9.
The Discourse on the Barley Awn
9.
At Sāvatthī.
"Just as, monks, a rice-awn or a barley-awn wrongly directed, when stepped upon by hand or foot, will pierce the hand or foot, or will draw blood -
this is impossible.
What is the reason for this?
Because of the wrongly directed awn, monks.
So too, monks, that indeed a monk with wrongly directed view, with wrongly directed path development, will break through ignorance, will arouse true knowledge, will realise Nibbāna -
this is impossible.
What is the reason for this?
Because of the wrongly directed view, monks.
"Just as, monks, a rice-awn or a barley-awn rightly directed, when stepped upon by hand or foot, will pierce the hand or foot, or will draw blood - this is possible. What is the reason for this? Because of the rightly directed awn, monks. So too, monks, that indeed a monk with rightly directed view, with rightly directed path development, will break through ignorance, will arouse true knowledge, will realise Nibbāna - this is possible. What is the reason for this? Because of the rightly directed view, monks.
"And how, monks, does a monk with rightly directed view, with rightly directed path development, break through ignorance, arouse true knowledge, realise Nibbāna? Here, monks, a monk develops right view, based upon seclusion, based upon dispassion, based upon cessation, maturing in release, etc. he develops right concentration, based upon seclusion, based upon dispassion, based upon cessation, maturing in release. Thus, monks, a monk with rightly directed view, with rightly directed path development, breaks through ignorance, arouses true knowledge, realises Nibbāna." The ninth.