Saɱyutta Nikāya
5. Mahā-Vagga
56. Sacca Saɱyutta
5. Papāta Vagga

Sutta 47

Dutiya Chiggaḷa Suttaɱ

Yoke with a Hole (1)

Translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi

Copyright Bhikkhu Bodhi 2000, The Connected Discourses of the Buddha (Wisdom Publications, 2000)
This selection from The Connected Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Saɱyutta Nikāya by Bhikkhu Bodhi is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
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[1][pts] "Bhikkhus, suppose a man would throw a yoke with a single hole into the great ocean, and there was a blind turtle which would come to the surface once every hundred years.

What do you think, bhikkhus, would that blind turtle, coming to the surface once every hundred years, insert its neck into that yoke with a single hole?"

"If it would ever do so, venerable sir, it would be only after a very long time."

"Sooner, I say, would that blind turtle, coming to the surface once every hundred years, insert its neck into that yoke with a single hole than the fool who has gone once to the nether world [would regain] the human state.

For what reason?

Because here, bhikkhus, there is no conduct guided by the Dhamma, no righteous conduct, no wholesome activity, no meritorious activity.

Here there prevails mutual devouring, the devouring of the weak.

For what reason?

Because, bhikkhus, they have not seen the Four Noble Truths.

What four?

The noble truth of suffering ... the noble truth of the way leading to the cessation of suffering.

"Therefore, bhikkhus an exertion should be made to understand:

'This is suffering.'...

An exertion should be made to understand:

'This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.'"