4.
The Chapter at the Sīsapā Grove
1.
The Discourse at the Sīsapā Grove
1101. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Kosambī in the Sīsapā grove. Then the Blessed One, having taken a few sīsapā leaves in his hand, addressed the monks - "What do you think, monks, which is more - the few sīsapā leaves taken by me in my hand, or those above in the sīsapā grove?" "The few sīsapā leaves taken by the Blessed One in his hand are trifling, venerable sir; but those above in the sīsapā grove are indeed more." "Just so, monks, that indeed is more which has not been declared by me having directly known it. And why, monks, has this not been declared by me? Because, monks, this is not connected with the goal, not fundamental to the holy life, it does not lead to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbāna; therefore this has not been declared by me."
"And what, monks, has been declared by me? 'This is suffering' - this, monks, has been declared by me; 'This is the origin of suffering' - this has been declared by me; 'This is the cessation of suffering' - this has been declared by me; 'This is the practice leading to the cessation of suffering' - this has been declared by me."
"And why, monks, has this been declared by me? Because, monks, this is connected with the goal, this is fundamental to the holy life, this leads to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbāna; therefore this has been declared by me.
"Therefore, monks, exertion is to be done regarding 'This is suffering', etc. exertion is to be done regarding 'This is the practice leading to the cessation of suffering.'" The first.
2.
The Discourse on the Acacia Leaf
1102. "Whoever, monks, would say thus - 'Without having fully realised as it really is the noble truth of suffering, without having fully realised as it really is the noble truth of the origin of suffering, without having fully realised as it really is the noble truth of the cessation of suffering, without having fully realised as it really is the noble truth of the practice leading to the cessation of suffering, I will rightly make an end of suffering' - this is impossible.
"Just as, monks, if anyone were to say thus - 'Having made a container from acacia leaves or pine leaves or emblic myrobalan leaves, I will bring water or a palm-leaf' - this is impossible; just so, monks, whoever would say thus - 'Without having fully realised as it really is the noble truth of suffering, etc. without having fully realised as it really is the noble truth of the practice leading to the cessation of suffering, I will rightly make an end of suffering' - this is impossible.
"But whoever, monks, would say thus - 'Having fully realised as it really is the noble truth of suffering, having fully realised as it really is the noble truth of the origin of suffering, having fully realised as it really is the noble truth of the cessation of suffering, having fully realised as it really is the noble truth of the practice leading to the cessation of suffering, I will rightly make an end of suffering' - this is possible.
"Just as, monks, if anyone were to say thus - 'Having made a container from lotus leaves or butea leaves or creeper leaves, I will bring water or a palm-leaf' - this is possible; just so, monks, whoever would say thus - 'Having fully realised as it really is the noble truth of suffering, etc. having fully realised as it really is the noble truth of the practice leading to the cessation of suffering, I will rightly make an end of suffering' - this is possible.
"Therefore, monks, exertion is to be done regarding 'This is suffering', etc. exertion is to be done regarding 'This is the practice leading to the cessation of suffering.'" The second.
3.
The Stick Discourse
1103. "Just as, monks, a stick thrown up into the sky falls once on its root, falls once on its end; just so, monks, beings hindered by ignorance, fettered by craving, transmigrating and wandering in the round of rebirths, once go from this world to the world beyond, once come from the world beyond to this world. What is the reason for this? Because of not seeing, monks, the four noble truths. Which four? The noble truth of suffering, etc. the noble truth of the practice leading to the cessation of suffering.
"Therefore, monks, exertion is to be done regarding 'This is suffering', etc. exertion is to be done regarding 'This is the practice leading to the cessation of suffering.'" The third.
4.
The Discourse on the Cloth
1104. "Monks, when one's garment or head is on fire, what should be done?" "Venerable sir, when one's garment or head is on fire, for the quenching of that very garment or head, exceeding desire and effort and endeavour and enthusiasm and unremitting and mindfulness and full awareness is to be done."
"Monks, having disregarded and not attended to the burning garment or head, for the full realization as they really are of the four noble truths not yet fully realized, exceeding desire and effort and endeavour and enthusiasm and unremitting and mindfulness and full awareness is to be done. Which four? The noble truth of suffering, etc. the noble truth of the practice leading to the cessation of suffering.
"Therefore, monks, exertion is to be done regarding 'This is suffering', etc. exertion is to be done regarding 'This is the practice leading to the cessation of suffering.'" The fourth.
