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Majjhima Nikāya 30

Cūḷasāropamasutta

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

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thusEvaṁ by meme heardsutaṁ—
oneekaṁ timesamayaṁ the Blessed Onebhagavā near Sāvatthīsāvatthiyaṁ staysviharati in Jeta's Grovejetavane of Anāthapiṇḍikaanāthapiṇḍikassa in the monasteryārāme.

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

thenAtha indeedkho Piṅgalakocchapiṅgalakoccho brahminbrāhmaṇo whereyena the Blessed Onebhagavā approached him theretenupasaṅkami; having approachedupasaṅkamitvā with the Blessed Onebhagavatā together withsaddhiṁ exchanged greetingssammodi.
greetingSammodanīyaṁ conversationkathaṁ politesāraṇīyaṁ having exchangedvītisāretvā to one sideekamantaṁ sat downnisīdi. to one sideEkamantaṁ seatednisinno indeedkho Piṅgalakocchapiṅgalakoccho brahminbrāhmaṇo to the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ said thisetadavoca:
those who“yeme, worthybho Gotamagotama, ascetics and brahminssamaṇabrāhmaṇā leading an ordersaṅghino leading a communitygaṇino community teachersgaṇācariyā well-knownñātā famousyasassino religious founderstitthakarā deemed holysādhusammatā, by many peoplebahujanassa,
namely Pūraṇaseyyathidaṁ—pūraṇo Kassapakassapo, Makkhalimakkhali Gosālagosālo, Ajitaajito of the hair blanketkesakambalo, Pakudhapakudho Kaccāyanakaccāyano, Sañjayasañcayo Belaṭṭhiputtabelaṭṭhaputto, Jain asceticnigaṇṭho of the Ñātika clannāṭaputto,
all thesesabbete by their ownsakāya according to claimspaṭiññāya had direct knowledgeabbhaññaṁsu all indeedsabbeva did not have direct knowledgenābbhaññaṁsu, orudāhu someekacce had direct knowledgeabbhaññaṁsu someekacce did not have direct knowledgenābbhaññaṁsū”ti?
enough“Alaṁ, brahminbrāhmaṇa, let this betiṭṭhatetaṁ—
all thesesabbete by their ownsakāya according to claimspaṭiññāya had direct knowledgeabbhaññaṁsu all indeedsabbeva did not have direct knowledgenābbhaññaṁsu, orudāhu someekacce had direct knowledgeabbhaññaṁsu someekacce did not have direct knowledgenābbhaññaṁsūti.
the DhammaDhammaṁ to youte, brahminbrāhmaṇa, I will teachdesessāmi,
ittaṁ listensuṇāhi, wellsādhukaṁ in the mindmanasi applykarohi, I will speakbhāsissāmī”ti.
yes“Evaṁ, quotebho”ti indeedkho Piṅgalakocchapiṅgalakoccho brahminbrāhmaṇo to the Blessed Onebhagavato repliedpaccassosi.
the Blessed OneBhagavā said thisetadavoca:

Then the brahmin Piṅgalakoccha went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to the Buddha: “Worthy Gotama, there are those ascetics and brahmins who lead an order and a community, and tutor a community. They’re well-known and famous religious founders, deemed holy by many people. Namely: Pūraṇa Kassapa, the bamboo-staffed ascetic Gosāla, Ajita of the hair blanket, Pakudha Kaccāyana, Sañjaya Belaṭṭhiputta, and the Jain ascetic of the Ñātika clan. According to their own claims, did all of them have direct knowledge, or none of them, or only some?” “Enough, brahmin, let this be: ‘According to their own claims, did all of them have direct knowledge, or none of them, or only some?’ I will teach you the Dhamma. Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.” “Yes, worthy sir,” Piṅgalakoccha replied. The Buddha said this:

