“Yo, bhikkhave, evaṁ vadeyya: ‘ahaṁ dukkhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ anabhisamecca, dukkhasamudayaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ anabhisamecca, dukkhanirodhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ anabhisamecca, dukkhanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ anabhisamecca sammā dukkhassantaṁ karissāmī’ti— netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.
“Bhikkhus, if someone were to say: ‘Without |fully understanding::understanding the four noble truths in principle, then discerning them in each moment and then experientially penetrating them| the noble truth of suffering as it truly is, without fully understanding the noble truth of the arising of suffering as it truly is, without fully understanding the noble truth of the end of suffering as it truly is, and without fully understanding the noble truth of the way of practice leading to the end of suffering as it truly is, I will completely end suffering’ — such a thing is not possible.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, yo evaṁ vadeyya: ‘ahaṁ khadirapattānaṁ vā saralapattānaṁ vā āmalakapattānaṁ vā puṭaṁ karitvā udakaṁ vā tālapattaṁ vā āharissāmī’ti— netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati; evameva kho, bhikkhave, yo evaṁ vadeyya: ‘ahaṁ dukkhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ anabhisamecca, dukkhasamudayaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ anabhisamecca, dukkhanirodhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ anabhisamecca, dukkhanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ anabhisamecca sammā dukkhassantaṁ karissāmī’ti— netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.
Just as, bhikkhus, if someone were to say: ‘I will make a container out of |acacia leaves::small, delicate and feathery leaves [khadirapatta]|, or |pine leaves::long, slender, needle like leaves|, or |tamarind leaves::small, oval leaflets with a feathery, delicate texture|, and with it, I will fetch water or carry palm fruit’ — it is not possible; similarly, bhikkhus, if someone were to say: ‘Without truly understanding the noble truth of suffering, the arising of suffering, the end of suffering, and the way of practice leading to the end of suffering, I will completely end suffering’ — such a thing is not possible.
Yo ca kho, bhikkhave, evaṁ vadeyya: ‘ahaṁ dukkhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ abhisamecca, dukkhasamudayaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ abhisamecca, dukkhanirodhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ abhisamecca, dukkhanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ abhisamecca sammā dukkhassantaṁ karissāmī’ti— ṭhānametaṁ vijjati.
However, bhikkhus, if someone were to say: ‘By fully understanding the noble truth of |suffering::discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering [dukkha]| as it truly is, by fully understanding the noble truth of the |arising of suffering::source of stress, appearance of discomfort [dukkhasamudaya]| as it truly is, by fully understanding the noble truth of the |end of suffering::ending of discontentment, cessation of distress [dukkhanirodha]| as it truly is, and by fully understanding the noble truth of the |way of practice leading to the end of suffering::i.e. the Noble Eightfold Path consisting of right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right collectedness [dukkhanirodhagāmī]| as it truly is, I will completely end suffering’ — such a thing is indeed possible.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, yo evaṁ vadeyya: ‘ahaṁ padumapattānaṁ vā palāsapattānaṁ vā māluvapattānaṁ vā puṭaṁ karitvā udakaṁ vā tālapattaṁ vā āharissāmī’ti— ṭhānametaṁ vijjati; evameva kho, bhikkhave, yo evaṁ vadeyya: ‘ahaṁ dukkhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ anabhisamecca, dukkhasamudayaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ anabhisamecca, dukkhanirodhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ anabhisamecca, dukkhanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ abhisamecca sammā dukkhassantaṁ karissāmī’ti— ṭhānametaṁ vijjati.
Just as, bhikkhus, if someone were to say: ‘I will make a container out of |lotus leaves::large, circular leaves with a waxy, water-repellent surface|, or |butea leaves::broad, trifoliate leaves, slightly leathery in texture|, or |hibiscus leaves::medium-sized, deeply lobed leaves|, and with it, I will fetch water or carry palm fruit’ — it is indeed possible; similarly, bhikkhus, if someone were to say: ‘By fully understanding the noble truth of suffering as it truly is, by fully understanding the noble truth of the arising of suffering as it truly is, by fully understanding the noble truth of the end of suffering as it truly is, and fully understanding the way of practice leading to the end of suffering as it truly is, I will completely end suffering’ — such a thing is indeed possible.
Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yogo karaṇīyo,
‘ayaṁ dukkhasamudayo’ti yogo karaṇīyo,
‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodho’ti yogo karaṇīyo,
‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yogo karaṇīyo”ti.
Therefore, bhikkhus, effort should be made to |fully understand::understand in principle, then discern in each moment and then experientially penetrate|: ‘This is suffering’;
effort should be made to fully understand: ‘This is the arising of suffering’;
effort should be made to fully understand: ‘This is the end of suffering’;
effort should be made to fully understand: ‘This is the way of practice leading to the end of suffering.’”