SN51:33–44 Rivers slanting
- © Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi. (More copyright information)
1SN51:33"Bhikkhus, just as the river Ganges slants, slopes, and inclines towards the east,
SN51:34-38… just as whatever great rivers there are— that is, the Ganges, the Yamuna, the Aciravati, the Sarabhū, the Mahī— all slant, slope, and incline towards the east,
SN51:39… just as the river Ganges slants, slopes, and inclines towards the ocean,
SN51:40-44 … just as whatever great rivers there are— that is, the Ganges, the Yamuna, the Aciravati, the Sarabhū, the Mahī— all slant, slope, and incline towards the ocean,
so too a bhikkhu who develops and cultivates the four bases for spiritual power slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna.
"And how, bhikkhus, does a bhikkhu develop and cultivate the four bases for spiritual power so that he slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna?
Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu develops the basis for spiritual power that possesses concentration due to desire and volitional formations of striving
- which is based upon seclusion, dispassion, and cessation, maturing in release;
- which has as its final goal the removal of lust, the removal of hatred, the removal of delusion;
- which has the Deathless as its ground, the Deathless as its destination, the Deathless as its final goal;
- which slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna.
He develops the basis for spiritual power that possesses concentration due to energy and volitional formations of striving
- which is based upon seclusion, dispassion, and cessation, maturing in release;
- which has as its final goal the removal of lust, the removal of hatred, the removal of delusion;
- which has the Deathless as its ground, the Deathless as its destination, the Deathless as its final goal;
- which slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna.
He develops the basis for spiritual power that possesses concentration due to mind and volitional formations of striving
- which is based upon seclusion, dispassion, and cessation, maturing in release;
- which has as its final goal the removal of lust, the removal of hatred, the removal of delusion;
- which has the Deathless as its ground, the Deathless as its destination, the Deathless as its final goal;
- which slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna.
He develops the basis for spiritual power that possesses concentration due to investigation and volitional formations of striving
- which is based upon seclusion, dispassion, and cessation, maturing in release;
- which has as its final goal the removal of lust, the removal of hatred, the removal of delusion;
- which has the Deathless as its ground, the Deathless as its destination, the Deathless as its final goal;
- which slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna.
2"It is in this way, bhikkhus, that a bhikkhu sn.v.291 develops and cultivates the four bases for spiritual power so that he slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna."
3Six about slanting to the east
And six about slanting to the ocean.
These two sixes make up twelve:
Thus the subchapter is recited.
1"Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, gaṅgā nadī pācīnaninnā pācīnapoṇā pācīnapabbhārā;
evameva kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu cattāro iddhipāde bhāvento cattāro iddhipāde bahulīkaronto nibbānaninno hoti nibbānapoṇo nibbānapabbhāro.
Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu cattāro iddhipāde bhāvento cattāro iddhipāde bahulīkaronto nibbānaninno hoti nibbānapoṇo nibbānapabbhāro?
Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu chandasamādhippadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ iddhi pādaṁ bhāveti,
vīriyasamādhi … pe …
cittasamādhi …
vīmaṁsāsamādhippadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ iddhi pādaṁ bhāveti.
2Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu cattāro iddhipāde bhāvento cattāro iddhipāde bahulīkaronto nibbānaninno hoti nibbānapoṇo nibbānapabbhāro"ti.
Dvādasamaṁ.
Gaṅgāpeyyālavaggo catuttho.
3Cha pācīnato ninnā,
cha ninnā ca samuddato;
Dvete cha dvādasa honti,
vaggo tena pavuccatīti.