The Buddha teaches on the lion, presenting a fivefold teaching for disciples on the path.

AN 5.99 The Lion

“Sīho, bhikkhave, migarājā sāyanhasamayaṁ āsayā nikkhamati; āsayā nikkhamitvā vijambhati; vijambhitvā samantā catuddisaṁ anuviloketi; samantā catuddisaṁ anuviloketvā tikkhattuṁ sīhanādaṁ nadati; tikkhattuṁ sīhanādaṁ naditvā gocarāya pakkamati. So hatthissa cepi pahāraṁ deti, sakkaccaññeva pahāraṁ deti, no asakkaccaṁ; mahiṁsassa cepi pahāraṁ deti, sakkaccaññeva pahāraṁ deti, no asakkaccaṁ; gavassa cepi pahāraṁ deti, sakkaccaññeva pahāraṁ deti, no asakkaccaṁ; dīpissa cepi pahāraṁ deti, sakkaccaññeva pahāraṁ deti, no asakkaccaṁ; khuddakānañcepi pāṇānaṁ pahāraṁ deti antamaso sasabiḷārānampi, sakkaccaññeva pahāraṁ deti, no asakkaccaṁ. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Mā me yoggapatho nassā’ti.

Sīhoti kho, bhikkhave, tathāgatassetaṁ adhivacanaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassa. Yaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tathāgato parisāya dhammaṁ deseti, idamassa hoti sīhanādasmiṁ. Bhikkhūnañcepi, bhikkhave, tathāgato dhammaṁ deseti, sakkaccaññeva tathāgato dhammaṁ deseti, no asakkaccaṁ; bhikkhunīnañcepi, bhikkhave, tathāgato dhammaṁ deseti, sakkaccaññeva tathāgato dhammaṁ deseti, no asakkaccaṁ; upāsakānañcepi, bhikkhave, tathāgato dhammaṁ deseti, sakkaccaññeva tathāgato dhammaṁ deseti, no asakkaccaṁ; upāsikānañcepi, bhikkhave, tathāgato dhammaṁ deseti, sakkaccaññeva tathāgato dhammaṁ deseti, no asakkaccaṁ; puthujjanānañcepi, bhikkhave, tathāgato dhammaṁ deseti antamaso annabhāranesādānampi, sakkaccaññeva tathāgato dhammaṁ deseti, no asakkaccaṁ. Taṁ kissa hetu? Dhammagaru, bhikkhave, tathāgato dhammagāravo”ti.

Navamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Sīho, bhikkhave, migarājā sāyanhasamayaṁ āsayā nikkhamati;

“Mendicants, towards evening the lion, king of beasts, emerges from his den,

āsayā nikkhamitvā vijambhati;

yawns,

vijambhitvā samantā catuddisaṁ anuviloketi;

surveys the four quarters,

samantā catuddisaṁ anuviloketvā tikkhattuṁ sīhanādaṁ nadati;

and roars his lion’s roar three times.

tikkhattuṁ sīhanādaṁ naditvā gocarāya pakkamati.

Then he sets out on the hunt.

So hatthissa cepi pahāraṁ deti, sakkaccaññeva pahāraṁ deti, no asakkaccaṁ;

If he strikes an elephant, he does it carefully, not carelessly.

mahiṁsassa cepi pahāraṁ deti, sakkaccaññeva pahāraṁ deti, no asakkaccaṁ;

If he strikes a buffalo …

gavassa cepi pahāraṁ deti, sakkaccaññeva pahāraṁ deti, no asakkaccaṁ;

a cow …

dīpissa cepi pahāraṁ deti, sakkaccaññeva pahāraṁ deti, no asakkaccaṁ;

a leopard …

khuddakānañcepi pāṇānaṁ pahāraṁ deti antamaso sasabiḷārānampi, sakkaccaññeva pahāraṁ deti, no asakkaccaṁ.

or any smaller creatures—even a hare or a cat—he does it carefully, not carelessly.

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Why is that?

‘Mā me yoggapatho nassā’ti.

Thinking: ‘May I not lose my way.’

Sīhoti kho, bhikkhave, tathāgatassetaṁ adhivacanaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassa.

‘Lion’ is a term for the Realized One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha.

Yaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tathāgato parisāya dhammaṁ deseti, idamassa hoti sīhanādasmiṁ.

When the Realized One teaches Dhamma to an assembly, this is his lion’s roar.

Bhikkhūnañcepi, bhikkhave, tathāgato dhammaṁ deseti, sakkaccaññeva tathāgato dhammaṁ deseti, no asakkaccaṁ;

When the Realized One teaches the monks …

bhikkhunīnañcepi, bhikkhave, tathāgato dhammaṁ deseti, sakkaccaññeva tathāgato dhammaṁ deseti, no asakkaccaṁ;

nuns …

upāsakānañcepi, bhikkhave, tathāgato dhammaṁ deseti, sakkaccaññeva tathāgato dhammaṁ deseti, no asakkaccaṁ;

laymen …

upāsikānañcepi, bhikkhave, tathāgato dhammaṁ deseti, sakkaccaññeva tathāgato dhammaṁ deseti, no asakkaccaṁ;

laywomen …

puthujjanānañcepi, bhikkhave, tathāgato dhammaṁ deseti antamaso annabhāranesādānampi, sakkaccaññeva tathāgato dhammaṁ deseti, no asakkaccaṁ.

or ordinary people—even food-carriers and hunters—he teaches them carefully, not carelessly.

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Why is that?

Dhammagaru, bhikkhave, tathāgato dhammagāravo”ti.

Because the Realized One has respect and reverence for the teaching.”

Navamaṁ.

Qualities:

Respect

Respect

A mental attitude of reverent attentiveness that values goodness and wisdom in oneself and others. It steadies conduct and opens the mind to learning and humility.

Also known as: reverence, veneration, regard, admiration, appreciation, deference, honour, attentiveness
Pāli: gārava, pūjā, sakkāra
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Wisdom

Wisdom

Lived understanding and sound judgment that steers the mind away from suffering, distinct from mere accumulation of facts.

Also known as: (of a person) wise, astute, intelligent, learned, skilled, firm, stable, steadfast, an experiential understanding of the four noble truths
Pāli: paññā, medhā, dhīra, paṇḍita, asammūḷha
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Last updated on July 27, 2026