A forest deity admonishes mendicants in verse on with kassapagotta, urging mindfulness, seclusion, and diligence on the path beyond sensual dust.

SN 9.3 With Kassapagotta

Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā kassapagotto kosalesu viharati aññatarasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe.

Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā kassapagotto divāvihāragato aññataraṁ chetaṁ ovadati. Atha kho tasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe adhivatthā devatā āyasmantaṁ kassapagottaṁ saṁvejetukāmā yenāyasmā kassapagotto tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ kassapagottaṁ gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi:

“Giriduggacaraṁ chetaṁ,
appapaññaṁ acetasaṁ;
Akāle ovadaṁ bhikkhu,
mandova paṭibhāti maṁ.

Suṇāti na vijānāti,
Āloketi na passati;
Dhammasmiṁ bhaññamānasmiṁ,
Atthaṁ bālo na bujjhati.

Sacepi dasa pajjote,
dhārayissasi kassapa;
Neva dakkhati rūpāni,
cakkhu hissa na vijjatī”ti.

Atha kho āyasmā kassapagotto tāya devatāya saṁvejito saṁvegamāpādīti.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā kassapagotto kosalesu viharati aññatarasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe.

At one time Venerable Kassapagotta was staying in the land of the Kosalans in a certain forest grove.

Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā kassapagotto divāvihāragato aññataraṁ chetaṁ ovadati.

Now at that time Venerable Kassapagotta, having withdrawn for his day’s meditation, tried to advise a nimrod.

Atha kho tasmiṁ vanasaṇḍe adhivatthā devatā āyasmantaṁ kassapagottaṁ saṁvejetukāmā yenāyasmā kassapagotto tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ kassapagottaṁ gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi:

Then the deity haunting that forest approached Kassapagotta wanting to stir him up, and recited these verses:

“Giriduggacaraṁ chetaṁ,

“A nimrod wandering the rugged hills

appapaññaṁ acetasaṁ;

is unintelligent, unthinking.

Akāle ovadaṁ bhikkhu,

It’s a waste of time to advise him, mendicant;

mandova paṭibhāti maṁ.

he strikes me as an idiot.

Suṇāti na vijānāti,

He listens without understanding,

Āloketi na passati;

looks without seeing.

Dhammasmiṁ bhaññamānasmiṁ,

Though the teaching is spoken,

Atthaṁ bālo na bujjhati.

the fool doesn’t get it.

Sacepi dasa pajjote,

Even if you lit ten lamps

dhārayissasi kassapa;

and brought them to him, Kassapa,

Neva dakkhati rūpāni,

he wouldn’t see anything,

cakkhu hissa na vijjatī”ti.

for he has no eyes to see.”

Atha kho āyasmā kassapagotto tāya devatāya saṁvejito saṁvegamāpādīti.

Impelled by that deity, Venerable Kassapagotta was struck with a sense of urgency.

Topics & Qualities:

Craving

Craving

A driving ‘thirst’ that reaches out toward experiences, identities, or outcomes as the place to find satisfaction—“if only I had that.” It spins stories of lack, binds the mind to becoming, and invariably leads to suffering.

Also known as: wanting, yearning, longing, lit. thirst
Pāli: taṇha, abhijjhā
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Cultivation

Cultivation

The active practice of 'bringing into being' wholesome states. It is the deliberate nurturing of the bright state of mind.

Also known as: development, improvement, meditation, nurturing, growth
Pāli: bhāvanā
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Immaturity

Immaturity

A childish lack of discernment that fails to see the results of actions clearly. It delights in surface pleasure and ignores consequence. Immaturity leads to poor choices and association with unwise companions.

Also known as: lacking in discernment, lacking in good sense, child-like in understanding, lack of wisdom, lack of experience, foolishness
Pāli: bāla
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Jhana

Jhana

An abiding with a steady, collected awareness that is attained through seclusion from the five hindrances and unwholesome mental states. When supported by right view, a jhāna can be a basis for the wearing away of taints and directing the mind toward the vision of Nibbāna.

Also known as: meditation, undistracted awareness, absorption, mental absorption
Pāli: jhāna, samāhita, susamāhita, sammāsamādhi
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Last updated on July 27, 2026