Saṁyutta Nikāya,
V: Mahā-Vagga
56. Sacca Saṁyutta
V. Papāta Vagga

Part V: The Great Chapter
56: Kindred Sayings about the Truths
V. The Precipice

Sutta 50

Dutiya Sineru Suttaṁ

Sineru (b)

 

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THUS have I heard:

Once the Exalted One addressed the monks,
saying:

"Monks."

"Yes, lord," replied those monks to the Exalted One.

The Exalted One said:

"Suppose, monks, Sineru, lord of mountains,
should come to¹ extinction,
should come to an end,
all save seven grains of gravel as large as beans.

Now what think ye, monks?

Which is the more,
that part of Sineru, lord of mountains,
which has come to extinction,
come to an end,
or those seven grains of gravel
as large as beans?"

"Why, lord, that part of Sineru, lord of mountains,
is the more.

Very small are seven grains of gravel as large as beans.

They cannot be reckoned,
they cannot be compared with it:
they do not come to the merest fraction of a part
when set beside all that part of Sineru
which is extinguished,
which has come to an end."

"Just so, monks, for the Ariyan disciple who is blessed with vision,
for a person of understanding,
far greater is this Ill which he has destroyed,
which he has used up,
and infinitely small
is that Ill which remains.

It cannot be reckoned,
cannot be compared therewith.

It does not come to the merest fraction of a part of it,
when set beside that Ill
which he has destroyed,
which he has used up, -
that is, it is just a period of seven lives at most,
for the man who understands,
as it really is:
the meaning of:
'this is Ill'
who understands,
as it really is:
the meaning of:
'this is the arising of Ill'
who understands,
as it really is:
the meaning of:
'this is the ceasing of Ill'
who understands,
as it really is:
the meaning of:
'this is the practice that leads to the ceasing of Ill.'

Wherefore, monk, an effort must be made to realize:

'This is Ill'.

'This is the arising of Ill.'

'This is the ceasing of Ill.'

This is the practice that leads to the ceasing of Ill.'"

 

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¹ Cf. S. ii, 138. Text inserts yam here, omitted by Sinh. MSS., but required in next §.