5.
The Discourse on a Hundred Spears
1105. "Just as, monks, a man with a lifespan of a hundred years, living for a hundred years. They might say to him thus - 'Come, good man, in the earlier period of the day they will strike you with a hundred spears, at the noon period of the day they will strike you with a hundred spears, in the afternoon period of the day they will strike you with a hundred spears. And you, good man, being struck day by day with three hundred spears each, with a lifespan of a hundred years, living for a hundred years, by the elapse of a hundred years, you will fully realise the four noble truths that have not been fully realised.'"
"For a son of good family who is intent on the good, it would be fitting to accept. What is the reason for this? This wandering in the round of rebirths, monks, is without discernible beginning. A first point is not discerned of blows from spears, blows from swords, blows from arrows, blows from axes. Even if this were so, monks. But I do not say, monks, that the full realisation of the four noble truths is together with suffering, together with displeasure; but I say, monks, that the full realisation of the four noble truths is together with happiness, together with pleasure. Which four? The noble truth of suffering, etc. the noble truth of the practice leading to the cessation of suffering.
"Therefore, monks, exertion is to be done regarding 'This is suffering', etc. exertion is to be done regarding 'This is the practice leading to the cessation of suffering.'" The fifth.
6.
The Discourse on Living Beings
1106. "Just as, monks, if a man were to pare whatever grass, sticks, branches and leaves there are in this Indian subcontinent and collect them together; having collected them together, he might make them into stakes. Having made them into stakes, whatever large creatures there are in the great ocean, he might string them on large stakes; whatever medium-sized creatures there are in the great ocean, he might string them on medium-sized stakes; whatever subtle creatures there are in the great ocean, he might string them on subtle stakes. Yet, monks, the gross creatures in the great ocean would not be exhausted.
"Then the grass, sticks, branches and leaves in this Indian subcontinent would go to utter elimination and exhaustion. More numerous than these, monks, are the subtle creatures in the great ocean, which are not easy to string on stakes. What is the reason for this? Because of the subtleness of their individual existence, monks. Thus great, monks, is the realm of misery. Released from such a great realm of misery, monks, a person accomplished in right view understands as it really is: 'This is suffering', etc. he understands as it really is: 'This is the practice leading to the cessation of suffering.'
"Therefore, monks, exertion is to be done regarding 'This is suffering', etc. exertion is to be done regarding 'This is the practice leading to the cessation of suffering.'" The sixth.
7.
The First Discourse on the Sun
1107. "For the rising of the sun, monks, this is the forerunner, this is the advanced sign, that is to say - the break of dawn. Just so, monks, for a monk, for the full realization of the four noble truths as they really are, this is the forerunner, this is the advanced sign, that is to say - right view. For that monk, monks, this is to be expected - he will understand as it really is: 'This is suffering', etc. he will understand as it really is: 'This is the practice leading to the cessation of suffering.'
"Therefore, monks, exertion is to be done regarding 'This is suffering', etc. exertion is to be done regarding 'This is the practice leading to the cessation of suffering.'" The seventh.
8.
The Second Discourse on the Sun
1108. "As long as, monks, the moon and sun do not arise in the world, there is no manifestation of great light, of great radiance. Then there is deep darkness, blinding darkness. Night and day are not discernible, months and fortnights are not discernible, seasons and years are not discernible.
"But when, monks, the moon and sun arise in the world, then there is manifestation of great light, of great radiance. Then there is no darkness, no blinding darkness. Then night and day are discernible, months and fortnights are discernible, seasons and years are discernible. Just so, monks, as long as a Truth-finder does not arise in the world, a Worthy One, a One Enlightened by himself, there is no manifestation of great light, of great radiance. Then there is deep darkness, blinding darkness. There is no declaring, teaching, describing, establishing, revealing, analysing, and making manifest of the four noble truths.
"But when, monks, a Truth-finder arises in the world, a Worthy One, a One Enlightened by himself, then there is manifestation of great light, of great radiance. Then there is no deep darkness, no blinding darkness. Then there is declaring, teaching, describing, establishing, revealing, analysing, and making manifest of the four noble truths. Which four? The noble truth of suffering, etc. the noble truth of the practice leading to the cessation of suffering.
"Therefore, monks, exertion is to be done regarding 'This is suffering', etc. exertion is to be done regarding 'This is the practice leading to the cessation of suffering.'" The eighth.
9.
