The Worn-Out Skin

The Uraga Sutta, the Serpent Discourse, is an ancient Buddhist poem included in the Pali Canon. The theme of the poem is freedom - spiritual freedom-and the challenging, sometimes painful process of inner growth that is necessary to achieve it. In The Worn-Out Skin the Venerable Nyanaponika Thera presents first the Pali text and English translation of the Uraga Sutta. Following this, drawing freely upon his wide knowledge of the Pali suttas and on his own insights, he offers his reflections on the deep significance of the poem and its timeless bearings on the human quest for liberation from suffering.