Venerable Sāriputta teaches the wanderer Sāmaṇḍaka that going forth, contentment after going forth, and practicing in line with the teaching are each hard to do—but one who practices accordingly need not take long to become a perfected one.
“Kiṁ nu kho, āvuso sāriputta, imasmiṁ dhammavinaye dukkaran”ti?
“Pabbajjā kho, āvuso, imasmiṁ dhammavinaye dukkarā”ti.
“Pabbajitena panāvuso, kiṁ dukkaran”ti?
“Pabbajitena kho, āvuso, abhirati dukkarā”ti.
“Abhiratena panāvuso, kiṁ dukkaran”ti?
“Abhiratena kho, āvuso, dhammānudhammappaṭipatti dukkarā”ti.
“Kīvaciraṁ panāvuso, dhammānudhammappaṭipanno bhikkhu arahaṁ assā”ti?
“Naciraṁ, āvuso”ti.
Soḷasamaṁ.
(Purimakasadisaṁ uddānaṁ.)
Sāmaṇḍakasaṁyuttaṁ samattaṁ.
Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).
“Kiṁ nu kho, āvuso sāriputta, imasmiṁ dhammavinaye dukkaran”ti?
“Reverend Sāriputta, in this teaching and training, what is hard to do?”
“Pabbajjā kho, āvuso, imasmiṁ dhammavinaye dukkarā”ti.
“Going forth, reverend, is hard to do in this teaching and training.”
“Pabbajitena panāvuso, kiṁ dukkaran”ti?
“But what’s hard to do for someone who has gone forth?”
“Pabbajitena kho, āvuso, abhirati dukkarā”ti.
“When you’ve gone forth it’s hard to be satisfied.”
“Abhiratena panāvuso, kiṁ dukkaran”ti?
“But what’s hard to do for someone who is satisfied?”
“Abhiratena kho, āvuso, dhammānudhammappaṭipatti dukkarā”ti.
“When you’re satisfied, it’s hard to practice in line with the teaching.”
“Kīvaciraṁ panāvuso, dhammānudhammappaṭipanno bhikkhu arahaṁ assā”ti?
“But if a mendicant practices in line with the teaching, will it take them long to become a perfected one?”
“Naciraṁ, āvuso”ti.
“Not long, reverend.”
Soḷasamaṁ.
(Purimakasadisaṁ uddānaṁ.)
Sāmaṇḍakasaṁyuttaṁ samattaṁ.
The Linked Discourses with Sāmaṇḍaka are complete.
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Last updated on July 27, 2026