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Majjhima Nikāya 30

Cūḷasāropamasutta

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

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just asSeyyathāpi orvā thenpana, brahminbrāhmaṇa, a personpuriso in need of heartwoodsāratthiko seeking heartwoodsāragavesī search for heartwoodsārapariyesanaṁ wanderingcaramāno of a largemahato of a treerukkhassa standingtiṭṭhato with heartwoodsāravato just the heartwoodsāraññeva having cut outchetvā takingādāya he would leavepakkameyya it was heartwood‘sāran’ti knowingjānamāno.
himTamenaṁ with clear eyescakkhumā a personpuriso having seendisvā thusevaṁ would sayvadeyya:
he knew‘aññāsi indeed thisvatāyaṁ gentlemanbhavaṁ a personpuriso heartwoodsāraṁ, he knewaññāsi softwoodphegguṁ, he knewaññāsi barktacaṁ, he knewaññāsi shootspapaṭikaṁ, he knewaññāsi branches and leavessākhāpalāsaṁ.
soTathā thishayaṁ gentlemanbhavaṁ a personpuriso in need of heartwoodsāratthiko seeking heartwoodsāragavesī search for heartwoodsārapariyesanaṁ wanderingcaramāno of a largemahato of a treerukkhassa standingtiṭṭhato with heartwoodsāravato just the heartwoodsāraññeva having cut outchetvā takingādāya he leftpakkanto it was heartwood“sāran”ti knowingjānamāno.
and whatever for himYañcassa with heartwoodsārena to be made from heartwoodsārakaraṇīyaṁ and that for himtañcassa the goalatthaṁ he will succeedanubhavissatī’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.’

just soEvameva indeedkho, brahminbrāhmaṇa, here someidhekacco individualpuggalo out of faithsaddhā from homeagārasmā to homelessnessanagāriyaṁ gone forthpabbajito ishoti:
I am swamped‘otiṇṇomhi by rebirthjātiyā by old agejarāya by deathmaraṇena by sorrowsokehi by lamentationparidevehi by paindukkhehi by sadnessdomanassehi by distressupāyāsehi, swamped by sufferingdukkhotiṇṇo mired in sufferingdukkhapareto,
hopefullyappeva indeednāma of thisimassa entirekevalassa of the mass of sufferingdukkhakkhandhassa making an endantakiriyā may be knownpaññāyethā’ti.
heSo thusevaṁ gone forthpabbajito beingsamāno possessions, honor, and popularitylābhasakkārasilokaṁ generatesabhinibbatteti.
heSo with thattena by possessions, honor, and popularitylābhasakkārasilokena satisfiedattamano ishoti with fulfilled intentionsparipuṇṇasaṅkappo.
heSo with thattena by possessions, honor, and popularitylābhasakkārasilokena glorifies himselfattānukkaṁseti, othersparaṁ puts downvambheti:
I am‘ahamasmi possessing possessions, honor, and popularitylābhasakkārasilokavā, theseime but otherpanaññe mendicantsbhikkhū obscureappaññātā insignificantappesakkhā’ti.
by possessions, honor, and popularityLābhasakkārasilokena andca whichye otheraññe qualitiesdhammā higheruttaritarā andca finerpaṇītatarā andca of thosetesaṁ of qualitiesdhammānaṁ for realizationsacchikiriyāya notna enthusiasmchandaṁ generatesjaneti, notna triesvāyamati, lazy in behaviorolīnavuttiko andca ishoti slacksāthaliko.
just asSeyyathāpi thatso, brahminbrāhmaṇa, personpuriso needing heartwoodsāratthiko seeking heartwoodsāragavesī search for heartwoodsārapariyesanaṁ wanderingcaramāno of a greatmahato treerukkhassa standingtiṭṭhato possessing heartwoodsāravato having passed overatikkammeva the heartwoodsāraṁ having passed overatikkamma the softwoodphegguṁ having passed overatikkamma the barktacaṁ having passed overatikkamma the shootspapaṭikaṁ, branches and leavessākhāpalāsaṁ having cutchetvā having takenādāya departedpakkanto thinking "heartwood"‘sāran’ti imaginingmaññamāno.

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. …

and whatever for himYañcassa with the heartwoodsārena to be done with heartwoodsārakaraṇīyaṁ and that for himtañcassa the purposeatthaṁ he will not experiencenānubhavissati.
with such a simile, ITathūpamāhaṁ, brahminbrāhmaṇa, thisimaṁ individualpuggalaṁ I say.vadāmi.

