SN 56.32

Khadirapattasutta

“Yo, bhikkhave, evaṁ vadeyya: ‘ahaṁ dukkhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ anabhisamecca, dukkhasamudayaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ anabhisamecca, dukkhanirodhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ anabhisamecca, dukkhanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ anabhisamecca sammā dukkhassantaṁ karissāmī’ti— netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.

Acacia Leaves

“Mendicants, suppose someone were to say: ‘Without truly comprehending the noble truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path, I will completely make an end of suffering.’ That is not possible.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, yo evaṁ vadeyya: ‘ahaṁ khadirapattānaṁ vā saralapattānaṁ vā āmalakapattānaṁ vā puṭaṁ karitvā udakaṁ vā tālapattaṁ vā āharissāmī’ti— netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati; evameva kho, bhikkhave, yo evaṁ vadeyya: ‘ahaṁ dukkhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ anabhisamecca …pe… dukkhanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ anabhisamecca sammā dukkhassantaṁ karissāmī’ti— netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.

It’s as if someone were to say: ‘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.’ That is not possible. In the same way, suppose someone were to say: ‘Without truly comprehending the noble truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path, I will completely make an end of suffering.’ That is not possible.

Yo ca kho, bhikkhave, evaṁ vadeyya: ‘ahaṁ dukkhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ abhisamecca, dukkhasamudayaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ abhisamecca, dukkhanirodhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ abhisamecca, dukkhanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ abhisamecca sammā dukkhassantaṁ karissāmī’ti— ṭhānametaṁ vijjati.

But suppose someone were to say: ‘After truly comprehending the noble truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path, I will completely make an end of suffering.’ That is possible.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, yo evaṁ vadeyya: ‘ahaṁ padumapattānaṁ vā palāsapattānaṁ vā māluvapattānaṁ vā puṭaṁ karitvā udakaṁ vā tālapattaṁ vā āharissāmī’ti— ṭhānametaṁ vijjati; evameva kho, bhikkhave, yo evaṁ vadeyya: ‘ahaṁ dukkhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ abhisamecca …pe… dukkhanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ abhisamecca sammā dukkhassantaṁ karissāmī’ti— ṭhānametaṁ vijjati.

It’s as if someone were to say: ‘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.’ That is possible. In the same way, suppose someone were to say: ‘After truly comprehending the noble truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path, I will completely make an end of suffering.’ That is possible.

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

That’s why you should practice meditation …”