Saṁyutta Nikāya 56.39
Translators: sujato
Linked Discourses 56.39
4. Sīsapāvanavagga
4. In a Rosewood Forest
Indakhīlasutta
A Boundary Pillar
“Ye hi keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti …pe…
“Mendicants, there are ascetics and brahmins who don’t truly understand about suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path.
‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti, te aññassa samaṇassa vā brāhmaṇassa vā mukhaṁ ullokenti:
They gaze up at the face of another ascetic or brahmin, thinking:
‘ayaṁ nūna bhavaṁ jānaṁ jānāti, passaṁ passatī’ti.
‘Surely this worthy one knows and sees.’
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, tūlapicu vā kappāsapicu vā lahuko vātūpādāno same bhūmibhāge nikkhitto.
Suppose there was a light tuft of cotton-wool or kapok which was taken up by the wind and landed on level ground.
Tamenaṁ puratthimo vāto pacchimena saṁhareyya, pacchimo vāto puratthimena saṁhareyya, uttaro vāto dakkhiṇena saṁhareyya, dakkhiṇo vāto uttarena saṁhareyya.
The east wind wafts it west; the west wind wafts it east; the north wind wafts it south; and the south wind wafts it north.
Taṁ kissa hetu?
Why is that?
Lahukattā, bhikkhave, kappāsapicuno.
It’s because the tuft of cotton-wool is so light.
Evameva kho, bhikkhave, ye hi keci samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti …pe…
In the same way, there are ascetics and brahmins who don’t truly understand about suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path.
‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti, te aññassa samaṇassa vā brāhmaṇassa vā mukhaṁ ullokenti:
They gaze up at the face of another ascetic or brahmin, thinking:
‘ayaṁ nūna bhavaṁ jānaṁ jānāti, passaṁ passatī’ti.
‘Surely this worthy one knows and sees.’
Taṁ kissa hetu?
Why is that?
Adiṭṭhattā, bhikkhave, catunnaṁ ariyasaccānaṁ.
It’s because they haven’t seen the four noble truths.
Ye ca kho keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānanti …pe…
There are ascetics and brahmins who truly understand about suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path.
‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānanti, te na aññassa samaṇassa vā brāhmaṇassa vā mukhaṁ ullokenti:
They don’t gaze up at the face of another ascetic or brahmin, thinking:
‘ayaṁ nūna bhavaṁ jānaṁ jānāti, passaṁ passatī’ti.
‘Surely this worthy one knows and sees.’
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ayokhīlo vā indakhīlo vā gambhīranemo sunikhāto acalo asampakampī.
Suppose there was an iron pillar or a boundary pillar with deep foundations, firmly embedded, imperturbable and unshakable.
Puratthimāya cepi disāya āgaccheyya bhusā vātavuṭṭhi, neva saṅkampeyya na sampakampeyya na sampacāleyya; pacchimāya cepi disāya …pe… uttarāya cepi disāya …pe… dakkhiṇāya cepi disāya āgaccheyya bhusā vātavuṭṭhi, neva saṅkampeyya na sampakampeyya na sampacāleyya.
Even if violent storms were to blow up out of the east, the west, the north, and the south, they couldn’t make it shake or rock or tremble.
Taṁ kissa hetu?
Why is that?
Gambhīrattā, bhikkhave, nemassa sunikhātattā indakhīlassa.
It’s because that boundary pillar is firmly embedded, with deep foundations.
Evameva kho, bhikkhave, ye ca kho keci samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānanti …pe…
In the same way, there are ascetics and brahmins who truly understand about suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path.
ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānanti, te na aññassa samaṇassa vā brāhmaṇassa vā mukhaṁ ullokenti:
They don’t gaze up at the face of another ascetic or brahmin, thinking:
‘ayaṁ nūna bhavaṁ jānaṁ jānāti, passaṁ passatī’ti.
‘Surely this worthy one knows and sees.’
Taṁ kissa hetu?
Why is that?
Sudiṭṭhattā, bhikkhave, catunnaṁ ariyasaccānaṁ.
It’s because they have clearly seen the four noble truths.
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 …”
Navamaṁ.