Sutta Piṭaka
Dukkarasutta
Dukkarasutta
“Dukkaraṁ duttitikkhañca, abyattena ca sāmaññaṁ; Bahūhi tattha sambādhā, yattha bālo visīdatī”ti.
Hard to Do
“Hard to do, hard to endure, is the ascetic life for the inept, for it has many narrow passes where the fool founders.”
“Katihaṁ careyya sāmaññaṁ, cittañce na nivāraye; Pade pade visīdeyya, saṅkappānaṁ vasānugoti.
“How many days could an ascetic live without controlling the mind? They’d founder with each step, under the sway of thoughts.
Kummova aṅgāni sake kapāle, Samodahaṁ bhikkhu manovitakke; Anissito aññamaheṭhayāno, Parinibbuto nūpavadeyya kañcī”ti.
A mendicant should collect their thoughts as a tortoise draws its limbs into its shell. Independent, not disturbing others, quenched: they wouldn’t blame anyone.”