sutta » sn » sn56 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 56.38

Dutiyasūriyasutta

The Simile of the Sun (2nd)

“Yāvakīvañca, bhikkhave, candimasūriyā loke nuppajjanti, neva tāva mahato ālokassa pātubhāvo hoti mahato obhāsassa.
“Mendicants, as long as the moon and the sun don’t arise in the world, no great light or great radiance appears.

Andhatamaṁ tadā hoti andhakāratimisā.
Darkness prevails then, utter darkness.

Neva tāva rattindivā paññāyanti, na māsaddhamāsā paññāyanti, na utusaṁvaccharā paññāyanti.
Day and night aren’t found, nor months and fortnights, nor seasons and years.

Yato ca kho, bhikkhave, candimasūriyā loke uppajjanti, atha mahato ālokassa pātubhāvo hoti mahato obhāsassa.
But when the moon and the sun arise in the world, a great light, a great radiance appears.

Neva andhakāratamaṁ tadā hoti na andhakāratimisā.
Darkness no longer prevails.

Atha rattindivā paññāyanti, māsaddhamāsā paññāyanti, utusaṁvaccharā paññāyanti.
Day and night are found, and months and fortnights, and seasons and years.

Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yāvakīvañca tathāgato loke nuppajjati arahaṁ sammāsambuddho, neva tāva mahato ālokassa pātubhāvo hoti mahato obhāsassa.
In the same way, as long as the Realized One doesn’t arise in the world, no great light or great radiance appears.

Andhatamaṁ tadā hoti andhakāratimisā.
Darkness prevails then, utter darkness.

Neva tāva catunnaṁ ariyasaccānaṁ ācikkhaṇā hoti desanā paññāpanā paṭṭhapanā vivaraṇā vibhajanā uttānīkammaṁ.
There’s no explanation of the four noble truths, no teaching, advocating, establishing, clarifying, analyzing, and revealing of them.

Yato ca kho, bhikkhave, tathāgato loke uppajjati arahaṁ sammāsambuddho, atha mahato ālokassa pātubhāvo hoti mahato obhāsassa.
But when the Realized One arises in the world, a great light, a great radiance appears.

Neva andhatamaṁ tadā hoti na andhakāratimisā.
Darkness no longer prevails.

Atha kho catunnaṁ ariyasaccānaṁ ācikkhaṇā hoti desanā paññāpanā paṭṭhapanā vivaraṇā vibhajanā uttānīkammaṁ.
Then there’s the explanation of the four noble truths, the teaching, advocating, establishing, clarifying, analyzing, and revealing of them.

Katamesaṁ catunnaṁ?
What four?

Dukkhassa ariyasaccassa …pe… dukkhanirodhagāminiyā paṭipadāya ariyasaccassa.
The noble truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path.

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yogo karaṇīyo …pe… ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yogo karaṇīyo”ti.
That’s why you should practice meditation …”

Aṭṭhamaṁ.