Three things thrive when obscured, not when exposed. And three things that shine forth when exposed, not when obscured.

Paṭicchanna sutta - Obscured

“Bhikkhus, there are these three things that thrive when obscured, not when |exposed::revealed, made clear, shared in the open [vivaṭa]|. What three?

1) A woman’s [prestige] thrives when modest, not when exposed; 2) The mantras of the brahmins thrive when guarded, not when exposed; 3) |Wrong view::distorted perceptions, untrue views, false beliefs [micchādiṭṭhi]| thrives when left unexamined, not when exposed. Bhikkhus, these are the three things that thrive when obscured, not when exposed.

Bhikkhus, there are these three things that shine forth when exposed, not when obscured. What three? 1) The moon shines forth when exposed, not when obscured; 2) The sun shines forth when exposed, not when obscured; 3) The |Dhamma::teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [dhamma]| and |discipline::code of monastic discipline rules, training [vinaya]| proclaimed by the |Tathāgata::one who has arrived at the truth, an epithet of the Buddha [tathāgata]| shine forth when exposed, not when obscured. These, bhikkhus, are the three things that shine forth when exposed, not when obscured.”

Last updated on March 27, 2025

CC0 License Button