just as“Seyyathāpi, brahminbrāhmaṇa, a personpuriso needing heartwoodsāratthiko seeking heartwoodsāragavesī search for heartwoodsārapariyesanaṁ wanderingcaramāno largemahato tree'srukkhassa standingtiṭṭhato with heartwoodsāravato passing over indeedatikkammeva heartwoodsāraṁ passing overatikkamma softwoodphegguṁ passing overatikkamma barktacaṁ passing overatikkamma shootspapaṭikaṁ, branches and leavessākhāpalāsaṁ having cut offchetvā having takenādāya would departpakkameyya “heartwood” thus‘sāran’ti imaginingmaññamāno.
this himTamenaṁ with eyescakkhumā a personpuriso having seendisvā thusevaṁ would sayvadeyya:
not‘na indeed thisvatāyaṁ gentlemanbhavaṁ personpuriso knewaññāsi heartwoodsāraṁ, notna knewaññāsi softwoodphegguṁ, notna knewaññāsi barktacaṁ, notna knewaññāsi shootspapaṭikaṁ, notna knewaññāsi branches and leavessākhāpalāsaṁ.
thusTathā surely thishayaṁ gentlemanbhavaṁ personpuriso needing heartwoodsāratthiko seeking heartwoodsāragavesī search for heartwoodsārapariyesanaṁ wanderingcaramāno largemahato tree'srukkhassa standingtiṭṭhato with heartwoodsāravato passing over indeedatikkammeva heartwoodsāraṁ passing overatikkamma softwoodphegguṁ passing overatikkamma barktacaṁ passing overatikkamma shootspapaṭikaṁ, branches and leavessākhāpalāsaṁ having cut offchetvā having takenādāya departedpakkanto "heartwood" thus“sāran”ti imaginingmaññamāno.
and for him whateverYañcassa with heartwoodsārena to be done with heartwoodsārakaraṇīyaṁ and for him thattañcassa the purposeatthaṁ he will not succeednānubhavissatī’ti.

“Suppose there was a person in need of heartwood. And while wandering in search of heartwood he’d come across a large tree standing with heartwood. But, passing over the heartwood, softwood, bark, and shoots, he’d cut off the branches and leaves and leave imagining they were heartwood. If a person with clear eyes saw him they’d say: ‘This gentleman doesn’t know what heartwood, softwood, bark, shoots, or branches and leaves are. That’s why he passed them over, cut off the branches and leaves, and left imagining they were heartwood. Whatever he needs to make from heartwood, he won’t succeed.’

supposeSeyyathāpi orvā thenpana, brahminbrāhmaṇa, a personpuriso needing heartwoodsāratthiko seeking heartwoodsāragavesī search for heartwoodsārapariyesanaṁ wanderingcaramāno greatmahato treerukkhassa standingtiṭṭhato possessing heartwoodsāravato passing overatikkammeva heartwoodsāraṁ passing overatikkamma softwoodphegguṁ passing overatikkamma barktacaṁ, shootspapaṭikaṁ having cut offchetvā having takenādāya would leavepakkameyya 'heartwood'‘sāran’ti imaginingmaññamāno.
himTamenaṁ with eyescakkhumā personpuriso having seendisvā thusevaṁ would sayvadeyya:
not‘na indeed thisvatāyaṁ venerablebhavaṁ personpuriso did not knowaññāsi heartwoodsāraṁ, notna did not knowaññāsi softwoodphegguṁ, notna did not knowaññāsi barktacaṁ, notna did not knowaññāsi shootspapaṭikaṁ, notna did not knowaññāsi branches and leavessākhāpalāsaṁ.
soTathā indeed thishayaṁ venerablebhavaṁ personpuriso needing heartwoodsāratthiko seeking heartwoodsāragavesī search for heartwoodsārapariyesanaṁ wanderingcaramāno greatmahato treerukkhassa standingtiṭṭhato possessing heartwoodsāravato passing overatikkammeva heartwoodsāraṁ passing overatikkamma softwoodphegguṁ passing overatikkamma barktacaṁ shootspapaṭikaṁ having cut offchetvā having takenādāya leftpakkanto 'heartwood'“sāran”ti imaginingmaññamāno.
what for himYañcassa with heartwoodsārena to be done with heartwoodsārakaraṇīyaṁ that for himtañcassa benefitatthaṁ will not experiencenānubhavissatī’ti.

