The Buddha confirms Venerable Mahāmoggallāna's clairvoyant vision of a man with testicles big as pots suffering in a ghostly incarnation, formerly a corrupt village head in Rājagaha, illustrating the inescapable results of unwholesome kamma.

SN 19.10 Pot Balls

“Idhāhaṁ, āvuso, gijjhakūṭā pabbatā orohanto addasaṁ kumbhaṇḍaṁ purisaṁ vehāsaṁ gacchantaṁ. So gacchantopi teva aṇḍe khandhe āropetvā gacchati. Nisīdantopi tesveva aṇḍesu nisīdati. Tamenaṁ gijjhāpi kākāpi kulalāpi anupatitvā anupatitvā vitacchenti virājenti. So sudaṁ aṭṭassaraṁ karoti …pe…

eso, bhikkhave, satto imasmiṁyeva rājagahe gāmakūṭako ahosi …pe….

Dasamaṁ.

Paṭhamo vaggo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Aṭṭhi pesi ubho gāvaghātakā,
Piṇḍo sākuṇiyo nicchavorabbhi;
Asi sūkariko sattimāgavi,
Usu kāraṇiko sūci sārathi;
Yo ca sibbiyati sūcako hi so,
Aṇḍabhāri ahu gāmakūṭakoti.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Idhāhaṁ, āvuso, gijjhakūṭā pabbatā orohanto addasaṁ kumbhaṇḍaṁ purisaṁ vehāsaṁ gacchantaṁ.

“Just now, reverend, as I was descending from Vulture’s Peak Mountain I saw a man with testicles big as pots flying through the air.

So gacchantopi teva aṇḍe khandhe āropetvā gacchati.

When he was walking he had to lift his testicles on to his shoulder.

Nisīdantopi tesveva aṇḍesu nisīdati.

And when he sat down, he sat right on them.

Tamenaṁ gijjhāpi kākāpi kulalāpi anupatitvā anupatitvā vitacchenti virājenti.

Vultures, crows, and hawks kept chasing him, pecking and clawing

So sudaṁ aṭṭassaraṁ karoti …pe…

as he screamed in pain. …” …

eso, bhikkhave, satto imasmiṁyeva rājagahe gāmakūṭako ahosi …pe….

“That being used to be a corrupt village head right here in Rājagaha. …”

Dasamaṁ.

Paṭhamo vaggo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Aṭṭhi pesi ubho gāvaghātakā,

Piṇḍo sākuṇiyo nicchavorabbhi;

Asi sūkariko sattimāgavi,

Usu kāraṇiko sūci sārathi;

Yo ca sibbiyati sūcako hi so,

Aṇḍabhāri ahu gāmakūṭakoti.

Qualities:

Suffering

Suffering

Unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering that is inherent in conditioned existence.

Also known as: discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentedness, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, distress, affliction
Pāli: dukkha
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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