A Spike (SN45.9)

Linked Discourses 45.9

1. Ignorance

A Spike

At Sāvatthī.

“Mendicants, suppose a spike of rice or barley was pointing the wrong way. If you trod on it with hand or foot, it is impossible for it to break the skin and produce blood.

Why is that?

Because the spike is pointing the wrong way.

In the same way, a mendicant whose view and development of the path is pointing the wrong way cannot break ignorance, produce knowledge, and realize extinguishment.

Why is that?

Because their view is pointing the wrong way.

Suppose a spike of rice or barley was pointing the right way. If you trod on it with hand or foot, it’s possible it may break the skin and produce blood.

Why is that?

Because the spike is pointing the right way.

In the same way, a mendicant whose view and development of the path is pointing the right way may well break ignorance, produce knowledge, and realize extinguishment.

Why is that?

Because their view is pointing the right way.

And how does a mendicant whose view and development of the path is pointing the right way break ignorance, give rise to knowledge, and realize extinguishment?

It’s when a mendicant develops right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion, which rely on seclusion, fading away, and cessation, and ripen as letting go.

That’s how a mendicant whose view and development of the path is pointing the right way breaks ignorance, gives rise to knowledge, and realizes extinguishment.”