Dhanuggaha Sutta

The Archer

Translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
For free distribution only.

Staying at Savatthi. "Monks, suppose there were four strong archers -- well-trained, practiced, & drilled -- standing in the four directions, and a man were to come along saying, 'I will catch & bring down the arrows let fly by these four strong archers -- well-trained, practiced, & drilled -- before they have fallen to the ground.' What do you think? Would that be enough to call him a swift man, endowed with the foremost speed?"

"Even if he were to catch & bring down the arrows let fly by one archer -- well-trained, practiced, & drilled -- before they fell to the ground, lord, that would be enough to call him a swift man, endowed with the foremost speed, to say nothing of four such archers."

"Faster than the speed of that man, monks, is the speed of the sun & moon. Faster than the speed of that man, faster than the speed of the sun & moon, is the speed of the devas who rush ahead of the sun & moon. Faster than the speed of that man, faster than the speed of the sun & moon, faster than the speed of the devas who rush ahead of the sun & moon, the force of one's life span comes to an end. Thus you should train yourselves: 'We will live heedfully.' That's how you should train yourselves."