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Linked Discourses 45.9 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 45.9

1. Ignorance – 1. Avijjāvagga

SN 45.9 A Spike – Sūkasutta

 

At Sāvatthī.

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

“Bhikkhū, suppose a spike of rice or barley was pointing the wrong way. If you trod on it with hand or foot, there’s no way it could break the skin and produce blood.

“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, sālisūkaṁ vā yavasūkaṁ vā micchāpaṇihitaṁ hatthena vā pādena vā akkantaṁ hatthaṁ vā pādaṁ vā bhindissati, lohitaṁ vā uppādessatīti—netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.

Why is that?

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Because the spike is pointing the wrong way.

Micchāpaṇihitattā, bhikkhave, sūkassa.

In the same way, a bhikkhu whose view and development of the path is pointing the wrong way cannot break ignorance, produce knowledge, and realize extinguishment.

Evameva kho, bhikkhave, so vata bhikkhu micchāpaṇihitāya diṭṭhiyā micchāpaṇihitāya maggabhāvanāya avijjaṁ bhindissati, vijjaṁ uppādessati, nibbānaṁ sacchikarissatīti—netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.

Why is that?

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Because their view is pointing the wrong way.

Micchāpaṇihitattā, bhikkhave, diṭṭhiyā.

Suppose a spike of rice or barley was pointing the right way. If you trod on it with hand or foot, it may well break the skin and produce blood.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, sālisūkaṁ vā yavasūkaṁ vā sammāpaṇihitaṁ hatthena vā pādena vā akkantaṁ hatthaṁ vā pādaṁ vā bhindissati, lohitaṁ vā uppādessatīti—ṭhānametaṁ vijjati.

Why is that?

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Because the spike is pointing the right way.

Sammāpaṇihitattā, bhikkhave, sūkassa.

In the same way, a bhikkhu whose view and development of the path is pointing the right way may well break ignorance, produce knowledge, and realize extinguishment.

Evameva kho, bhikkhave, so vata bhikkhu sammāpaṇihitāya diṭṭhiyā sammāpaṇihitāya maggabhāvanāya avijjaṁ bhindissati, vijjaṁ uppādessati, nibbānaṁ sacchikarissatīti—ṭhānametaṁ vijjati.

Why is that?

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Because their view is pointing the right way.

Sammāpaṇihitattā, bhikkhave, diṭṭhiyā.

And how does a bhikkhu whose view and development of the path is pointing the right way break ignorance, give rise to knowledge, and realize extinguishment?

Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sammāpaṇihitāya diṭṭhiyā sammāpaṇihitāya maggabhāvanāya avijjaṁ bhindati, vijjaṁ uppādeti, nibbānaṁ sacchikarotīti?

It’s when a bhikkhu develops right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right samādhi, which rely on seclusion, fading away, and cessation, and ripen as letting go.

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sammādiṭṭhiṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ virāganissitaṁ nirodhanissitaṁ vossaggapariṇāmiṁ …pe… sammāsamādhiṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ virāganissitaṁ nirodhanissitaṁ vossaggapariṇāmiṁ.

That’s how a bhikkhu whose view and development of the path is pointing the right way breaks ignorance, gives rise to knowledge, and realizes extinguishment.”

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sammāpaṇihitāya diṭṭhiyā sammāpaṇihitāya maggabhāvanāya avijjaṁ bhindati, vijjaṁ uppādeti, nibbānaṁ sacchikarotī”ti.