sn.45.9 Saṁyutta Nikāya (Linked Discourses)

The Spike

At Savatthī. “Bhikkhus, suppose a spike of rice or a spike of barley were wrongly directed and were pressed upon by the hand or the foot. That it could pierce the hand or the foot and draw blood: this is impossible. For what reason? Because the spike is wrongly directed. So too, bhikkhus, that a bhikkhu with a wrongly directed view, with a wrongly directed development of the path, could pierce ignorance, arouse true knowledge, and realize Nibbāna: this is impossible. For what reason? Because his view is wrongly directed.

“Bhikkhus, suppose a spike of rice or a spike of barley were rightly directed and were pressed upon by the hand or the foot. That it could pierce the hand or the foot and draw blood: this is possible. For what reason? Because the spike is rightly directed. So too, bhikkhus, that a bhikkhu with a rightly directed view, with a rightly directed development of the path, could pierce ignorance, arouse true knowledge, and realize Nibbāna: this is possible. For what reason? Because his view is rightly directed.

“And how does a bhikkhu do so? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu develops right view, which is based upon seclusion, dispassion, and cessation, maturing in release. He develops … right concentration, which is based upon seclusion, dispassion, and cessation, maturing in release.

“It is in this way, bhikkhus, that a bhikkhu with a rightly directed view, with a rightly directed development of the path, pierces ignorance, arouses true knowledge, and realizes Nibbāna.”

- Translator: Bhikkhu Bodhi

- Editor: Blake Walsh

A Spike

Why is that?
Because their view is pointing the wrong way.
At Sāvatthī.
“Mendicants, suppose a spike of rice or barley was pointing the wrong way. If you trod on it with hand or foot, there’s no way it could 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.
Suppose a spike of rice or barley was pointing the right way. If you trod on it with hand or foot, it may well 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 thought, 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.”