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SN 56.39PTS SN 5.4432 min read

Indra’s pillar

Indakhīlasutta

One who has not seen the four noble truths is as feeble as a tuft of cotton wool, while one who has seen them is like a deep-rooted pillar.

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

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 56.39Linked Discourses 56.39
  • 0.24. Sīsapāvanavagga4. In a Rosewood Forest

0.3IndakhīlasuttaIndra’s pillar

1.1“Ye hi keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti …pe…“Mendicants, there are ascetics and brahmins who don’t truly understand about suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path.1.2‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti, te aññassa samaṇassa vā brāhmaṇassa vā mukhaṁ ullokenti:They gaze up at the face of another ascetic or brahmin, thinking:11.3‘ayaṁ nūna bhavaṁ jānaṁ jānāti, passaṁ passatī’ti.‘Surely this worthy one knows and sees.’

2.1PTS 5.444Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, tūlapicu vā kappāsapicu vā lahuko vātūpādāno same bhūmibhāge nikkhitto.Suppose there was a light tuft of cotton-wool or kapok which was taken up by the wind and landed on level ground.2.2Tamenaṁ puratthimo vāto pacchimena saṁhareyya, pacchimo vāto puratthimena saṁhareyya, uttaro vāto dakkhiṇena saṁhareyya, dakkhiṇo vāto uttarena saṁhareyya.The east wind wafts it west; the west wind wafts it east; the north wind wafts it south; and the south wind wafts it north.2.3Taṁ kissa hetu?Why is that?2.4Lahukattā, bhikkhave, kappāsapicuno.It’s because the tuft of cotton-wool is so light.

2.5Evameva kho, bhikkhave, ye hi keci samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti …pe…In the same way, there are ascetics and brahmins who don’t truly understand about suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path.2.6‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti, te aññassa samaṇassa vā brāhmaṇassa vā mukhaṁ ullokenti:They gaze up at the face of another ascetic or brahmin, thinking:2.7‘ayaṁ nūna bhavaṁ jānaṁ jānāti, passaṁ passatī’ti.‘Surely this worthy one knows and sees.’2.8Taṁ kissa hetu?Why is that?2.9Adiṭṭhattā, bhikkhave, catunnaṁ ariyasaccānaṁ.It’s because they haven’t seen the four noble truths.

3.1Ye ca kho keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānanti …pe…There are ascetics and brahmins who truly understand about suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path.3.2‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānanti, te na aññassa samaṇassa vā brāhmaṇassa vā mukhaṁ ullokenti:They don’t gaze up at the face of another ascetic or brahmin, thinking:3.3‘ayaṁ nūna bhavaṁ jānaṁ jānāti, passaṁ passatī’ti.‘Surely this worthy one knows and sees.’

4.1PTS 5.445Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ayokhīlo vā indakhīlo vā gambhīranemo sunikhāto acalo asampakampī.Suppose there was an iron pillar or an Indra’s pillar with deep foundations, firmly embedded, imperturbable and unshakable.24.2Puratthimāya cepi disāya āgaccheyya bhusā vātavuṭṭhi, neva saṅkampeyya na sampakampeyya na sampacāleyya; pacchimāya cepi disāya …pe… uttarāya cepi disāya …pe… dakkhiṇāya cepi disāya āgaccheyya bhusā vātavuṭṭhi, neva saṅkampeyya na sampakampeyya na sampacāleyya.Even if violent storms were to blow up out of the east, the west, the north, and the south, they couldn’t make it shake or rock or tremble.4.3Taṁ kissa hetu?Why is that?4.4Gambhīrattā, bhikkhave, nemassa sunikhātattā indakhīlassa.It’s because that Indra’s pillar is firmly embedded, with deep foundations.

4.5Evameva kho, bhikkhave, ye ca kho keci samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānanti …pe…In the same way, there are ascetics and brahmins who truly understand about suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path.4.6ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānanti, te na aññassa samaṇassa vā brāhmaṇassa vā mukhaṁ ullokenti:They don’t gaze up at the face of another ascetic or brahmin, thinking:4.7‘ayaṁ nūna bhavaṁ jānaṁ jānāti, passaṁ passatī’ti.‘Surely this worthy one knows and sees.’4.8Taṁ kissa hetu?Why is that?4.9Sudiṭṭhattā, bhikkhave, catunnaṁ ariyasaccānaṁ.It’s because they have clearly seen the four noble truths.4.10Katamesaṁ catunnaṁ?What four?4.11Dukkhassa ariyasaccassa …pe… dukkhanirodhagāminiyā paṭipadāya ariyasaccassa.The noble truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path.

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

5.2Navamaṁ.

Translator’s notes

  1. Compare MN 79:5.4. At DN 2:35.2 this is the attitude of a servant to the king. The Buddha was not impressed with unthinking devotion.

    ↩ sn56.39:1.2
  2. For Indra’s pillar, see note on SN 1.37:7.2.

    ↩ sn56.39:4.1