Paṭhamasamuddasutta

Saṁyutta Nikāya 35.228

Linked Discourses 35.228

18. Samuddavagga

18. The Ocean

Paṭhamasamuddasutta

The Ocean (1st)

“‘Samuddo, samuddo’ti, bhikkhave, assutavā puthujjano bhāsati.

“Mendicants, an unlearned ordinary person speaks of the ocean.

Neso, bhikkhave, ariyassa vinaye samuddo.

But that’s not the ocean in the training of the Noble One.

Mahā eso, bhikkhave, udakarāsi mahāudakaṇṇavo.

That’s just a large body of water, a large sea of water.

Cakkhu, bhikkhave, purisassa samuddo;

For a person, the eye is an ocean,

tassa rūpamayo vego.

and its currents are made of sights.

Yo taṁ rūpamayaṁ vegaṁ sahati, ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, atari cakkhusamuddaṁ saūmiṁ sāvaṭṭaṁ sagāhaṁ sarakkhasaṁ;

Someone who can prevail over those currents is said to have crossed over the ocean of the eye, with its waves and whirlpools, its saltwater crocodiles and monsters.

tiṇṇo pāraṅgato thale tiṭṭhati brāhmaṇo …pe…

Crossed over, gone to the far shore, the brahmin stands on solid ground.

jivhā, bhikkhave, purisassa samuddo;

For a person, the ear … nose … tongue … body …

tassa rasamayo vego.

Yo taṁ rasamayaṁ vegaṁ sahati, ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, atari jivhāsamuddaṁ saūmiṁ sāvaṭṭaṁ sagāhaṁ sarakkhasaṁ;

tiṇṇo pāraṅgato thale tiṭṭhati brāhmaṇo …pe…

mano, bhikkhave, purisassa samuddo;

mind is an ocean,

tassa dhammamayo vego.

and its currents are made of ideas.

Yo taṁ dhammamayaṁ vegaṁ sahati, ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, atari manosamuddaṁ saūmiṁ sāvaṭṭaṁ sagāhaṁ sarakkhasaṁ;

Someone who can prevail over those currents is said to have crossed over the ocean of the mind, with its waves and whirlpools, its saltwater crocodiles and monsters.

tiṇṇo pāraṅgato thale tiṭṭhati brāhmaṇo”ti.

Crossed over, gone to the far shore, the brahmin stands on solid ground.”

Idamavoca …pe…

That is what the Buddha said.

satthā:

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

“Yo imaṁ samuddaṁ sagāhaṁ sarakkhasaṁ,

“A knowledge master who’s crossed
the ocean so hard to cross,

Saūmiṁ sāvaṭṭaṁ sabhayaṁ duttaraṁ accatari;

with its saltwater crocodiles and monsters,
its waves, whirlpools, and dangers;

Sa vedagū vusitabrahmacariyo,

they’ve completed the spiritual journey and gone to the end of the world,

Lokantagū pāragatoti vuccatī”ti.

they’re called ‘one who has gone beyond’.”

Paṭhamaṁ.