56.

Sacca-samyutta The Four Noble Truths {S v

414; CDB ii 1838} SN 56.9: Viggahika Sutta Wordy Warfare {S v 419; CDB ii 1842} [Walshe]. Some kinds of speech are counterproductive. SN 56.11: Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta Setting the Wheel of Dhamma in Motion {S v 420; CDB ii 1843} [Harvey | anamoli | Piyadassi | Thanissaro]. This is the Buddha's first discourse, delivered shortly after his Awakening to the group of five monks with whom he had practiced the austerities in the forest for many years. The sutta contains the essential teachings of the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path. Upon hearing this discourse, the monk Kondaa attains the first stage of Awakening, thus giving birth to the ariya sangha (Noble Sangha). SN 56.22: Vijja Sutta Knowledge {S v 432; CDB ii 1853}
[Walshe (excerpt)]. SN 56.31: Simsapa Sutta The Simsapa Leaves {S v 437; CDB ii 1857} [Thanissaro | Walshe]. The Buddha compares the

knowledge he gained in his Awakening to all the leaves in the forest, and his teachings to a mere handful of leaves. He then explains why he didn't reveal the remainder. SN 56.42: Papata Sutta The Drop-off {S v 448; CDB ii 1865} [Thanissaro]. The Buddha reminds an anxious monk who stands with him at the brink of a high cliff that there are some dangers far more worrisome than this precipice. SN 56.44: Kuta Sutta Gabled {S v 452; CDB ii 1868} [Thanissaro]. Practicing Dhamma is like building a house: you have to start at the bottom and work your way up. You just can't do it the other way round. SN 56.45: Vala Sutta Horsehair {S v 453; CDB ii 1869} [Thanissaro]. It's easy to admire the skill required to master a sport or a feat of manual dexterity. But even more difficult is the skill required to master the four noble truths. SN 56.46: Andhakara Sutta Darkness {S v 454; CDB ii 1870} [Thanissaro]. A monk ponders the darkness of deep space and asks the Buddha: "Is there any darkness more frightening than this?" The Buddha assures him that yes, there certainly is. SN 56.48: Chiggala Sutta The Hole {S v 456; CDB ii 1872} [Thanissaro]. Here is the Buddha's famous simile of the blind sea-turtle, illustrating the precious rarity of this human birth.

SN 56.9

Viggahika Sutta Wordy Warfare

Translated from the Pali by

Maurice O'Connell Walshe

"Monks, do not wage wordy warfare, saying: 'You don't understand this Dhamma and discipline, I understand this Dhamma and discipline'; 'How could you understand it? You have fallen into wrong practices: I have the right practice'; 'You have said afterwards what you should have said first, and you have said first what you should have said afterwards';1 'What I say is consistent, what you say isn't'; 'What you have thought out for so long is entirely reversed'; 'Your statement is refuted'; 'You are talking rubbish!'; 'You are in the wrong'; 'Get out of that if you can!' "Why should you not do this? Such talk, monks, is not related to the goal, it is not fundamental to the holy life, does not conduce to disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, tranquillity, higher knowledge, enlightenment or to Nibbana. When you have discussions, monks, you should discuss Suffering, the Arising of Suffering, its Cessation, and the Path that leads to its Cessation. Why is that? Because such talk is related to the goal... it conduces to disenchantment... to Nibbana. This is the task you must accomplish."
Notes
1. "You are putting the cart before the horse!"

SN 56.22

Vijja Sutta Knowledge

(excerpt)
Translated from the Pali by

Maurice O'Connell Walshe Those who know not suffering, Nor how suffering comes to be, Nor yet how all such suffering To a final end is brought, They do not know the Path Leading to its calming down, Cannot find the heart's release Cannot be by wisdom freed, With no chance to make an end, To birth and aging they're condemned. Those who do know suffering, And how suffering comes to be, Know too how all such suffering To a final end is brought, They who know the Path indeed Leading to its calming down, They can find the heart's release, They can be by wisdom freed. They know how to make an end, To birth and aging no more bound.
See also: Sn 3.12; Iti 103

SN 56.42

Papata Sutta The Drop-off

Translated from the Pali by

Thanissaro Bhikkhu
On one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Rajagaha at Vulture's Peak. Then he said to the monks, "Come, monks, let's go to Inspiration1 Peak for the day's abiding." "As you say, lord," the monks responded. Then the Blessed One together with a large number of monks went to Inspiration Peak. One of the monks saw the huge drop-off from Inspiration Peak and, on seeing it, said to the Blessed One, "Wow, what a huge drop-off! What a really huge drop-off!2 Is there any dropoff more huge & frightening than this?" "There is, monk, a drop-off more huge & frightening than this." "And which drop-off, lord, is more huge & frightening than this?" "Any priests or contemplatives who do not know, as it actually is present, that 'This is stress'; who do not know, as it actually is present, that 'This is the origination of stress'... 'This is the cessation of stress'... 'This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress': They revel in (thought-) fabrications leading to birth; they revel in fabrications leading to aging; they revel in fabrications leading to death; they revel in fabrications leading to sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair. Reveling in fabrications leading to birth... aging... death... sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair, they fabricate fabrications leading to birth... aging... death... sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair. Fabricating fabrications leading to birth... aging... death... sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair, they drop over the drop-off of birth. They drop over the dropoff of aging... the drop-off of death... the drop-off of sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair. They are not totally released from birth, aging, death, sorrows, lamentations, pains, distresses, & despairs. They are not totally released, I tell you, from suffering & stress.

