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SN 56.32PTS SN 5.4381 min read

Acacia Leaves

Khadirapattasutta

Just as it’s impossible to keep water in a basket of pine needles, it’s impossible to end suffering without penetrating the four noble truths.

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

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 56.32Linked Discourses 56.32
  • 0.24. Sīsapāvanavagga4. In a Rosewood Forest

0.3KhadirapattasuttaAcacia Leaves

1.1“Yo, bhikkhave, evaṁ vadeyya:“Mendicants, suppose someone were to say:1.2‘ahaṁ dukkhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ anabhisamecca, dukkhasamudayaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ anabhisamecca, dukkhanirodhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ anabhisamecca, dukkhanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ anabhisamecca sammā dukkhassantaṁ karissāmī’ti—‘Without truly comprehending the noble truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path, I will completely make an end of suffering.’1.3netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.That is not possible.

2.1PTS 5.439Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, yo evaṁ vadeyya:It’s as if someone were to say:2.2‘ahaṁ khadirapattānaṁ vā saralapattānaṁ vā āmalakapattānaṁ vā puṭaṁ karitvā udakaṁ vā tālapattaṁ vā āharissāmī’ti—‘I’ll make a basket out of acacia leaves or pine needles or myrobalan leaves, and use it to carry water or ripe palmyra fruit.’12.3netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati;That is not possible.2.4evameva kho, bhikkhave, yo evaṁ vadeyya:In the same way, suppose someone were to say:2.5‘ahaṁ dukkhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ anabhisamecca …pe… dukkhanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ anabhisamecca sammā dukkhassantaṁ karissāmī’ti—‘Without truly comprehending the noble truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path, I will completely make an end of suffering.’2.6netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.That is not possible.

3.1Yo ca kho, bhikkhave, evaṁ vadeyya:But suppose someone were to say:3.2‘ahaṁ dukkhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ abhisamecca, dukkhasamudayaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ abhisamecca, dukkhanirodhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ abhisamecca, dukkhanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ abhisamecca sammā dukkhassantaṁ karissāmī’ti—‘After truly comprehending the noble truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path, I will completely make an end of suffering.’3.3ṭhānametaṁ vijjati.That is possible.

4.1Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, yo evaṁ vadeyya:It’s as if someone were to say:4.2‘ahaṁ padumapattānaṁ vā palāsapattānaṁ vā māluvapattānaṁ vā puṭaṁ karitvā udakaṁ vā tālapattaṁ vā āharissāmī’ti—‘I’ll make a basket out of lotus leaves or flame-of-the-forest leaves or camel’s foot creeper leaves, and use it to carry water or ripe palmyra fruit.’24.3ṭhānametaṁ vijjati;That is possible.4.4evameva kho, bhikkhave, yo evaṁ vadeyya:In the same way, suppose someone were to say:4.5‘ahaṁ dukkhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ abhisamecca …pe… dukkhanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ abhisamecca sammā dukkhassantaṁ karissāmī’ti—‘After truly comprehending the noble truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path, I will completely make an end of suffering.’4.6ṭhānametaṁ vijjati.That is possible.

5.1Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yogo karaṇīyo …pe… ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yogo karaṇīyo”ti.That’s why you should practice meditation …”

5.2Dutiyaṁ.

Translator’s notes

  1. “Acacia” (khadira) is Senegalia catechu, whose leaves are compounded of many tiny leaflets like a fern.

    “Pine” (sarala) is Pinus roxburghii.

    “Myrobalan” (āmalaka) is Phyllanthus emblica, whose leaves are very small.

    Read tālapakka per BJT.

    ↩ sn56.32:2.2
  2. These plants all have large, broad leaves.

    ↩ sn56.32:4.2