Suka Sutta:
Discourse concerning the awn of grains

AvijjaVagga, Magga Samyutta
Mahavagga Samyutta, Samyutta Nikaya, Suttanta Pitaka

        9. The Bhagava was staying at Savatthi ... (He said:) Bhikkhus, suppose the awns¹ of paddy or the awns of barley which were laid in a wrong manner² were pressed down by hand or tread upon by feet. It is not possible that the hand or the feet will be cut or split open by the awns and that blood will be drawn. And why is that so? It is because, Bhikkhus, the awns of the grains were laid in a wrong manner. Similarly, bhikkhus, it is not possible for a bhikkhu to break down ignorance, to cause knowledge to arise and to realize Nibbana (by holding a wrong view³ and developing a wrong path⁴). Why is that so? It is because, bhikkhus, he holds wrongly-directed view.

        Again, bhikkhus, suppose the awns of paddy or the awns of barley which were laid in a correct manner were pressed down by hand or tread upon by feet. It is possible that the hand or the feet will be cut or split upon by the awns and that blood will be drawn. And why is that so? It is because, bhikkhus, the awns of the grains were laid in a correct manner. Similarly bhikkhus, it is possible for a bhikkhu to break down ignorance, to cause knowledge to arise and to realize Nibbana (by holding a right view and developing a right path). Why is this so? it is because. bhikkhus, he holds rightly directed view.

        Bhikkhus, how does a bhikkhu break down ignorance, to cause knowledge to arise, and realize Nibbana (by holding a right view and developing a right path.) Bhikkhus, in this Teaching, the bhikkhu develops Right View that is directed to detachment from defilements, to absence of defilements, to cessation of defilements and that promotes and develops uprooting of defilements and speedy realization of Nibbana ... p... develops Right concentration that is directed to detachment from defilements, to absence of defilements, to cessation of defilement and that promotes and develops uprooting of defilements and speedy realization of Nibbana. In this manner, bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu breaks down ignorance, causes knowledge to arise and realizes Nibbana (by holding a right view and developing a right path.)

        1. awns of paddy: Suka: stiff bristles at the top of grain-sheaths of paddy or barley etc.

        2. Laid in a wrong manner: Micchapanihita: panihita lit. means applied, directed, controlled. Laying the grain-sheaths with bristles pointing upwards is said to be the correct way of laying them; to keep them lying down horizontally on the ground is the wrong way.

        3. wrong view: micchapanihitaya ditthiya: Lit,wrongly directed view.

        4. developing wrong path: micchapanihita magga: lit, wrongly directed path.

End of the Soka Sutta,
the ninth in this Vagga.