2.
The Discourse on the Thorn
72.
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Vesālī in the Great Wood in the Pinnacled Hall together with many well-known well-known elder disciples -
with the Venerable Cāla, and the Venerable Upacāla, and the Venerable Kukkuṭa, and the Venerable Kaḷimbha, and the Venerable Nikaṭa, and the Venerable Kaṭissaha;
and with other well-known well-known elder disciples.
Now at that time many well-known well-known Licchavis, with the finest finest vehicles, with a retinue in front and behind, making loud sounds and great sounds, were plunging into the Great Wood to see the Blessed One. Then this occurred to those venerable ones: "These many well-known well-known Licchavis, with the finest finest vehicles, with a retinue in front and behind, making loud sounds and great sounds, are plunging into the Great Wood to see the Blessed One. 'Sound is a thorn to the meditative absorptions' has been said by the Blessed One. What if we were to approach the Gosiṅga Sal-tree Wood? There we might dwell in comfort, with little sound and uncrowded." Then those venerable ones approached the Gosiṅga Sal-tree Wood; there those venerable ones dwell in comfort, with little sound and uncrowded.
Then the Blessed One addressed the monks: "Where indeed, monks, is Cāla, where is Upacāla, where is Kukkuṭa, where is Kaḷimbha, where is Nikaṭa, where is Kaṭissaha; where indeed, monks, have those elder disciples gone?"
"Here, venerable sir, this occurred to those venerable ones: 'These many well-known well-known Licchavis, with the finest finest vehicles, with a retinue in front and behind, making loud sounds and great sounds, are plunging into the Great Wood to see the Blessed One. "Sound is a thorn to the meditative absorptions" has been said by the Blessed One. What if we were to approach the Gosiṅga Sal-tree Wood? There we might dwell in comfort, with little sound and uncrowded.' Then, venerable sir, those venerable ones approached the Gosiṅga Sal-tree Wood. There those venerable ones dwell in comfort, with little sound and uncrowded."
"Good, good, monks, just as those great disciples, answering correctly, would answer. 'Sound is a thorn to the meditative absorptions, monks,' has been said by me.
"Monks, there are these ten thorns. What are the ten? For one who delights in solitude, delight in company is a thorn; for one engaged in the pursuit of the sign of foulness, the pursuit of the sign of beauty is a thorn; for one with guarded doors in the sense faculties, seeing shows is a thorn; for the holy life, approaching women is a thorn; for the first meditative absorption, sound is a thorn; for the second meditative absorption, applied and sustained thought are thorns; for the third meditative absorption, rapture is a thorn; for the fourth meditative absorption, in-breath and out-breath is a thorn; for the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling, perception and feeling are thorns; lust is a thorn; hate is a thorn; delusion is a thorn.
"Monks, dwell without thorns. Monks, dwell free from thorns. Monks, dwell without thorns and free from thorns. Monks, Worthy Ones are without thorns; monks, Worthy Ones are free from thorns; monks, Worthy Ones are without thorns and free from thorns." The second.