Discourse on the simile of the log (P Dārukkhandopamasutta)
Haḍḍa?, Kharoṣṭhī ∙ RS 19
BML edition (version 1, August 2026)
Based on Lee 2009. Divided into paragraphs by Schlosser.
§ 1
r 1 eva me śuḏa eka s̱amae bhayava ayajae viharaḏi gagae ṇaḏia tire ⟪teṇa ho [va](ṇi ḏeṇa) [s̱ama]eṇa⟫ añe(are) bhikhu yeṇa bhayava teṇa uasakami uasaḵamita bhayavaḏa paḏa vadita ekamata
2 ṇiṣiḏi ekamaṇa ṇiṣaṇo sa bhikhu bhayavata eḏa vayi sasu ⟪bhate⟫ bha[ya](va sakṣi)[t](e)ṇa dharma deśe[a] ya avu dharma [ś](u)[tva] eko vaveaṭhe ⟪apamate⟫ aḏavi pahiḏatva vihareja
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1 Thus it was heard by me. At one time, the Blessed One dwells in Ayaja on the bank
of Ganges river. At that time, a monk approached where the Blessed One was. Having
approached and having paid homage to the feet of the Blessed One, 2 he sat down on one side. Having sat down on one side, the monk said this to the Blessed
One: "Please, Sir, may the Blessed One concisely teach doctrine, so that, upon hearing
the doctrine, I may abide alone, withdrawn, vigilant, strenuous, and resolute."
§ 2
3 teṇa o vaṇi ḏeṇa samaeṇa gagaṇaḏia soḏeṇa maha[ta da]rukade avuyaḏi adaśa[ḏ]i [bha]yavaḏa to mahate darukadhe avuyato drispaṇo ta bhikhu amatreḏi paśaso tu
4 bhikhu amo mahata darukadhe gagaṇaḏiso[ḏ]⟨e⟩ṇa avuyataṇa eva bha[te] eṣe ⟨va⟩ṇa bhikhu darukadhe sae ṇa avarime tiro ṣajiśaḏi ṇa pari⟨me⟩
5 tire ṣaciśaḏi ṇa maja sas̱iśaḏi ṇa thale us̱iśaḏi ṇa maṇuśagrah[a] bha[vi]śaḏi ṇa amaṇuśagraho bhavi[śaḏi ṇa avaṭa](g)[ra](h)[o bhaviśaḏi ṇa a](t)[u]6puḏibhave bhaviśaḏi e[ṣ]e vaṇa bhikhu daruka(dh)e [aṇa]pur(ve)ṇ[a] samodri⟨ṇi⟩amo bhaviśaḏi samodriparayaṇa ta kisa eḏe samudre
7 bhikhu gagaṇaḏis̱oḏe
3 At that time, a big log is being carried by the current of the Ganges river. The
Blessed One saw that big log being carried. Having seen [it], he speaks to that monk:
"Do you see, 4 monk, that big log being carried by the current of the Ganges river?" "Yes, Sir."
"This log, monk, if [it] will not be attached to this shore, nor 5 to the other shore, does not sink in the middle [of the river], does not rise up
on an islet, will not become catching by a human, by a non-human, or by a whirlpool,
nor 6 in the state of inner rottenness, this log, monk, will be gradually on the way to
the ocean, having ocean as its final end." "What is the reason for this?" 7 "The current of the Ganges river, monk, is [going] in the direction of the ocean."
§ 3
iḏi vute so bhikhu bhayavata eḏaḏ aya ko bhate avarimo tire ko parimo tiro ko maja
sas̱iaṇa ka thalo us̱i8aṇa ko maṇuśagraha ko amaṇuśagraho ko avaṭagraho ko a(t)[i](p)uḏibhavo avarima ca
When this had been said, the monk said this to the Blessed One, "What, Sir, is this
shore? what is the other shore? what is the sinking in the middle? what is the rising
up on an islet? 8 what is the catching by a human? what is the catching by a non-human? what is the
catching by a whirlpool? and what is the state of inner rottenness?"
§ 4
tire bhikhu ṣaṇeṣa ajatviaṇa ahiḏaṇaṇa
9 as̱ivayaṇa cakṣaïḏaṇas̱a s̱otraïḏaṇas̱a gaṇaïḏaṇas̱a jibhaïḏaṇas̱a kayaïḏaṇas̱a maṇaïḏaṇas̱a
parima ca bhikhu tire ṣaṇeṣa
10 bahiraṇa aïḏaṇaṇa as̱ivayaṇa ruaïḏaṇas̱a śadhaïḏaṇas̱a gadhaïḏa[ṇas̱a ras̱a]ïḏaṇas̱a [phaṭhava]hiḏaṇas̱a [maṇa]ïḏaṇa[s̱a]
"'This shore,' monk, this is a metaphorical expression for six inner sense bases:
9 for the eye-sense basis, for the ear-sense basis, for the nose-sense basis, for the
tongue-sense basis, for the body-sense basis, and for the mind-sense basis; and 'the
other shore,' monk, this is a metaphorical expression for six 10 outer sense bases: for the shape-sense basis, for the sound-sense basis, for the
smell-sense basis, for the taste- sense basis, for the touch-sense basis, and for
the mind-(sic!)-sense basis.
