SN 15.11 · In a Sorry State
SN 15.11 · Duggatasutta
At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī.
Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati. Tatra kho …pe…
“Mendicants, this transmigration has no known beginning. No first point is found of sentient beings roaming and transmigrating, shrouded by ignorance and fettered by craving. When you see someone in a sorry state, in distress, you should conclude: ‘In all this long time, we too have undergone the same thing.’ Why is that? This transmigration has no known beginning. … This is quite enough for you to become disillusioned, dispassionate, and freed regarding all conditions.”
“Anamataggoyaṁ, bhikkhave, saṁsāro. Pubbā koṭi na paññāyati avijjānīvaraṇānaṁ sattānaṁ taṇhāsaṁyojanānaṁ sandhāvataṁ saṁsarataṁ. Yaṁ, bhikkhave, passeyyātha duggataṁ durūpetaṁ niṭṭhamettha gantabbaṁ: ‘amhehipi evarūpaṁ paccanubhūtaṁ iminā dīghena addhunā’ti. Taṁ kissa hetu …pe… yāvañcidaṁ, bhikkhave, alameva sabbasaṅkhāresu nibbindituṁ alaṁ virajjituṁ alaṁ vimuccitun”ti.
Paṭhamaṁ.
SN 15.12 · In a Good Way
SN 15.12 · Sukhitasutta
At Sāvatthī.
Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.
“Mendicants, this transmigration has no known beginning. … When you see someone in a good way, in a happy state, you should conclude: ‘In all this long time, we too have undergone the same thing.’
“Anamataggoyaṁ, bhikkhave, saṁsāro …pe… yaṁ, bhikkhave, passeyyātha sukhitaṁ susajjitaṁ, niṭṭhamettha gantabbaṁ: ‘amhehipi evarūpaṁ paccanubhūtaṁ iminā dīghena addhunā’ti.
Why is that? This transmigration has no known beginning. … This is quite enough for you to become disillusioned, dispassionate, and freed regarding all conditions.”
Taṁ kissa hetu? Anamataggoyaṁ, bhikkhave, saṁsāro. Pubbā koṭi na paññāyati …pe… alaṁ vimuccitun”ti.
Dutiyaṁ.
SN 15.13 · Thirty Mendicants
SN 15.13 · Tiṁsamattasutta
Near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove. Then thirty mendicants from Pāvā went to the Buddha. All of them lived in the wilderness, ate only almsfood, wore rag robes, and owned just three robes; yet they all still had fetters. They bowed to the Buddha and sat down to one side.
Rājagahe viharati veḷuvane. Atha kho tiṁsamattā pāveyyakā bhikkhū sabbe āraññikā sabbe piṇḍapātikā sabbe paṁsukūlikā sabbe tecīvarikā sabbe sasaṁyojanā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu.
Then it occurred to the Buddha, “These thirty mendicants from Pāvā live in the wilderness, eat only almsfood, wear rag robes, and own just three robes; yet they all still have fetters. Why don’t I teach them the Dhamma in such a way that their minds are freed from defilements by not grasping while sitting in this very seat?”
Atha kho bhagavato etadahosi: “ime kho tiṁsamattā pāveyyakā bhikkhū sabbe āraññikā sabbe piṇḍapātikā sabbe paṁsukūlikā sabbe tecīvarikā sabbe sasaṁyojanā. Yannūnāhaṁ imesaṁ tathā dhammaṁ deseyyaṁ yathā nesaṁ imasmiṁyeva āsane anupādāya āsavehi cittāni vimucceyyun”ti.
Then the Buddha said to the mendicants, “Mendicants!”
Atha kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “bhikkhavo”ti.
“Venerable sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:
“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca:
“Mendicants, this transmigration has no known beginning. No first point is found of sentient beings roaming and transmigrating, shrouded by ignorance and fettered by craving.
“Anamataggoyaṁ, bhikkhave, saṁsāro. Pubbā koṭi na paññāyati avijjānīvaraṇānaṁ sattānaṁ taṇhāsaṁyojanānaṁ sandhāvataṁ saṁsarataṁ.
What do you think? Which is more: the flow of blood you’ve shed when your head was chopped off while roaming and transmigrating for such a very long time, or the water in the four oceans?”
Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, katamaṁ nu kho bahutaraṁ, yaṁ vā vo iminā dīghena addhunā sandhāvataṁ saṁsarataṁ sīsacchinnānaṁ lohitaṁ passannaṁ paggharitaṁ, yaṁ vā catūsu mahāsamuddesu udakan”ti?
“As we understand the Buddha’s teaching, the flow of blood we’ve shed when our head was chopped off while roaming and transmigrating is more than the water in the four oceans.”
“Yathā kho mayaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā dhammaṁ desitaṁ ājānāma, etadeva, bhante, bahutaraṁ, yaṁ no iminā dīghena addhunā sandhāvataṁ saṁsarataṁ sīsacchinnānaṁ lohitaṁ passannaṁ paggharitaṁ, na tveva catūsu mahāsamuddesu udakan”ti.
“Good, good, mendicants! It’s good that you understand my teaching like this. The flow of blood you’ve shed when your head was chopped off while roaming and transmigrating is indeed more than the water in the four oceans. For a long time you’ve been cows, and the flow of blood you’ve shed when your head was chopped off as a cow is more than the water in the four oceans. For a long time you’ve been buffalo … sheep … goats … deer … chickens … pigs … For a long time you’ve been bandits, arrested for raiding villages, highway robbery, or adultery. And the flow of blood you’ve shed when your head was chopped off as a bandit is more than the water in the four oceans.
