Saṃyutta Nikāya
II. Nidāna Vagga
15. Anamat'agga-Saṃyuttaṃ
I. Paṭhama Vagga

The Book of the Kindred Sayings
II. The Book Called the Nidāna-Vagga
Containing Kindred sayings on Cause
and Other Subjects
15. Kindred Sayings on the Incalculable Beginning
1. [Untitled]

Sutta 2

Paṭhavī Suttaṃ

Earth

Translated by Mrs. Rhys Davids
Assisted by F. L. Woodward

Originally Published by
The Pali Text Society
Public Domain

 

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[119]

[1] Thus have I heard:

The Exalted One was once staying near Sāvatthī
at the Jeta Grove in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.

And there the Exalted One addressed the brethren, saying:

"Brethren!"

"Master!" responded those brethren.

The Exalted One said:

"Incalculable is the beginning, brethren,
of this faring on.

The earliest point is not revealed
of the running on, the faring on,
of beings cloaked in ignorance,
tied to craving.

If a man, brethren,
were to make this great earth
into clay balls
each the size only of a kola kernel
and laid them down saying:

'This is my father,
this is my father's father.'

Brethren, this great earth would be used up,
ended
or ever the fathers of that man's father
were come to an end.

Why is that?

Incalculable is the beginning, brethren, of this faring on.

The earliest point is not revealed
of the faring on, running on,
of beings cloaked in ignorance,
tied to craving.

Thus many a day, brethren,
have ye been suffering ill,
have ye been suffering pain,
have ye been suffering disaster,
have the charnel-fields been growing.

Thus far enough is there, brethren,
for you to be repelled
by all the things of this world,
enough to lose all passion for them,
enough to be delivered therefrom."