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SN 15.9PTS SN 2.1841 min read

A Stick

Daṇḍasutta

Like a stick falling on this side or that, beings are reborn in different realms.

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

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 15.9Linked Discourses 15.9
  • 0.21. PaṭhamavaggaChapter One

0.3DaṇḍasuttaA Stick

1.1PTS 2.185Sāvatthiyaṁ 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.1.4Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, daṇḍo uparivehāsaṁ khitto sakimpi mūlena nipatati, sakimpi majjhena nipatati, sakimpi antena nipatati;Suppose a stick was tossed up in the air. Sometimes it’d fall on its bottom, sometimes the middle, and sometimes the end.11.5evameva kho, bhikkhave, avijjānīvaraṇā sattā taṇhāsaṁyojanā sandhāvantā saṁsarantā sakimpi asmā lokā paraṁ lokaṁ gacchanti, sakimpi parasmā lokā imaṁ lokaṁ āgacchanti.It’s the same for sentient beings roaming and transmigrating, shrouded by ignorance and fettered by craving. Sometimes they go from this world to the other world, and sometimes they come from the other world to this world.

1.6Taṁ kissa hetu?Why is that?1.7Anamataggoyaṁ, bhikkhave, saṁsāro …pe…This transmigration has no known beginning. …1.8alaṁ vimuccitun”ti.This is quite enough for you to become disillusioned, dispassionate, and freed regarding all conditions.”

1.9Navamaṁ.

Translator’s notes

  1. Simile also at SN 56.33:1.1.

    ↩ sn15.9:1.4