Rukkhasutta

Saṁyutta Nikāya 45.152

Linked Discourses 45.152

12. Balakaraṇīyavagga

12. Hard Work

Rukkhasutta

Trees

“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, rukkho pācīnaninno pācīnapoṇo pācīnapabbhāro.

“Mendicants, suppose a tree slants, slopes, and inclines to the east.

So mūlacchinno katamena papateyyā”ti?

If it was cut off at the root, where would it fall?”

“Yena, bhante, ninno yena poṇo yena pabbhāro”ti.

“Sir, it would fall in the direction that it slants, slopes, and inclines.”

“Evameva kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bhāvento ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bahulīkaronto nibbānaninno hoti nibbānapoṇo nibbānapabbhāro.

“In the same way, a mendicant who develops and cultivates the noble eightfold path slants, slopes, and inclines to extinguishment.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bhāvento ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bahulīkaronto nibbānaninno hoti nibbānapoṇo nibbānapabbhāro?

And how does a mendicant who develops the noble eightfold path slant, slope, and incline to extinguishment?

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

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

evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bhāvento ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bahulīkaronto nibbānaninno hoti nibbānapoṇo nibbānapabbhāro”ti.

That’s how a mendicant who develops and cultivates the noble eightfold path slants, slopes, and inclines to extinguishment.”

Catutthaṁ.