Majjhima Nikaya - Cula Saropama Sutta

30. Cula Saropama Sutta - English Majjhima Nikàya I
3 10. Cålasàropamasuttaü
(30) The Shorter Discourse on the Simile of the Heartwood

I heard thus.
At one time the Blessed One was living in the monastery offered by Anàthapiïóika
in Jeta's grove in Sàvatthi. Then the brahmin Pingàlakoccha approached the
Blessed One exchanged friendly greetings and sat on a side. Seated, the brahmin
said to the Blessed One: Good Gotama, these recluses and brahmins, with
followers and teachers of followers are famous ford makers They are the highly
considered Puràna Kassapa, Makkhali Gosàla, Ajita Kesakambali, Pakudha
Kaccàyana, Sa¤¤jaya Belaññhaputta and Niganñha Nàtaputta. Venerable sir, did
they all realise their view completely or didn't they. Or is it that some
realised and some did not realise? Brahmin, whether they all realised their view
completely or did not realise their view completely, or some realised and some
did not realise, leave it alone. I will teach it listen carefully and
attentively. The brahmin Pingàlakoccha agreed and the Blessed One said:
Brahmin, like a man wandering in search of heartwood, would come to a standing
huge tree with heartwood and he would ignore, the heartwood, sapwood, bark and
shoots and would cut the branches and leaves, and go away with it thinking it is
the heartwood. A wise man seeing him would say, this good man does not know the
heartwood, sapwood, bark, shoots, branches and leaves. He wandering in search of
heartwood, come to a huge standing tree with heartwood ignoring the heartwood,
sapwood, bark and shoots, has cut the branches and leaves and is carrying them
away thinking it is heartwood. The purpose for which he sought heartwood will
not be served.
Brahmin, like a man wandering in search of heartwood would come to a standing
huge tree with heartwood. He would ignore, the heartwood, sapwood and bark and
cutting the shoots would go away with it thinking it is the heartwood. A wise
man seeing him would say, this good man does not know the heartwood, sapwood,
bark, shoots, branches and leaves. He wandering in search of heartwood, come to
a standing huge tree with heartwood ignoring the heartwood, sapwood and bark has
cut the shoots and is carrying them away thinking it is heartwood the purpose
for which he sought the heartwood will not be served.
Brahmin, like a man wandering in search of heartwood would come to a standing
huge tree with heartwood. He would ignore the heartwood and sapwood, and cutting
the bark would go away with it thinking it is heartwood. A wise man seeing him
would say. This good man does not know the heartwood, sapwood, bark, shoots,
branches and leaves. He wandering in search of heartwood, come to a standing
huge tree with heartwood has ignored the heartwood and sapwood, has cut the bark
and is carrying it away thinking it is the heartwood. The purpose for which he
sought heartwood will not be served.
Brahmin, like a man wandering in search of heartwood would come to a standing
huge tree with heartwood. He would ignore the heartwood and cutting the sapwood
would go away with it thinking it is the heartwood. A wise man seeing him would
say, this good man does not know the heartwood, sapwood, bark, shoots, branches
and leaves. He wandering in search of heartwood, come to a standing huge tree
with heartwood ignoring the heartwood has cut the sapwood and is carrying it
away thinking it is the heartwood. The purpose for which he sought heartwood
will not be served.
Brahmin, like a man wandering in search of heartwood would come to a standing
huge tree with heartwood and he would cut the heartwood itself and go away with
it knowing it is the heartwood. A wise man seeing him would say. This good man
knows the heartwood, sapwood, bark, shoots, branches and leaves. He wandering in
search of heartwood, come to a standing huge tree with heartwood has cut the
heartwood and is carrying it away knowing it is the heartwood the purpose for
which he sought heartwood will be served.
Brahmin, a certain person leaving his household would go forth as a homeless,
out of faith thinking I am submerged in birth, decay, death, grief lament
unpleasantness and distress. It is only a few that declare the complete ending
of unpleasanatness. Gone forth thus, he is reborn in gain, honour and fame.
Satisfied with it and his desires fulfilled, he would praise himself and
disparages others. I am a gainer of hospitality, these other bhikkhus are
impotent and not wise. He does not arouse interest or effort to realise
something more exalted than gain, honour and fame and abides infatuated and
lethargic.
Like a man wandering in search of heartwood would come to a standing huge tree
with heartwood. He would ignore its heartwood, sapwood, bark and shoots, cutting
the branches and leaves and would carry them away thinking it is the heartwood.
For whatever purpose he needs the heartwood, to that purpose he would not come.
Brahmin, I say, this person is comparable to that.
Brahmin, a certain person leaving his household would go forth as a homeless out
of faith thinking I am submerged in birth, decay, death, grief lament
unpleasantness and distress. It is only a few that declare the complete ending
of unpleasanatness. Gone forth thus, he is reborn in gain, honour and fame. He
neither satisfied with it nor his desires fulfilled, does not praise himself nor
disparage others. He arouses interest and makes effort to realise something more
exalted than gain, honour and fame. Not infatuated nor lethargic takes upon
himself the endowment of virtues. Satisfied with it and his desires fulfilled
praises himself and disparages others. I'm virtuous these other bhikkhus are
with evil demerit. He does not arouse interest nor make effort to realise
something more exalted than the endowment of virtues.
Like a man wandering in search of heartwood would come to a standing huge tree
with heartwood. He would ignore its heartwood, sapwood and bark. Would cut the
shoots and carry them away thinking it is the heartwood. For whatever purpose he
needs the heartwood, to that he would not come. Brahmin, I say, this person is
comparable to that.