"But as for any priests or contemplatives who do know, as it actually is present, that 'This is stress'; who know, as it actually is present, that 'This is the origination of stress'... 'This is the cessation of stress'... 'This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress': They don't revel in (thought-) fabrications leading to birth; don't revel in fabrications leading to aging; don't revel in fabrications leading to death; don't revel in fabrications leading to sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair. Not reveling in fabrications leading to birth... aging... death... sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair, they don't fabricate fabrications leading to birth... aging... death... sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair. Not fabricating fabrications leading to birth... aging... death... sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair, they don't drop over the drop-off of birth. They don't drop over the drop-off of aging, don't drop over the drop-off of death, don't drop over the drop-off of sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair. They are totally released from birth, aging, death, sorrows, lamentations, pains, distresses, & despairs. They are totally released, I tell you, from suffering & stress. "Therefore, monks, your duty is the contemplation, 'This is stress... This is the origination of stress... This is the cessation of stress.' Your duty is the contemplation, 'This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress.'"
Notes
1. Pa.tibhaana. 2. The Thai edition has "really huge drop-off" here. The Burmese and PTS editions have "really frightening drop-off." Both readings are found in parallel passages in other suttas in this section in all three editions, so it's hard to decide which reading is more likely to be the original one.

See also: SN 56.46

SN 56.44

Translated from the Pali by

Kuta Sutta Gabled

Thanissaro Bhikkhu

"Monks, if anyone were to say, 'Without having broken through to the noble truth of stress as it actually is present, without having broken through to the noble truth of the origination of stress... the cessation of stress... the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress, as it actually is present, I will bring about the right ending of stress,' that would be an impossibility. Just as if someone were to say, 'Without having built the lower story of a gabled building, I will put up the upper story,' that would be an impossibility; in the same way, if anyone were to say, 'Without having broken through to the noble truth of stress as it actually is present, without having broken through to the noble truth of the origination of stress... the cessation of stress... the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress, as it actually is present, I will bring about the right ending of stress,' that would be an impossibility. "If anyone were to say, 'Having broken through to the noble truth of stress as it actually is present, having broken through to the noble truth of the origination of stress... the cessation of stress... the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress, as it actually is present, I will bring about the right ending of stress,' that would be a possibility. Just as if someone were to say, 'Having built the lower story of a gabled building, I will put up the upper story,' that would be a possibility; in the same way, if anyone were to say, 'Having broken through to the noble truth of stress as it actually is present, having broken through to the noble truth of the origination of stress... the cessation of stress... the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress, as it actually is present, I will bring about the right ending of stress,' that would be a possibility. "Therefore, monks, your duty is the contemplation, 'This is stress... This is the origination of stress... This is the cessation of stress.' Your duty is the contemplation, 'This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress.'"
See also: SN 56.45

SN 56.45

Vala Sutta The Horsehair

Translated from the Pali by

Thanissaro Bhikkhu
On one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Vesali at the Gabled Hall in the Great Forest. Then in the early morning, Ven. Ananda, having put on his robe and carrying his bowl and outer robe, went into Vesali for alms. He saw a large number of Licchavi boys practicing archery in the stadium building. From a distance they were shooting arrows through a tiny keyhole without missing, one right after the other. On seeing this, the thought occurred to him, "How trained these Licchavi boys are, how well-trained these Licchavi boys are, in that from a distance they can shoot arrows through a tiny keyhole without missing, one right after the other!" Then, having gone for alms in Vesali, after his meal, returning from his alms round, Ven. Ananda went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he said to the Blessed One: "Just now, lord, in the early morning, having put on my robe and carrying my bowl and outer robe, I went into Vesali for alms. I saw a large number of Licchavi boys practicing archery in the stadium building. From a distance they were shooting arrows through a tiny keyhole without missing, one right after the other. On seeing this, the thought occurred to me 'How trained these Licchavi boys are, how well-trained these Licchavi boys are, in that from a distance they can shoot arrows through a tiny keyhole without missing, one right after the other!'" "What do you think, Ananda: Which is harder to do, harder to master to shoot arrows through a tiny keyhole without missing, one right after the other, or to take a horsehair split into seven strands and pierce tip with a tip?"1 "This, lord, is harder to do, harder to master to take a horsehair split into seven strands and pierce tip with a tip." "And they, Ananda, pierce what is even harder to pierce, those who pierce, as it actually is present, that 'This is stress'; who pierce, as it actually is present, that 'This is the origination of stress'... 'This is the

