Sutta Nipata 2.5: Sucilomasutta

So it was heard by me:

At one time Bhagavat dwelt at Gaya (seated) on a stone seat in the realm of the Yakkha Suciloma. And at that time the Yakkha Khara and the Yakkha Suciloma passed by, not far from Bhagavat. And then the Yakkha Khara said this to the Yakkha Suciloma: ‘Is this man a Samana?’

Suciloma answered: ‘He is no Samana, he is a Samanaka (a wretched Samana); however I will ascertain whether he is a Samana or a Samanaka.’

Then the Yakkha Suciloma went up to Bhagavat, and having gone up to him, he brushed against Bhagavat’s body. Then Bhagavat took away his body. Then the Yakkha Suciloma said this to Bhagavat: ‘O Samana, art thou afraid of me?’

Bhagavat answered: ‘No, friend, I am not afraid of thee, but thy touching me is sinful.’

Suciloma said: ‘I will ask thee a question, O Samana; if thou canst not answer it I will either scatter thy thoughts or cleave thy heart, or take thee by the feet and throw thee over to the other shore of the Ganga.’

Bhagavat answered: ‘I do not see, O friend, neither in this world together with the world of the Devas, Maras, Brahmans, nor amongst the generation of Samana and Brahmanas, gods and men, the one who can either scatter my thoughts or cleave my heart, or take me by the feet and throw me over to the other shore of the Ganga. However ask, O friend, what thou pleasest.’ Then the Yakkha Suciloma addressed Bhagavat in a stanza:

‘What origin have passion and hatred, disgust, delight, and horror? wherefrom do they arise? whence arising do doubts vex the mind, as boys vex a crow?’

Buddha said: ‘Passion and hatred have their origin from this (body), disgust, delight, and horror arise from this body; arising from this (body) doubts vex the mind, as boys vex a crow.

‘They originate in desire, they arise in self, like the shoots of the banyan tree; far and wide they are connected with sensual pleasures, like the maluva creeper spread in the wood.

‘Those who know whence it (sin) arises, drive it away. Listen, O Yakkha! They cross over this stream that is difficult to cross, and has not been crossed before, with a view to not being born again.’