Lokacintāsutta
Speculation About the World
The Buddha tells the curious tale of a man who sat by a lotus pond to speculate about the world, and saw an army enter a lotus stalk. He thought he was going mad. The Buddha said that no, the army was real. Nevertheless, you should not speculate about such things, but should reflect on the four noble truths.
Translations
Papātasutta
A Cliff
The Buddha takes the mendicants to a steep precipice, and points out that those who do not understand the four noble truths fall into a still deeper precipice.
Translations
Mahāpariḷāhasutta
The Mighty Fever
The Buddha speaks of a hell called the great inferno, and points out that those who do not understand the four noble truths fall into a still fiercer inferno.
Translations
Kūṭāgārasutta
A Bungalow
Just as it’s impossible to climb the upper floor without building the lower floors first, it’s impossible to end suffering without penetrating the four noble truths.
Translations
Vālasutta
Splitting Hairs
Ānanda sees Licchavi youths shoot arrows through keyholes. But seeing the four noble truths is even harder.
Translations
Andhakārasutta
Darkness
Interstellar space is dark and empty; but not seeing the four noble truths is even worse.
Translations
Paṭhamachiggaḷayugasutta
A Yoke With a Hole (1st)
A blind turtle would put its head through a yoke with a hole in it floating in the ocean sooner than someone in the lower realms would be reborn as a human.
Translations
Dutiyachiggaḷayugasutta
A Yoke With a Hole (2nd)
A blind turtle would put its head through a yoke with a hole in it floating in the ocean sooner than someone in the lower realms would be reborn as a human.
Translations
Paṭhamasinerupabbatarājasutta
Sineru, King of Mountains (1st)
As seven bits of gravel are smaller than Mount Sineru, so is the suffering remaining to one who has seen the four noble truths.
Translations
Dutiyasinerupabbatarājasutta
Sineru, King of Mountains (2nd)
As seven bits of gravel are smaller than Mount Sineru, so is the suffering remaining to one who has seen the four noble truths.