56.16. Remembrance (2) (SN56.16)

“Bhikkhus, do you remember the Four Noble Truths taught by me?”

When this was said, a certain bhikkhu said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, I remember the Four Noble Truths taught by the Blessed One.”

“But how, bhikkhu, do you remember the Four Noble Truths taught by me?”

“I remember suffering, venerable sir, as the first noble truth taught by the Blessed One. For if any ascetic or brahmin should speak thus: ‘This is not the first noble truth of suffering taught by the ascetic Gotama; having rejected this first noble truth of suffering, I will make known another first noble truth of suffering’—this is impossible.

“I remember the origin of suffering as the second noble truth taught by the Blessed One…. I remember the cessation of suffering as the third noble truth taught by the Blessed One…. I remember the way leading to the cessation of suffering as the fourth noble truth taught by the Blessed One. For if any ascetic or brahmin should speak thus: ‘This is not the fourth noble truth of the way leading to the cessation of suffering taught by the ascetic Gotama; having rejected this fourth noble truth of the way leading to the cessation of suffering, I will make known another fourth noble truth of the way leading to the cessation of suffering’—this is impossible.

“It is in this way, venerable sir, that I remember the Four Noble Truths taught by the Blessed One.”

“Good, good, bhikkhu! It is good that you remember the Four Noble Truths taught by me. Suffering, bhikkhu, is the first noble truth taught by me: remember it thus. For if any ascetic or brahmin should speak thus … as above … ‘This is not the fourth noble truth of the way leading to the cessation of suffering taught by the ascetic Gotama; having rejected this fourth noble truth of the way leading to the cessation of suffering, I will make known another fourth noble truth of the way leading to the cessation of suffering’—this is impossible.

“In this way, bhikkhu, remember the Four Noble Truths taught by me.

“Therefore, bhikkhu, an exertion should be made to understand: ‘This is suffering.’… An exertion should be made to understand: ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’”

© Bhikkhu Bodhi, The Connected Discourses of the Buddha (Wisdom Publications, 2000)

This excerpt from The Connected Discourses of the Buddha by Bhikkhu Bodhi is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

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