The Sutra on the Venerable Sūryavīra Spoken by the Buddha
Translated by the Tripitaka Master of the Western Regions, Court-Assigned Grand Master for Closing Court, Dharma-Propagation Master, Purple-Robed Monk Śikṣānanda and others, by Imperial Command.
Thus have I heard:
At one time, the Buddha was dwelling in the Bamboo Grove of Kalandaka in Rājagṛha, together with the assembly of bhikṣus.
At that time, there was a venerable elder named Suiyong. He was dwelling in a large monastic dwelling situated on a solitary peak within the charnel grounds of the Śītavana forest, near the city of Rājagṛha. While walking in meditation alone, he was suddenly bitten by a venomous snake. The snake's body was slender, sleek, and terrifyingly fierce, like that of an añjanaśāraka. Immediately, Venerable Suiyong called to the assembly of bhikṣus and said, "Venerable ones! I have been bitten by a venomous snake. My flesh and body are decaying. Now, please place me outside the monastic dwelling, so that the poison may not spread and disperse further."
At that time, the Venerable Shariputra was seated beneath a tree not far from where the Venerable Sui Yong resided. Hearing Sui Yong utter such words, he immediately went to his dwelling. Upon arriving, he said: “Venerable Sui Yong, earlier I observed your countenance and faculties, which showed no unusual signs. Why then do you now give voice to such sounds?”
Suīyǒng replied, "Venerable One, I have been bitten by a poisonous snake, and my flesh is now festering and decaying. I should be placed outside the monastery, lest the venom continue to spread and flow."
Venerable Shariputra! If I were to grasp and cling, thinking: “The eye is mine, the eye belongs to me; the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind are mine, the mind belongs to me; form is mine, form belongs to me; sound, scent, taste, touch, and phenomena are mine, phenomena belong to me; the earth element is mine, the earth element belongs to me; the water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness elements are mine, the consciousness element belongs to me; the form aggregate is mine, the form aggregate belongs to me; the feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness aggregates are mine, the consciousness aggregate belongs to me”—if I were to grasp and cling to such dharmas, then my face and faculties might display altered signs.
Venerable Shariputra! I do not grasp phenomena in such a way, thinking: the eye is the self, the eye is mine; up to the consciousness aggregate is the self, the consciousness aggregate is mine. Why then is there such an altered appearance in your face and faculties?
Shariputra said: "Venerable Sui Yong! If one has severed the grasping of views of self and mine, as well as conceit and the like, and further fully comprehends that the root of what has been severed is eternally eradicated without remainder—like a tala tree whose core, once destroyed, never grows again—and realizes the unborn Dharma, what distinct characteristic could there remain to be apprehended?"
At that time, the Venerable Shariputra, having been placed outside the monastery by the Venerable Suyong, lay collapsed upon the ground.
At that time, the Venerable Shariputra then spoke this verse:
The wise who skillfully practice the holy life, And constantly cultivate the causes of the right path, At the time of relinquishing life, their hearts rejoice, Like a gravely ill patient who recovers.
The wise who skillfully practice the holy life, And constantly cultivate the causes of the right path, At the time of relinquishing life, their hearts rejoice, As if discarding a vessel of vile poison.
The wise who skillfully practice the holy life, And constantly cultivate the causes of the right path, At the moment of abandoning this body, they are freed, Like one escaping from a burning house.
The wise who practice the holy life and cultivate the right path, See the entire world as grass and trees— Devoid of true benefit, accomplishing nothing, Ultimately, they are unattached to all things.
At that time, the Venerable Shariputra, having settled the matter for the Venerable Suiyong, approached the Buddha’s dwelling. Upon arrival, he bowed his head at the feet of the World-Honored One and fully recounted the preceding events.
The Buddha said: "Shariputra! At that time, if that courageous and virtuous son hears me recite these sublime verses and great mantra verses, he shall certainly not be bitten by venomous serpents, nor shall his body be afflicted with decay."
Shariputra addressed the Buddha, saying: "World-Honored One, what sublime and wondrous verses? What illuminating and profound stanzas? I beseech you to expound them for me."
At that time, the World-Honored One spoke this verse:
Dhṛtarāṣṭra, the Heavenly King, practices loving-kindness, As does the dragon Airāvaṇa; Aśvatara and Kalmāṣa, And all the sons of Śrīdhara are filled with loving-kindness.
Virūpākṣa, the Heavenly King, practices loving-kindness, As does the dragon Kṛṣṇāṅgāri; Nanda and Upananda, the dragons, Both also practice loving-kindness in the same way.
I practice loving-kindness toward beings without feet, Toward those with two feet and four feet as well, And toward all beings with many feet— Equally, I extend loving-kindness without distinction.
All dragons practice loving-kindness, Those dragons dwelling in the great ocean; Toward all sentient beings they universally extend a loving heart, Whether toward beings or their environments, it is thus.
All sentient beings without exception, Even those that fly and those that crawl, May they all eliminate the causes of sickness and affliction, And all attain peaceful and secure happiness;
All sentient beings without exception, Even those that fly and those that crawl, May they all be regarded with virtuous and impartial vision, And may all evils be entirely removed.
The venom of snakes is extremely fierce and intense, Their poison can destroy human life, Yet within the mountain caves where snakes dwell, I constantly reside and move about freely.
I am the supreme teacher of the world, I constantly proclaim words of truth; By the power of my truthful speech and actions, The venom of snakes cannot enter my body.
All greed, hatred, and delusion, These are the great poisons in the threefold world; The World-Honored One, the Great Awakened One, is not harmed by poison, The true power of the Buddha can destroy poison.
All greed, hatred, and delusion, These are the great poisons in the threefold world; The World-Honored One’s true Dharma is not harmed by poison, The true power of the Dharma can destroy poison.
All greed, hatred, and delusion, These are the great poisons in the threefold world; The World-Honored One’s pure Sangha is not harmed by poison, The true power of the Sangha can destroy poison.
Among all poisons in the world, The poison of greed is the most potent; Only the Buddha can subdue and overcome it, And through this, all poisons are extinguished.
At that time, the World-Honored One uttered the great mantra:
Tadyatha(Thus, by proper enunciation) Om(Extend the sound) Dongmili(1) Dongmili(2) Dongmi(3) Pralodongmi(4) Nazhi(5) Sunazhi(6) Jiwazhi(7) Munaye(8) Sa-samaye(9) Nandi(10) Nandili(11) Nili(12) Niluoji(13) Wali(14) Waluoji(15) Wuli(16) Niyang-yuli(17) Svaha(18)
The Buddha said: "Shariputra! At that time, should this courageous and virtuous man hear me speak such verses and these great illuminating lines, he shall certainly not have his body harmed or destroyed by serpent venom."
Shariputra addressed the Buddha, saying: "World-Honored One! As the Buddha now speaks these sublime verses and this great luminous chapter, when the monk Sui Yong was bitten by the snake, he was far from the Buddha’s presence. How then could he have obtained such wondrous Dharma?"
Then, having spoken these words, the Venerable Shariputra bowed his head to the ground, paid homage at the feet of the World-Honored One, and withdrew from the assembly of the Buddha.
The Sutra Spoken by the Buddha on the Venerable Sūryavīra