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Majjhima Nikāya 30

Cūḷasāropamasutta

The Shorter Simile of the Heartwood · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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Seyyathāpi vā pana, brāhmaṇa, puriso sāratthiko sāragavesī sārapariyesanaṁ caramāno mahato rukkhassa tiṭṭhato sāravato sāraññeva chetvā ādāya pakkameyya ‘sāran’ti jānamāno.
Tamenaṁ cakkhumā puriso disvā evaṁ vadeyya:
‘aññāsi vatāyaṁ bhavaṁ puriso sāraṁ, aññāsi phegguṁ, aññāsi tacaṁ, aññāsi papaṭikaṁ, aññāsi sākhāpalāsaṁ.
Tathā hayaṁ bhavaṁ puriso sāratthiko sāragavesī sārapariyesanaṁ caramāno mahato rukkhassa tiṭṭhato sāravato sāraññeva chetvā ādāya pakkanto “sāran”ti jānamāno.
Yañcassa sārena sārakaraṇīyaṁ tañcassa atthaṁ anubhavissatī’ti.

Suppose there was another person in need of heartwood. And while wandering in search of heartwood he’d come across a large tree standing with heartwood. He’d cut out just the heartwood and leave knowing it was heartwood. If a person with clear eyes saw him they’d say: ‘This gentleman knows what heartwood, softwood, bark, shoots, or branches and leaves are. That’s why he cut out just the heartwood and left knowing it was heartwood. Whatever he needs to make from heartwood, he will succeed.’

Evameva kho, brāhmaṇa, idhekacco puggalo saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito hoti:
‘otiṇṇomhi jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi, dukkhotiṇṇo dukkhapareto,
appeva nāma imassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa antakiriyā paññāyethā’ti.
So evaṁ pabbajito samāno lābhasakkārasilokaṁ abhinibbatteti.
So tena lābhasakkārasilokena attamano hoti paripuṇṇasaṅkappo.
So tena lābhasakkārasilokena attānukkaṁseti, paraṁ vambheti:
‘ahamasmi lābhasakkārasilokavā, ime panaññe bhikkhū appaññātā appesakkhā’ti.
Lābhasakkārasilokena ca ye aññe dhammā uttaritarā ca paṇītatarā ca tesaṁ dhammānaṁ sacchikiriyāya na chandaṁ janeti, na vāyamati, olīnavuttiko ca hoti sāthaliko.
Seyyathāpi so, brāhmaṇa, puriso sāratthiko sāragavesī sārapariyesanaṁ caramāno mahato rukkhassa tiṭṭhato sāravato atikkammeva sāraṁ atikkamma phegguṁ atikkamma tacaṁ atikkamma papaṭikaṁ, sākhāpalāsaṁ chetvā ādāya pakkanto ‘sāran’ti maññamāno.

In the same way, take a certain individual who goes forth from the lay life to homelessness, thinking: ‘I’m swamped by rebirth, old age, and death; by sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. I’m swamped by suffering, mired in suffering. Hopefully I can make an end to this entire mass of suffering.’ When they’ve gone forth they generate possessions, honor, and popularity. They’re happy with that, and they’ve got all they wished for. And they glorify themselves and put others down on account of that: ‘I’m the one with possessions, honor, and popularity. These other mendicants are obscure and insignificant.’ They become lazy and slack on account of their possessions, honor, and popularity, not generating enthusiasm or trying to realize those things that are better and finer. …

Yañcassa sārena sārakaraṇīyaṁ tañcassa atthaṁ nānubhavissati.
Tathūpamāhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

They’re like the individual who mistakes branches and leaves for heartwood, I say.

Idha pana, brāhmaṇa, ekacco puggalo saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito hoti:
‘otiṇṇomhi jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi, dukkhotiṇṇo dukkhapareto,
appeva nāma imassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa antakiriyā paññāyethā’ti.
So evaṁ pabbajito samāno lābhasakkārasilokaṁ abhinibbatteti.
So tena lābhasakkārasilokena na attamano hoti na paripuṇṇasaṅkappo.
So tena lābhasakkārasilokena na attānukkaṁseti, na paraṁ vambheti.
Lābhasakkārasilokena ca ye aññe dhammā uttaritarā ca paṇītatarā ca tesaṁ dhammānaṁ sacchikiriyāya chandaṁ janeti, vāyamati, anolīnavuttiko ca hoti asāthaliko.
So sīlasampadaṁ ārādheti.
So tāya sīlasampadāya attamano hoti, paripuṇṇasaṅkappo.
So tāya sīlasampadāya attānukkaṁseti, paraṁ vambheti:
‘ahamasmi sīlavā kalyāṇadhammo, ime panaññe bhikkhū dussīlā pāpadhammā’ti.

Next, take an individual who has gone forth out of faith from the lay life to homelessness … When they’ve gone forth they generate possessions, honor, and popularity. They’re not happy with that, and haven’t got all they wished for. They don’t glorify themselves and put others down on account of that. They don’t become lazy and slack regarding their possessions, honor, and popularity, but generate enthusiasm and try to realize those things that are better and finer. They achieve accomplishment in ethics. They’re happy with that, and they’ve got all they wished for. And they glorify themselves and put others down on account of that: ‘I’m the one who is ethical, of good character. These other mendicants are unethical, of bad character.’

Sīlasampadāya ca ye aññe dhammā uttaritarā ca paṇītatarā ca tesaṁ dhammānaṁ sacchikiriyāya na chandaṁ janeti, na vāyamati, olīnavuttiko ca hoti sāthaliko.
Seyyathāpi so, brāhmaṇa, puriso sāratthiko sāragavesī sārapariyesanaṁ caramāno mahato rukkhassa tiṭṭhato sāravato atikkammeva sāraṁ atikkamma phegguṁ atikkamma tacaṁ, papaṭikaṁ chetvā ādāya pakkanto ‘sāran’ti maññamāno.
Yañcassa sārena sārakaraṇīyaṁ, tañcassa atthaṁ nānubhavissati.
Tathūpamāhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, imaṁ puggalaṁ vadāmi.

They become lazy and slack regarding their accomplishment in ethics, not generating enthusiasm or trying to realize those things that are better and finer. … They’re like the individual who mistakes shoots for heartwood, I say.

Idha pana, brāhmaṇa, ekacco puggalo saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito hoti:
‘otiṇṇomhi jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi, dukkhotiṇṇo dukkhapareto,
appeva nāma imassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa antakiriyā paññāyethā’ti.
So evaṁ pabbajito samāno lābhasakkārasilokaṁ abhinibbatteti.
So tena lābhasakkārasilokena na attamano hoti, na paripuṇṇasaṅkappo.
So tena lābhasakkārasilokena na attānukkaṁseti, na paraṁ vambheti.
Lābhasakkārasilokena ca ye aññe dhammā uttaritarā ca paṇītatarā ca tesaṁ dhammānaṁ sacchikiriyāya chandaṁ janeti, vāyamati, anolīnavuttiko ca hoti asāthaliko.
So sīlasampadaṁ ārādheti.
So tāya sīlasampadāya attamano hoti no ca kho paripuṇṇasaṅkappo.
So tāya sīlasampadāya na attānukkaṁseti, na paraṁ vambheti.

Next, take an individual who has gone forth out of faith from the lay life to homelessness … They achieve accomplishment in ethics …

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