SN 12-21 The Group of Connected Discourses Beginning With Causation – Nidānavaggasaṁyutta > SN 15 Connected Discourses on the Unknowable Beginning – Anamataggasaṁyutta > SN 15.10 A Single Person

Linked Discourses 15.10 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 15.10

Chapter One – 1. Paṭhamavagga

SN 15.10 A Single Person – Puggalasutta

At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, on the Vulture’s Peak Mountain.

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati gijjhakūṭe pabbate.

There the Buddha addressed the bhikkhū,

Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:

“Bhikkhū!”

“bhikkhavo”ti.

“Venerable sir,” they replied.

“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ.

The Buddha said this:

Bhagavā etadavoca:

“Bhikkhū, transmigration has no known beginning. …

“Anamataggoyaṁ, bhikkhave, saṁsāro …pe…

One person roaming and transmigrating for an eon would amass a heap of bones the size of this Mount Vepulla, if they were gathered together and not lost.

ekapuggalassa, bhikkhave, kappaṁ sandhāvato saṁsarato siyā evaṁ mahā aṭṭhikaṅkalo aṭṭhipuñjo aṭṭhirāsi yathāyaṁ vepullo pabbato, sace saṁhārako assa, sambhatañca na vinasseyya.

Why is that?

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Transmigration has no known beginning. …

Anamataggoyaṁ, bhikkhave, saṁsāro …pe…

This is quite enough for you to become disillusioned, dispassionate, and freed regarding all conditions.”

alaṁ vimuccitun”ti.

That is what the Buddha said.

Idamavoca bhagavā.

Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:

Idaṁ vatvāna sugato athāparaṁ etadavoca satthā:

“If the bones of a single person

“Ekassekena kappena,

for a single eon were gathered up,

puggalassaṭṭhisañcayo;

they’d make a pile the size of a mountain:

Siyā pabbatasamo rāsi,

so said the great hermit.

iti vuttaṁ mahesinā.

And this is declared to be

So kho panāyaṁ akkhāto,

as huge as Mount Vepulla,

vepullo pabbato mahā;

higher than the Vulture’s Peak

Uttaro gijjhakūṭassa,

in the Magadhan mountain range.

magadhānaṁ giribbaje.

But then, with right understanding,

Yato ca ariyasaccāni,

a person sees the noble truths—

sammappaññāya passati;

suffering, suffering’s origin,

Dukkhaṁ dukkhasamuppādaṁ,

suffering’s transcendence,

dukkhassa ca atikkamaṁ;

and the noble eightfold path

Ariyaṁ caṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ,

that leads to the stilling of suffering.

dukkhūpasamagāminaṁ.

After roaming on seven times at most,

Sa sattakkhattuṁparamaṁ,

that person

sandhāvitvāna puggalo;

makes an end of suffering,

Dukkhassantakaro hoti,

with the ending of all fetters.”

sabbasaṁyojanakkhayā”ti.

Dasamaṁ.

Paṭhamo vaggo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Tiṇakaṭṭhañca pathavī,

assu khīrañca pabbataṁ;