Sattisatasutta

Saṁyutta Nikāya 56.35

Linked Discourses 56.35

4. Sīsapāvanavagga

4. In a Rosewood Forest

Sattisatasutta

A Hundred Spears

“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso vassasatāyuko vassasatajīvī.

“Mendicants, suppose there was a man with a lifespan of a hundred years.

Tamenaṁ evaṁ vadeyya:

And someone might say to him:

‘ehambho purisa, pubbaṇhasamayaṁ taṁ sattisatena hanissanti, majjhanhikasamayaṁ sattisatena hanissanti, sāyanhasamayaṁ sattisatena hanissanti.

‘Come now, my man, they’ll strike you with a hundred spears in the morning, at midday, and in the late afternoon.

So kho tvaṁ, ambho purisa, divase divase tīhi tīhi sattisatehi haññamāno vassasatāyuko vassasatajīvī vassasatassa accayena anabhisametāni cattāri ariyasaccāni abhisamessasī’ti.

And you’ll live for a hundred years being struck with three hundred spears every day. But when a hundred years have passed, you will comprehend the four noble truths for the first time.’

Atthavasikena, bhikkhave, kulaputtena alaṁ upagantuṁ.

For an earnest gentleman this is sufficient reason to submit.

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Why is that?

Anamataggoyaṁ, bhikkhave, saṁsāro;

This transmigration has no known beginning.

pubbā koṭi nappaññāyati sattippahārānaṁ asippahārānaṁ usuppahārānaṁ pharasuppahārānaṁ.

No first point is found of blows by spears, swords, arrows, and axes.

Evañcetaṁ, bhikkhave, assa.

Now this may be so.

Na kho panāhaṁ, bhikkhave, saha dukkhena, saha domanassena catunnaṁ ariyasaccānaṁ abhisamayaṁ vadāmi;

But the comprehension of the four noble truths doesn’t come with pain or sadness, I say.

api cāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sahāva sukhena, sahāva somanassena catunnaṁ ariyasaccānaṁ abhisamayaṁ vadāmi.

Rather, the comprehension of the four noble truths comes only with pleasure and happiness, I say.

Katamesaṁ catunnaṁ?

What four?

Dukkhassa ariyasaccassa …pe… dukkhanirodhagāminiyā paṭipadāya ariyasaccassa.

The noble truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path.

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yogo karaṇīyo …pe… ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yogo karaṇīyo”ti.

That’s why you should practice meditation …”

Pañcamaṁ.