AN 6.55 - Soṇa Sutta

In this sutta, the Buddha addresses the monk Soṇa, who had been practicing with such extreme effort that his feet were bleeding, yet he still had not attained liberation. The Buddha uses the famous simile of the lute (vīṇā) to explain the importance of balancing spiritual faculties, particularly energy (viriya).

Block 1: Lute Strings Too Tight

Pali

“तं किं मञ्ञसि, सोण, यदा ते वीणाय तन्तियो अच्चायता होन्ति, अपि नु ते वीणा तस्मिं समये सरवती वा होति कम्मञ्ञा वा”ति?

“नो हेतं, भन्ते”।

Sanskrit (Chaya)

“तत् किं मन्यसे, श्रोण, यदा ते वीणायास्तन्त्र्योऽत्यायता भवन्ति, अपि नु ते वीणा तस्मिन् समये स्वरवती वा भवति कर्मण्या वा” इति?

“नो हैतद्, भदन्त”।

English Translation

“What do you think, Sona? When the strings of your lute were tuned too tight, was your lute resonant and playable?”

“No, venerable sir.”

Block 2: Lute Strings Too Loose

Pali

“तं किं मञ्ञसि, सोण, यदा ते वीणाय तन्तियो अतिसिथिला होन्ति, अपि नु ते वीणा तस्मिं समये सरवती वा होति कम्मञ्ञा वा”ति?

“नो हेतं, भन्ते”।

Sanskrit (Chaya)

“तत् किं मन्यसे, श्रोण, यदा ते वीणायास्तन्त्र्योऽतिशिथिला भवन्ति, अपि नु ते वीणा तस्मिन् समये स्वरवती वा भवति कर्मण्या वा” इति?

“नो हैतद्, भदन्त”।

English Translation

“What do you think, Sona? When the strings of your lute were tuned too loose, was your lute resonant and playable?”

“No, venerable sir.”

Block 3: Lute Strings Evenly Tuned

Pali

“यदा पन ते, सोण, वीणाय तन्तियो न अच्चायता होन्ति नातिसिथिला समे गुणे पतिट्ठिता, अपि नु ते वीणा तस्मिं समये सरवती वा होति कम्मञ्ञा वा”ति?

“एवं, भन्ते”।

Sanskrit (Chaya)

“यदा पुनस्ते, श्रोण, वीणायास्तन्त्र्यो नात्यायता भवन्ति नातिशिथिलाः समे गुणे प्रतिष्ठिताः, अपि नु ते वीणा तस्मिन् समये स्वरवती वा भवति कर्मण्या वा” इति?

“एवम्, भदन्त”।

English Translation

“But when, Sona, the strings of your lute were neither too tight nor too loose, but were evenly tuned with an even pitch, was your lute in that case resonant and playable?”

“Yes, venerable sir.”

Block 4: The Balance of Spiritual Effort

Pali

“एवमेवं खो, सोण, अच्चारद्धवीरियं उद्धच्चाय संवत्तति, अतिसिथिलवीरियं कोसज्जाय संवत्तति।तस्मातिह त्वं, सोण, वीरियसमथं अधिट्ठह, इन्द्रियानञ्च समतं पटिविज्झ, तत्थ च निमित्तं गण्हाही”ति।

Sanskrit (Chaya)

“एवमेव खलु, श्रोण, अत्यारब्धवीर्यमौद्धत्याय संवर्तते, अतिशिथिलवीर्यं कौसीद्याय संवर्तते। तस्मादिह त्वं, श्रोण, वीर्यसमथमाधितिष्ठ, इन्द्रियणाञ्च समतां प्रतिविध्य, तत्र च निमित्तं गृहाण” इति।

English Translation

“In exactly the same way, Sona, energy (viriya) that is overly aroused leads to restlessness (uddhacca), and energy that is overly slack leads to laziness (kosajja). Therefore, Sona, resolve to keep your energy in balance, penetrate the balance of the spiritual faculties, and grasp the object there.”