SN 56.38

Dutiyasūriyasutta

“Yāvakīvañca, bhikkhave, candimasūriyā loke nuppajjanti, neva tāva mahato ālokassa pātubhāvo hoti mahato obhāsassa. Andhatamaṁ tadā hoti andhakāratimisā. Neva tāva rattindivā paññāyanti, na māsaddhamāsā paññāyanti, na utusaṁvaccharā paññāyanti.

The Simile of the Sun (2nd)

“Mendicants, as long as the moon and the sun don’t arise in the world, no great light or great radiance appears. Darkness prevails then, utter darkness. Day and night aren’t found, nor months and fortnights, nor seasons and years.

Yato ca kho, bhikkhave, candimasūriyā loke uppajjanti, atha mahato ālokassa pātubhāvo hoti mahato obhāsassa. Neva andhakāratamaṁ tadā hoti na andhakāratimisā. Atha rattindivā paññāyanti, māsaddhamāsā paññāyanti, utusaṁvaccharā paññāyanti. Evameva kho, bhikkhave, yāvakīvañca tathāgato loke nuppajjati arahaṁ sammāsambuddho, neva tāva mahato ālokassa pātubhāvo hoti mahato obhāsassa. Andhatamaṁ tadā hoti andhakāratimisā. Neva tāva catunnaṁ ariyasaccānaṁ ācikkhaṇā hoti desanā paññāpanā paṭṭhapanā vivaraṇā vibhajanā uttānīkammaṁ.

But when the moon and the sun arise in the world, a great light, a great radiance appears. Darkness no longer prevails. Day and night are found, and months and fortnights, and seasons and years. In the same way, as long as the Realized One doesn’t arise in the world, no great light or great radiance appears. Darkness prevails then, utter darkness. There’s no explanation of the four noble truths, no teaching, advocating, establishing, clarifying, analyzing, and revealing of them.

Yato ca kho, bhikkhave, tathāgato loke uppajjati arahaṁ sammāsambuddho, atha mahato ālokassa pātubhāvo hoti mahato obhāsassa. Neva andhatamaṁ tadā hoti na andhakāratimisā. Atha kho catunnaṁ ariyasaccānaṁ ācikkhaṇā hoti desanā paññāpanā paṭṭhapanā vivaraṇā vibhajanā uttānīkammaṁ. Katamesaṁ catunnaṁ? Dukkhassa ariyasaccassa …pe… dukkhanirodhagāminiyā paṭipadāya ariyasaccassa.

But when the Realized One arises in the world, a great light, a great radiance appears. Darkness no longer prevails. Then there’s the explanation of the four noble truths, the teaching, advocating, establishing, clarifying, analyzing, and revealing of them. What four? 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 …”