Pātālasutta

“Assutavā, bhikkhave, puthujjano yaṁ vācaṁ bhāsati: ‘atthi mahāsamudde pātālo’ti. Taṁ kho panetaṁ, bhikkhave, assutavā puthujjano asantaṁ avijjamānaṁ evaṁ vācaṁ bhāsati: ‘atthi mahāsamudde pātālo’ti. Sārīrikānaṁ kho etaṁ, bhikkhave, dukkhānaṁ vedanānaṁ adhivacanaṁ yadidaṁ ‘pātālo’ti. Assutavā, bhikkhave, puthujjano sārīrikāya dukkhāya vedanāya phuṭṭho samāno socati kilamati paridevati urattāḷiṁ kandati sammohaṁ āpajjati. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, ‘assutavā puthujjano pātāle na paccuṭṭhāsi, gādhañca nājjhagā’. Sutavā ca kho, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako sārīrikāya dukkhāya vedanāya phuṭṭho samāno neva socati, na kilamati, na paridevati, na urattāḷiṁ kandati, na sammohaṁ āpajjati. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, ‘sutavā ariyasāvako pātāle paccuṭṭhāsi, gādhañca ajjhagā’ti.

“Mendicants, when an unlearned ordinary person says that there’s an abyss under the ocean, they’re speaking of something that doesn’t exist. ‘Abyss’ is a term for painful physical feelings. When an unlearned ordinary person experiences painful physical feelings they sorrow and wail and lament, beating their breast and falling into confusion. They’re called an unlearned ordinary person who hasn’t stood up in the abyss and has found no footing. When a learned noble disciple experiences painful physical feelings they don’t sorrow or wail or lament, beating their breast and falling into confusion. They’re called a learned noble disciple who has stood up in the abyss and found a footing.

Yo etā nādhivāseti, uppannā vedanā dukhā; Sārīrikā pāṇaharā, yāhi phuṭṭho pavedhati.

If you can’t abide those painful physical feelings that arise and sap your vitality; if you tremble at their touch,

Akkandati parodati, dubbalo appathāmako; Na so pātāle paccuṭṭhāsi, atho gādhampi nājjhagā.

weeping and wailing, a weakling lacking strength— you won’t stand up in the abyss and find a footing.

Yo cetā adhivāseti, uppannā vedanā dukhā; Sārīrikā pāṇaharā, yāhi phuṭṭho na vedhati; Sa ve pātāle paccuṭṭhāsi, atho gādhampi ajjhagā”ti. Catutthaṁ.

If you can endure those painful physical feelings that arise and sap your vitality; if you don’t tremble at their touch— you stand up in the abyss and find a footing.”