<< Click to Display Table of Contents >> Navigation:  SN 35-44 The Group of Connected Discourses Beginning With the Six Sense Fields – Saḷāyatanavaggasaṁyutta > SN 36 Connected Discourses on Feelings – Vedanāsaṁyutta > SN 36.4 The Abyss – Pātālasutta

Linked Discourses 36.4 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 36.4

1. With Verses – 1. Sagāthāvagga

SN 36.4 The Abyss – Pātālasutta

 

“Bhikkhū, when an uneducated ordinary person says that

“Assutavā, bhikkhave, puthujjano yaṁ vācaṁ bhāsati:

there’s a hellish abyss under the ocean,

‘atthi mahāsamudde pātālo’ti.

they’re speaking of something that doesn’t exist.

Taṁ kho panetaṁ, bhikkhave, assutavā puthujjano asantaṁ avijjamānaṁ evaṁ vācaṁ bhāsati:

 

‘atthi mahāsamudde pātālo’ti.

‘Hellish abyss’ is a term for painful physical feelings.

Sārīrikānaṁ kho etaṁ, bhikkhave, dukkhānaṁ vedanānaṁ adhivacanaṁ yadidaṁ ‘pātālo’ti.

When an uneducated ordinary person experiences painful physical feelings they sorrow and wail and lament, beating their breast and falling into confusion.

Assutavā, bhikkhave, puthujjano sārīrikāya dukkhāya vedanāya phuṭṭho samāno socati kilamati paridevati urattāḷiṁ kandati sammohaṁ āpajjati.

They’re called an uneducated ordinary person who hasn’t stood up in the hellish abyss and has gained no footing.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, ‘assutavā puthujjano pātāle na paccuṭṭhāsi, gādhañca nājjhagā’.

When an educated noble disciple experiences painful physical feelings they don’t sorrow or wail or lament, beating their breast and falling into confusion.

Sutavā ca kho, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako sārīrikāya dukkhāya vedanāya phuṭṭho samāno neva socati, na kilamati, na paridevati, na urattāḷiṁ kandati, na sammohaṁ āpajjati.

They’re called an educated noble disciple who has stood up in the hellish abyss and gained a footing.

Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, ‘sutavā ariyasāvako pātāle paccuṭṭhāsi, gādhañca ajjhagā’ti.

If you can’t abide

Yo etā nādhivāseti,

those painful physical feelings

uppannā vedanā dukhā;

that arise and sap your vitality;

Sārīrikā pāṇaharā,

if you tremble at their touch,

yāhi phuṭṭho pavedhati.

weeping and wailing,

Akkandati parodati,

a weakling lacking strength—

dubbalo appathāmako;

you won’t stand up in the hellish abyss

Na so pātāle paccuṭṭhāsi,

and gain a footing.

atho gādhampi nājjhagā.

If you can endure

Yo cetā adhivāseti,

those painful physical feelings

uppannā vedanā dukhā;

that arise and sap your vitality;

Sārīrikā pāṇaharā,

if you don’t tremble at their touch—

yāhi phuṭṭho na vedhati;

you stand up in the hellish abyss

Sa ve pātāle paccuṭṭhāsi,

and gain a footing.”

atho gādhampi ajjhagā”ti.