Saɱyutta Nikāya
4. Saḷāyatana Vagga
36. Vedanā Saɱyutta
1. Sagāthā Vagga
The Connected Discourses of the Buddha
IV. The Book of the Six Sense Bases
36: Connected Discourses on Feeling
1. With Verses
Sutta 4
Pātāla Suttaɱ
The Bottomless Abyss
Translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi
Copyright Bhikkhu Bodhi 2000, The Connected Discourses of the Buddha (Wisdom Publications, 2000)
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[1][pts][nypo][than] "Bhikkhus, when the uninstructed worldling makes the statement,
'In the great ocean there is a bottomless abyss,'
he makes such a statement about something that is nonexistent and unreal.
This, bhikkhus, is rather a designation for painful bodily feelings, that is, 'bottomless abyss.'
"When the uninstructed worldling is contacted by a painful bodily feeling, he sorrows, grieves, and laments; he weeps and beats his breast and becomes distraught.
This is called an uninstructed worldling who has not risen up in the bottomless abyss, one who has not gained a foothold.
"But, bhikkhus, when the instructed noble disciple is contacted by a painful bodily feeling, he does not sorrow, grieve, or lament; he does not weep and beat his breast and become distraught.
This is called an instructed noble disciple who has risen up in the bottomless abyss, one who has gained a foothold."
One who cannot endure
The arisen painful feelings,
Bodily feelings that sap one's life,
Who trembles when they touch him,
A weakling of little strength
Who weeps out loud and wails:
He has not risen up in the bottomless abyss,
Nor has he even gained a foothold.
[207] But one who is able to endure them —
The arisen painful feelings,
Bodily feelings that sap one's life —
Who trembles not when they touch him:
He has risen up in the bottomless abyss,
And he has also gained a foothold.
