sutta » sn » sn15 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 15.8

Gaṅgāsutta

The Ganges

Rājagahe viharati veḷuvane.
Near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove.

Atha kho aññataro brāhmaṇo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi.
Then a certain brahmin went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him.

Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and asked the Buddha,

“kīvabahukā nu kho, bho gotama, kappā abbhatītā atikkantā”ti?
“Sir, how many eons have passed?”

“Bahukā kho, brāhmaṇa, kappā abbhatītā atikkantā.
“Brahmin, many eons have passed.

Te na sukarā saṅkhātuṁ:
It’s not easy to calculate

‘ettakā kappā iti vā, ettakāni kappasatāni iti vā, ettakāni kappasahassāni iti vā, ettakāni kappasatasahassāni iti vā’”ti.
how many eons have passed, how many hundreds or thousands or hundreds of thousands of eons.”

“Sakkā pana, bho gotama, upamaṁ kātun”ti?
“But Mister Gotama, can you give a simile?”

“Sakkā, brāhmaṇā”ti bhagavā avoca.
“I can,” said the Buddha.

“Seyyathāpi, brāhmaṇa, yato cāyaṁ gaṅgā nadī pabhavati yattha ca mahāsamuddaṁ appeti, yā etasmiṁ antare vālikā sā na sukarā saṅkhātuṁ:
“Consider the Ganges river from where it originates to where it meets the ocean. Between these places it’s not easy to calculate

‘ettakā vālikā iti vā, ettakāni vālikasatāni iti vā, ettakāni vālikasahassāni iti vā, ettakāni vālikasatasahassāni iti vā’ti.
how many grains of sand there are, how many hundreds or thousands or hundreds of thousands of grains of sand.

Tato bahutarā kho, brāhmaṇa, kappā abbhatītā atikkantā.
The eons that have passed are more than this.

Te na sukarā saṅkhātuṁ:
It’s not easy to calculate

‘ettakā kappā iti vā, ettakāni kappasatāni iti vā, ettakāni kappasahassāni iti vā, ettakāni kappasatasahassāni iti vā’ti.
how many eons have passed, how many hundreds or thousands or hundreds of thousands of eons.

Taṁ kissa hetu?
Why is that?

Anamataggoyaṁ, brāhmaṇa, saṁsāro.
Transmigration has no known beginning.

Pubbā koṭi na paññāyati avijjānīvaraṇānaṁ sattānaṁ taṇhāsaṁyojanānaṁ sandhāvataṁ saṁsarataṁ.
No first point is found of sentient beings roaming and transmigrating, shrouded by ignorance and fettered by craving.

Evaṁ dīgharattaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa, dukkhaṁ paccanubhūtaṁ tibbaṁ paccanubhūtaṁ byasanaṁ paccanubhūtaṁ, kaṭasī vaḍḍhitā.
For such a long time you have undergone suffering, agony, and disaster, swelling the cemeteries.

Yāvañcidaṁ, brāhmaṇa, alameva sabbasaṅkhāresu nibbindituṁ, alaṁ virajjituṁ, alaṁ vimuccitun”ti.
This is quite enough for you to become disillusioned, dispassionate, and freed regarding all conditions.”

Evaṁ vutte, so brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
When he said this, the brahmin said to the Buddha,

“abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama, abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama …pe…
“Excellent, Mister Gotama! Excellent! …

upāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.
From this day forth, may Mister Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”

Aṭṭhamaṁ.