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"Monks, for a young man of good family who seeks his own welfare, this is enough to approach. And why is that? Monks, this wandering-on (saṃsāra) is without a discernible beginning. A prior end is not known of spear-blows, sword-blows, arrow-blows, axe-blows. Even if it were so, Monks, I do not say, Monks, that the comprehension of the Four Noble Truths is with suffering, with displeasure. But rather, Monks, I say that the comprehension of the Four Noble Truths is with happiness, with joy. Which four? The Noble Truth of Suffering... ...the Noble Truth of the Path leading to the cessation of suffering." "Therefore, Monks, 'This is suffering' — effort should be made... ... 'This is the path leading to the cessation of suffering' — effort should be made." The Fifth. 6. The Creatures Sutta 1106. "Monks, suppose a man were to cut down all the grass, wood, branches, and leaves in this Rose-apple Continent, and gather them into one pile. Having gathered them into one pile, he would make stakes. Having made stakes, he would impale the large creatures in the great ocean on the large stakes. He would impale the medium creatures in the great ocean on the medium stakes. He would impale the small creatures in the great ocean on the small stakes. Yet, Monks, the gross creatures in the great ocean would not be exhausted." "Then, in this Rose-apple Continent, the grass, wood, branches, and leaves would be exhausted..." Taking, one might go. More numerous than this, bhikkhus, are the tiny creatures in the great ocean, which are not easy to impale on spits. For what reason? Because of the minuteness, bhikkhus, of their existence. So great, bhikkhus, is the lower realm. From such a great lower realm, bhikkhus, a person endowed with right view, being freed, knows as it truly is: 'This is suffering,' ...and so on... knows as it truly is: 'This is the path leading to the cessation of suffering.' Therefore, bhikkhus, 'This is suffering'— effort should be made... ...and so on... 'This is the path leading to the cessation of suffering'— effort should be made. The Sixth. 7. The First Discourse on the Sun 1107. Bhikkhus, for the rising of the sun, this is the forerunner, this is the prior sign, namely, the dawn. Even so, bhikkhus, for a bhikkhu's direct comprehension of the Four Noble Truths as they truly are, this is the forerunner, this is the prior sign, namely, right view. For that bhikkhu, bhikkhus, this is to be expected: he will know as it truly is: 'This is suffering,' ...and so on... he will know as it truly is: 'This is the path leading to the cessation of suffering.' Therefore, bhikkhus, 'This is suffering'— effort should be made... ...and so on... 'This is the path leading to the cessation of suffering'— effort should be made. The Seventh. 8. The Second Discourse on the Sun 1108. As long as, bhikkhus, the moon and sun do not arise in the world, so long there is no appearance of great light, of great radiance. Then there is utter darkness, a blinding gloom. So long, days and nights are not discerned, months and half-months are not discerned, seasons and years are not discerned. But when, bhikkhus, the moon and sun arise in the world, then there is the appearance of great light, of great radiance. Then there is neither utter darkness nor blinding gloom. Then days and nights are discerned, months and half-months are discerned, seasons and years are discerned. They are known. Just so, bhikkhus, as long as the Tathagata does not arise in the world, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, so long there is no manifestation of great light, no great radiance. Then there is blind darkness, a dark gloom. So long there is no declaration of the Four Noble Truths, no teaching, no establishment, no opening up, no analysis, no making clear. But when, bhikkhus, the Tathagata arises in the world, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, then there is a manifestation of great light, a great radiance. Then there is no blind darkness, no dark gloom. Then there is a declaration of the Four Noble Truths, a teaching, an establishment, an opening up, an analysis, a making clear. Which four? The Noble Truth of Suffering... ...the Noble Truth of the path leading to the cessation of suffering. Therefore, bhikkhus, 'This is suffering'—effort should be made... ... 'This is the path leading to the cessation of suffering'—effort should be made. The Eighth. 