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SN 15.4PTS SN 2.1801 min read

Mother’s Milk

Khīrasutta

The mother’s milk you have drunk in transmigration is greater than the waters in the oceans.

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

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 15.4Linked Discourses 15.4
  • 0.21. PaṭhamavaggaChapter One

0.3KhīrasuttaMother’s Milk

1.1PTS 2.181Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.At Sāvatthī.

1.2“Anamataggoyaṁ, bhikkhave, saṁsāro.“Mendicants, this transmigration has no known beginning.1.3Pubbā koṭi na paññāyati avijjānīvaraṇānaṁ sattānaṁ taṇhāsaṁyojanānaṁ sandhāvataṁ saṁsarataṁ.No first point is found of sentient beings roaming and transmigrating, shrouded by ignorance and fettered by craving.

1.4Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, katamaṁ nu kho bahutaraṁ, yaṁ vā vo iminā dīghena addhunā sandhāvataṁ saṁsarataṁ mātuthaññaṁ pītaṁ, yaṁ vā catūsu mahāsamuddesu udakan”ti?What do you think? Which is more: the mother’s milk you’ve drunk while roaming and transmigrating for such a very long time, or the water in the four oceans?”

1.5“Yathā kho mayaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā dhammaṁ desitaṁ ājānāma, etadeva, bhante, bahutaraṁ yaṁ no iminā dīghena addhunā sandhāvataṁ saṁsarataṁ mātuthaññaṁ pītaṁ, na tveva catūsu mahāsamuddesu udakan”ti.“As we understand the Buddha’s teaching, the mother’s milk we’ve drunk while roaming and transmigrating is more than the water in the four oceans.”

2.1“Sādhu sādhu, bhikkhave, sādhu kho me tumhe, bhikkhave, evaṁ dhammaṁ desitaṁ ājānātha.“Good, good, mendicants! It’s good that you understand my teaching like this.2.2Etadeva, bhikkhave, bahutaraṁ yaṁ vo iminā dīghena addhunā sandhāvataṁ saṁsarataṁ mātuthaññaṁ pītaṁ, na tveva catūsu mahāsamuddesu udakaṁ.The mother’s milk you’ve drunk while roaming and transmigrating for such a very long time is more than the water in the four oceans.

2.3Taṁ kissa hetu?Why is that?2.4Anamataggoyaṁ, bhikkhave, saṁsāro …pe…This transmigration has no known beginning. …2.5alaṁ vimuccitun”ti.This is quite enough for you to become disillusioned, dispassionate, and freed regarding all conditions.”

2.6Catutthaṁ.