Saṃyutta Nikāya
5. Mahā-Vagga
56. Sacca Saṃyutta
4. Siṃsapā Vagga
The Book of the Kindred Sayings
5. The Great Chapter
56. Kindred Sayings about the Truths
4. Siṃsapā Grove
Sutta 32
Khadira Suttaṃ
The Acacia Tree
Translated by F. L. Woodward
Edited by Mrs. Rhys Davids
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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[1][bodh][than] THUS have I heard:
Once the Exalted One addressed the monks,
saying:
"Monks."
"Yes, lord," replied those monks to the Exalted One.
The Exalted One said:
"Monks, if anyone should say:
'Without penetrating,
as it really is,
the Ariyan truth of Ill,
without penetrating,
as it really is,
the Ariyan truth of the arising of Ill,
without penetrating,
as it really is,
the Ariyan truth of the ceasing of Ill,
without penetrating,
as it really is,
the Ariyan truth of the practice that leads to the ceasing of Ill,
I will make an utter end of Ill'
it would be an impossibility for him to do so.
Just as, if anyone should say:
'I will make a leaf-basket[1] of acacia leaves
or of Judas-tree leaves
or of myrobalan leaves,
and fetch water in it,
or use them for a fan,'[2]
it would be impossible for him to do so.
'Even so
for him to make an utter end of Ill
without[3] penetrating,
as it really is,
the Ariyan truth of Ill,
without penetrating,
as it really is,
the Ariyan truth of the arising of Ill,
without penetrating,
as it really is,
the Ariyan truth of the ceasing of Ill,
without penetrating,
as it really is,
the Ariyan truth of the practice that leads to the ceasing of Ill,
would be an impossibility.
§
But, monks, if anyone should say:
'I will make an utter end of Ill by penetrating,
as it really is,
the Ariyan truth of Ill,
by penetrating,
as it really is,
the Ariyan truth of the arising of Ill,
by penetrating,
as it really is,
the Ariyan truth of the ceasing of Ill,
by penetrating,
as it really is,
the Ariyan truth of the practice that leads to the ceasing of Ill,'
I will make an utter end of Ill'
it could be done.
Just as, if anyone should say:
'I will make a leaf-basket
of lotus-leaves
or pulasa[4] leaves
or creeper leaves,
or make a fan of them,'
it could be done.
So also if one were to say:
'I will make an utter end of Ill by penetrating,
as it really is,
the Ariyan truth of Ill,
by penetrating,
as it really is,
the Ariyan truth of the arising of Ill,
by penetrating,
as it really is,
the Ariyan truth of the ceasing of Ill,
by penetrating,
as it really is,
the Ariyan truth of the practice that leads to the ceasing of Ill,'
I will make an utter end of Ill'
it could be done
Wherefore, monks, an effort must be made to realize:
'This is ill.'
'This is the arising of ill.'
'This is the ceasing of ill.'
'This is the practice that leads to the ceasing of ill.'"
[1] Puṭaṇ. Palm fronds of different sorts are used for baskets in the tropics, and a plantain-leaf is used to make a cup. The leaves here mentioned would be too small for such purposes.
[2] Tālapatta, the broad leaves of the palmyra or of the taliat are used for fans and writing on. Lit. 'I will fetch water or a palm-leaf.'
[3] Text should read anabhisamecca.
[4] Palāsa (used above as the name of a small leaf) cannot stand here. I read pulāsa (Cf. JA. iii, 478) with Sinh. MSS. It is a jungle tree with large leaves.
