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SN 22.103PTS SN 3.1571 min read

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Antasutta

The aggregates considered in light of the four noble truths, phrased as “portions” or “sides”.

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

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 22.103Linked Discourses 22.103
  • 0.211. Antavagga11. Ends

0.3AntasuttaEnds

1.1PTS 3.158Sāvatthinidānaṁ.At Sāvatthī.

1.2“Cattārome, bhikkhave, antā.“Mendicants, there are these four ends.1.3Katame cattāro?What four?1.4Sakkāyanto, sakkāyasamudayanto, sakkāyanirodhanto, sakkāyanirodhagāminippaṭipadanto.The end that is substantial reality, the end that is the origin of substantial reality, the end that is the cessation of substantial reality, and the end that is the practice that leads to the cessation of substantial reality.11.5Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sakkāyanto?And what is the end that is substantial reality?1.6Pañcupādānakkhandhātissa vacanīyaṁ.It should be said: the five grasping aggregates.1.7Katame pañca?What five?1.8Seyyathidaṁ—rūpupādānakkhandho, vedanupādānakkhandho, saññupādānakkhandho, saṅkhārupādānakkhandho, viññāṇupādānakkhandho—That is, the grasping aggregates of form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness.1.9ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sakkāyanto.This is called the end that is substantial reality.

2.1Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sakkāyasamudayanto?And what is the end that is the origin of substantial reality?2.2Yāyaṁ taṇhā ponobhavikā nandirāgasahagatā tatratatrābhinandinī, seyyathidaṁ—It’s the craving that leads to future lives, mixed up with relishing and greed, taking pleasure there wherever it alights. That is,2.3kāmataṇhā, bhavataṇhā, vibhavataṇhā.craving for sensual pleasures, craving for existence, and craving for nonexistence.2.4Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sakkāyasamudayanto.This is called the end that is the origin of substantial reality.

3.1Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sakkāyanirodhanto?And what is the end that is the cessation of substantial reality?3.2Yo tassāyeva taṇhāya asesavirāganirodho cāgo paṭinissaggo mutti anālayo—It’s the fading away and cessation of that very same craving no residue left behind; giving it away, letting it go, releasing it, and not clinging to it.3.3ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sakkāyanirodhanto.This is called the end that is the cessation of substantial reality.

4.1Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sakkāyanirodhagāminippaṭipadanto?And what is the end that is the practice that leads to the cessation of substantial reality?4.2Ayameva ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo.It is simply this noble eightfold path, that is:4.3Seyyathidaṁ—sammādiṭṭhi …pe… sammāsamādhi.right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion.4.4Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sakkāyanirodhagāminippaṭipadanto.This is called the end that is the practice that leads to the cessation of substantial reality.4.5Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro antā”ti.These are the four ends.”

4.6Paṭhamaṁ.

Translator’s notes

  1. Usually (eg. SN 22.105), these four are presented without being suffixed with -anta (“end”), the contextual meaning of which is not entirely clear. The commentary says anta here means “portion”, but this is poorly attested. In philosophical contexts, anta means “extreme”, but this could not be used for the four noble truths. Perhaps the obvious meaning is the correct one: anta means “end”, which in the case of suffering and its origin means death, and in the case of the path and the end of suffering means Nibbāna. The teaching would then be that all you are attached to will end in any case, but Nibbāna is the end free of suffering.

    ↩ sn22.103:1.4