SN 45-56 The Group of Connected Discourses on the Path – Mahāvaggasaṁyutta > SN 45 Linked Discourses on the Eightfold Path – Maggasaṁyutta > SN 45.158 A Ship

Linked Discourses 45.158 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 45.158

12. Hard Work – 12. Balakaraṇīyavagga

SN 45.158 A Ship – Nāvāsutta

“Bhikkhū, suppose there was a sea-faring ship bound together with ropes. For six months they deteriorated in the water. Then in the cold season it was hauled up on dry land, where the ropes were weathered by wind and sun. When the clouds soaked it with rain, the ropes would readily collapse and rot away.

“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, sāmuddikāya nāvāya vettabandhanabandhāya cha māsāni udake pariyādāya hemantikena thalaṁ ukkhittāya vātātapaparetāni bandhanāni tāni pāvussakena meghena abhippavuṭṭhāni appakasireneva paṭippassambhanti, pūtikāni bhavanti;

In the same way, when a bhikkhu develops and cultivates the noble eightfold path their fetters readily collapse and rot away.

evameva kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bhāvayato ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bahulīkaroto appakasireneva saṁyojanāni paṭippassambhanti, pūtikāni bhavanti.

And how do they develop and cultivate the noble eightfold path so that their fetters readily collapse and rot away?

Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bhāvayato ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bahulīkaroto appakasireneva saṁyojanāni paṭippassambhanti, pūtikāni bhavanti?

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 …pe… sammāsamādhiṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ virāganissitaṁ nirodhanissitaṁ vossaggapariṇāmiṁ …

That’s how they develop and cultivate the noble eightfold path so that their fetters readily collapse and rot away.”

evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bhāvayato ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bahulīkaroto appakasireneva saṁyojanāni paṭippassambhanti, pūtikāni bhavantī”ti.