9. The Indakhīla Sutta Whatever recluses or brahmins, bhikkhus, do not understand 'This is suffering' as it really is... ...do not understand 'This is the path leading to the cessation of suffering' as it really is, they look to the face of another recluse or brahmin— 'Surely this venerable one knows, seeing he sees.' Just as, bhikkhus, a tuft of cotton or a wisp of cotton, light and susceptible to wind, placed on a level ground. The east wind might carry it west, the west wind might carry it east, the north wind might carry it south, the south wind might carry it north. For what reason? Because of the lightness, bhikkhus, of the wisp of cotton. Just so, bhikkhus, whatever recluses or brahmins, do not understand 'This is suffering' as it really is... ...do not understand 'This is the path leading to the cessation of suffering' as it really is, They look at the face of another ascetic or brahmin, (thinking) 'Surely this venerable one knows, knowing; sees, seeing.' For what reason is that? Because, monks, the Four Noble Truths have not been seen. But whoever, monks, ascetics or brahmins, understand 'This is suffering' as it truly is... ...understand 'This is the path leading to the cessation of suffering' as it truly is, they do not look at the face of another ascetic or brahmin, (thinking) 'Surely this venerable one knows, knowing; sees, seeing.' Just as, monks, an iron post or a gatepost, with a deep foundation, well-driven in, immovable, unshakable. Even if a strong storm comes from the eastern direction, it would not waver, not tremble, not shake. Even if from the western direction... ...even if from the northern direction... ...even if from the southern direction a strong storm comes, it would not waver, not tremble, not shake. For what reason is that? Because, monks, of the deep foundation, of the well-driven-in gatepost. Even so, monks, whoever ascetics or brahmins understand 'This is suffering' as it truly is... ...understand 'This is the path leading to the cessation of suffering' as it truly is, they do not look at the face of another ascetic or brahmin, (thinking) 'Surely this venerable one knows, knowing; sees, seeing.' For what reason is that? Because, monks, the Four Noble Truths have been well-seen. Which four? The Noble Truth of Suffering... ...the Noble Truth of the path leading to the cessation of suffering. Therefore, monks, 'This is suffering'— effort should be made... ... 'This is the path leading to the cessation of suffering'— effort should be made. The Ninth. 10. The Discourse on the Argumentative. 1110. Whoever, monks, a bhikkhu, understands 'This is suffering' as it truly is... ... 'This is the path leading to the cessation of suffering'... he understands 'it has been given' as it really is. Even if from the eastern direction a recluse or a brahmin a debater, seeking debate, should come, thinking: 'I will impose a debate on him,' that he would shake him, or make him tremble, or make him waver with the Dhamma— that is not possible. Even if from the western direction... Even if from the northern direction... Even if from the southern direction a recluse or a brahmin a debater, seeking debate, should come, thinking: 'I will impose a debate on him,' that he would shake him, or make him tremble, or make him waver with the Dhamma— that is not possible. Just as, bhikkhus, a stone pillar, sixteen cubits high. Eight cubits of it are below the ground, eight cubits are above the ground. Even if from the eastern direction a strong wind and rain should come, it would not shake, nor tremble, nor waver. Even if from the western direction... Even if from the northern direction... Even if from the southern direction a strong wind and rain should come, it would not shake, nor tremble, nor waver. For what reason? Because of the depth, bhikkhus, of its foundation, because the stone pillar is well-planted. Even so, bhikkhus, whatever bhikkhu understands 'this is suffering' as it really is... understands 'this is the path leading to the cessation of suffering' as it really is; even if from the eastern direction a recluse or a brahmin a debater, seeking debate, should come, thinking: 'I will impose a debate on him,' that he would shake him, or make him tremble, or make him waver with the Dhamma— that is not possible. Even if from the western direction... Even if from the northern direction... Even if from the southern direction a recluse or a brahmin a debater, seeking debate, should come, thinking: 'I will impose a debate on him,' that he would shake him, or make him tremble, or make him waver with the Dhamma— that is not possible. For what reason? Because of the well-seen nature, bhikkhus, , of the four noble truths. Which four? The noble truth of suffering… …the noble truth of the path leading to the cessation of suffering. "Therefore, bhikkhus, 'This is suffering' — an effort should be made… …'This is the path leading to the cessation of suffering' — an effort should be made." The Tenth. The Sīsapā Forest Chapter, the Fourth. Its summary: Sīsapā, Khadira, Daṇḍa, Celā, with a hundred spears; Beings like the sun, in two ways, and Indakhīla, and the speaker. 5. The Precipice Chapter 1. Discourse on Worldly Speculation 1111. At one time the Blessed One was staying at Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, at the Squirrels' Feeding Place. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: "Formerly, bhikkhus, a certain man, having left Rājagaha, thinking, 'I will speculate about the world,' approached the Sumāgadhā Pond;