sutta » sn » sn45 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 45.160

Nadīsutta

A River

“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, gaṅgā nadī pācīnaninnā pācīnapoṇā pācīnapabbhārā.
“Mendicants, suppose that, although the Ganges river slants, slopes, and inclines to the east,

Atha mahājanakāyo āgaccheyya kuddālapiṭakaṁ ādāya:
a large crowd were to come along with a spade and basket, saying:

‘mayaṁ imaṁ gaṅgaṁ nadiṁ pacchāninnaṁ karissāma pacchāpoṇaṁ pacchāpabbhāran’ti.
‘We’ll make this Ganges river slant, slope, and incline to the west!’

Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave,
What do you think, mendicants?

api nu so mahājanakāyo gaṅgaṁ nadiṁ pacchāninnaṁ kareyya pacchāpoṇaṁ pacchāpabbhāran”ti?
Would they succeed?”

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.
“No, sir.

“Taṁ kissa hetu”?
Why is that?

“Gaṅgā, bhante, nadī pācīnaninnā pācīnapoṇā pācīnapabbhārā.
The Ganges river slants, slopes, and inclines to the east.

Sā na sukarā pacchāninnaṁ kātuṁ pacchāpoṇaṁ pacchāpabbhāraṁ.
It’s not easy to make it slant, slope, and incline to the west.

Yāvadeva pana so mahājanakāyo kilamathassa vighātassa bhāgī assā”ti.
That large crowd will eventually get weary and frustrated.”

“Evameva kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhuṁ ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bhāventaṁ ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bahulīkarontaṁ rājāno vā rājamahāmattā vā mittā vā amaccā vā ñātī vā ñātisālohitā vā bhogehi abhihaṭṭhuṁ pavāreyyuṁ:
“In the same way, while a mendicant develops and cultivates the noble eightfold path, if rulers or their chief ministers, friends or colleagues, relatives or kin should invite them to accept wealth, saying:

‘ehambho purisa, kiṁ te ime kāsāvā anudahanti,
‘Please, mister, why let these ocher robes torment you?

kiṁ muṇḍo kapālamanusaṁcarasi.
Why follow the practice of shaving your head and carrying an alms bowl?

Ehi, hīnāyāvattitvā bhoge ca bhuñjassu, puññāni ca karohī’ti.
Come, return to a lesser life, enjoy wealth, and make merit!’

So vata, bhikkhave, bhikkhu ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bhāvento ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bahulīkaronto sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattissatīti—netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.
It is quite impossible for a mendicant who develops and cultivates the noble eightfold path to resign the training and return to a lesser life.

Taṁ kissa hetu?
Why is that?

Yañhi taṁ, bhikkhave, cittaṁ dīgharattaṁ vivekaninnaṁ vivekapoṇaṁ vivekapabbhāraṁ taṁ vata hīnāyāvattissatīti—netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.
Because for a long time that mendicant’s mind has slanted, sloped, and inclined to seclusion. So it’s impossible for them to return to a lesser life.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bhāveti ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bahulīkaroti?
And how does a mendicant develop the noble eightfold path?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sammādiṭṭhiṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ …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 ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bhāveti, ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bahulīkarotī”ti.
That’s how a mendicant develops and cultivates the noble eightfold path.”

(Yadapi balakaraṇīyaṁ, tadapi vitthāretabbaṁ.)

Dvādasamaṁ.

Balakaraṇīyavaggo chaṭṭho.

Tassuddānaṁ

Balaṁ bījañca nāgo ca,

rukkho kumbhena sūkiyā;

Ākāsena ca dve meghā,

nāvā āgantukā nadīti.