SN56:39 Indra's Pillar
- DG BB TBW © Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi. (More copyright information)
1"Bhikkhus, those ascetics or brahmins who do not understand as it really is ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering’—they look up at the face of another ascetic or brahmin, thinking: ‘This worthy is surely one who really knows, who really sees.’
2"Suppose, bhikkhus, a tuft of cotton wool or kapok, light, wafted by the wind, had settled on an even piece of ground. sn.v.444 An easterly wind would drive it westward; a westerly wind would drive it eastward; a northerly wind would drive it southward; a southerly wind would drive it northward. For what reason? Because of the lightness of the tuft.
"So too, bhikkhus, those ascetics or brahmins who do not understand as it really is ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering’—they look up at the face of another ascetic or brahmin, thinking: ‘This worthy is surely one who really knows, who really sees.’ For what reason? Because they have not seen the Four Noble Truths.
3"But, bhikkhus, those ascetics or brahmins who understand as it really is ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering’—they do not look up at the face of another ascetic or brahmin, thinking: ‘This worthy is surely one who really knows, who really sees.’
4"Suppose, bhikkhus, there was an iron pillar or an Indra's pillar [n.398] Indakhīla. PED defines this as a post or stake set at or before the city gate; also as a large slab of stone let into the ground at the entrance of a house. with a deep base, securely planted, immobile, unshaking. Even if a forceful blast of wind comes—whether from the east, the west, the north, or the south—that pillar would not shake, quake, or tremble. For what reason? Because the pillar has a deep base and is securely planted.
"So too, bhikkhus, those ascetics or brahmins who understand as it really is ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering’—they do not look up at the face of another ascetic or brahmin, thinking: ‘This worthy is surely one who really knows, who really sees.’ For what reason? Because, bhikkhus, they have clearly seen the Four Noble Truths. What four? sn.v.445 The noble truth of suffering … the noble truth of the way leading to the cessation of suffering.
5"Therefore, bhikkhus, an exertion should be made to understand: ‘This is suffering.’ … An exertion should be made to understand: ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’"
1"Ye hi keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti … pe … ‘Ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti, te aññassa samaṇassa vā brāhmaṇassa vā mukhaṁ ullokenti: ‘Ayaṁ nūna bhavaṁ jānaṁ jānāti, passaṁ passatī’ti.
2Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, tūlapicu vā kappāsapicu vā lahuko vātūpādāno same bhūmibhāge nikkhitto. Tamenaṁ puratthimo vāto pacchimena saṁhareyya, pacchimo vāto puratthimena saṁhareyya, uttaro vāto dakkhiṇena saṁhareyya, dakkhiṇo vāto uttarena saṁhareyya. Taṁ kissa hetu? Lahukattā, bhikkhave, kappāsapicuno.
Evameva kho, bhikkhave, ye hi keci samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti … pe … ‘Ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti, te aññassa samaṇassa vā brāhmaṇassa vā mukhaṁ ullokenti: ‘Ayaṁ nūna bhavaṁ jānaṁ jānāti, passaṁ passatī’ti. Taṁ kissa hetu? Adiṭṭhattā, bhikkhave, catunnaṁ ariyasaccānaṁ.
3Ye ca kho keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānanti … pe … ‘Ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānanti, te na aññassa samaṇassa vā brāhmaṇassa vā mukhaṁ ullokenti: ‘Ayaṁ nūna bhavaṁ jānaṁ jānāti, passaṁ passatī’ti.
4Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ayokhīlo vā indakhīlo vā gambhīranemo sunikhāto acalo asampakampī. 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. Taṁ kissa hetu? Gambhīrattā, bhikkhave, nemassa sunikhātattā indakhīlassa.
Evameva kho, bhikkhave, ye ca kho keci samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānanti … pe … ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānanti, te na aññassa samaṇassa vā brāhmaṇassa vā mukhaṁ ullokenti: ‘Ayaṁ nūna bhavaṁ jānaṁ jānāti, passaṁ passatī’ti. Taṁ kissa hetu? Sudiṭṭhattā, bhikkhave, catunnaṁ ariyasaccānaṁ. Katamesaṁ catunnaṁ? Dukkhassa ariyasaccassa … pe … dukkhanirodhagāminiyā paṭipadāya ariyasaccassa.
5Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yogo karaṇīyo … pe … ‘Ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yogo karaṇīyo"ti.
Navamaṁ.
