Saṃyutta Nikāya
4. Saḷāyatana Vagga
39. Sāmaṇḍaka Saṃyutta
The Book of the Kindred Sayings
4. The Book Called the Saḷāyatana-Vagga
Containing Kindred Sayings on the 'Six-Fold Sphere' of Sense and Other Subjects
39. Kindred Sayings about Sāmaṇḍaka
Sutta 16
Dukkaraṃ Suttaṃ
Hard to Do
Translated by F. L. Woodward
Edited by Mrs. Rhys Davids
Copyright The Pali Text Society
Commercial Rights Reserved
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[1] Thus have I heard:
Once the venerable Sāriputta was staying among the Vajjī,
at Ukkāvelā
on the banks of the river Ganges.
Then Sāmaṇḍaka, the Wanderer, came to visit the venerable Sāriputta,
and on coming to him
greeted him in friendly wise,
and after the exchange of greetings and courtesies
sat down at one side.
So seated, the Wanderer Sāmaṇḍaka said this to the venerable Sāriputta: -
"Pray, friend Sāriputta, what is hard to do
in this Norm-discipline?"
"Going forth, friend, is hard to do
in this Norm-discipline."
"But, friend, for one who has gone forth,
what is hard to do?"
"For one who has gone forth, friend,
to feel delight
is a thing hard to do."
"But, friend Sāriputta,
what can be hard to do
for one who feels delight?"
"The practice
of what is in conformity with the Norm, friend,
is hard to do
for him who feels delight."
"What then, friend?
Would one who has long practised
in conformity with the Norm
become an Arahant?"
"After no long time, friend."
