MN30 — Cūḷasāropamasutta - The Shorter Simile of the Heartwood

Thus have I heard:

At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthi in Jetas Grove, Anāthapiṇḍikas Park. Then the Brahmin named Piṅgalakoccha approached the Blessed One; having approached, he exchanged greetings with the Blessed One. Having engaged in courteous and cordial talks, he sat down at one side. Seated thus, the Brahmin Piṅgalakoccha said to the Blessed One:

Master Gotama, those ascetics and Brahmins who are leaders of groups, chiefs of groups, famous, and well-known teachers revered by many, such as Pūraṇa Kassapa, Makkhali Gosāla, Ajita Kesakambala, Pakudha Kaccāyana, Sañjaya Belaṭṭhaputta, Nigaṇṭha Nātaputta, have they all, each according to his own claim, known perfectly, or have some known perfectly, and some not?

Enough, Brahmin, set that aside, whether they all, each according to their own claim, have known perfectly, or some have known perfectly and some not. I shall teach you the Dhamma, Brahmin; listen, attend carefully, I will speak.

Very well, Sir, the Brahmin Piṅgalakoccha replied to the Blessed One.

The Blessed One said:

Just as, Brahmin, a man intent on seeking heartwood, searching for heartwood in roaming, came upon a great tree standing with heartwood. Having passed over what is heartwood, passed over what is sapwood, passed over the bark, passed over the outer sapwood, cut off some branches and leaves, he might depart, thinking it to be heartwood. A man with vision, seeing him, would say:

This man does not recognize what is heartwood, does not recognize what is sapwood, does not recognize the bark, does not recognize the sapwood, does not recognize the branches and leaves. So this foolish man, seeking heartwood, searching for heartwood in roaming, having passed over real heartwood, has cut off some branches and leaves and departed, thinking it to be heartwood.

That which would be done with heartwood in terms of purpose, he has not achieved his goal.

This respected person did not know the core, did not know the pith, did not know the bark, did not know the soft outer layers, did not know the branches and leaves. Thus, this respected person, seeking essence, searching for essence, while wandering in search of essence, bypasses the essence, bypasses the pith, bypasses the bark, takes and departs with the soft outer layers, thinking this is essence. What should be done with the essence he will not experience.

Just so, O Brahmin, a man seeking essence, searching for essence, while wandering in search of essence, if he were to bypass the essence, bypass the pith, cut away the bark and depart, thinking this is essence, one with sight would see him and say: This respected person did not know the core, did not know the pith, did not know the bark, did not know the soft outer layers, did not know the branches and leaves. Thus, this respected person, seeking essence, searching for essence, bypasses everything and departs, thinking this is essence. What should be done with the essence he will not experience.

Again, O Brahmin, if a person seeking essence, searching for essence, while wandering in search of essence, bypasses everything and cuts away and departs with the pith, thinking this is essence, one with sight would see him and say: This respected person did not know the core, did not know the pith, did not know the bark, did not know the soft outer layers, did not know the branches and leaves. Thus, this respected person, seeking essence, searching for essence, bypasses everything and departs, thinking this is essence. What should be done with the essence he will not experience.

On the other hand, O Brahmin, if a person seeking essence, searching for essence, while wandering in search of essence, takes the very essence and departs, knowing this is essence, one with sight would see him and say: This respected person knew the core, knew the pith, knew the bark, knew the soft outer layers, knew the branches and leaves.

Just as a person in search of core essence, searching and investigating for the substance, may take the heartwood of a great standing tree and depart, knowing it to be the substance, likewise, he will attain the purpose that is to be accomplished by that core essence.

Similarly, O Brahmin, here some person, having faith, goes forth from the household into homelessness, reflecting: I am encumbered by birth, old age, death, grief, lamentation, suffering, stress, and despair, fully oppressed by suffering. Perhaps there might be an end to this entire mass of suffering.

Having gone forth, such a person produces gain, honor, and renown. He becomes pleased with gain, honor, and renown, with his intentions fulfilled. Because of this gain, honor, and renown, he praises himself and disparages others, thinking: I have gain, honor, and renown, but these other disciples are unknown and without influence. He does not give rise to desire or make effort for the realization of higher and better qualities of Dhamma, becomes feeble in behavior, and superficial.

Just as, O Brahmin, a man, like the one seeking essence, in search of heartwood, bypassing the heart of a great standing tree, might take instead branches and leaves, thinking it to be the core, so also he will not attain the purpose that is accomplished by that essence.

