Discover SN SN 1–11 SN 1SN 1.23

A deity engages the Buddha in verse on a tangle, exploring a teaching on suffering, liberation, and the law of kamma.

SN 1.23 A Tangle

“Antojaṭā bahijaṭā,
Jaṭāya jaṭitā pajā;
Taṁ taṁ gotama pucchāmi,
Ko imaṁ vijaṭaye jaṭan”ti.

“Sīle patiṭṭhāya naro sapañño,
Cittaṁ paññañca bhāvayaṁ;
Ātāpī nipako bhikkhu,
So imaṁ vijaṭaye jaṭaṁ.

Yesaṁ rāgo ca doso ca,
avijjā ca virājitā;
Khīṇāsavā arahanto,
tesaṁ vijaṭitā jaṭā.

Yattha nāmañca rūpañca,
asesaṁ uparujjhati;
Paṭighaṁ rūpasaññā ca,
etthesā chijjate jaṭā”ti.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Antojaṭā bahijaṭā,

“Tangled within, tangled without:

Jaṭāya jaṭitā pajā;

these people are tangled in tangles.

Taṁ taṁ gotama pucchāmi,

I ask you this, Gotama:

Ko imaṁ vijaṭaye jaṭan”ti.

who can untangle this tangle?”

“Sīle patiṭṭhāya naro sapañño,

“A wise person grounded in ethics,

Cittaṁ paññañca bhāvayaṁ;

developing the mind and wisdom,

Ātāpī nipako bhikkhu,

a keen and alert mendicant—

So imaṁ vijaṭaye jaṭaṁ.

they can untangle this tangle.

Yesaṁ rāgo ca doso ca,

Those in whom greed, hate, and ignorance

avijjā ca virājitā;

have faded away;

Khīṇāsavā arahanto,

the perfected ones with defilements ended—

tesaṁ vijaṭitā jaṭā.

they have untangled the tangle.

Yattha nāmañca rūpañca,

And where name and form

asesaṁ uparujjhati;

cease with no residue left behind;

Paṭighaṁ rūpasaññā ca,

and impingement and perception of form:

etthesā chijjate jaṭā”ti.

it’s here that the tangle is cut.”