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Itivuttaka 24

Aṭṭhipuñjasutta

A Heap of Bones · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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Vuttañhetaṁ bhagavatā vuttamarahatāti me sutaṁ:

This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.

“Ekapuggalassa, bhikkhave, kappaṁ sandhāvato saṁsarato siyā evaṁ mahā aṭṭhikaṅkalo aṭṭhipuñjo aṭṭhirāsi yathāyaṁ vepullo pabbato, sace saṁhārako assa, sambhatañca na vinasseyyā”ti.
Etamatthaṁ bhagavā avoca.
Tatthetaṁ iti vuccati:

“Mendicants, one individual roaming and transmigrating for an eon would amass a heap of bones the size of this Mount Vepulla, if they were gathered together and not lost.” The Buddha spoke this matter. On this it is said:

“Ekassekena kappena,
puggalassaṭṭhisañcayo;
Siyā pabbatasamo rāsi,
iti vuttaṁ mahesinā.

“If the bones of a single individual for a single eon were gathered up, they’d make a pile the size of a mountain: so said the great seer.

So kho panāyaṁ akkhāto,
vepullo pabbato mahā;
Uttaro gijjhakūṭassa,
magadhānaṁ giribbaje.

And this is declared to be as big as Mount Vepulla, higher than the Vulture’s Peak in the Mountainfold of the Magadhans.

Yato ca ariyasaccāni,
sammappaññāya passati;
Dukkhaṁ dukkhasamuppādaṁ,
dukkhassa ca atikkamaṁ;
Ariyañcaṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ,
dukkhūpasamagāminaṁ.

But then, with right understanding, one sees the noble truths— suffering, suffering’s origin, suffering’s transcendence, and the noble eightfold path that leads to the stilling of suffering.

Sa sattakkhattuṁ paramaṁ,
sandhāvitvāna puggalo;
Dukkhassantakaro hoti,
sabbasaṁyojanakkhayā”ti.

After roaming on seven times at most, that individual makes an end of suffering, with the ending of all fetters.”

Ayampi attho vutto bhagavatā, iti me sutanti.
Catutthaṁ.

This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.

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