9.
The Discourse on the Gate
1109.
"Whatever ascetics or brahmins, monks, 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 look up to the face of another ascetic or brahmin -
'Surely this venerable one who knows, knows; who sees, sees.'"
"Just as, monks, cotton-wool or silk-cotton, being light and carried by the wind, placed on a level piece of ground. The east wind would carry it westward, the west wind would carry it eastward, the north wind would carry it southward, the south wind would carry it northward. What is the reason for this? Because of the lightness, monks, of the silk-cotton. So too, monks, whatever ascetics or brahmins 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 look up to the face of another ascetic or brahmin - 'Surely this venerable one who knows, knows; who sees, sees.' What is the reason for this? Because of not seeing, monks, the four noble truths.
"But whatever ascetics or brahmins, monks, 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 look up to the face of another ascetic or brahmin - 'Surely this venerable one who knows, knows; who sees, sees.'"
"Just as, monks, an iron post or a gate post, with deep foundations, well planted, immovable, unshakeable. If a severe wind and rain were to come from the eastern direction, it would not tremble, would not shake, would not quake; if from the western direction, etc. if from the northern direction... etc. if a severe wind and rain were to come from the southern direction, it would not tremble, would not shake, would not quake. What is the reason for this? Because of the depth, monks, of the foundations, because of the gate post being well planted. So too, monks, whatever ascetics or brahmins 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 look up to the face of another ascetic or brahmin - 'Surely this venerable one who knows, knows; who sees, sees.' What is the reason for this? Because of well seeing, monks, the four noble truths. Which four? The noble truth of suffering, etc. the noble truth of the practice leading to the cessation of suffering.
"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 ninth.