Thus, O Brahmin, do I speak of this individual.

But here, O Brahmin, some person, having faith, goes forth from the household into homelessness, reflecting: I am encumbered by birth, old age, death, grief, lamentation, suffering, stress, and despair, fully oppressed by suffering. Perhaps there might be an end to this entire mass of suffering.

Having gone forth, such a person produces gain, honor, and renown. He becomes neither pleased with gain, honor, and renown, nor fulfilled in intentions. Because of this gain, honor, and renown, he neither praises himself nor disparages others. He gives rise to desire and makes effort for the realization of higher and better qualities of the Dhamma, and becomes diligent and earnest in behavior.

He fulfills the accomplishment of virtue, and with that accomplishment of virtue, he becomes pleased, with his intentions fulfilled.

He exalts himself and disparages others with his virtue, thinking, I am virtuous and noble in conduct, while these other disciples are unvirtuous and of evil conduct. Yet for the realization of those other higher and more excellent qualities beyond virtue, he generates no enthusiasm, makes no effort, and his disposition becomes slack and superficial.

Just as, Brahmin, a man seeking the essence, wandering in search of essence, comes to a great tree standing with heartwood but, overlooking its heartwood, its core, and its bark, cuts and takes away only the outer layer, thinking it to be the essence. Therefore, the man would not enjoy the benefit of the essence that should be enjoyed from it.

In the same way, Brahmin, I regard this person.

Here, Brahmin, a certain person, having faith, goes forth from the household life to homelessness, thinking, I am afflicted by birth, aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair. I am troubled by suffering, overcome by suffering. Perhaps there might be an end to this whole mass of suffering. Having gone forth, he accumulates gain, honor, and praise. However, he is not pleased or satisfied with that gain, honor, and praise. He does not exalt himself and disparage others because of gain, honor, and praise.

For the realization of those other higher and more excellent qualities beyond gain, honor, and praise, he generates enthusiasm, makes an effort, and his conduct becomes unshaken and solid. He achieves mastery in virtue. He is pleased with his mastery in virtue but not yet fully satisfied in his endeavor. He does not exalt himself or disparage others because of his mastery in virtue.

For the realization of those other higher and more excellent qualities beyond virtue, he generates enthusiasm, makes an effort, and his conduct becomes unshaken and solid. He achieves mastery in concentration. He is pleased and fully satisfied with his mastery in concentration. He exalts himself and disparages others with his concentration, thinking, I am concentrated and one-pointed in mind, while these other disciples are unconcentrated and distracted in mind.

Yet for the realization of those other higher and more excellent qualities beyond concentration, he generates no enthusiasm, makes no effort, and his disposition becomes slack and superficial.

Just as, O brahmin, a man who seeks the essence, searching for essence, undertaking a quest for essence, might pass by a large, standing, sap-filled tree, bypassing the heartwood, cutting off the core, taking off the bark, and departing, thinking it to be essence. That for which he was to accomplish with the heartwood, he would not realize that purpose.

Similarly, I say, O brahmin, this person is comparable. Here, O brahmin, a certain person, out of faith, has gone forth from home into homelessness. Having gone forth, he generates gain, honor, and praise but is neither satisfied nor full in thought with them. He does not praise himself nor disparage others due to gain, honor, and praise. With gain, honor, and praise, he arouses intent for those higher and more excellent states, strives, and is not slack or negligent.

He attains purity of virtue. Due to this purity of virtue, he is satisfied but not full in thought. He neither praises himself nor disparages others due to his purity of virtue. With purity of virtue, he arouses intent for those higher and more excellent states, strives, and is not slack or negligent.

He attains purity of concentration. Due to this purity of concentration, he is satisfied but not full in thought. He neither praises himself nor disparages others due to his purity of concentration. With purity of concentration, he arouses intent for those higher and more excellent states, strives, and is not slack or negligent.

He attains knowing and vision. Due to this knowing and vision, he is satisfied and full in thought. He praises himself and disparages others, thinking, I live knowing and seeing, but these other disciples live without knowing and seeing. With knowing and vision, he does not arouse intent for those higher and more excellent states, does not strive, and is slack, negligent.

Whatever essence there is for him to realize, he will not comprehend it as his purpose. Similarly, O Brahmin, I speak of this person. Here, O Brahmin, a certain person, having gone forth from home into homelessness with faith, reflects: I am overwhelmed by birth, aging, and death, by sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair; Im oppressed by suffering, encompassed by suffering. Perhaps an end of this entire mass of suffering might be discerned.

