SN 35.69 — Upasena and the Viper

At one time the venerables Sāriputta and Upasena were staying near Rājagaha in the Cool Grove, under the Cobra’s Hood Grotto. Now at that time a viper fell on Upasena’s body. He addressed the mendicants, “Come, reverends, lift this body onto a cot and carry it outside before it’s scattered right here like a handful of hay.” When he said this, Sāriputta said to him, “But we don’t see any impairment in your body or deterioration of your faculties. Yet you say: ‘Come, reverends, lift this body onto a cot and carry it outside before it’s scattered right here like a handful of hay.’” “Reverend Sāriputta, there may be an impairment in body or deterioration of faculties for someone who thinks: ‘I am the eye’ or ‘the eye is mine.’ Or ‘I am the ear … nose … tongue … body …’ Or ‘I am the mind’ or ‘the mind is mine.’ But I don’t think like that. So why would there be an impairment in my body or deterioration of my faculties?” “That must be because Venerable Upasena has long ago totally eradicated I-making, mine-making, and the underlying tendency to conceit. That’s why it doesn’t occur to you: ‘I am the eye’ or ‘the eye is mine.’ Or ‘I am the ear … nose … tongue … body …’ Or ‘I am the mind’ or ‘the mind is mine.’” Then those mendicants lifted Upasena’s body onto a cot and carried it outside. And his body was scattered right there like a handful of hay.