have their own views.

I don’t say, ‘That’s how it is,’

the way fools say to one another.

They each make out their views to be true

and so regard their opponents as fools.”

“What some say is true

— ‘That’s how it is’ — 

others say is ‘falsehood, a lie.’

Thus quarreling, they dispute.

Why can’t contemplatives

say one thing & the same?”

         “The truth is one,1

         there is no second

about which a person who knows it

would argue with one who knows.

Contemplatives promote

their various personal truths,

that’s why they don’t say

one thing & the same.”

“But why do they say

various truths,

those who say they are skilled?

Have they learned many various truths

or do they follow conjecture?”

“Apart from their perception

there are no

         many

         various

         constant truths

         in the world.2

Preconceiving conjecture

with regard to views,

they speak of a pair: true

         & false.

Dependent on what’s seen,

                          heard,

                          & sensed,

dependent on precepts & practices,

one shows disdain [for others].

Taking a stance on his decisions,

praising himself, he says,

‘My opponent’s a fool & unskilled.’

         That by which

he regards his opponents as fools

         is that by which

                 he says he is skilled.

Calling himself skilled

he despises another

who speaks the same way.

Agreeing on a view gone out of bounds,

drunk with conceit, thinking himself perfect,

he has consecrated, with his own mind,

         himself

         as well as his view.

If, by an opponent’s word,

one’s inferior,

                 the opponent’s

of inferior discernment as well.

But if, by one’s own word

one’s an attainer-of-wisdom, enlightened,

         no one

among contemplative’s

         a fool.

‘Those who teach a doctrine other than this

are lacking in purity,

         imperfect.’

That’s what the many sectarians say,

for they’re smitten with passion

for their own views.

         ‘Only here is there purity,’

         that’s what they say.

         ‘In no other doctrine

         is purity,’ they say.

That’s how the many sectarians

are entrenched,

speaking firmly there

concerning their own path.

Speaking firmly concerning your own path,

what opponent here would you take as a fool?

You’d simply bring quarrels on yourself

if you said your opponent’s a fool

with an impure doctrine.

Taking   a stance on your decisions,

                 & yourself as your measure,

you dispute further down

into the world.

But one who’s abandoned

         all decisions

creates in the world

quarrels no more.”

Banner Protection (Dhajagga
Paritta [1])

Thus have I heard:

On one occasion the Blessed
One was living near Savatthi

at Jetavana at the monastery
of Anathapindika. Then he

addressed the monks saying,
“O monks.” – “Venerable

Sir”, said the monks by way
of reply to the Blessed One.

Thereupon he spoke as
follows:

“Monks, I shall relate a
former incident. There arose a

battle between the Devas
(gods) and Asuras. Then Sakka,

the Lord of the devas,
addressed the devas of the

Tavatimsa heaven thus:

“ ‘Happy ones, if the devas
who have gone to the battle

should experience fear or
terror or suffer from hair

standing on end, let them
behold the crest of my own

banner. If you do so, any
fear, terror or hair standing on

end arising in you will pass
away.

“ ‘If you fail to look up to
the crest of my banner, look at

the crest of the banner of
Pajapati, King of gods. If you do

so, any fear, terror or hair
standing on end arising in you

will pass away.

“ ‘If you fail to look up to
the crest of Pajapati, King of the

gods, look at the crest of
the banner of Varuna, King of the

gods. If you do so, any fear,
terror or hair standing on end

arising in you will pass
away.’

“Monks, any fear, terror or
hair standing on end arising in

them who look at the crest of
the banner of Sakka… The

Lord of the gods, of
Pajapati… of Varuna… of Isana, the

King of the gods, any fear
terror or hair standing on end,

may pass away, or may not
pass away. What is the reason

for this?

98

“Sakka, the Lord of gods, O
monks, is not free from lust,

not free from hate, not free
from delusion, and is therefore

liable to fear, terror,
fright, and flight. I also say unto you

O monks — if any fear,
terror or hair standing on end

should arise in you when you
have gone to the forest or to

the foot of a tree, or to an
empty house (lonely place), then

think only of me thus:

‘Such Indeed is the Blessed
One, Arahant (Consummate

One), supremely enlightened,
endowed with knowledge

and virtue, welcome being,
knower of worlds, the peerless

trainer of persons, teacher
of gods and men, the Buddha,

the Blessed One.’ Monks, if
you think of me, any fear,

terror, or standing of hair
on end, that may arise in you,

will pass away.

“If you fail to think of me,
then think of the Dhamma (the

Doctrine) thus: ‘Well
expounded is the Dhamma by the

Blessed One, a Dhamma to be
realized by oneself and

gives immediate results, a
Dhamma which invites

investigation and leads up to
Nibbana, a Dhamma to be

understood by the wise each
for himself.’ Monks, if you

think of the Dhamma, any
fear, terror or hair standing on

end, that may arise in you,
will pass away.

“If you fail to think of the
Dhamma, then think of the

Sangha (the Order) thus: ‘Of
good conduct is the Order of

Disciples of the Blessed One,
of upright conduct is the

Order of Disciples of the
Blessed One, of wise conduct is

the Order of Disciples of the
Blessed One, of dutiful

conduct is the Order of
Disciples of the Blessed One. This

Order of Disciples of the
Blessed One — namely those four

pairs of persons, [2] the
eight kinds of individuals[3] — is

worthy of offerings, is
worthy of hospitality, is worthy of

gifts, is worthy of
reverential salutations, is an

incomparable field of merit for
the world.’ Monks, if you

think of the Sangha, any
fear, terror or hair standing on

end, that may arise in you,
will pass away. What is the

reason for this? The
Tathagata, O monks, who is Arahant,

supremely enlightened, is
free from lust, free from hate, is

free from delusion, and is
not liable to fear, terror, fright or

flight.”

So said the Blessed One.
Having thus spoken, the teacher,

the “Welcome Being” (Sugata), further said:

i. Whether in forest or at
foot of tree,

Or in some secluded spot, O
monks,

Do call to mind that Buddha
Supreme;

Then will there be no fear to
you at all.

ii. If you think not of the
Buddha, O monks,

That Lord of the world and
Chief of men,

Then do think, O monks, of
that Dhamma;

So well preached and leading
to Nibbana.

iii. If you think not of the
Dhamma, O monks

Well preached and leading to
Nibbana;

Then do think, O monks, of
that Sangha,

That wonderful field of merit
to all.

iv. To those recalling the
Buddha supreme,

To those recalling the Dhamma
sublime,

And to those recalling the
Sangha,

No fear, no terror will make
them quiver.

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