Indra’s pillar

“Mendicants, there are ascetics and brahmins who don’t truly understand about suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path.They gaze up at the face of another ascetic or brahmin, thinking:*Compare MN 79:5.4. At DN 2:35.2 this is the attitude of a servant to the king. The Buddha was not impressed with unthinking devotion.‘Surely this worthy one knows and sees.’

“Ye hi keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti …pe… ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti, te aññassa samaṇassa vā brāhmaṇassa vā mukhaṁ ullokenti: *ullokenti → olokenti (bj, sya-all)‘ayaṁ nūna bhavaṁ jānaṁ jānāti, passaṁ passatī’ti.

“Mendicants, there are ascetics and brahmins who don’t truly understand about suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path.“Ye hi keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti …pe… They gaze up at the face of another ascetic or brahmin, thinking:*Compare MN 79:5.4. At DN 2:35.2 this is the attitude of a servant to the king. The Buddha was not impressed with unthinking devotion.‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti, te aññassa samaṇassa vā brāhmaṇassa vā mukhaṁ ullokenti: *ullokenti → olokenti (bj, sya-all)‘Surely this worthy one knows and sees.’‘ayaṁ nūna bhavaṁ jānaṁ jānāti, passaṁ passatī’ti.

Suppose there was a light tuft of cotton-wool or kapok which was taken up by the wind and landed on level ground.The east wind wafts it west; the west wind wafts it east; the north wind wafts it south; and the south wind wafts it north.Why is that?It’s because the tuft of cotton-wool is so light.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, tūlapicu vā kappāsapicu vā lahuko vātūpādāno same bhūmibhāge nikkhitto. Tamenaṁ puratthimo vāto pacchimena saṁhareyya, pacchimo vāto puratthimena saṁhareyya, uttaro vāto dakkhiṇena saṁhareyya, dakkhiṇo vāto uttarena saṁhareyya. Taṁ kissa hetu? Lahukattā, bhikkhave, kappāsapicuno.

Suppose there was a light tuft of cotton-wool or kapok which was taken up by the wind and landed on level ground.Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, tūlapicu vā kappāsapicu vā lahuko vātūpādāno same bhūmibhāge nikkhitto. The east wind wafts it west; the west wind wafts it east; the north wind wafts it south; and the south wind wafts it north.Tamenaṁ puratthimo vāto pacchimena saṁhareyya, pacchimo vāto puratthimena saṁhareyya, uttaro vāto dakkhiṇena saṁhareyya, dakkhiṇo vāto uttarena saṁhareyya. Why is that?Taṁ kissa hetu? It’s because the tuft of cotton-wool is so light.Lahukattā, bhikkhave, kappāsapicuno.

In the same way, there are ascetics and brahmins who don’t truly understand about suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path.They gaze up at the face of another ascetic or brahmin, thinking:‘Surely this worthy one knows and sees.’Why is that?It’s because they haven’t seen the four noble truths.

Evameva kho, bhikkhave, ye hi keci samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti …pe… ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti, te aññassa samaṇassa vā brāhmaṇassa vā mukhaṁ ullokenti: ‘ayaṁ nūna bhavaṁ jānaṁ jānāti, passaṁ passatī’ti. Taṁ kissa hetu? Adiṭṭhattā, bhikkhave, catunnaṁ ariyasaccānaṁ.

In the same way, there are ascetics and brahmins who don’t truly understand about suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path.Evameva kho, bhikkhave, ye hi keci samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti …pe… They gaze up at the face of another ascetic or brahmin, thinking:‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti, te aññassa samaṇassa vā brāhmaṇassa vā mukhaṁ ullokenti: ‘Surely this worthy one knows and sees.’‘ayaṁ nūna bhavaṁ jānaṁ jānāti, passaṁ passatī’ti. Why is that?Taṁ kissa hetu? It’s because they haven’t seen the four noble truths.Adiṭṭhattā, bhikkhave, catunnaṁ ariyasaccānaṁ.

There are ascetics and brahmins who truly understand about suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path.They don’t gaze up at the face of another ascetic or brahmin, thinking:‘Surely this worthy one knows and sees.’

Ye ca kho keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānanti …pe… ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānanti, te na aññassa samaṇassa vā brāhmaṇassa vā mukhaṁ ullokenti: ‘ayaṁ nūna bhavaṁ jānaṁ jānāti, passaṁ passatī’ti.

