Difference between revisions of "Desanaa Sutta"
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| − | Desanaa Sutta: Teaching | + | {{DisplayImages|58}} |
| + | {{Centre|{{Big2x|Desanaa Sutta: Teaching}}<br/> | ||
| + | translated from the [[Pali]] by<br/> | ||
| + | Maurice O'Connell Walshe}}<br/> | ||
| − | + | [At [[Naalandaa]] the village headman Asibandhakaputta asks the [[Buddha]]:] "Does not the [[Blessed One]] dwell in [[compassion]] for all [[living beings]]?" | |
| − | + | "Indeed, headman, the [[Tathaagata]] does dwell in [[compassion]] for all [[living beings]]." | |
| − | [ | + | "Well then, [[Lord]], does not the [[Blessed One]] teach [[Dhamma]] in full[1] to some, but not so fully to others?" |
| − | " | + | "I will reply to this question, headman, with another. Answer as seems proper to you. What do you think? Suppose a {{Wiki|peasant farmer}} has three fields, one {{Wiki|excellent}}, one middling, and one poor, sandy, [[salty]], with bad soil. Tell me: when the farmer wants to sow his seed, which field would he sow first: the {{Wiki|excellent}} one, the middling one or the poor one that is sandy, [[salty]] and with bad soil?" |
| − | " | + | "[[Lord]], the farmer who wanted to sow his seed would sow the {{Wiki|excellent}} field first. Having done that, he would sow the middling field next, and the one that was poor, sandy, [[salty]], with bad soil he might or might not sow. Why? Well it might do for cattle-food." |
| − | " | + | "Well, headman, that {{Wiki|excellent}} field is like my [[monks and nuns]]. To them I teach the [[Dhamma]] which is lovely in its beginning, lovely in its middle and lovely in its ending, in [[spirit]] and in [[letter]],[2] I display to them the {{Wiki|holy}} [[life]], perfectly fulfilled and [[purified]]. Why? Because these [[people]] adhere to me as their [[island]], their [[shelter]], their resort, their [[refuge]]. |
| − | " | + | "The middling field is like my {{Wiki|male}} and {{Wiki|female}} lay-followers. To these too I teach the [[Dhamma]] which is lovely in its beginning, lovely in its middle and lovely in its ending, in [[spirit]] and in [[letter]], I display to them the {{Wiki|holy}} [[life]], perfectly fulfilled and [[purified]]. Why? Because these [[people]] adhere to me as their [[island]], their [[shelter]], their resort, their [[refuge]]. |
| − | + | "The poor field that is sandy, [[salty]] and with bad soil is like my wandering recluses and [[Brahmans]] of other sects.[3] To them I also teach the [[Dhamma]] which is lovely in its beginning, lovely in its middle and lovely in its ending, in [[spirit]] and in [[letter]], I display to them the {{Wiki|holy}} [[life]], perfectly fulfilled and [[purified]]. Why? Because if they only understand a single [[phrase]], it would long be for their profit." | |
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| − | "The poor field that is sandy, salty and with bad soil is like my wandering recluses and Brahmans of other sects.[3] To them I also teach the Dhamma which is lovely in its beginning, lovely in its middle and lovely in its ending, in spirit and in letter, I display to them the holy life, perfectly fulfilled and purified. Why? Because if they only understand a single phrase, it would long be for their profit." | ||
==Notes== | ==Notes== | ||
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1. Sakkacca.m: "carefully, thoroughly." | 1. Sakkacca.m: "carefully, thoroughly." | ||
| − | 2. Saattha.m (= sa-attha.m) savyañjana.m "with its meaning and (detailed) characteristics": vyañjana also means "letter (of alphabet)" or "syllable": in a syllabic script these are overlapping concepts. | + | 2. Saattha.m (= sa-attha.m) savyañjana.m "with its meaning and (detailed) {{Wiki|characteristics}}": [[vyañjana]] also means "[[letter]] (of [[alphabet]])" or "{{Wiki|syllable}}": in a syllabic [[script]] these are overlapping [[Wikipedia:concept|concepts]]. |
3. As Woodward points out, mayha.m "my" is repeated here, "possibly for the sake of framework" (i.e., as a mechanical repetition, as apparently in SN 35.133: see n. 2). | 3. As Woodward points out, mayha.m "my" is repeated here, "possibly for the sake of framework" (i.e., as a mechanical repetition, as apparently in SN 35.133: see n. 2). | ||
| − | [[Category: | + | {{R}} |
| + | [http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=Category:Samyutta_Nikaya dhammawiki.com] | ||
| + | [[Category:Saṃyutta Nikāya]] | ||
Latest revision as of 07:14, 9 March 2015
Desanaa Sutta: Teaching
translated from the Pali by
Maurice O'Connell Walshe
[At Naalandaa the village headman Asibandhakaputta asks the Buddha:] "Does not the Blessed One dwell in compassion for all living beings?"
"Indeed, headman, the Tathaagata does dwell in compassion for all living beings."
"Well then, Lord, does not the Blessed One teach Dhamma in full[1] to some, but not so fully to others?"
"I will reply to this question, headman, with another. Answer as seems proper to you. What do you think? Suppose a peasant farmer has three fields, one excellent, one middling, and one poor, sandy, salty, with bad soil. Tell me: when the farmer wants to sow his seed, which field would he sow first: the excellent one, the middling one or the poor one that is sandy, salty and with bad soil?"
"Lord, the farmer who wanted to sow his seed would sow the excellent field first. Having done that, he would sow the middling field next, and the one that was poor, sandy, salty, with bad soil he might or might not sow. Why? Well it might do for cattle-food."
"Well, headman, that excellent field is like my monks and nuns. To them I teach the Dhamma which is lovely in its beginning, lovely in its middle and lovely in its ending, in spirit and in letter,[2] I display to them the holy life, perfectly fulfilled and purified. Why? Because these people adhere to me as their island, their shelter, their resort, their refuge.
"The middling field is like my male and female lay-followers. To these too I teach the Dhamma which is lovely in its beginning, lovely in its middle and lovely in its ending, in spirit and in letter, I display to them the holy life, perfectly fulfilled and purified. Why? Because these people adhere to me as their island, their shelter, their resort, their refuge.
"The poor field that is sandy, salty and with bad soil is like my wandering recluses and Brahmans of other sects.[3] To them I also teach the Dhamma which is lovely in its beginning, lovely in its middle and lovely in its ending, in spirit and in letter, I display to them the holy life, perfectly fulfilled and purified. Why? Because if they only understand a single phrase, it would long be for their profit."
Notes
1. Sakkacca.m: "carefully, thoroughly."
2. Saattha.m (= sa-attha.m) savyañjana.m "with its meaning and (detailed) characteristics": vyañjana also means "letter (of alphabet)" or "syllable": in a syllabic script these are overlapping concepts.
3. As Woodward points out, mayha.m "my" is repeated here, "possibly for the sake of framework" (i.e., as a mechanical repetition, as apparently in SN 35.133: see n. 2).
