7.
The Discourse on the Leash
99.
At Sāvatthī.
"This wandering in the round of rebirths, monks, is without discernible beginning.
A first point is not discerned of beings hindered by ignorance, fettered by craving, transmigrating and wandering in the round of rebirths.
There comes a time, monks, when the great ocean dries up, evaporates, and ceases to exist;
but even then I do not say there is an ending of suffering for beings hindered by ignorance, fettered by craving, transmigrating and wandering in the round of rebirths.
There comes a time, monks, when Sineru, the king of mountains, burns up, perishes, and ceases to exist;
but even then I do not say there is an ending of suffering for beings hindered by ignorance, fettered by craving, transmigrating and wandering in the round of rebirths.
There comes a time, monks, when the great earth burns up, perishes, and ceases to exist;
but even then I do not say there is an ending of suffering for beings hindered by ignorance, fettered by craving, transmigrating and wandering in the round of rebirths."
"Just as, monks, a dog bound by a leash, tied to a firm stake or post, runs around and revolves around that very stake or post; so too, monks, an ignorant worldling, who does not see the noble ones, etc. who is undisciplined in the teaching of good persons, regards matter as self, etc. he regards feeling as self... he regards perception as self... He regards activities as self... He regards consciousness as self, or self as possessing consciousness; or consciousness as in self, or self as in consciousness. He runs around and revolves around just matter, just feeling... etc. just to perception... just activities... he runs around and revolves around just consciousness. He, running around and revolving around matter, feeling... etc. perception... activities... running around and revolving around consciousness, is not released from matter, is not released from feeling, is not released from perception, is not released from activities, is not released from consciousness, is not released from birth, from ageing and death, from sorrows, from lamentations, from sufferings, from displeasures, from anguishes. 'He is not released from suffering', I say."
"But, monks, a learned noble disciple, who sees the noble ones, etc. who is well disciplined in the teaching of good persons, does not regard matter as self, etc. not feeling... not perception... not activities... He does not regard consciousness as self, nor self as possessing consciousness; nor consciousness as in self, nor self as in consciousness. He does not run around and does not revolve around matter, feeling... perception... activities... he does not run around and does not revolve around consciousness. He, not running around and not revolving around matter, feeling... perception... activities... not running around and not revolving around consciousness; is released from matter, is released from feeling, is released from perception, is released from activities, is released from consciousness, is released from birth, from ageing and death, from sorrows, from lamentations, from sufferings, from displeasures, from anguishes. 'He is released from suffering', I say." The seventh.