Suppose there was another person in need of heartwood … he’d cut off the shoots and leave imagining they were heartwood …

just asSeyyathāpi orvā furthermorepana, brahminbrāhmaṇa, a personpuriso needing heartwoodsāratthiko seeking heartwoodsāragavesī search for heartwoodsārapariyesanaṁ wanderingcaramāno of a greatmahato treerukkhassa standingtiṭṭhato possessing heartwoodsāravato having passed over justatikkammeva the heartwoodsāraṁ having passed overatikkamma the softwoodphegguṁ, the barktacaṁ having cut offchetvā having takenādāya might departpakkameyya quotation marker: heartwood‘sāran’ti imaginingmaññamāno.
himTamenaṁ one with eyescakkhumā a personpuriso having seendisvā thusevaṁ might sayvadeyya:
not‘na indeed thisvatāyaṁ venerablebhavaṁ personpuriso knewaññāsi the heartwoodsāraṁ, notna knewaññāsi the softwoodphegguṁ, notna knewaññāsi the barktacaṁ, notna knewaññāsi the shootspapaṭikaṁ, notna knewaññāsi branches and leavessākhāpalāsaṁ.
soTathā indeed thishayaṁ venerablebhavaṁ personpuriso needing heartwoodsāratthiko seeking heartwoodsāragavesī search for heartwoodsārapariyesanaṁ wanderingcaramāno of a greatmahato treerukkhassa standingtiṭṭhato possessing heartwoodsāravato having passed over justatikkammeva the heartwoodsāraṁ having passed overatikkamma the softwoodphegguṁ, the barktacaṁ having cut offchetvā having takenādāya departedpakkanto quotation marker: heartwood“sāran”ti imaginingmaññamāno.
and what for himYañcassa with heartwoodsārena to be done with heartwoodsārakaraṇīyaṁ and that for himtañcassa the purposeatthaṁ will not experiencenānubhavissatī’ti.

Suppose there was another person in need of heartwood … he’d cut off the bark and leave imagining it was heartwood …

just asSeyyathāpi orvā indeedpana, brahminbrāhmaṇa, a personpuriso needing heartwoodsāratthiko seeking heartwoodsāragavesī search for heartwoodsārapariyesanaṁ wanderingcaramāno of a greatmahato treerukkhassa standingtiṭṭhato possessing heartwoodsāravato passing over the heartwoodatikkammeva the heartwoodsāraṁ, the softwoodphegguṁ having cutchetvā having takenādāya would departpakkameyya thinking 'it is heartwood'‘sāran’ti imaginingmaññamāno.
himTamenaṁ with eyescakkhumā a personpuriso having seendisvā thusevaṁ would sayvadeyya:
not‘na indeed thisvatāyaṁ goodbhavaṁ personpuriso knewaññāsi the heartwoodsāraṁ, notna knewaññāsi the softwoodphegguṁ, notna knewaññāsi the barktacaṁ, notna knewaññāsi the outer barkpapaṭikaṁ, notna knewaññāsi branches and leavessākhāpalāsaṁ.
soTathā indeed thishayaṁ goodbhavaṁ personpuriso needing heartwoodsāratthiko seeking heartwoodsāragavesī search for heartwoodsārapariyesanaṁ wanderingcaramāno of a greatmahato treerukkhassa standingtiṭṭhato possessing heartwoodsāravato passing over the heartwoodatikkammeva the heartwoodsāraṁ, the softwoodphegguṁ having cutchetvā having takenādāya departedpakkanto thinking 'it is heartwood'“sāran”ti imaginingmaññamāno.
and what for himYañcassa with heartwoodsārena to be done with heartwoodsārakaraṇīyaṁ and that for himtañcassa the purposeatthaṁ will not experiencenānubhavissatī’ti.

Suppose there was another person in need of heartwood … he’d cut out the softwood and leave imagining it was heartwood …

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