Hatthaka Sutta

Table of Contents

Hatthaka Sutta 3

The Heart of Prajna Paramita Sutra

6

With the Stand-less Verse Commentary

of the Venerable Master Hsüan Hua 6

Himavanta Sutta 15

Hiri Sutta 16

Conscience 16

Hiri Sutta 17

Hita Sutta 18

Iddhipada Vibhanga Sutta 19

Ina Sutta 24

Indriya Vibhanga Sutta 28

Indriyabhavana Sutta 31

The Buddha Speaks of the Infinite Life Sutra of Adornment, Purity, Equality and Enlightenment of the Mahayana School 42

Isidatta Sutta 95

Isigilisuttam 99

Issattha Sutta 102

Ittha Sutta 105

Jaliya Sutta 107

Jara Sutta 109

Jara Sutta 111

Jata Sutta 113

Jhana Sutta 115

Jiivaka Sutta 117

Jinna Sutta 120

Jivaka Sutta 122

Juseige 124

Kaayagataasatisuttam 126

Kaccayanagotta Sutta 136

Kakacupama Sutta 138

Kaladana Sutta 145

Kalahavivada Sutta 146

The Kalama Sutra 149

Kalama Sutra 156

Kalama Sutta, Help Us! 163

A Look at the Kalama Sutta 173

Kama Sutta 179

Kammavaranata Sutta 180

Kannakatthala Sutta 181

Karaniya Metta Sutta 191

Karaniya Mettá Sutta 193

Kasi Bharadvaja Sutta 195

Kasi Bharadvaja Sutta 199

Kathavatthu Sutta 203

Katuviya Sutta 205

Kayagata Sati Sutta 207

Kayasakkhi Sutta 220

Kesi Sutta 221

Kevatta Sutta 224

Khaggavisana Sutta 254

Khandha Sutta 259

Khuddaka Pátha 261

Mangala Sutta 262

Tirokudda Sutta 264

Nidhikanda Sutta 266

Kimattha Sutta 268

Kimila Sutta 271

Kimsila Sutta 273

Kindada Sutta 275

Kintisuttam 276

Kitágirisutta 281

Kucchivikara-vatthu 290

Kukkuravatika Sutta 294

Kula Sutta 300

Kusita Arambhavatthu Sutta 301

Kuta Sutta 306

Introduction to the Kutadanta Sutta 308

Kutadanta Sutta 323

Hatthaka Sutta

To Hatthaka On Sleeping Well in the Cold Forest

Translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.

On one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Alavi on a spread of leaves by a cattle track in a simsapa forest. Then Hatthaka of Alavi, out roaming and rambling for exercise, saw the Blessed One sitting on a spread of leaves by the cattle track in the simsapa forest. On seeing him, he went to him and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed One, "Lord, I hope the Blessed One has slept in ease."

"Yes, young man. I have slept in ease. Of those in the world who sleep in ease, I am one."

"But cold, lord, is the winter night. The 'Between-the-Eights' [1] is a time of snowfall. Hard is the ground trampled by cattle hooves. Thin is the spread of leaves. Sparse are the leaves in the trees. Thin are your ochre robes. And cold blows the Verandah wind. Yet still the Blessed One says, 'Yes, young man. I have slept in ease. Of those in the world who sleep in ease, I am one.'"

"In that case, young man, I will question you in return. Answer as you see fit. Now, what do you think: Suppose a householder or householder's son has a house with a gabled roof, plastered inside and out, draft-free, with close-fitting door and windows shut against the wind. Inside he has a horse-hair couch spread with a long-fleeced coverlet, a white wool coverlet, an embroidered coverlet, a rug of kadali-deer hide, with a canopy above, and red cushions on either side. And there a lamp would be burning, and his four wives, with their many charms, would be attending to him. Would he sleep in ease, or not? Or how does this strike you?"

"Yes, lord, he would sleep in ease. Of those in the world who sleep in ease, he would be one."

"But what do you think, young man. Might there arise in that householder or householder's son any bodily fevers or fevers of mind born of passion so that -- burned with those passion-born fevers -- he would sleep miserably?"

"Yes, lord."

"As for those passion-born fevers -- burned with which the householder or householder's son would sleep miserably -- that passion has been abandoned by the Tathágata, its root destroyed, like an uprooted palm tree, deprived of the conditions of existence, not destined for future arising. Therefore he sleeps in ease.

"Now, what do you think, young man. Might there arise in that householder or householder's son any bodily fevers or fevers of mind born of aversion so that -- burned with those aversion-born fevers -- he would sleep miserably?"

"Yes, lord."

"As for those aversion-born fevers -- burned with which the householder or householder's son would sleep miserably -- that aversion has been abandoned by the Tathágata, its root destroyed, like an uprooted palm tree, deprived of the conditions of existence, not destined for future arising. Therefore he sleeps in ease.

"Now, what do you think, young man. Might there arise in that householder or householder's son any bodily fevers or fevers of mind born of delusion so that -- burned with those delusion-born fevers -- he would sleep miserably?"

"Yes, lord."

"As for those delusion-born fevers -- burned with which the householder or householder's son would sleep miserably -- that delusion has been abandoned by the Tathágata, its root destroyed, like an uprooted palm tree, deprived of the conditions of existence, not destined for future arising. Therefore he sleeps in ease.

"Always, always,

he sleeps in ease:
the Brahman totally unbound,
who doesn't adhere
to sensual pleasures,
who's without acquisitions
    and cooled.

Having     cut all ties

        and subdued fear in the heart,
calmed,
he sleeps in ease,
        having reached peace
        of awareness."

Footnote

1. The "Between-the-Eights" is a period in February, regarded in northern India as the coldest part of the year