Saṁyutta Nikāya 56.46
Translators: sujato
Linked Discourses 56.46
5. Papātavagga
5. A Cliff
Andhakārasutta
Darkness
“Atthi, bhikkhave, lokantarikā aghā asaṁvutā andhakārā andhakāratimisā, yatthamimesaṁ candimasūriyānaṁ evaṁmahiddhikānaṁ evaṁ mahānubhāvānaṁ ābhāya nānubhontī”ti.
“Mendicants, the boundless desolation of interstellar space is so utterly dark that even the light of the moon and the sun, so mighty and powerful, makes no impression.”
Evaṁ vutte, aññataro bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
When he said this, one of the mendicants asked the Buddha,
“mahā vata so, bhante, andhakāro, sumahā vata so, bhante, andhakāro.
“Sir, that darkness really is mighty, so very mighty.
Atthi nu kho, bhante, etamhā andhakārā añño andhakāro mahantataro ca bhayānakataro cā”ti?
Is there any other darkness more mighty and terrifying than this one?”
“Atthi kho, bhikkhu, etamhā andhakārā añño andhakāro mahantataro ca bhayānakataro cā”ti.
“There is, mendicant.”
“Katamo pana, bhante, etamhā andhakārā añño andhakāro mahantataro ca bhayānakataro cā”ti?
“But sir, what is it?”
“Ye hi keci, bhikkhu, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti …pe… ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti,
“There are ascetics and brahmins who don’t truly understand about suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path.
te jātisaṁvattanikesu saṅkhāresu abhiramanti …pe…
They take pleasure in choices that lead to rebirth …
abhiratā …pe… abhisaṅkharonti …pe…
They continue to make such choices …
abhisaṅkharitvā jātandhakārampi papatanti, jarandhakārampi papatanti, maraṇandhakārampi papatanti, sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsandhakārampi papatanti.
Having made such choices, they fall into the darkness of rebirth, old age, and death, of sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress.
Te na parimuccanti jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi.
They’re not freed from rebirth, old age, and death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress.
‘Na parimuccanti dukkhasmā’ti vadāmi.
They’re not freed from suffering, I say.
Ye ca kho keci, bhikkhu, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānanti …pe… ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānanti,
There are ascetics and brahmins who truly understand about suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path.
te jātisaṁvattanikesu saṅkhāresu nābhiramanti …pe…
They don’t take pleasure in choices that lead to rebirth …
anabhiratā …pe… nābhisaṅkharonti …pe…
They stop making such choices …
anabhisaṅkharitvā jātandhakārampi nappapatanti, jarandhakārampi nappapatanti, maraṇandhakārampi nappapatanti, sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsandhakārampi nappapatanti.
Having stopped making such choices, they don’t fall into the darkness of rebirth, old age, and death, of sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress.
Te parimuccanti jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi.
They’re freed from rebirth, old age, and death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress.
‘Parimuccanti dukkhasmā’ti vadāmi.
They’re freed from suffering, I say.
Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yogo karaṇīyo …pe… ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yogo karaṇīyo”ti.
That’s why you should practice meditation …”
Chaṭṭhaṁ.