Suppavāsā Sutta: Who is the heedless one?

Textual analysis and comparative discussion on early Buddhist sects and scriptures.
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fivebells
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Suppavāsā Sutta: Who is the heedless one?

Post by fivebells »

In the Suppavāsā Sutta Suppavāsā is happy that her son is talking to Sariputta, and her son is unhappy because he's just spent 7 years in a "belly of blood." Suppavāsā is so overjoyed that she says she would like to have seven more children, even with such difficult pregnancies. The Buddha then says
The disagreeable
in the guise of the agreeable,
the unlovable
in the guise of the lovable,
pain in the guise of bliss,
overcome
one who is heedless.
Who is he calling heedless? Suppavāsā, her son, or both? My money is on Suppavāsā only, but it is a bit cryptic.
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Bhikkhu Pesala
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Re: Suppavāsā Sutta: Who is the heedless one?

Post by Bhikkhu Pesala »

Your money is safe enough if you didn't bet at all, but also if you bet on Suppavāsā. ;)

The story of [url=http://www.aimwell.org/DPPN/siivalii.htm[Sīvalī[/url] will tell you more about their past, and the reasons for the seven year pregnancy.
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