Saṁyutta Nikāya — The Connected Discourses

SN56: Connected Discourses on the Truths

SN56:36 Creatures

1"Bhikkhus, suppose a man were to cut up whatever grass, sticks, branches, and foliage there is in this Jambudipa and collect them into a single heap. Having done so, he would impale the large creatures in the ocean on the large stakes, the middle-sized creatures on the middle-sized stakes, and the small creatures on the small stakes.

2Still, bhikkhus, the gross creatures in the ocean would not be exhausted even after all the grass, sticks, branches, and foliage in Jambudipa had been used up and exhausted. The small creatures in the ocean that could not easily be impaled on stakes would be even more numerous than this. For what reason? sn.v.442 Because of the minuteness of their bodies.

"So vast, bhikkhus, is the plane of misery. The person who is accomplished in view, freed from that vast plane of misery, understands as it really is: ‘This is suffering.’ … ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’

3"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"Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso yaṁ imasmiṁ jambudīpe tiṇakaṭṭhasākhāpalāsaṁ tacchetvā ekajjhaṁ saṁhareyya; ekajjhaṁ saṁharitvā sūlaṁ kareyya. Sūlaṁ karitvā ye mahāsamudde mahantakā pāṇā te mahantakesu sūlesu āvuneyya, ye mahāsamudde majjhimakā pāṇā te majjhimakesu sūlesu āvuneyya, ye mahāsamudde sukhumakā pāṇā te sukhumakesu sūlesu āvuneyya. Apariyādinnā ca, bhikkhave, mahāsamudde oḷārikā pāṇā assu.

2Atha imasmiṁ jambudīpe tiṇakaṭṭhasākhāpalāsaṁ parikkhayaṁ pariyādānaṁ gaccheyya. Ito bahutarā kho, bhikkhave, mahāsamudde sukhumakā pāṇā, ye na sukarā sūlesu āvunituṁ. Taṁ kissa hetu? Sukhumattā, bhikkhave, attabhāvassa.

Evaṁ mahā kho, bhikkhave, apāyo. Evaṁ mahantasmā kho, bhikkhave, apāyasmā parimutto diṭṭhisampanno puggalo ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti … pe … ‘Ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti.

3Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yogo karaṇīyo … pe … ‘Ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yogo karaṇīyo"ti.


Chaṭṭhaṁ.

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