Khadirapattasutta

Saṁyutta Nikāya 56.32

Linked Discourses 56.32

4. Sīsapāvanavagga

4. In a Rosewood Forest

Khadirapattasutta

Acacia Leaves

“Yo, bhikkhave, evaṁ vadeyya:

“Mendicants, suppose someone were to say:

‘ahaṁ dukkhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ anabhisamecca, dukkhasamudayaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ anabhisamecca, dukkhanirodhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ anabhisamecca, dukkhanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ anabhisamecca sammā dukkhassantaṁ karissāmī’ti—

‘Without truly comprehending the noble truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path, I will completely make an end of suffering.’

netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.

That is not possible.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, yo evaṁ vadeyya:

It’s as if someone were to say:

‘ahaṁ khadirapattānaṁ vā saralapattānaṁ vā āmalakapattānaṁ vā puṭaṁ karitvā udakaṁ vā tālapattaṁ vā āharissāmī’ti—

‘I’ll make a basket out of acacia leaves or pine needles or myrobalan leaves, and use it to carry water or ripe palmyra fruit.’

netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati;

That is not possible.

evameva kho, bhikkhave, yo evaṁ vadeyya:

In the same way, suppose someone were to say:

‘ahaṁ dukkhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ anabhisamecca …pe… dukkhanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ anabhisamecca sammā dukkhassantaṁ karissāmī’ti—

‘Without truly comprehending the noble truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path, I will completely make an end of suffering.’

netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.

That is not possible.

Yo ca kho, bhikkhave, evaṁ vadeyya:

But suppose someone were to say:

‘ahaṁ dukkhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ abhisamecca, dukkhasamudayaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ abhisamecca, dukkhanirodhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ abhisamecca, dukkhanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ abhisamecca sammā dukkhassantaṁ karissāmī’ti—

‘After truly comprehending the noble truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path, I will completely make an end of suffering.’

ṭhānametaṁ vijjati.

That is possible.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, yo evaṁ vadeyya:

It’s as if someone were to say:

‘ahaṁ padumapattānaṁ vā palāsapattānaṁ vā māluvapattānaṁ vā puṭaṁ karitvā udakaṁ vā tālapattaṁ vā āharissāmī’ti—

‘I’ll make a basket out of lotus leaves or flame-of-the-forest leaves or camel’s foot creeper leaves, and use it to carry water or ripe palmyra fruit.’

ṭhānametaṁ vijjati;

That is possible.

evameva kho, bhikkhave, yo evaṁ vadeyya:

In the same way, suppose someone were to say:

‘ahaṁ dukkhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ abhisamecca …pe… dukkhanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ abhisamecca sammā dukkhassantaṁ karissāmī’ti—

‘After truly comprehending the noble truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path, I will completely make an end of suffering.’

ṭhānametaṁ vijjati.

That is possible.

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yogo karaṇīyo …pe… ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yogo karaṇīyo”ti.

That’s why you should practice meditation …”

Dutiyaṁ.