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

hereIdha nowpana, brahminbrāhmaṇa, someekacco individualpuggalo out of faithsaddhā from the lay lifeagārasmā to homelessnessanagāriyaṁ gone forthpabbajito ishoti:
I am submerged‘otiṇṇomhi by birthjātiyā by old agejarāya by deathmaraṇena by sorrowssokehi by lamentationsparidevehi by painsdukkhehi by sadnessesdomanassehi by distressesupāyāsehi, submerged by sufferingdukkhotiṇṇo overcome by sufferingdukkhapareto,
if onlyappeva indeednāma of thisimassa wholekevalassa mass of sufferingdukkhakkhandhassa endingantakiriyā might be knownpaññāyethā’ti.
heSo thusevaṁ gone forthpabbajito beingsamāno possessions, honor, and popularitylābhasakkārasilokaṁ generatesabhinibbatteti.
heSo with thattena by possessions, honor, and popularitylābhasakkārasilokena notna happyattamano ishoti notna with fulfilled intentionparipuṇṇasaṅkappo.
heSo with thattena by possessions, honor, and popularitylābhasakkārasilokena notna glorifies himselfattānukkaṁseti, notna anotherparaṁ puts downvambheti.
by possessions, honor, and popularityLābhasakkārasilokena andca whichye otheraññe thingsdhammā higheruttaritarā andca finerpaṇītatarā andca of thosetesaṁ of thingsdhammānaṁ for realizationsacchikiriyāya enthusiasmchandaṁ generatesjaneti, triesvāyamati, not slackanolīnavuttiko andca ishoti not deceitfulasāthaliko.
heSo accomplishment in ethicssīlasampadaṁ achievesārādheti.
heSo with thattāya by accomplishment in ethicssīlasampadāya happyattamano ishoti, with fulfilled intentionparipuṇṇasaṅkappo.
heSo with thattāya by accomplishment in ethicssīlasampadāya glorifies himselfattānukkaṁseti, anotherparaṁ puts downvambheti:
I am‘ahamasmi ethicalsīlavā of good characterkalyāṇadhammo, theseime but otherpanaññe mendicantsbhikkhū unethicaldussīlā of bad characterpāpadhammā’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.’

regarding the accomplishment in ethicsSīlasampadāya andca those whichye otheraññe dhammasdhammā betteruttaritarā andca finerpaṇītatarā andca of thosetesaṁ dhammasdhammānaṁ for the realization ofsacchikiriyāya notna enthusiasmchandaṁ generatesjaneti, notna triesvāyamati, of lazy behaviorolīnavuttiko andca ishoti slacksāthaliko.
Just asSeyyathāpi thatso, brahminbrāhmaṇa, personpuriso needing heartwoodsāratthiko seeking heartwoodsāragavesī search for heartwoodsārapariyesanaṁ while wanderingcaramāno of a greatmahato treerukkhassa standingtiṭṭhato possessing heartwoodsāravato passing over justatikkammeva heartwoodsāraṁ passing overatikkamma softwoodphegguṁ passing overatikkamma barktacaṁ, shootspapaṭikaṁ having cutchetvā having takenādāya departedpakkanto 'heartwood'‘sāran’ti thinkingmaññamāno.
and whatever for himYañcassa with heartwoodsārena what should be done with heartwoodsārakaraṇīyaṁ, and that for himtañcassa benefitatthaṁ will not experiencenānubhavissati.
Of just such a kind, I sayTathūpamāhaṁ, brahminbrāhmaṇa, thisimaṁ personpuggalaṁ I sayvadāmi.

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.

hereIdha nowpana, brahminbrāhmaṇa, someekacco individualpuggalo out of faithsaddhā from the lay lifeagārasmā to homelessnessanagāriyaṁ gone forthpabbajito ishoti:
I am sunken‘otiṇṇomhi by birthjātiyā by agingjarāya by deathmaraṇena by sorrowssokehi by lamentationsparidevehi by painsdukkhehi by mental distressesdomanassehi by tribulationsupāyāsehi, sunken in sufferingdukkhotiṇṇo overcome by sufferingdukkhapareto,
perhapsappeva indeednāma of thisimassa entirekevalassa of the mass of sufferingdukkhakkhandhassa the making of an endantakiriyā might be discernedpaññāyethā’ti.
heSo thusevaṁ gone forthpabbajito beingsamāno gain, honor, and renownlābhasakkārasilokaṁ producesabhinibbatteti.
heSo by thattena by gain, honor, and renownlābhasakkārasilokena notna elatedattamano ishoti, notna of fulfilled intentionparipuṇṇasaṅkappo.
heSo by thattena by gain, honor, and renownlābhasakkārasilokena notna exalts himselfattānukkaṁseti, notna anotherparaṁ disparagesvambheti.
by gain, honor, and renownLābhasakkārasilokena andca whichye otheraññe statesdhammā higheruttaritarā andca more excellentpaṇītatarā andca of thosetesaṁ of statesdhammānaṁ for the realizationsacchikiriyāya desirechandaṁ generatesjaneti, strivesvāyamati, not indolentanolīnavuttiko andca ishoti not fraudulentasāthaliko.
heSo the accomplishment in ethicssīlasampadaṁ achievesārādheti.
heSo by thattāya by the accomplishment in ethicssīlasampadāya elatedattamano ishoti notno andca indeedkho of fulfilled intentionparipuṇṇasaṅkappo.
heSo by thattāya by the accomplishment in ethicssīlasampadāya notna exalts himselfattānukkaṁseti, notna anotherparaṁ disparagesvambheti.

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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