§ 5
maja sas̱i[aṇa] bh(ikh)[u]
11 ṇadiraḵas̱eṣa as̱ivayaṇa thala us̱ia[ṇa e bhikhu aspimaṇas̱](e)ṣ[a] as̱ivayaṇa
'The sinking in the middle,' monk, this is a metaphorical expression for 11 desire for joy; and 'the rising up on an islet,' monk, this is a metaphorical expression
for the pride of 'I'.
§ 6
ya kho vaṇa bhikhu giyi sada sahaṇado bhoḏi sahaśoḵ[e] suhiḏe suhiḏe
12 duhiḏe duhiḏe [ke]ṣa ce kikaraṇie voyoavajaḏi aya [v](u)[jaḏi] maṇuśagraho
If, monk, someone rejoices with and sorrows with householders; he is happy when they
are happy, 12 distressed when they are distressed; he gets involved in businesses of any ones,
this is called 'catching by a human.'
§ 7
ya khu vaṇa bhikhu añeara añeara devaṇiao paṇi13sae bramahia caraḏi imeṇa śileṇa va taveṇa [va] vaḏe[ṇa] ⟨va⟩ [bra]mahieṇ[a] v[a] d(e)va ve bhaviśama devaañear[e] va aya vujaḏi ama14ṇuśagraho
If, monk, someone, having 13 aspired [to be born among] one or another group of gods, undertakes the chaste mode
of conduct, [thinking]: 'By this moral conduct, ascetic practice, observance, or chastity,
I will become a god or one of the retinue of a god,' this is called 'catching by a
14 non-human.'
§ 8
ya kho vaṇa bhikhu śikṣa pacakhae hiṇae ava[ta]ḏi aya vujaḏi avaṭagraho avaṭe bhikhu pacaṇeṣe kamaguṇa⟨ṇa⟩
If, monk, someone, having renounced the training in precepts, returns for what has
been abandoned, this is called 'catching by a whirlpool.' 'Whirlpool,' monk, this
is a metaphorical expression for the five sensual pleasures.
§ 9
15 as̱ivayaṇa ya kho vaṇa bhikhu drośilo bhoḏi pavadhame [asu]⟪ci⟫{s̱i} sakapaspera[sa]mayara michaḏiṭhi paracha⟪ṇa⟫{ta}kamato
16 aya vujaḏi bhikhu atapuḏibhava
15 If, monk, someone is of bad moral conduct, of evil behavior, acting upon impure thought
and memory, with wrong view, and of concealed action, 16 this, monk, is called 'the state of inner rottenness.'
§ 10
evam eva tu bhi[kh](u) sae a avarime tire ṣaciśaḏi ṇa parimo ṇa maja sas̱i⟪śaḏi⟫
17 ṇa thala us̱iśaḏi ṇa maṇuśagraho ṇa amaṇuśagraha ṇa ava[ṭagraho ṇa atopuḏi]bhavo eva tu bhikhu aṇapurveṇa ṇivaṇo⟨ṇi⟩ao
18 [bhiśi ṇivaṇapa]rayaṇa ta kisa eḏo ṇivaṇo bhikhu s̱a[ma]ḏiṭhias̱ivayaṇo
In just the same way, you, monk, if do not become attached to this shore, nor to the
other shore, do not sink in the middle, 17 do not rise up on an islet, do not become catching by a human, by a non-human, or
by a whirlpool, are not in the state of inner rottenness; thus, you, monk, will gradually
be on the way towards final cessation, 18 you will have final cessation as the end. What is the reason for this? 'Final cessation,'
monk, is a metaphorical expression [for] the right view."
