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SN 35.231PTS SN 4.1593 min read

The Simile of the Latex-Producing Tree

Khīrarukkhopamasutta

Like a tree that yields sap when cut, so long as desire is present it will be activated by the senses.

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

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 35.231Linked Discourses 35.231
  • 0.218. Samuddavagga18. The Ocean

0.3KhīrarukkhopamasuttaThe Simile of the Latex-Producing Tree

1.1PTS 4.160“Yassa kassaci, bhikkhave, bhikkhussa vā bhikkhuniyā vā cakkhuviññeyyesu rūpesu yo rāgo so atthi, yo doso so atthi, yo moho so atthi, yo rāgo so appahīno, yo doso so appahīno, yo moho so appahīno tassa parittā cepi cakkhuviññeyyā rūpā cakkhussa āpāthaṁ āgacchanti pariyādiyantevassa cittaṁ; ko pana vādo adhimattānaṁ.“Mendicants, take any monk or nun who, when it comes to sights known by the eye, still has greed, hate, and delusion, and has not given them up. If even trivial sights come into their range of vision they overcome their mind, let alone those that are compelling.11.2Taṁ kissa hetu?Why is that?1.3Yo, bhikkhave, rāgo, so atthi, yo doso so atthi, yo moho so atthi, yo rāgo so appahīno, yo doso so appahīno, yo moho so appahīno …pe….Because they still have greed, hate, and delusion, and have not given them up.

2.1Yassa kassaci, bhikkhave, bhikkhussa vā bhikkhuniyā vā jivhāviññeyyesu rasesu yo rāgo so atthi …pe….When it comes to sounds … smells … tastes … touches …3.1Yassa kassaci, bhikkhave, bhikkhussa vā bhikkhuniyā vā manoviññeyyesu dhammesu yo rāgo so atthi, yo doso so atthi, yo moho so atthi, yo rāgo so appahīno, yo doso so appahīno, yo moho so appahīno, tassa parittā cepi manoviññeyyā dhammā manassa āpāthaṁ āgacchanti pariyādiyantevassa cittaṁ; ko pana vādo adhimattānaṁ.ideas known by the mind, they still have greed, hate, and delusion, and have not given them up. If even trivial thoughts come into the range of the mind they overcome their mind, let alone those that are compelling.3.2Taṁ kissa hetu?Why is that?3.3Yo, bhikkhave, rāgo, so atthi, yo doso so atthi, yo moho so atthi, yo rāgo so appahīno, yo doso so appahīno, yo moho so appahīno.Because they still have greed, hate, and delusion, and have not given them up.

4.1Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, khīrarukkho assattho vā nigrodho vā pilakkho vā udumbaro vā daharo taruṇo komārako.Suppose there was a latex-producing tree—such as a peepal, a banyan, a wavy leaf fig, or a cluster fig—that’s a tender young sapling.24.2Tamenaṁ puriso tiṇhāya kuṭhāriyā yato yato ābhindeyya āgaccheyya khīran”ti?If a man were to chop it here and there with a sharp axe, would latex come out?”

4.3“Evaṁ, bhante”.“Yes, sir.

4.4“Taṁ kissa hetu”?Why is that?4.5“Yañhi, bhante, khīraṁ taṁ atthī”ti.Because it still has latex.”

5.1PTS 4.161“Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yassa kassaci bhikkhussa vā bhikkhuniyā vā cakkhuviññeyyesu rūpesu yo rāgo so atthi, yo doso so atthi, yo moho so atthi, yo rāgo so appahīno, yo doso so appahīno, yo moho so appahīno, tassa parittā cepi cakkhuviññeyyā rūpā cakkhussa āpāthaṁ āgacchanti pariyādiyantevassa cittaṁ; ko pana vādo adhimattānaṁ.“In the same way, take any monk or nun who, when it comes to sights known by the eye, still has greed, hate, and delusion, and has not given them up. If even trivial sights come into their range of vision they overcome their mind, let alone those that are compelling.5.2Taṁ kissa hetu?Why is that?5.3Yo, bhikkhave, rāgo so atthi, yo doso so atthi, yo moho so atthi, yo rāgo so appahīno, yo doso so appahīno, yo moho so appahīno …pe….Because they still have greed, hate, and delusion, and have not given them up.

6.1Yassa kassaci, bhikkhave, bhikkhussa vā bhikkhuniyā vā jivhāviññeyyesu rasesu yo rāgo so atthi …pe….When it comes to sounds … smells … tastes … touches …7.1Yassa kassaci, bhikkhave, bhikkhussa vā bhikkhuniyā vā manoviññeyyesu dhammesu yo rāgo so atthi, yo doso so atthi, yo moho so atthi, yo rāgo so appahīno, yo doso so appahīno, yo moho so appahīno, tassa parittā cepi manoviññeyyā dhammā manassa āpāthaṁ āgacchanti pariyādiyantevassa cittaṁ; ko pana vādo adhimattānaṁ.ideas known by the mind, they still have greed, hate, and delusion, and have not given them up. If even trivial thoughts come into the range of the mind they overcome their mind, let alone those that are compelling.7.2Taṁ kissa hetu?Why is that?7.3Yo, bhikkhave, rāgo so atthi, yo doso so atthi, yo moho so atthi, yo rāgo so appahīno, yo doso so appahīno, yo moho so appahīno.Because they still have greed, hate, and delusion, and have not given them up.