“Sādhu sādhu, bhikkhave, sādhu kho me tumhe, bhikkhave, evaṁ dhammaṁ desitaṁ ājānātha. Etadeva, bhikkhave, bahutaraṁ, yaṁ vo iminā dīghena addhunā sandhāvataṁ saṁsarataṁ sīsacchinnānaṁ lohitaṁ passannaṁ paggharitaṁ, na tveva catūsu mahāsamuddesu udakaṁ. Dīgharattaṁ vo, bhikkhave, gunnaṁ sataṁ gobhūtānaṁ sīsacchinnānaṁ lohitaṁ passannaṁ paggharitaṁ, na tveva catūsu mahāsamuddesu udakaṁ. Dīgharattaṁ vo, bhikkhave, mahiṁsānaṁ sataṁ mahiṁsabhūtānaṁ sīsacchinnānaṁ lohitaṁ passannaṁ paggharitaṁ …pe… dīgharattaṁ vo, bhikkhave, urabbhānaṁ sataṁ urabbhabhūtānaṁ …pe… ajānaṁ sataṁ ajabhūtānaṁ … migānaṁ sataṁ migabhūtānaṁ … kukkuṭānaṁ sataṁ kukkuṭabhūtānaṁ … sūkarānaṁ sataṁ sūkarabhūtānaṁ … dīgharattaṁ vo, bhikkhave, corā gāmaghātāti gahetvā sīsacchinnānaṁ lohitaṁ passannaṁ paggharitaṁ. Dīgharattaṁ vo, bhikkhave, corā pāripanthikāti gahetvā sīsacchinnānaṁ lohitaṁ passannaṁ paggharitaṁ. Dīgharattaṁ vo, bhikkhave, corā pāradārikāti gahetvā sīsacchinnānaṁ lohitaṁ passannaṁ paggharitaṁ, na tveva catūsu mahāsamuddesu udakaṁ.
Why is that? This transmigration has no known beginning. … This is quite enough for you to become disillusioned, dispassionate, and freed regarding all conditions.”
Taṁ kissa hetu? Anamataggoyaṁ, bhikkhave, saṁsāro …pe… alaṁ vimuccitun”ti.
That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, the mendicants approved what the Buddha said. And while this discourse was being spoken, the minds of the thirty mendicants from Pāvā were freed from defilements by not grasping.
Idamavoca bhagavā. Attamanā te bhikkhū bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandunti. Imasmiñca pana veyyākaraṇasmiṁ bhaññamāne tiṁsamattānaṁ pāveyyakānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ anupādāya āsavehi cittāni vimucciṁsūti.
Tatiyaṁ.
SN 15.14 · Mother
SN 15.14 · Mātusutta
At Sāvatthī.
Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.
“Mendicants, this transmigration has no known beginning. … It’s not easy to find a sentient being who in all this long time has not previously been your mother.
“Anamataggoyaṁ, bhikkhave, saṁsāro …pe… na so, bhikkhave, satto sulabharūpo yo namātābhūtapubbo iminā dīghena addhunā.
Why is that? This transmigration has no known beginning. … This is quite enough for you to become disillusioned, dispassionate, and freed regarding all conditions.”
Taṁ kissa hetu? Anamataggoyaṁ, bhikkhave, saṁsāro …pe… alaṁ vimuccitun”ti.
Catutthaṁ.
SN 15.15 · Father
SN 15.15 · Pitusutta
At Sāvatthī.
Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.
“Mendicants, this transmigration has no known beginning. … It’s not easy to find a sentient being who in all this long time has not previously been your father. … This is quite enough for you to become disillusioned, dispassionate, and freed regarding all conditions.”
“Anamataggoyaṁ, bhikkhave, saṁsāro …pe… na so, bhikkhave, satto sulabharūpo yo napitābhūtapubbo …pe… alaṁ vimuccitun”ti.
Pañcamaṁ.
SN 15.16 · Brother
SN 15.16 · Bhātusutta
At Sāvatthī.
Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati …pe…
“It’s not easy to find a sentient being who in all this long time has not previously been your brother. … This is quite enough for you to become disillusioned, dispassionate, and freed regarding all conditions.”
“na so, bhikkhave, satto sulabharūpo yo nabhātābhūtapubbo …pe… alaṁ vimuccitun”ti.
Chaṭṭhaṁ.
SN 15.17 · Sister
SN 15.17 · Bhaginisutta
At Sāvatthī.
Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati …pe…
“It’s not easy to find a sentient being who in all this long time has not previously been your sister. … This is quite enough for you to become disillusioned, dispassionate, and freed regarding all conditions.”
“na so, bhikkhave, satto sulabharūpo yo nabhaginibhūtapubbo …pe… alaṁ vimuccitun”ti.
Sattamaṁ.
SN 15.18 · Son
SN 15.18 · Puttasutta
At Sāvatthī.
Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati …pe…
“It’s not easy to find a sentient being who in all this long time has not previously been your son. … This is quite enough for you to become disillusioned, dispassionate, and freed regarding all conditions.”
“na so, bhikkhave, satto sulabharūpo yo naputtabhūtapubbo …pe… alaṁ vimuccitun”ti.
Aṭṭhamaṁ.