DarknessAndhakārasutta

“Mendicants, the boundless gloom of interstellar space is so utterly dark that even the luminosity of the moon and the sun, so mighty and powerful, makes no impression.”“Atthi, bhikkhave, lokantarikā aghā asaṁvutā andhakārā andhakāratimisā, yatthamimesaṁ candimasūriyānaṁ evaṁmahiddhikānaṁ evaṁ mahānubhāvānaṁ ābhāya nānubhontī”ti.

When he said this, one of the mendicants said to the Buddha,Evaṁ vutte, aññataro bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “Sir, that darkness really is mighty, so very mighty.“mahā vata so, bhante, andhakāro, sumahā vata so, bhante, andhakāro. Is there any other darkness more mighty and terrifying than this one?”Atthi nu kho, bhante, etamhā andhakārā añño andhakāro mahantataro ca bhayānakataro cā”ti?

“There is, mendicant.”“Atthi kho, bhikkhu, etamhā andhakārā añño andhakāro mahantataro ca bhayānakataro cā”ti.

“But sir, what is it?”“Katamo pana, bhante, etamhā andhakārā añño andhakāro mahantataro ca bhayānakataro cā”ti?

“There are ascetics and brahmins who don’t truly understand about suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path.“Ye hi keci, bhikkhu, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti …pe… ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti, They take pleasure in choices that lead to rebirth …te jātisaṁvattanikesu saṅkhāresu abhiramanti …pe… They continue to make such choices …abhiratā …pe… abhisaṅkharonti …pe… Having made such choices, they fall into the darkness of rebirth, old age, and death, of sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress.abhisaṅkharitvā jātandhakārampi papatanti, jarandhakārampi papatanti, maraṇandhakārampi papatanti, sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsandhakārampi papatanti. They’re not freed from rebirth, old age, and death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress.Te na parimuccanti jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi. They’re not freed from suffering, I say.‘Na parimuccanti dukkhasmā’ti vadāmi.

There are ascetics and brahmins who truly understand about suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path.Ye ca kho keci, bhikkhu, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānanti …pe… ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānanti, They don’t take pleasure in choices that lead to rebirth …te jātisaṁvattanikesu saṅkhāresu nābhiramanti …pe… They stop making such choices …anabhiratā …pe… nābhisaṅkharonti …pe… Having stopped making such choices, they don’t fall into the darkness of rebirth, old age, and death, of sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress.anabhisaṅkharitvā jātandhakārampi nappapatanti, jarandhakārampi nappapatanti, maraṇandhakārampi nappapatanti, sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsandhakārampi nappapatanti. They’re freed from rebirth, old age, and death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress.Te parimuccanti jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi. They’re freed from suffering, I say.‘Parimuccanti dukkhasmā’ti vadāmi.

That’s why you should practice meditation …”Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yogo karaṇīyo …pe… ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yogo karaṇīyo”ti.