SN50:55–66 The Rivers—Slanting
- © Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi. (More copyright information)
1"Bhikkhus, just as the river Ganges slants, slopes, and inclines towards the east, sn.v.252 so too a bhikkhu who develops and cultivates the five powers slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna.
"And how, bhikkhus, does a bhikkhu develop and cultivate the five powers so that he slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna?
Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu develops the power of faith,
which has as its final goal the removal of lust, the removal of hatred, the removal of delusion.
Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu develops the power of faith,
- which is based upon seclusion, dispassion, and cessation, maturing in release;
- which has as its final goal the removal of lust, the removal of hatred, the removal of delusion;
- which has the Deathless as its ground, the Deathless as its destination, the Deathless as its final goal;
- which slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna.
He develops the power of energy,
- which is based upon seclusion, dispassion, and cessation, maturing in release;
- which has as its final goal the removal of lust, the removal of hatred, the removal of delusion;
- which has the Deathless as its ground, the Deathless as its destination, the Deathless as its final goal;
- which slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna.
He develops the power of mindfulness,
- which is based upon seclusion, dispassion, and cessation, maturing in release;
- which has as its final goal the removal of lust, the removal of hatred, the removal of delusion;
- which has the Deathless as its ground, the Deathless as its destination, the Deathless as its final goal;
- which slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna.
He develops the power of concentration,
- which is based upon seclusion, dispassion, and cessation, maturing in release;
- which has as its final goal the removal of lust, the removal of hatred, the removal of delusion;
- which has the Deathless as its ground, the Deathless as its destination, the Deathless as its final goal;
- which slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna.
He develops the power of wisdom,
- which is based upon seclusion, dispassion, and cessation, maturing in release;
- which has as its final goal the removal of lust, the removal of hatred, the removal of delusion;
- which has the Deathless as its ground, the Deathless as its destination, the Deathless as its final goal;
- which slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna.
"It is in this way, bhikkhus, that a bhikkhu develops and cultivates the five powers so that he slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna."
Removal of Lust Version: In this digital edition, the vagga is fully elaborated with all variations at SN50:1-12
2Six about slanting to the east
And six about slanting to the ocean.
These two sixes make up twelve:
Thus the subchapter is recited.
1"Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, gaṅgā nadī pācīnaninnā pācīnapoṇā pācīnapabbhārā; evameva kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu pañca balāni bhāvento pañca balāni bahulīkaronto nibbānaninno hoti nibbānapoṇo nibbānapabbhāro.
Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu pañca balāni bhāvento pañca balāni bahulīkaronto nibbānaninno hoti nibbānapoṇo nibbānapabbhāro?
Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu, saddhābalaṁ bhāveti rāgavinayapariyosānaṁ dosavinayapariyosānaṁ mohavinayapariyosānaṁ …
… evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu pañca balāni bhāvento pañca balāni bahulīkaronto nibbānaninno hoti nibbānapoṇo nibbānapabbhāro"ti.
Vitthāretabbā.
Dvādasamaṁ.
Gaṅgāpeyyālavaggo chaṭṭho.
2Cha pācīnato ninnā,
cha ninnā ca samuddato;
Dvete cha dvādasa honti,
vaggo tena pavuccatīti.
