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SN 13.9PTS SN 2.1371 min read

A Mountain

Pabbatasutta

For someone who has seen the truth, the suffering eliminated is like the Himalayas; what remains is like seven bits of gravel.

Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 13.9Linked Discourses 13.9
  • 0.21. Abhisamayavagga1. Comprehension

0.3PabbatasuttaA Mountain

1.1Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.At Sāvatthī.

1.2“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso himavato pabbatarājassa satta sāsapamattiyo pāsāṇasakkharā upanikkhipeyya.“Mendicants, suppose a person was to place seven pebbles the size of mustard seeds on the Himalayas, the king of mountains.1

1.3Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave,What do you think, mendicants?1.4katamaṁ nu kho bahutaraṁ, yā vā satta sāsapamattiyo pāsāṇasakkharā upanikkhittā yo vā himavā pabbatarājā”ti?Which is more: the seven pebbles the size of mustard seeds, or the Himalayas, the king of mountains?”

2.1PTS 2.138“Etadeva, bhante, bahutaraṁ yadidaṁ himavā pabbatarājā;“Sir, the Himalayas, the king of mountains, is certainly more.2.2appamattikā satta sāsapamattiyo pāsāṇasakkharā upanikkhittā.The seven pebbles the size of mustard seeds are tiny.2.3Neva satimaṁ kalaṁ upenti na sahassimaṁ kalaṁ upenti na satasahassimaṁ kalaṁ upenti himavantaṁ pabbatarājānaṁ upanidhāya satta sāsapamattiyo pāsāṇasakkharā upanikkhittā”ti.Compared to the Himalayas, it’s not nearly a hundredth, a thousandth, or a hundred thousandth part.”

2.4“Evameva kho …pe…“In the same way, for a noble disciple, the suffering that’s over and done with is more …”2.5dhammacakkhupaṭilābho”ti.

2.6Navamaṁ.

Translator’s notes

  1. Also at SN 56.59.

    ↩ sn13.9:1.2