Brahmin, a certain person leaving his household would go forth as a homeless out
of faith. Thinking I am submerged in birth, decay, death, grief lament
unpleasantness and distress. Would think, it's only a few that declare the
complete ending of unpleasanatness. Gone forth thus, he is reborn in gain,
honour and fame. Neither satisfied with it nor his desires fulfilled, does not
praise himself nor disparage others He arouses interest and makes effort to
realise something more exalted than gain, honour and fame. Not infatuated nor
lethargic takes upon himself the endowment of virtues. Satisfied with it and his
desires not fulfilled does not praise himself nor disparage others. He arouses
interest and makes effort to realise something more exalted than the endowment
of virtues and takes upon himself the endowment of concentration. Satisfied with
it and his desires fulfilled with the endowment of concentration, praises
himself and disparages others. I am concentrated with the mind in one point.
These other bhikkhus are not concentrated, are distracted. He does not arouse
interest or make effort to realise something more exalted than the endowment of
concentration, and abides infatuated and lethargic. Like a man wandering in
search of heartwood would come to a standing huge tree with heartwood. He
ignoring its heartwood and sapwood would cut the bark and carry it away thinking
it is the heartwood. For whatever purpose he needs the heartwood, to that
purpose he would not come. Brahmin, I say, this person is comparable to that.
Brahmin, a certain person leaving the household would go forth as a homeless out
of faith thinking I am submerged in birth, decay, death, grief lament
unpleasantness and distress. Would think it's only a few that declare the
complete ending of unpleasanatness. Gone forth thus, he is reborn in gain,
honour and fame. Neither satisfied with it nor his desires fulfilled, does not
praise himself nor disparage others Arouses interest makes effort to realise
something more exalted than gain, honour and fame and not infatuated nor
lethargic takes upon himself the endowment of virtues. Satisfied with it and his
desires not fulfilled does not praise himself nor disparage others. Arouses
interest and makes effort to realise something more exalted than the endowment
of virtues. He takes upon himself the endowment of concentration. Satisfied with
it and his desires not fulfilled with the endowment of concentration does not
praise himself nor disparage others. Arouses interest and makes effort to
realise something more exalted than the endowment of concentration. Not
infatuated nor lethargic takes upon himself the endowment of knowledges and
vision. Satisfied with it and desires not fulfilled does not praise himself nor
disparage others. Arouses interest and makes effort to realise something more
exalted than the endowment of knowledges and vision and abides not infatuated
nor lethargic.
Brahmin, what thing is more noble and exalted than knowledges and vision. Here
brahmin, the bhikkhu, secluded from sensual desires and secluded from demerit,
with thoughts and thought processes and with joy and pleasantness born of
seclusion attained to abides in the first jhàna. Brahmin, this thing is more
noble and exalted than knowledges and vision
Again, brahmin, the bhikkhu overcoming thoughts and thought processes, the self
internally appeased, the mind in one point, with joy and pleasantness born of
concentration attained to abides in the second jhàna. Brahmin, this thing is
more noble and exalted than knowledges and vision.
Again, brahmin, the bhikkhu with equanimity to joy and detachment abides mindful
and aware, experiencing pleasantness with the body, attained to the third jhàna.
The noble ones call this, abiding mindfully in pleasantness . with equanimity.
This thing is more noble and exalted than knowledges and vision.
Again, brahmin, the bhikkhu dispelling pleasantness and unpleasantness, earlier
having dispelled pleasure and displeasure, without unpleasantness and
pleasantness and with mindfulness purified with equanimity, attained to abides
in the fourth jhàna. Brahmin, this thing is more noble and exalted than
knowledges and vision.
Again, brahmin, overcoming all perceptions of matter and all perceptions of
anger not attending to various perceptions, with space is boundless attained to
abides in the sphere of space. Brahmin, this too is more noble and exalted than
knowledges and vision.
Again, brahmin, the bhikkhu overcoming all the sphere of space, with
consciousness is boundless attained to abides in the sphere of consciousness.
Brahmin, this too is more noble and exalted than knowledges and vision.
Again the bhikikhu overcoming all the sphere of consciousness, with there is
no-thing attained to abides in the sphere of no-thingness. Brahmin, this too is
more noble and exalted than knoweldges and vision.
Again the bhikkhu overcoming all the sphere of no-thingness attained to abides
in the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception. Brahmin, this is more
noble and exalted than knowledges and vision.
Again the bhikkhu overcoming all the sphere of neither-perception -nor
non-perception attained to abides in the cessation of perceptions and feelings.
Seeing this with wisdom, desires are also destroyed. Brahmin, this too is more
noble and exalted than knowledges and vision.
Brahmin, like a man wandering in search of heartwood come to a huge standing
tree with heartwood would cut the heartwood and would carry it away knowing it
is the heartwood, for whatever purpose he sought that heartwood, to that purpose
he would come. I say, this person is comparable to that.
Brahmin, this holy is led not for, gain honour and fame, not for endowment of
virtues, not for endowment of concentration, and not for the endowment of
knowledges and vision. Brahmin, it is for the unshakeable release of mind. This
is the essence of the holy life, it is the heartwood and the end of the holy
life.
When this was said the brahmin Pingàlakocca said to the Blessed One, I
understand good Gotama, it is as though, something overturned is reinstated
something covered is made manifest. As though the path is told to someone who
had lost his way . Or as lighting an oil lamp for those who have eyes to see
forms in the dark. Thus good Gotama has explained the Teaching in many ways. Now
I take refuge in good Gotàma, in the Teaching, and the Community of bhikkhus.
May good Gotama bear me as a lay disciple who has taken refuge from today until
life lasts.