sutta » sn » sn45 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 45.9

Sūkasutta

A Spike

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
At Sāvatthī.

“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, sālisūkaṁ vā yavasūkaṁ vā micchāpaṇihitaṁ hatthena vā pādena vā akkantaṁ hatthaṁ vā pādaṁ vā bhindissati, lohitaṁ vā uppādessatīti—netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.
“Mendicants, suppose a spike of rice or barley was pointing the wrong way. If you trod on it with hand or foot, it is impossible for it to break the skin and produce blood.

Taṁ kissa hetu?
Why is that?

Micchāpaṇihitattā, bhikkhave, sūkassa.
Because the spike is pointing the wrong way.

Evameva kho, bhikkhave, so vata bhikkhu micchāpaṇihitāya diṭṭhiyā micchāpaṇihitāya maggabhāvanāya avijjaṁ bhindissati, vijjaṁ uppādessati, nibbānaṁ sacchikarissatīti—netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.
In the same way, a mendicant whose view and development of the path is pointing the wrong way cannot break ignorance, produce knowledge, and realize extinguishment.

Taṁ kissa hetu?
Why is that?

Micchāpaṇihitattā, bhikkhave, diṭṭhiyā.
Because their view is pointing the wrong way.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, sālisūkaṁ vā yavasūkaṁ vā sammāpaṇihitaṁ hatthena vā pādena vā akkantaṁ hatthaṁ vā pādaṁ vā bhindissati, lohitaṁ vā uppādessatīti—ṭhānametaṁ vijjati.
Suppose a spike of rice or barley was pointing the right way. If you trod on it with hand or foot, it’s possible it may break the skin and produce blood.

Taṁ kissa hetu?
Why is that?

Sammāpaṇihitattā, bhikkhave, sūkassa.
Because the spike is pointing the right way.

Evameva kho, bhikkhave, so vata bhikkhu sammāpaṇihitāya diṭṭhiyā sammāpaṇihitāya maggabhāvanāya avijjaṁ bhindissati, vijjaṁ uppādessati, nibbānaṁ sacchikarissatīti—ṭhānametaṁ vijjati.
In the same way, a mendicant whose view and development of the path is pointing the right way may well break ignorance, produce knowledge, and realize extinguishment.

Taṁ kissa hetu?
Why is that?

Sammāpaṇihitattā, bhikkhave, diṭṭhiyā.
Because their view is pointing the right way.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sammāpaṇihitāya diṭṭhiyā sammāpaṇihitāya maggabhāvanāya avijjaṁ bhindati, vijjaṁ uppādeti, nibbānaṁ sacchikarotīti?
And how does a mendicant whose view and development of the path is pointing the right way break ignorance, give rise to knowledge, and realize extinguishment?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sammādiṭṭhiṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ virāganissitaṁ nirodhanissitaṁ vossaggapariṇāmiṁ …pe… sammāsamādhiṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ virāganissitaṁ nirodhanissitaṁ vossaggapariṇāmiṁ.
It’s when a mendicant develops right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion, which rely on seclusion, fading away, and cessation, and ripen as letting go.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sammāpaṇihitāya diṭṭhiyā sammāpaṇihitāya maggabhāvanāya avijjaṁ bhindati, vijjaṁ uppādeti, nibbānaṁ sacchikarotī”ti.
That’s how a mendicant whose view and development of the path is pointing the right way breaks ignorance, gives rise to knowledge, and realizes extinguishment.”

Navamaṁ.