Saṃyutta Nikāya
5. Mahā-Vagga
46. Bojjhanga Saṃyutta
4. Nīvaraṇa Vagga
The Book of the Kindred Sayings
5. The Great Chapter
46. Kindred Sayings on the Limbs of Wisdom
4. On Hindrances
Sutta 39
Rukkha Suttaṃ
The Tree
Translated by F. L. Woodward
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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Once the Exalted One once addressed the monks,
saying:
"Monks."
"Yes, lord," replied those monks to the Exalted One.
The Exalted One said:
"There are mighty trees, monks,
grown from tiny seeds,
of mighty bulk,
which overspread[1] (other) trees.
The trees thus overspread[2]
break up,
break down,
fall to the ground
and so lie.
What mighty trees, monks,
grown from tiny seeds,
of mighty bulk,
which overspread other trees
by which being overspread,
break up,
break down,
fall to the ground
and so lie?
Trees such as the bo-tree,
the banyan,
the wave-leafed fig,
the bunched fig,
the cedar,[3]
the wood-apple tree.[4]
These are the mighty trees, monks,
grown from tiny seeds,
of mighty bulk,
which overspread other trees:
by which being overspread,
break up,
break down,
fall to the ground
and so lie.
§
Just in the same way, monks,
here maybe is such and such a clansman, who,
whatsoever lusts he abandons
and goes forth from home to the homeless,
just by such lusts,
or by lusts still worse than these,
is broken up,
broken down:
down he falls
and so lies.
Monks, there are these five checks,
hindrances
which overspread the heart,
which weaken insight.
What five?
Sensual desire, monks, is a check,
a hindrance
which overspreads the heart
and weakens insight.
Malevolence, monks, is a check,
a hindrance
which overspreads the heart
and weakens insight.
Sloth and torpor, monks, is a check,
a hindrance
which overspreads the heart
and weakens insight.
Excitement and flurry, monks, is a check,
a hindrance
which overspreads the heart
and weakens insight.
Doubt and wavering, monks, is a check,
a hindrance
which overspreads the heart
and weakens insight.
Each of these, monks, is a check,
a hindrance
which overspreads the heart
and weakens insight.
§
[81] These seven limbs of wisdom, monks,
which are without check and hindrance,
which overspread not the heart,
if cultivated
and made much of,
conduce to realizing the fruits
of liberation by knowledge.
What are the seven?
The limb of wisdom that is mindfulness,
which is without check and hindrance,
which overspreads not the heart,
which, if cultivated
and made much of,
conduces to the realization
of the fruits of liberation by knowledge;
the limb of wisdom that is Norm investigation,
which is without check and hindrance,
which overspreads not the heart,
which, if cultivated
and made much of,
conduces to the realization
of the fruits of liberation by knowledge;
the limb of wisdom that is energy,
which is without check and hindrance,
which overspreads not the heart,
which, if cultivated
and made much of,
conduces to the realization
of the fruits of liberation by knowledge;
the limb of wisdom that is zest,
which is without check and hindrance,
which overspreads not the heart,
which, if cultivated
and made much of,
conduces to the realization
of the fruits of liberation by knowledge;
the limb of wisdom that is tranquillity,
which is without check and hindrance,
which overspreads not the heart,
which, if cultivated
and made much of,
conduces to the realization
of the fruits of liberation by knowledge;
the limb of wisdom that is concentration,
which is without check and hindrance,
which overspreads not the heart,
which, if cultivated
and made much of,
conduces to the realization
of the fruits of liberation by knowledge;
the limb of wisdom which is equanimity,
which is without check and hindrance,
which overspreads not the heart,
which, if cultivated
and made much of,
conduces to the realization
of the fruits of liberation by knowledge.
These are the seven limbs of wisdom, monks,
which are without check and hindrance,
which overspread not the heart,
if cultivated
and made much of,
conduce to realizing the fruits
of liberation by knowledge.
[1] Ajjhārūhā or -rūḷhā. Comy. -abhirūhakā (parasitic growths).
[2] Ye hi of text should read yehi.
[3] Kacchiko (Comy. = aṭṭhi-gacchako;? 'of bone-like growth.') ? Cedar. These trees appear in several lists, e.g. at Vin. iv, 35.
[4] Text kapitthako. Comy. kaputhano; Vin. kapiṭhano, DA. i, 81 kapitthano; VM. 183, kapitthako (v.l.-no), given as examples of khandha-bījī. But whether it is of the fig-tree family or a wood-apple I cannot say. Comy. says it produces pilakkhā. Dictionaries call it Feronia elephantum. Cf. Brethren, p. 333 n.; Mil. 189 (kapittho) = Trans vol. 1. 262; also JA. v, 132, v.l. kaviṭṭhaṇ.
