SN 56.46

Andhakārasutta

“Atthi, bhikkhave, lokantarikā aghā asaṁvutā andhakārā andhakāratimisā, yatthamimesaṁ candimasūriyānaṁ evaṁmahiddhikānaṁ evaṁ mahānubhāvānaṁ ābhāya nānubhontī”ti.

Darkness

“Mendicants, the boundless gloom of interstellar space is so utterly dark that even the luminosity of the moon and the sun, so mighty and powerful, makes no impression.”

Evaṁ vutte, aññataro bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “mahā vata so, bhante, andhakāro, sumahā vata so, bhante, andhakāro. Atthi nu kho, bhante, etamhā andhakārā añño andhakāro mahantataro ca bhayānakataro cā”ti? “Atthi kho, bhikkhu, etamhā andhakārā añño andhakāro mahantataro ca bhayānakataro cā”ti.

When he said this, one of the mendicants said to the Buddha, “Sir, that darkness really is mighty, so very mighty. Is there any other darkness more mighty and terrifying than this one?” “There is, mendicant.”

“Katamo pana, bhante, etamhā andhakārā añño andhakāro mahantataro ca bhayānakataro cā”ti? “Ye hi keci, bhikkhu, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti …pe… ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti, te jātisaṁvattanikesu saṅkhāresu abhiramanti …pe… abhiratā …pe… abhisaṅkharonti …pe… abhisaṅkharitvā jātandhakārampi papatanti, jarandhakārampi papatanti, maraṇandhakārampi papatanti, sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsandhakārampi papatanti. Te na parimuccanti jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi. ‘Na parimuccanti dukkhasmā’ti vadāmi.

“But sir, what is it?” “There are ascetics and brahmins who don’t truly understand about suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path. They take pleasure in choices that lead to rebirth … They continue to make such choices … Having made such choices, they fall into the darkness of rebirth, old age, and death, of sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. They’re not freed from rebirth, old age, and death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. They’re not freed from suffering, I say.

Ye ca kho keci, bhikkhu, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānanti …pe… ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānanti, te jātisaṁvattanikesu saṅkhāresu nābhiramanti …pe… anabhiratā …pe… nābhisaṅkharonti …pe… anabhisaṅkharitvā jātandhakārampi nappapatanti, jarandhakārampi nappapatanti, maraṇandhakārampi nappapatanti, sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsandhakārampi nappapatanti. Te parimuccanti jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi. ‘Parimuccanti dukkhasmā’ti vadāmi.

There are ascetics and brahmins who truly understand about suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path. They don’t take pleasure in choices that lead to rebirth … They stop making such choices … Having stopped making such choices, they don’t fall into the darkness of rebirth, old age, and death, of sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. They’re freed from rebirth, old age, and death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. They’re freed from suffering, I say.

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

That’s why you should practice meditation …”