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Buddhism

Ud 8:2 · Unbinding (2) (Nibbāna Sutta)

Thai temple painting: Prince Vessantara gives away the white elephant
Vessantara Jātaka, Chapter 2 (Himavanta Forest) · Thai, Rattanakosin, c. 1850–1870 · Walters Art Museum

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Sāvatthī at Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. And on that occasion the Blessed One was instructing, urging, rousing, & encouraging the monks with Dhamma-talk concerned with unbinding. The monks–receptive, attentive, focusing their entire awareness, lending ear–listened to the Dhamma.

Then, on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One on that occasion exclaimed:

It’s hard to see the unaffected,

for the truth is not easily seen.

Craving is pierced

in one who knows;

for one who sees,

there is nothing.1

Note

1. This last phrase can also be translated, “One who sees has nothing.”


Translated by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu. © 2014 / rev. 2017 Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu — released under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 licence, for free distribution only. Source: dhammatalks.org (Metta Forest Monastery).

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