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Saṁyutta Nikāya — The Linked Discourses

Vol 1:
Verses
SN1-11
Vol 2:
Causation
SN12-21
Vol 3:
Aggregates
SN22-34
Vol 4:
Sense Bases
SN35-44
Vol 5:
Great Book
SN45-56

36. Vedanāsaṁyutta: On Feelings

I. With Verses — SN36.4: The Abyss

1“Mendicants, when an uneducated ordinary person says that there’s a hellish abyss under the ocean, they’re speaking of something that doesn’t exist.

‘Hellish abyss’ is a term for painful physical feelings.

When an uneducated ordinary person experiences painful physical feelings they sorrow and pine and lament, beating their breast and falling into confusion. They’re called an uneducated ordinary person who hasn’t stood up in the hellish abyss and has gained no footing.

When an educated noble disciple experiences painful physical feelings they don’t sorrow or pine or lament, beating their breast and falling into confusion. They’re called an educated noble disciple who has stood up in the hellish abyss and gained a footing.


2If you can’t abide
those painful physical feelings
that arise and sap your vitality;
if you tremble at their touch,

3weeping and wailing,
a weakling lacking strength—
you won’t stand up in the hellish abyss
and gain a footing.

4If you can abide
those painful physical feelings
that arise and sap your vitality;
if you don’t tremble at their touch—
you stand up in the hellish abyss
and gain a footing.”

1"Assutavā, bhikkhave, puthujjano yaṁ vācaṁ bhāsati: ‘atthi mahāsamudde pātālo’ti. Taṁ kho panetaṁ, bhikkhave, assutavā puthujjano asantaṁ avijjamānaṁ evaṁ vācaṁ bhāsati: ‘atthi mahāsamudde pātālo’ti. Sārīrikānaṁ kho etaṁ, bhikkhave, dukkhānaṁ vedanānaṁ adhivacanaṁ yadidaṁ ‘pātālo’ti.

Assutavā, bhikkhave, puthujjano sārīrikāya dukkhāya vedanāya phuṭṭho samāno socati kilamati paridevati urattāḷiṁ kandati sammohaṁ āpajjati. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, ‘assutavā puthujjano pātāle na paccuṭṭhāsi, gādhañca nājjhagā’.

Sutavā ca kho, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako sārīrikāya dukkhāya vedanāya phuṭṭho samāno neva socati, na kilamati, na paridevati, na urattāḷiṁ kandati, na sammohaṁ āpajjati. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, ‘sutavā ariyasāvako pātāle paccuṭṭhāsi, gādhañca ajjhagā’ti.


2Yo etā nādhivāseti,
uppannā vedanā dukhā;
Sārīrikā pāṇaharā,
yāhi phuṭṭho pavedhati.

3Akkandati parodati,
dubbalo appathāmako;
Na so pātāle paccuṭṭhāsi,
atho gādhampi nājjhagā.

4Yo cetā adhivāseti,
uppannā vedanā dukhā;
Sārīrikā pāṇaharā,
yāhi phuṭṭho na vedhati;
Sa ve pātāle paccuṭṭhāsi,
atho gādhampi ajjhagā"ti.

Catutthaṁ.