The Discourse on the Gate
1109. "Whatever ascetics or brahmins, monks, who do not understand as it really is 'This is suffering', etc. who do not understand as it really is 'This is the practice leading to the cessation of suffering', they look up to the face of another ascetic or brahmin - 'Surely this venerable one who knows, knows; who sees, sees.'"
"Just as, monks, cotton-wool or silk-cotton, being light and carried by the wind, placed on a level piece of ground. The east wind would carry it westward, the west wind would carry it eastward, the north wind would carry it southward, the south wind would carry it northward. What is the reason for this? Because of the lightness, monks, of the silk-cotton. Just so, monks, whatever ascetics or brahmins who do not understand as it really is 'This is suffering', etc. who do not understand as it really is 'This is the practice leading to the cessation of suffering', they look up to the face of another ascetic or brahmin - 'Surely this venerable one who knows, knows; who sees, sees.' What is the reason for this? Because of not seeing, monks, the four noble truths.
"But whatever ascetics or brahmins, monks, who understand as it really is 'This is suffering', etc. who understand as it really is 'This is the practice leading to the cessation of suffering', they do not look up to the face of another ascetic or brahmin - 'Surely this venerable one who knows, knows; who sees, sees.'"
"Just as, monks, an iron post or a gate post, with deep foundations, well planted, immovable, unshakeable. If a severe wind and rain were to come from the eastern direction, it would not tremble, would not shake, would not quake; if from the western direction, etc. if from the northern direction... etc. if a severe wind and rain were to come from the southern direction, it would not tremble, would not shake, would not quake. What is the reason for this? Because of the depth, monks, of the foundations, because of the gate post being well planted. Just so, monks, whatever ascetics or brahmins who understand as it really is 'This is suffering', etc. who understand as it really is 'This is the practice leading to the cessation of suffering', they do not look up to the face of another ascetic or brahmin - 'Surely this venerable one who knows, knows; who sees, sees.' What is the reason for this? Because of well seeing, monks, the four noble truths. Which four? The noble truth of suffering, etc. the noble truth of the practice leading to the cessation of suffering.
"Therefore, monks, exertion is to be done regarding 'This is suffering', etc. exertion is to be done regarding 'This is the practice leading to the cessation of suffering.'" The ninth.
10.
The Discourse on Those Seeking Debate
1110. "Whoever indeed, monks, a monk understands as it really is: 'This is suffering' etc. 'This is the practice leading to the cessation of suffering' - if from the eastern direction an ascetic or a brahmin were to come, seeking debate, desiring debate - 'I will refute him in debate' - that indeed he will shake him or make him tremble or make him quake with reason - this is impossible. If from the western direction, etc. if from the northern direction... etc. if from the southern direction an ascetic or a brahmin were to come, seeking debate, desiring debate - 'I will refute him in debate' - that indeed he will shake him or make him tremble or make him quake with reason - this is impossible.
"Just as, monks, a stone pillar of sixteen cubits. Of that, eight cubits would be below having entered the foundation, eight cubits above the foundation. If a severe wind and rain were to come from the eastern direction, it would not tremble, would not shake, would not quake; if from the western direction, etc. if from the northern direction... etc. if a severe wind and rain were to come from the southern direction, it would not tremble, would not shake, would not quake. What is the reason for this? Because of the depth, monks, of the foundation, because of the stone pillar being well planted. Just so indeed, monks, whoever a monk understands as it really is: 'This is suffering' etc. 'This is the practice leading to the cessation of suffering' - he understands as it really is; if from the eastern direction an ascetic or a brahmin were to come, seeking debate, desiring debate - 'I will refute him in debate' - that indeed he will shake him or make him tremble or make him quake with reason - this is impossible. If from the western direction, etc. if from the northern direction... etc. if from the southern direction an ascetic or a brahmin were to come, seeking debate, desiring debate - 'I will refute him in debate' - that indeed he will shake him or make him tremble or make him quake with reason - this is impossible. What is the reason for this? Because of well seeing, monks, the four noble truths. Which four? The noble truth of suffering, etc. the noble truth of the practice leading to the cessation of suffering.
"Therefore, monks, exertion is to be done regarding 'This is suffering', etc. exertion is to be done regarding 'This is the practice leading to the cessation of suffering.'" The tenth.
The Chapter on the Sīsapā Grove is the fourth.
Its summary:
Living beings, sun simile, twofold, gate post, and debater.