Walk Alone Like the Rhinoceros Horn

Walk Alone Like the Rhinoceros Horn

The Sutta Nipata is
a scripture written in Pali, considered to be the oldest among the early Buddhist texts.

Translated as 'The Collection of Discourses',
it gathers various long and short scriptures,
divided into five chapters.

It is considered to convey the teachings of the Buddha most directly.

The fundamental doctrines of Buddhism are explained using metaphors.

'The Words of the Buddha: Sutta Nipata'
(Translated by Hajime Nakamura, Iwanami Bunko)

From this work,

I will introduce 'The Rhinoceros Horn'.

'- Without using violence against any living creature,
without harming any of them,
and without desiring a child,

let alone a friend.

Walk alone like the rhinoceros horn.

- If you associate with others, affection arises.

Following affection, this suffering arises.

Observing that calamity arises from affection,
walk alone like the rhinoceros horn.

- When one feels pity for friends and close companions,
and the heart is softened,
one loses one's own benefit.

Observing that there is this danger in intimacy,
walk alone like the rhinoceros horn.

- Attachment to children and wives
is indeed like bamboo with wide-spreading branches that intertwine with each other.

Just as a bamboo shoot does not cling to other things,
walk alone like the rhinoceros horn.

- Just as a deer in the forest, unbound, goes where it wishes in search of food,
the wise person, aiming for independence and freedom,
walk alone like the rhinoceros horn.

- If you are among companions,
you are always being called upon, whether resting, standing, going, or traveling.

Aiming for independence and freedom, not subordinate to others,
walk alone like the rhinoceros horn.

・If you are among companions,
there is play and pleasure.

Also, the affection for children is very great.

While loathing to part with loved ones,
walk alone like the rhinoceros horn.

・Go anywhere in the four directions,
without a harmful heart,
be satisfied with whatever you have obtained,
endure various hardships,
without fear,
walk alone like the rhinoceros horn.

・There are people who, even though they are renunciants, still harbor feelings of dissatisfaction.

The same is true for householders who live in homes.

Therefore, have little involvement with the children of others,
walk alone like the rhinoceros horn.

・Like a Kovilara tree with fallen leaves,
cast away the marks of a householder,
cut off the bonds of the household,
the strong person should walk alone.

・If you find a wise, cooperative, and well-behaved, intelligent companion,
overcome all dangers,
be joyful in heart,
and with a composed mind,
walk with them.

・But if you do not find a wise, cooperative, and well-behaved, intelligent companion,
just as a king abandons a conquered country,
walk alone like the rhinoceros horn.

・We truly praise the good fortune of finding friends.

One should be intimate and approach friends who are better or equal to oneself.

If you cannot find such friends,
enjoy a life without fault,
walk alone like the rhinoceros horn.

・If you put two shining gold bracelets, beautifully crafted by a goldsmith,
on one arm,
they will clash.

Seeing that,
walk alone like the rhinoceros horn.

・If you are together like this,
chatter and conflict will arise for me.

Perceiving that this fear exists in the future,
walk alone like the rhinoceros horn.

・Indeed, desires are colorful and sweet, pleasant to the heart,
and in various forms, they disturb the mind.

Seeing that there is this suffering in the objects of desire,
walk alone like the rhinoceros horn.

This is to me a disaster, a boil, a calamity, a disease, an arrow, and a terror.

Seeing this terror in the objects of various desires,
walk alone like the rhinoceros horn.

Cold and heat, hunger and thirst, wind and the sun's heat, gadflies and snakes—
having overcome all these,
walk alone like the rhinoceros horn.

The great elephant, with well-developed shoulders and magnificent like a lotus,
leaves its herd
and wanders in the forest as it pleases.

In the same way,
walk alone like the rhinoceros horn.

For one who enjoys gatherings,
there is no peace leading to even a moment of liberation.

Keeping in mind the words of the descendant of the sun (Buddha),
walk alone like the rhinoceros horn.

Transcending conflicting philosophical views,
having reached a decision (leading to enlightenment),
and having found the path,
knowing, 'Wisdom has arisen in me; there is no longer any need to be guided by others,'
walk alone like the rhinoceros horn.

Without coveting,
without deceit,
without craving,
without covering (with pretense),
having cast away impurities and delusions,
having become free from attachment throughout the whole world,
walk alone like the rhinoceros horn.

Avoid bad friends who are caught in crookedness upon seeing what is not righteous.

Do not associate yourself with those who are addicted to greed and are lazy.

Walk alone like the rhinoceros horn.

Associate with friends who are learned, understand the truth,
and are noble and sharp-witted.

Knowing various beneficial things,
having cast away doubts,
walk alone like the rhinoceros horn.

Without feeling satisfaction in the games, amusements, and pleasures of the world,
without being attracted,
having cast aside bodily adornments,
speaking the truth,
walk alone like the rhinoceros horn.

Wife and children, father and mother, wealth and grain,
relatives and all other desires—
having abandoned them all,
walk alone like the rhinoceros horn.

'This is attachment. Here there is little joy, little pleasant taste, and much suffering. This is a fishhook,' knowing this,
the wise man
walk alone like the rhinoceros horn.

Just as a fish in the water breaks the net,
and just as fire does not return to what it has already burned,
having broken through the various knots (of defilements),
walk alone like the rhinoceros horn.

Like the parichatta tree with its leaves fallen,
having cast away the various marks of a householder,
having renounced the world and wearing the saffron robe,
walk alone like the rhinoceros horn.

Without coveting various tastes,
without being picky,
without nourishing others,
begging for food from door to door,
without attaching your heart to any house,
walk alone like the rhinoceros horn.

Cutting off the five hindrances of the mind,
removing all accompanying evil afflictions (secondary defilements),
relying on nothing,
severing the faults of attachment,
walk alone like the rhinoceros horn.

Casting aside the pleasures and pains experienced in the past,
and casting aside both joy and sorrow,
attaining pure equanimity and peace,
walk alone like the rhinoceros horn.

Exerting effort to achieve the highest goal,
with a mind that does not falter,
without negligence in action,
performing firm deeds,
endowed with physical and intellectual strength,
walk alone like the rhinoceros horn.

Without abandoning solitude and meditation,
always acting according to the Dharma in all matters,
clearly knowing that all existence is fraught with suffering,
walk alone like the rhinoceros horn.

Seeking the extinction of delusion,
without negligence,
being alert,
deep in learning,
mindful,
clearly knowing the Dharma,
self-controlled,
striving,
walk alone like the rhinoceros horn.

Like a lion not startled by sounds,
like the wind not caught in a net,
like a lotus not soiled by water,
walk alone like the rhinoceros horn.

Just as the lion, king of beasts, strong in tooth, overcomes and dominates other beasts,
frequent remote dwellings.
Walk alone like the rhinoceros horn.

Cultivate loving-kindness, equanimity, compassion, liberation, and joy as the occasion demands,
without being at odds with the whole world,
walk alone like the rhinoceros horn.

Abandoning greed, hatred, and delusion,
breaking the knots,
without fear of losing one's life,
walk alone like the rhinoceros horn.

People today form associations for their own benefit,
and serve others for the same reason.

Today,
a friend who does not seek profit is hard to find.

Humans who know only their own interests are impure.

Walk alone like the rhinoceros horn.” (pp. 17–22)

Being transcendent alone

Becoming a person of solitary excellence

Attaining a detached perspective

Becoming a saint

Becoming a person of miracles

Becoming the most enlightened person in the world

Walk alone like the rhinoceros horn

(Recommended Reading)
"The Words of the Buddha: Sutta Nipata"
(Translated by Hajime Nakamura, Iwanami Bunko)
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