8.1Yassa kassaci, bhikkhave, bhikkhussa vā bhikkhuniyā vā cakkhuviññeyyesu rūpesu yo rāgo so natthi, yo doso so natthi, yo moho so natthi, yo rāgo so pahīno, yo doso so pahīno, yo moho so pahīno, tassa adhimattā cepi cakkhuviññeyyā rūpā cakkhussa āpāthaṁ āgacchanti nevassa cittaṁ pariyādiyanti; ko pana vādo parittānaṁ.Take any monk or nun who, when it comes to sights known by the eye, has no greed, hate, and delusion left, and has given them up. If even compelling sights come into their range of vision they don’t overcome their mind, let alone those that are trivial.8.2Taṁ kissa hetu?Why is that?8.3Yo, bhikkhave, rāgo so natthi, yo doso so natthi, yo moho so natthi, yo rāgo so pahīno, yo doso so pahīno, yo moho so pahīno …pe….Because they have no greed, hate, and delusion left, and have given them up.

9.1PTS 4.162Yassa kassaci, bhikkhave, bhikkhussa vā bhikkhuniyā vā jivhāviññeyyesu rasesu …pe… manoviññeyyesu dhammesu yo rāgo so natthi, yo doso so natthi, yo moho so natthi, yo rāgo so pahīno, yo doso so pahīno, yo moho so pahīno, tassa adhimattā cepi manoviññeyyā dhammā manassa āpāthaṁ āgacchanti nevassa cittaṁ pariyādiyanti; ko pana vādo parittānaṁ.When it comes to sounds … smells … tastes … touches … ideas known by the mind, they have no greed, hate, and delusion left, and have given them up. If even compelling ideas come into the range of the mind they don’t overcome their mind, let alone those that are trivial.9.2Taṁ kissa hetu?Why is that?9.3Yo, bhikkhave, rāgo so natthi, yo doso so natthi, yo moho so natthi, yo rāgo so pahīno, yo doso so pahīno, yo moho so pahīno.Because they have no greed, hate, and delusion left, and have given them up.

9.4Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, khīrarukkho assattho vā nigrodho vā pilakkho vā udumbaro vā sukkho kolāpo terovassiko.Suppose there was a latex-producing tree—such as a peepal, a banyan, a wavy leaf fig, or a cluster fig—that’s dried up, withered, and decrepit.9.5Tamenaṁ puriso tiṇhāya kuṭhāriyā yato yato ābhindeyya āgaccheyya khīran”ti?If a man were to chop it here and there with a sharp axe, would latex come out?”

9.6“No hetaṁ, bhante”.“No, sir.9.7“Taṁ kissa hetu”?Why is that?9.8“Yañhi, bhante, khīraṁ taṁ natthī”ti.Because it has no latex left.”

10.1“Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yassa kassaci bhikkhussa vā bhikkhuniyā vā cakkhuviññeyyesu rūpesu yo rāgo so natthi, yo doso so natthi, yo moho so natthi, yo rāgo so pahīno, yo doso so pahīno, yo moho so pahīno, tassa adhimattā cepi cakkhuviññeyyā rūpā cakkhussa āpāthaṁ āgacchanti nevassa cittaṁ pariyādiyanti; ko pana vādo parittānaṁ.“In the same way, take any monk or nun who, when it comes to sights known by the eye, has no greed, hate, and delusion left, and has given them up. If even compelling sights come into their range of vision they don’t overcome their mind, let alone those that are trivial.10.2Taṁ kissa hetu?Why is that?10.3Yo, bhikkhave, rāgo so natthi, yo doso so natthi, yo moho so natthi, yo rāgo so pahīno, yo doso so pahīno, yo moho so pahīno …pe….Because they have no greed, hate, and delusion left, and have given them up.

11.1Yassa kassaci, bhikkhave, bhikkhussa vā bhikkhuniyā vā jivhāviññeyyesu rasesu …pe….When it comes to sounds … smells … tastes … touches …12.1Yassa kassaci, bhikkhave, bhikkhussa vā bhikkhuniyā vā manoviññeyyesu dhammesu yo rāgo so natthi, yo doso so natthi, yo moho so natthi, yo rāgo so pahīno, yo doso so pahīno, yo moho so pahīno, tassa adhimattā cepi manoviññeyyā dhammā manassa āpāthaṁ āgacchanti, nevassa cittaṁ pariyādiyanti; ko pana vādo parittānaṁ.ideas known by the mind, they have no greed, hate, and delusion left, and have given them up. If even compelling thoughts come into the range of the mind they don’t overcome their mind, let alone those that are trivial.12.2Taṁ kissa hetu?Why is that?12.3Yo, bhikkhave, rāgo so natthi, yo doso so natthi, yo moho so natthi, yo rāgo so pahīno, yo doso so pahīno, yo moho so pahīno”ti.Because they have no greed, hate, and delusion left, and have given them up.”

12.4Catutthaṁ.

Translator’s notes

  1. About a dozen discourses refer to a “monk or nun”. It is probable that when discourses were taught, there would have normally been nuns present, just as there were random lay people listening in (SN 35.241:7.1).

    ↩ sn35.231:1.1
  2. It is tempting to translate khīra (“milk”) here as “sap”, but the milky liquid exuded by these trees is a distinct substance called latex.

    ↩ sn35.231:4.1