Pātālasutta — Reader

The Abyss

Pātālasutta

“Mendicants, when an unlearned ordinary person says that there’s an abyss under the ocean, they’re speaking of something that doesn’t exist.

“Assutavā, bhikkhave, puthujjano yaṁ vācaṁ bhāsati: ‘atthi mahāsamudde pātālo’ti. Taṁ kho panetaṁ, bhikkhave, assutavā puthujjano asantaṁ avijjamānaṁ evaṁ vācaṁ bhāsati: ‘atthi mahāsamudde pātālo’ti.

‘Abyss’ is a term for painful physical feelings. When an unlearned ordinary person experiences painful physical feelings they sorrow and wail and lament, beating their breast and falling into confusion. They’re called an unlearned ordinary person who hasn’t stood up in the abyss and has found no footing.

Sārīrikānaṁ kho etaṁ, bhikkhave, dukkhānaṁ vedanānaṁ adhivacanaṁ yadidaṁ ‘pātālo’ti. Assutavā, bhikkhave, puthujjano sārīrikāya dukkhāya vedanāya phuṭṭho samāno socati kilamati paridevati urattāḷiṁ kandati sammohaṁ āpajjati. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, ‘assutavā puthujjano pātāle na paccuṭṭhāsi, gādhañca nājjhagā’.

When a learned noble disciple experiences painful physical feelings they don’t sorrow or wail or lament, beating their breast and falling into confusion. They’re called a learned noble disciple who has stood up in the abyss and found a footing. If you can’t abide those painful physical feelings

Sutavā ca kho, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako sārīrikāya dukkhāya vedanāya phuṭṭho samāno neva socati, na kilamati, na paridevati, na urattāḷiṁ kandati, na sammohaṁ āpajjati. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, ‘sutavā ariyasāvako pātāle paccuṭṭhāsi, gādhañca ajjhagā’ti. Yo etā nādhivāseti, uppannā vedanā dukhā;

that arise and sap your vitality; if you tremble at their touch, weeping and wailing, a weakling lacking strength—

Sārīrikā pāṇaharā, yāhi phuṭṭho pavedhati. Akkandati parodati, dubbalo appathāmako;

you won’t stand up in the abyss and find a footing. If you can endure those painful physical feelings

Na so pātāle paccuṭṭhāsi, atho gādhampi nājjhagā. Yo cetā adhivāseti, uppannā vedanā dukhā;

that arise and sap your vitality; if you don’t tremble at their touch— you stand up in the abyss and find a footing.”

Sārīrikā pāṇaharā, yāhi phuṭṭho na vedhati; Sa ve pātāle paccuṭṭhāsi, atho gādhampi ajjhagā”ti.

Catutthaṁ.