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- Samyutta Nikaya XX.7
- Ani Sutta
- The Peg
- For free distribution only, as a gift of Dhamma
Staying at Savatthi. "Monks, there once was a time when the Dasarahas had a large
drum called 'Summoner.' Whenever Summoner was split, the Dasarahas inserted another peg in
it, until the time came when Summoner's original wooden body had disappeared and only a
conglomeration of pegs remained. [1]
"In the same way, in the course of the future there will be monks who won't listen
when discourses that are words of the Tathagata -- deep, deep in their meaning,
transcendent, connected with emptiness -- are being recited. They won't lend ear, won't
set their hearts on knowing them, won't regard these teachings as worth grasping or
mastering. But they will listen when discourses that are literary works -- the works of
poets, elegant in sound, elegant in rhetoric, the work of outsiders, words of disciples --
are recited. They will lend ear and set their hearts on knowing them. They will regard
these teachings as worth grasping & mastering.
"In this way the disappearance of the discourses that are words of the Tathagata
-- deep, deep in their meaning, transcendent, connected with emptiness -- will come about.
"Thus you should train yourselves: 'We will listen when discourses that are words
of the Tathagata -- deep, deep in their meaning, transcendent, connected with emptiness --
are being recited. We will lend ear, will set our hearts on knowing them, will regard
these teachings as worth grasping & mastering.' That's how you should train
yourselves."
Note
1. The Commentary notes that the drum originally could be heard
for twelve leagues, but in its final condition couldn't be heard even from behind a
curtain. [Go back]
See also: AN V.79.