He, having thus gone forth, then generates gains, honor, and fame. Yet, he is not pleased with these gains, honor, and fame, nor is his intention fulfilled. He does not become arrogant due to them, nor does he disparage others. Instead, through gains, honor, and fame, he generates desire for the realization of superior and more excellent states, he strives, he remains not slack, and is not superficial.

He achieves fulfillment in virtue. He is pleased by his accomplishment in virtue, yet his intention is not fulfilled. He does not become arrogant due to his virtue, nor does he disparage others. Through the accomplishment in virtue, he generates desire for the realization of superior and more excellent states, he strives, he remains not slack, and is not superficial.

He achieves fulfillment in concentration. He is pleased by his accomplishment in concentration, yet his intention is not fulfilled. He does not become arrogant due to his concentration, nor does he disparage others. Through the accomplishment in concentration, he generates desire for the realization of superior and more excellent states, he strives, he remains not slack, and is not superficial.

He achieves fulfillment in knowing and vision. He is pleased by his accomplishment in knowing and vision, yet his intention is not fulfilled. He does not become arrogant due to his knowing and vision, nor does he disparage others. Through knowing and vision, he generates desire for the realization of superior and more excellent states, he strives, he remains not slack, and is not superficial.

And what, O Brahmin, are the states superior and more excellent than knowing and vision? Here, O Brahmin, detached from sensual pleasures, detached from unwholesome states, a disciple enters and dwells in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by thought and examination, with rapture and happiness born of seclusion. This too, O Brahmin, is a state superior and more excellent than knowing and vision.

Again, Brahmin, with the calming of thought and examination, possessing internal clarity and unification of the mind, free from thought and examination, with joy and happiness born of concentration, he enters and dwells in the second jhāna. This too, Brahmin, is a state further exalted and more refined through knowing and vision.

Again, Brahmin, with the fading away of joy, he dwells in equanimity, mindful and clearly conscious, experiencing happiness with the body, that which the noble ones declare. This too, Brahmin, is a state further exalted and more refined through knowing and vision.

Again, Brahmin, with the abandoning of pleasure and pain, and with the previous disappearance of joy and grief, he enters and dwells in the fourth jhāna, which is neither painful nor pleasant, and characterized by the purity of mindfulness due to equanimity. This too, Brahmin, is a state further exalted and more refined through knowing and vision.

Again, Brahmin, by completely transcending perceptions of form, with the disappearance of perceptions of resistance, and by not focusing on the perceptions of variety, he enters and dwells in the sphere of infinite space, thinking Space is infinite. This too, Brahmin, is a state further exalted and more refined through knowing and vision.

Again, Brahmin, by transcending the sphere of infinite space, he enters and dwells in the sphere of infinite consciousness, thinking Consciousness is infinite. This too, Brahmin, is a state further exalted and more refined through knowing and vision.

Again, Brahmin, by transcending the sphere of infinite consciousness, he enters and dwells in the sphere of nothingness, thinking There is nothing. This too, Brahmin, is a state further exalted and more refined through knowing and vision.

Again, Brahmin, by transcending the sphere of nothingness, he enters and dwells in the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception. This too, Brahmin, is a state further exalted and more refined through knowing and vision.

Again, Brahmin, by transcending the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, he enters and dwells in the cessation of perception and feeling. Having seen with wisdom, his taints are destroyed. This too, Brahmin, is a state further exalted and more refined through knowing and vision.

These, Brahmin, are the states further exalted and more refined through knowing and vision.

Just as, O Brahmin, a man who seeks essence, searches for essence, and wanders in search of essence, upon finding a large and sturdy tree, he takes only the heartwood, understanding it to be the essence. With that essence, he will achieve what can be done with essence. In such a manner, O Brahmin, do I declare about this person. Thus, O Brahmin, this holy life does not aim for gain, honor, and fame, nor for the benefits of virtue, nor for the benefits of concentration, nor for the benefits of knowing and vision. But, O Brahmin, it is for the unshakable liberation of the mind, this is the purpose of this holy life, this is the essence, this is the culmination.

Having spoken thus, the Brahmin Piṅgalakocha said to the Blessed One, Excellent, Master Gotama, excellent, Master Gotama... may the honorable Gotama accept me as a lay follower from this day forth as long as life shall last, taking refuge in him.

Thus ends the Lesser Discourse on the Simile of the Heartwood. The tenth section ends. The Chapter of Similes ends, the third one.