6.
The Discourse on Darkness
1116.
"There are, monks, world-interstices, miserable, uncovered, dark, of blinding darkness, where these moon and sun, so powerful, so mighty, do not reach with their radiance."
When this was said, a certain monk said this to the Blessed One - "That is indeed a great darkness, venerable sir, that is indeed a very great darkness, venerable sir! Is there indeed, venerable sir, another darkness greater and more frightful than this darkness?" "There is indeed, monk, another darkness greater and more frightful than this darkness."
"But what, venerable sir, is that other darkness greater and more frightful than this darkness?" "Whatever ascetics or brahmins, monk, who do not understand as it really is 'This is suffering', etc. who do not understand as it really is 'This is the practice leading to the cessation of suffering', they delight in activities conducive to birth, etc. delighting, etc. they generate, etc. having generated, they fall into the darkness of birth, they fall into the darkness of ageing, they fall into the darkness of death, they fall into the darkness of sorrow, lamentation, suffering, displeasure, and anguish. They are not released from birth, from ageing, from death, from sorrows, from lamentations, from sufferings, from displeasures, from anguishes. 'They are not released from suffering', I say."
"But whatever ascetics or brahmins, monk, who understand as it really is 'This is suffering', etc. who understand as it really is 'This is the practice leading to the cessation of suffering', they do not delight in activities conducive to birth, etc. not delighting, etc. they do not generate, etc. not having generated, they do not fall into the darkness of birth, they do not fall into the darkness of ageing, they do not fall into the darkness of death, they do not fall into the darkness of sorrow, lamentation, suffering, displeasure, and anguish. They are released from birth, from ageing, from death, from sorrows, from lamentations, from sufferings, from displeasures, from anguishes. 'They are released from suffering', I say."
"Therefore, monks, exertion is to be done regarding 'This is suffering', etc. exertion is to be done regarding 'This is the practice leading to the cessation of suffering.'" The sixth.