Saṁyutta Nikāya — The Connected Discourses

SN15: Connected Discourses on Without Discoverable Beginning

SN15:2 The Earth

1At Sāvatthī. "Bhikkhus, this saṁsara is without discoverable beginning. A first point is not discerned of beings roaming and wandering on hindered by ignorance and fettered by craving. Suppose, bhikkhus, a man would reduce this great earth to balls of clay the size of jujube kernels and put them down, saying for each one: ‘This is my father, this my father's father.’ The sequence of that man's fathers and grandfathers would not come to an end, yet this great earth would be used up and exhausted. For what reason? Because, bhikkhus, this saṁsara is without discoverable beginning. A first point is not discerned of beings roaming and wandering on hindered by ignorance and fettered by craving. For such a long time, bhikkhus, you have experienced suffering, anguish, and disaster, and swelled the cemetery. It is enough to experience revulsion towards all formations, enough to become dispassionate towards them, enough to be liberated from them."

1Sāvatthiyaṁ vihārati. "Anamataggoyaṁ, bhikkhave, saṁsāro. Pubbā koṭi na paññāyati avijjānīvaraṇānaṁ sattānaṁ taṇhāsaṁyojanānaṁ sandhāvataṁ saṁsarataṁ. Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso imaṁ mahāpathaviṁ kolaṭṭhimattaṁ kolaṭṭhimattaṁ mattikāguḷikaṁ karitvā nikkhipeyya: ‘Ayaṁ me pitā, tassa me pitu ayaṁ pitā’ti, apariyādinnāva bhikkhave, tassa purisassa pitupitaro assu, athāyaṁ mahāpathavī parikkhayaṁ pariyādānaṁ gaccheyya. Taṁ kissa hetu? Anamataggoyaṁ, bhikkhave, saṁsāro. Pubbā koṭi na paññāyati avijjānīvaraṇānaṁ sattānaṁ taṇhāsaṁyojanānaṁ sandhāvataṁ saṁsarataṁ. Evaṁ dīgharattaṁ vo, bhikkhave, dukkhaṁ paccanubhūtaṁ tibbaṁ paccanubhūtaṁ byasanaṁ paccanubhūtaṁ, kaṭasī vaḍḍhitā. Yāvañcidaṁ, bhikkhave, alameva sabbasaṅkhāresu nibbindituṁ, alaṁ virajjituṁ, alaṁ vimuccitun"ti.


Dutiyaṁ.

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