SN56:20 Actual
- © Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi. (More copyright information)
1"Bhikkhus, these four things are actual, unerring, not otherwise.[n.385] Tathāni avitathāni anaññathāni. See SN12.20. Spk: "Actual in the sense of not departing from the real nature of things; for suffering is stated to be just suffering. Unerring, because of the nonfalsification of its real nature; for suffering does not become nonsuffering. Not otherwise, because of not arriving at a different nature; for suffering does not arrive at the nature of the origin (of suffering), etc. The same method for the other truths." I understand anaññatha in the simpler and more straightforward sense that the truths are "not otherwise" than the way things really are. What four?
‘This is suffering’: this, bhikkhus, is actual, unerring, not otherwise.
‘This is the origin of suffering’: this is actual, unerring, not otherwise.
‘This is the cessation of suffering’: this is actual, unerring, not otherwise. sn.v.431
‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering’: this is actual, unerring, not otherwise.
"These four things, bhikkhus, are actual, unerring, not otherwise.
2"Therefore, bhikkhus, an exertion should be made to understand: ‘This is suffering.’[n.376] Tasmātiha bhikkhave idaṁ dukkhan ti yogo karaṇīyo. Spk: Since a concentrated bhikkhu understands the Four Noble Truths as they really are, therefore you should make an exertion to become concentrated in order to understand the four truths as they really are. And since the round of existence increases for those who do not penetrate them, but stops increasing from the time they are penetrated, therefore you should make an exertion to understand them, thinking, "Let the round not increase for us."
An exertion should be made to understand: ‘This is the origin of suffering.’
An exertion should be made to understand: ‘This is the cessation of suffering.’
An exertion should be made to understand: ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’"
1"Cattārimāni, bhikkhave, tathāni avitathāni anaññathāni. Katamāni cattāri?
‘Idaṁ dukkhan’ti, bhikkhave, tathametaṁ avitathametaṁ anaññathametaṁ;
‘Ayaṁ dukkhasamudayo’ti tathametaṁ avitathametaṁ anaññathametaṁ;
‘Ayaṁ dukkhanirodho’ti tathametaṁ avitathametaṁ anaññathametaṁ;
‘Ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti tathametaṁ avitathametaṁ anaññathametaṁ –
imāni kho, bhikkhave, cattāri tathāni avitathāni anaññathāni.
2Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yogo karaṇīyo … pe … ‘Ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yogo karaṇīyo"ti.
Dasamaṁ.
Dhammacakkappavattanavaggo dutiyo.
3Dhammacakkaṁ tathāgataṁ,
khandhā āyatanena ca;
Dhāraṇā ca dve avijjā,
vijjā saṅkāsanā tathāti.
