Mahaparinibbanasuttam (DN 16) - Ancient Buddhist Texts

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[Dutiyabhāṇavāraṁ]
[The Second Chapter for Recitation]
[13: Cattāro Ariyasaccāni] 87
[The Four Noble Truths]
Atha kho Bhagavā āyasmantaṁ Ānandaṁ āmantesi:
Then the Gracious One addressed venerable Ānanda, (saying):
“Āyām’ Ānanda yena Koṭigāmo tenupasaṅkamissāmā.” ti
“Come Ānanda let us approach Koṭigāma.” 88
“Evaṁ Bhante,” ti kho āyasmā Ānando Bhagavato paccassosi.
“Very well, reverend Sir,” venerable Ānanda replied to the Gracious One.
Atha kho Bhagavā mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ yena Koṭigāmo tad-avasari.
Then the Gracious One together with a great Community of monks arrived at Koṭigāma.
Tatra sudaṁ Bhagavā Koṭigāme viharati.
There the Gracious One lived near Koṭigāma.
Tatra kho Bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:
There the Gracious One addressed the monks, (saying):
“Catunnaṁ bhikkhave Ariyasaccānaṁ ananubodhā appaṭivedhā
“Because of a lack of understanding and a lack of penetration, monks, of Four Noble
Truths 89
evam-idaṁ dīgham-addhānaṁ sandhāvitaṁ saṁsaritaṁ mamañ-ceva tumhākañ-ca.
both you and I have been wandering and running along (in Saṁsāra) for a long time.
Katamesaṁ catunnaṁ?
Which four?
Dukkhassa bhikkhave Ariyasaccassa ananubodhā appaṭivedhā
Because of a lack of understanding and a lack of penetration, monks, of the Noble Truth
of Suffering
87 cf. Paṭhamakoṭigāmasuttaṁ (SN 56:21), Bessajjakkhandhakaṁ: Koṭigāme saccakathā, Vin.
Mhv. 1.230-231.
88 Koṭigāma literally means the village at the corner, explained by the Commentary as meaning
at the corner of a palace built by Mahāpanāda, a former king of Mithilā.
89 The Commentarial definition here is worth noting: Ariyasaccānan-ti Ariyabhāvakarānaṁ
saccānaṁ; Noble Truths means Truths that produce a state of Nobility. Maybe we should
translate: Four Ennobling Truths.
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