A plan to post one sutta turned into three . Hoping the result is still useful for a single study session. A pair of short suttas from the Sacca Saṁyutta with a portion of MN 117 (and a few notes) sandwiched in between.
(There was single note from the translator from SN 56.37 regarding an agreement between Roman and Sinhalese scripts; there are none for 56.44.)
Enjoy.
Paṭhamasūriyasutta (The Sun) SN 56.37 (SN v 442)
Translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi
- Bhikkhus, this is the forerunner and precursor of the rising of the sun, that is, the dawn. So too, bhikkhus, for a bhikkhu this is the forerunner and precursor of the breakthrough to the Four Noble Truths as the really are, that is, right view. It is to be expected that a bhikkhu with right view will understand as it really is: ‘This is suffering.’… ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’
Therefore, bhikkhus, an exertion should be made to understand: ‘This is suffering.’ An exertion should be made to understand: ‘This is the origin of suffering.’ An exertion should be made to understand: ‘This is the cessation of suffering.’ An exertion should be made to understand: ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’
- End of SN 56.37
Notes:
MN 117
I found the above in MN 117 to be a good companion to the description in SN 56.37 of Right View as both “forerunner” (pubbaṅgamaṁ) and “precursor” (pubbanimittaṁ) to the breakthrough to the four noble truths....
Therein, bhikkhus, right view comes first. And how does right view come first? One understands wrong view as wrong view and right view as right view: this is one’s right view.
...
One makes an effort to abandon wrong view and to enter upon right view: this is one’s right effort. Mindfully one abandons wrong view, mindfully one enters upon and abides in right view: this is one’s right mindfulness. Thus these three states run and circle around right view, that is, right view, right effort, and right mindfulness.
A similar notion is expressed below in SN 56.44; the breakthrough to the 4NT serving as a basis to the a complete end of suffering; the arrangement is clarified by comparing the relationship to that of a first floor being the basis of a second.
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Kūṭāgārasutta (Peaked House) SN 56.44 (SN v 452)
Translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi
- “Bhikkhus, if anyone should speak thus: ‘Without having made the breakthrough to the noble truth of suffering as it really is, without having made the breakthrough to the noble truth of the origin of suffering as it really is, without having made the breakthrough to the noble truth of the cessation of suffering as it really is, without having made the breakthrough to the noble truth of the way leading to the cessation of suffering as it really is, I will completely make an end to suffering’—this is impossible.
“Just as, bhikkhus, if anyone should speak thus, ‘Without having built the lower storey of a peaked house, I will erect the upper storey,’ this would be impossible; so too, if anyone should speak thus: ‘Without having made the breakthrough to the noble truth of suffering as it really is… I will completely make an end to suffering’—this is impossible.
“But, bhikkhus, if anyone should speak thus: ‘Having made the breakthrough to the noble truth of suffering as it really is, having made the breakthrough to the noble truth of the origin of suffering as it really is, having made the breakthrough to the noble truth of the cessation of suffering as it really is, having made the breakthrough to the noble truth of the way leading to the cessation of suffering as it really is, I will completely make an end to suffering’—this is possible.
“Just as, bhikkhus, if anyone should speak thus: ‘Having built the lower storey of a peaked house, I will erect the upper storey,’ this would be possible; so too, if anyone should speak thus: ‘Having made the breakthrough to the noble truth of suffering as it really is… I will completely make an end to suffering’—this is possible.
“Therefore, bhikkhus, an exertion should be made to understand: ‘This is suffering.’ An exertion should be made to understand: ‘This is the origin of suffering.’ An exertion should be made to understand: ‘This is the cessation of suffering.’ An exertion should be made to understand: ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.”- End SN 56.44