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Linked Discourses 13.2 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 13.2

1. Comprehension – 1. Abhisamayavagga

SN 13.2 A Lotus Pond – Pokkharaṇīsutta

 

At Sāvatthī.

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

“Bhikkhū, suppose there was a lotus pond that was fifty leagues long, fifty leagues wide, and fifty leagues deep, full to the brim so a crow could drink from it.

“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, pokkharaṇī paññāsayojanāni āyāmena paññāsayojanāni vitthārena paññāsayojanāni ubbedhena, puṇṇā udakassa samatittikā kākapeyyā.

Then a person would pick up some water on the tip of a blade of grass.

Tato puriso kusaggena udakaṁ uddhareyya.

What do you think, bhikkhū?

Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave,

Which is more: the water on the tip of the blade of grass, or the water in the lotus pond?”

katamaṁ nu kho bahutaraṁ, yaṁ vā kusaggena udakaṁ ubbhataṁ yaṁ vā pokkharaṇiyā udakan”ti?

“Sir, the water in the lotus pond is certainly more.

“Etadeva, bhante, bahutaraṁ, yadidaṁ pokkharaṇiyā udakaṁ.

The water on the tip of a blade of grass is tiny.

Appamattakaṁ kusaggena udakaṁ ubbhataṁ.

Compared to the water in the lotus pond, it’s not nearly a hundredth, a thousandth, or a hundred thousandth part.”

Neva satimaṁ kalaṁ upeti na sahassimaṁ kalaṁ upeti na satasahassimaṁ kalaṁ upeti pokkharaṇiyā udakaṁ upanidhāya kusaggena udakaṁ ubbhatan”ti.

“In the same way, for a person with comprehension, a noble disciple accomplished in view, the suffering that’s over and done with is more, what’s left is tiny.

“Evameva kho, bhikkhave, ariyasāvakassa diṭṭhisampannassa puggalassa abhisametāvino etadeva bahutaraṁ dukkhaṁ yadidaṁ parikkhīṇaṁ pariyādiṇṇaṁ; appamattakaṁ avasiṭṭhaṁ.

Compared to the mass of suffering in the past that’s over and done with, it’s not nearly a hundredth, a thousandth, or a hundred thousandth part, since there are at most seven more lives.

Neva satimaṁ kalaṁ upeti na sahassimaṁ kalaṁ upeti na satasahassimaṁ kalaṁ upeti purimaṁ dukkhakkhandhaṁ parikkhīṇaṁ pariyādiṇṇaṁ upanidhāya, yadidaṁ sattakkhattuṁparamatā.

That’s how very beneficial it is to comprehend the teaching and gain the vision of the teaching.”

Evaṁ mahatthiyo kho, bhikkhave, dhammābhisamayo; evaṁ mahatthiyo dhammacakkhupaṭilābho”ti.