Saṃyutta Nikāya
5. Mahā-Vagga
55. Sot'Āpatti Saṃyutta
4. Puññ-ā-bhisanda Vagga
The Book of the Kindred Sayings
5. The Great Chapter
55. Kindred Sayings on Streamwinning
4. Flood of Merit
Sutta 38
Vassa Suttaṃ
Raining
Translated by F. L. Woodward
Edited by Mrs. Rhys Davids
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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[1] THUS have I heard:
On a certain occasion the Exalted One addressed the monks,
saying:
"Monks."
"Yes, lord," replied those monks to the Exalted One.
The Exalted One said:
"Just as, monks, when on the mountain-top
the sky-god rains down big drops,
that water flows down
and in its course
floods the mountam-gullies,
clefts
and spurs,
and, flooding these,
fills up the little pools:
then the big pools, filling,
flood the great lakes:
the great lakes, filling,
flood the rivulets:
the rivulets, filling,
flood the great rivers:
the great rivers, being flooded,
fill up the mighty ocean, -
even so in the Ariyan disciple
who has unwavering loyalty to the Buddha,
the Norm
and the Order,
and has the virtues dear to the Ariyans,
these conditions flow onwards
and reach the further shore
and lead to the destruction of the āsavas."[1]
Pāraṃ. Possibly, but note the numerous cases where the further shore is not Nibbāna. First there is the safety (the further shore?) of Streamwinning, then there is the destruction of the āsavas and Nibbāna.
— p.p.
[1] Comy. points out that here the order of words is deceptive. They conduce to the destruction of the āsavas on their way to Nibbāna (pāraṃ).
