{"collection":"Khuddaka Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_ud4.4/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_ud4.4","id":"suttacentral_ud4.4","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/ud4.4/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Early Buddhist Texts","Khuddaka Nikaya"],"text":"So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near R\u0101jagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels\u2019 feeding ground. At that time the venerables S\u0101riputta and Moggall\u0101na were staying near the pigeons\u2019 alcove. Now at that time Venerable S\u0101riputta was sitting outdoors in the moonlight, his head freshly shaven, having entered a certain state of immersion. Now at that time two native spirits who were friends were on their way from the north to the south on some business. They saw S\u0101riputta meditating there. One of the spirits said to the other, \u201cI feel inspired, my dear, to give this ascetic a blow on the head!\u201d The other spirit replied, \u201cEnough, my dear, don\u2019t hit the ascetic! That is an eminent ascetic, powerful and mighty!\u201d For a second time the first spirit said to the other, \u201cI feel inspired to give this ascetic a blow on the head!\u201d For a second time, the other spirit replied, \u201cEnough, don\u2019t hit the ascetic! That is an eminent ascetic, powerful and mighty!\u201d For a third time the first spirit said to the other, \u201cI feel inspired to give this ascetic a blow on the head!\u201d For a third time, the other spirit replied, \u201cEnough, don\u2019t hit the ascetic! That is an eminent ascetic, powerful and mighty!\u201d Ignoring his friend, the first spirit struck S\u0101riputta. The blow was so strong it would have felled a bull elephant seven or seven and a half cubits tall, or split apart a great mountain peak. But then the spirit, crying out, \u201cI burn, I burn!\u201d fell into the Great Hell right there. With clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, Venerable Moggall\u0101na saw that spirit striking Venerable S\u0101riputta. He approached him and said, \u201cI hope you\u2019re keeping well, reverend, I hope you\u2019re all right. I hope you are not in pain.\u201d \u201cI am keeping well, Reverend Moggall\u0101na; but my head does hurt a little.\u201d \u201cIt\u2019s incredible, Reverend S\u0101riputta, it\u2019s amazing! How mighty and powerful is Venerable S\u0101riputta! Just now, a native spirit struck you on the head. The blow was so strong it would have felled a bull elephant seven or seven and a half cubits tall, or split apart a great mountain peak. Yet you say, \u2018I am keeping well, Reverend Moggall\u0101na; but my head does hurt a little.\u2019\u201d \u201cIt\u2019s incredible, Reverend Moggall\u0101na, it\u2019s amazing! How mighty and powerful is Venerable Moggall\u0101na, in that he can even see a native spirit! Whereas I can\u2019t even see a mud-goblin right now.\u201d With clairaudience that is purified and superhuman, the Buddha heard that discussion between those two spiritual giants. Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment: \u201cOne whose mind is like a rock, steady, never shaking, free of desire for desirable things, not getting annoyed when things are annoying: from where will suffering strike one whose mind is developed like this?\u201d","title":"The Spirit\u2019s Blow","tradition":"Khuddaka Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":480}