There are ascetics and brahmins who truly understand about suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path.Ye ca kho keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānanti …pe… They don’t gaze up at the face of another ascetic or brahmin, thinking:‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānanti, te na aññassa samaṇassa vā brāhmaṇassa vā mukhaṁ ullokenti: ‘Surely this worthy one knows and sees.’‘ayaṁ nūna bhavaṁ jānaṁ jānāti, passaṁ passatī’ti.

Suppose there was an iron pillar or an Indra’s pillar with deep foundations, firmly embedded, imperturbable and unshakable.*For Indra’s pillar, see note on SN 1.37:7.2.Even if violent storms were to blow up out of the east, the west, the north, and the south, they couldn’t make it shake or rock or tremble.Why is that?It’s because that Indra’s pillar is firmly embedded, with deep foundations.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ayokhīlo vā indakhīlo vā gambhīranemo sunikhāto acalo asampakampī. Puratthimāya cepi disāya āgaccheyya bhusā vātavuṭṭhi, neva saṅkampeyya na sampakampeyya na sampacāleyya; pacchimāya cepi disāya …pe… uttarāya cepi disāya …pe… dakkhiṇāya cepi disāya āgaccheyya bhusā vātavuṭṭhi, neva saṅkampeyya na sampakampeyya na sampacāleyya. *neva saṅkampeyya → neva naṁ saṅkampeyya (bj, pts1ed)Taṁ kissa hetu? Gambhīrattā, bhikkhave, nemassa sunikhātattā indakhīlassa.

Suppose there was an iron pillar or an Indra’s pillar with deep foundations, firmly embedded, imperturbable and unshakable.*For Indra’s pillar, see note on SN 1.37:7.2.Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ayokhīlo vā indakhīlo vā gambhīranemo sunikhāto acalo asampakampī. Even if violent storms were to blow up out of the east, the west, the north, and the south, they couldn’t make it shake or rock or tremble.Puratthimāya cepi disāya āgaccheyya bhusā vātavuṭṭhi, neva saṅkampeyya na sampakampeyya na sampacāleyya; pacchimāya cepi disāya …pe… uttarāya cepi disāya …pe… dakkhiṇāya cepi disāya āgaccheyya bhusā vātavuṭṭhi, neva saṅkampeyya na sampakampeyya na sampacāleyya. *neva saṅkampeyya → neva naṁ saṅkampeyya (bj, pts1ed)Why is that?Taṁ kissa hetu? It’s because that Indra’s pillar is firmly embedded, with deep foundations.Gambhīrattā, bhikkhave, nemassa sunikhātattā indakhīlassa.

In the same way, there are ascetics and brahmins who truly understand about suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path.They don’t gaze up at the face of another ascetic or brahmin, thinking:‘Surely this worthy one knows and sees.’Why is that?It’s because they have clearly seen the four noble truths.What four?The noble truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path.

Evameva kho, bhikkhave, ye ca kho keci samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānanti …pe… ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānanti, te na aññassa samaṇassa vā brāhmaṇassa vā mukhaṁ ullokenti: ‘ayaṁ nūna bhavaṁ jānaṁ jānāti, passaṁ passatī’ti. Taṁ kissa hetu? Sudiṭṭhattā, bhikkhave, catunnaṁ ariyasaccānaṁ. Katamesaṁ catunnaṁ? Dukkhassa ariyasaccassa …pe… dukkhanirodhagāminiyā paṭipadāya ariyasaccassa.

In the same way, there are ascetics and brahmins who truly understand about suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path.Evameva kho, bhikkhave, ye ca kho keci samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānanti …pe… They don’t gaze up at the face of another ascetic or brahmin, thinking:ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānanti, te na aññassa samaṇassa vā brāhmaṇassa vā mukhaṁ ullokenti: ‘Surely this worthy one knows and sees.’‘ayaṁ nūna bhavaṁ jānaṁ jānāti, passaṁ passatī’ti. Why is that?Taṁ kissa hetu? It’s because they have clearly seen the four noble truths.Sudiṭṭhattā, bhikkhave, catunnaṁ ariyasaccānaṁ. What four?Katamesaṁ catunnaṁ? The noble truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path.Dukkhassa ariyasaccassa …pe… dukkhanirodhagāminiyā paṭipadāya ariyasaccassa.