Saṁyutta Nikāya 56.44
Translators: sujato
Linked Discourses 56.44
5. Papātavagga
5. A Cliff
Kūṭāgārasutta
A Bungalow
“Yo hi, bhikkhave, evaṁ vadeyya:
“Mendicants, suppose someone were to say:
‘ahaṁ dukkhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ anabhisamecca …pe… dukkhanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ anabhisamecca sammā dukkhassantaṁ karissāmī’ti—
‘Without truly comprehending the noble truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path, I will completely make an end of suffering.’
netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.
That is not possible.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, yo evaṁ vadeyya:
It’s as if someone were to say:
‘ahaṁ kūṭāgārassa heṭṭhimaṁ gharaṁ akaritvā uparimaṁ gharaṁ āropessāmī’ti—
‘Before the lower story of a bungalow is built, I will climb up to the upper story.’
netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati;
That is not possible.
evameva kho, bhikkhave, yo evaṁ vadeyya:
In the same way, suppose someone were to say:
‘ahaṁ dukkhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ anabhisamecca …pe… dukkhanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ anabhisamecca sammā dukkhassantaṁ karissāmī’ti—
‘Without truly comprehending the noble truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path, I will completely make an end of suffering.’
netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.
That is not possible.
Yo ca kho, bhikkhave, evaṁ vadeyya:
But suppose someone were to say:
‘ahaṁ dukkhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ abhisamecca …pe… dukkhanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ abhisamecca sammā dukkhassantaṁ karissāmī’ti—
‘After truly comprehending the noble truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path, I will completely make an end of suffering.’
ṭhānametaṁ vijjati.
That is possible.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, yo evaṁ vadeyya:
It’s as if someone were to say:
‘ahaṁ kūṭāgārassa heṭṭhimaṁ gharaṁ karitvā uparimaṁ gharaṁ āropessāmī’ti—
‘After the lower story of a bungalow is built, I will climb up to the upper story.’
ṭhānametaṁ vijjati;
That is possible.
evameva kho, bhikkhave, yo evaṁ vadeyya:
In the same way, suppose someone were to say:
‘ahaṁ dukkhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ abhisamecca …pe… dukkhanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ abhisamecca sammā dukkhassantaṁ karissāmī’ti—
‘After truly comprehending the noble truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path, I will completely make an end of suffering.’
ṭhānametaṁ vijjati.
That is possible.
Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yogo karaṇīyo …pe… ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yogo karaṇīyo”ti.
That’s why you should practice meditation …”
Catutthaṁ.