< Issue No. 5 (2009)Article
A discourse of the Buddha: Cūlahatthipadopama-sutta ‘The Shorter Discourse on the Simile of the Elephant’s Footprint’
Nānamoli, Bhikkhu, N/A
Abstract
While this Sutta has its historical significance for the Sinhalas of Sri Lanka - as the one that set the tone for the conversion of a whole people over some 2300 years ago, it is reproduced here, in this paṭivedha (Insight) section of the Canadian Journal of Buddhist Studies for a different reason. It shows a structural approach to the Dhamma: saddhā ‘faith’ serving as a foundation for sīla ‘[self-]discipline’, leading to samādhi ‘concentration’ and to eventual paññā ‘wisdom’ and liberation.
The Sutta begins with saddhā ‘faith’ (sections 1 – 7), when Master Vacchāyana explains to the brahmin Jāṇussoṇi how he came to the conclusion that ‘The Blessed One is fully enlightened, the Dhamma is well proclaimed, the Sangha is practicing the good way’, after seeing the ‘four footprints of the recluse Gotama’. The footprints he has seen are each of learned nobles, learned brahmins, learned householders and learned recluses who go to the Buddha with a view to refuting his Teachings, but end up being his disciples.
When a convinced brahmin Jāṇussoṇi now approaches the Buddha, and reports his meeting with Master Vacchāyana, we see the Buddha adding even a greater objectivity when he says, “At this point, Brahmin, the simile of the elephant’s footprint has not yet been competed in detail” and then goes on elaborate. (#8 – 11). Next introducing us to a ‘householder’s son’ (or other) who has gone forth having heard the Dhamma, the Sutta outlines first the dimensions of sīla ‘[self-]discipline’, 26 in number (12 – 13), which lead to samādhi ‘concentration’, and jhānas (14 – 22), and finally to knowledges (of past lives). In the process, the concentrated mind comes to the insight of the Four Noble Truths, arriving at paññā ‘wisdom’ as well.
When the one who has gone forth “knows and sees thus, his mind is liberated from the taint of sensual desire, from the taint of being, and from the taint of ignorance” (# 26). And now the Buddha rounds it up by making the connection to the beginning: “It is at this point that a noble disciple has come to the conclusion: ‘The Blessed One is fully enlightened, the Dhamma is well proclaimed, the Sangha is practicing the good way’. And it is at this point, brahmin, that the simile of the elephant’s footprint has been completed in detail."