§ 11
v 19 teṇa o vaṇi ḏeṇa samaeṇa Ṇado gaalao bhayavaḏa avidura [ṭh](iḏo) [aü]ṣi daḍo aladva asa Ṇadasa gaaleas̱a ima dharmapaïao
20 śrutva aṇuaḏae as̱avehi [cite vimute asa Ṇade g]e[ale](o) [daḍa] ṇ(i)kṣivata yeṇa bhayava teṇa uasaḵami uasakamita bhayava⟨ḏa⟩
21 paḏa vadita ekamata aṭas̱i ekamata aṭiḏe Ṇado goalao bhayavata eḏaḏ a[ya] aham aspi bhate ṇa avarimo tire ṣajami ṇa pa22rima tire ṣajami ṇa maṇuśagraho ṇa amaṇuśagraho ṇa avaṭ[a]gr[a]ho ṇa atopuḏibhave la[e]⟪ja⟫ [avu bhate] bhayavas̱atia pava23[ja]
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19 At that time, the cowherd Nanda, was standing not very far from the Blessed One,
leaning on a staff. Then, 20 having heard this discourse, the cowherd Nanda's mind was freed from afflictions
without clinging [to anything in the world]. Then the cowherd Nanda, having put down
the staff, approached where the Blessed One was. Having approached and paid homage
21 to the feet of the Blessed One, he stood near on one side. Standing near on one side,
the cowherd Nanda said this to the Blessed One: "I am, Sir, not attached to this shore,
nor to 22 the other shore, nor become catching by a human, by a non-human, or by a whirlpool,
nor in the state of inner rottenness. May I, Sir, obtain 23 going forth in the presence of the Blessed One? May I obtain ordination?"
§ 12
[lae vas̱apaḏe ṇiyaḏ]iḏ[ae] Ṇada spa[miaṇa] ga[va]ṇi gatsati bhate gavaṇi vatsegidhiṇie ñasati yasaspaya24[ṇa] aḵaraṇi ki cavi Ṇada gatsati gava vatsi⟨gi⟩dhiṇie ñas̱[at]i yasaspayaṇa aḵaraṇi asa gacha tu Ṇada spamiaṇa
25 gava ṇiaḏaïta agachaï
"Have cows, Nanda, been returned to [their] owners?" "Sir, the cows, longing for [their]
calves will go and will know 24 each their own houses." "Although, Nanda, the cows longing for [their] calves will
go and will know each their own houses, you go, Nanda, return 25 the cows to [their] owners, and come back."
§ 13
asa Ṇade gealao bha[yavaḏa pa]ḏa vadita bhayavaḏa pa[da]kṣiṇa karita bhayavasatia paḵami
26 asa o Ṇado goalao spamiaṇa gavaṇi ṇiaḏaïtva [ye]ṇa bhayava teṇa uasakami uasakamita bhayavaḏa paḏa vadi27ta ekamata aṭas̱i ekamata aṭiḏa Ṇa[d]e gealao bh[a]yav[ata] e(ḏa)ḏ oy[a] ṇiaïḏa bhate spamiaṇa gavaṇi lahe28ce bhayavasatia prava[c]e lae[c]e vasapaḏa aladha ye[va] Ṇadeṇa gealaeṇa bhayavasatia pavaje aladha vasapa29[ḏa] a[sa] o so bhikhu imeṇa ovaḏeṇa ovaḏiḏo
Then the cowherd Nanda, having paid homage to the feet of the Blessed One and having
walked around the Blessed One on the right, departed from the presence of the Blessed
One. 26 Then cowherd Nanda, after returning the cows to [their] owners, approached where
the Blessed One was. Having approached and 27 paid homage to the feet of the Blessed One, he stood near on one side. Standing near
on one side, the cowherd Nanda said this to the Blessed One: "Sir, the cows have been
returned to [their] owners. 28 May I obtain going forth in the presence of the Blessed One? May I obtain ordination?"
The cowherd Nanda did obtain going forth in the presence of the Blessed One; 29 he did obtain ordination. Then that monk has been instructed by this instruction.
§ 14
ṇaji[ras̱](e)v[a] yasartha ⟪ku⟫{e}lavutre sama ḏ eva ṣadha akaraspi30spaṇaḵaria parvayaḏi tam aṇutare bramahiapaïosaṇo dhriṭheva dharm[e] spae aviñae sakṣiḵarita
31 vasapaje vihaṣe ḵiḏa ma karaṇia ṇavara ta[s̱ma ḏe] payaṇami añ[e]are sa bhi⟨khu⟩ ṇaciraye raha aüṣi
Not very long after, for which purpose a son of good family with that very right faith
goes forth from home 30 to homelessness, that is the unsurpassed perfection of [the path of] pure mode of
conduct; [namely] in this very lifetime, having experienced the special knowledges
himself and 31 having attained [these], he dwelled. I know: "What needs to be done has been done
by me and there is no future state after that." Not long after, the monk became an
arhat.
§ 15
32 iḏa⟨m eyi⟩ bhayava atamaṇa s̱i bhikhu a⟪ï⟫śpa ye Ṇada bhayavabh[a](ṣ)i[ḏa] aviṇadiḏe
32 The Blessed One said this. Pleased, the monk and Venerable Nanda were delighted in
the speech of the Blessed One.