cessation of stress'... 'This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress.' "Therefore, Ananda, your duty is the contemplation, 'This is stress... This is the origination of stress... This is the cessation of stress.' Your duty is the contemplation, 'This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress.'"
Notes
1. The Commentary tries to convert this feat into an archery trick, in which one fastens a strand of horsehair on an eggplant and another strand on the tip of an arrow, and then backs off to shoot the hair on the eggplant with the hair fastened on the arrow. This, however, sounds more like one of the impossible feats of marksmanship that Mark Twain once chided James Fenimore Cooper for including in his Deerslayer books. Even assuming that the hair on the arrow could withstand the force of the air pushing it back and actually stick straight ahead to pierce the other hair, the speed and force of the arrow would demolish any evidence that it had actually done so. Thus it seems more likely that the Buddha is describing a more delicate feat bearing more resemblance to the delicacy required in penetrating the four noble truths.

See also: SN 56.44

SN 56.46

Andhakara Sutta Darkness

Translated from the Pali by

Thanissaro Bhikkhu
"There is, monks, an inter-cosmic1 void, an unrestrained darkness, a pitch-black darkness, where even the light of the sun & moon so mighty, so powerful doesn't reach." When this was said, one of the monks said to the Blessed One, "Wow, what a great darkness! What a really great darkness! Is there any darkness greater & more frightening than that?" "There is, monk, a darkness greater & more frightening than that." "And which darkness, lord, is greater & more frightening than that?" "Any priests or contemplatives who do not know, as it actually is present, that 'This is stress'; who do not know, as it actually is present, that 'This is the origination of stress'... 'This is the cessation of stress'... 'This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress': They revel in (thought-) fabrications leading to birth; they revel in fabrications leading to aging; they revel in fabrications leading to death; they revel in fabrications leading to sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair. Reveling in fabrications leading to birth... aging... death... sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair, they fabricate fabrications leading to birth... aging... death... sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair. Fabricating fabrications leading to birth... aging... death... sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair, they drop into the darkness of birth. They drop into the darkness of aging... the darkness of death... darkness of sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair. They are not totally released from birth, aging, death, sorrows, lamentations, pains, distresses, & despairs. They are not totally released, I tell you, from suffering & stress. "But as for any priests or contemplatives who do know, as it actually is present, that 'This is stress'; who know, as it actually is present, that 'This is the origination of stress'... 'This is the cessation of stress'... 'This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress': They don't revel in (thought-) fabrications leading to birth; don't revel in

fabrications leading to aging; don't revel in fabrications leading to death; don't revel in fabrications leading to sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair. Not reveling in fabrications leading to birth... aging... death... sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair, they don't fabricate fabrications leading to birth... aging... death... sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair. Not fabricating fabrications leading to birth... aging... death... sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair, they don't drop into the darkness of birth. They don't drop into the darkness of aging, don't drop into the darkness of death, don't drop into the darkness of sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair. They are totally released from birth, aging, death, sorrows, lamentations, pains, distresses, & despairs. They are totally released, I tell you, from suffering & stress. "Therefore, monks, your duty is the contemplation, 'This is stress... This is the origination of stress... This is the cessation of stress.' Your duty is the contemplation, 'This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress.'"
Notes
1. Or: intergalactic?

See also: SN 56.42

SN 56.48

Chiggala Sutta The Hole

Translated from the Pali by

Thanissaro Bhikkhu
"Monks, suppose that this great earth were totally covered with water, and a man were to toss a yoke with a single hole there. A wind from the east would push it west, a wind from the west would push it east. A wind from the north would push it south, a wind from the south would push it north. And suppose a blind sea-turtle were there. It would come to the surface once every one hundred years. Now what do you think: would that blind sea-turtle, coming to the surface once every one hundred years, stick his neck into the yoke with a single hole?" "It would be a sheer coincidence, lord, that the blind sea-turtle, coming to the surface once every one hundred years, would stick his neck into the yoke with a single hole." "It's likewise a sheer coincidence that one obtains the human state. It's likewise a sheer coincidence that a Tathagata, worthy & rightly self-awakened, arises in the world. It's likewise a sheer coincidence that a doctrine & discipline expounded by a Tathagata appears in the world. Now, this human state has been obtained. A Tathagata, worthy & rightly self-awakened, has arisen in the world. A doctrine & discipline expounded by a Tathagata appears in the world. "Therefore your duty is the contemplation, 'This is stress... This is the origination of stress... This is the cessation of stress.' Your duty is the contemplation, 'This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress.'"