SN 14.39 — Ascetics and Brahmins (3rd)

At Sāvatthī. “Mendicants, there are ascetics and brahmins who don’t understand the earth element, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation. They don’t understand the water element … fire element … air element … Those venerables don’t realize the goal of life as an ascetic or brahmin, and don’t live having realized it with their own insight in this very life. There are ascetics and brahmins who do understand the earth element, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation. They do understand the water element … the fire element … the air element … Those venerables realize the goal of life as an ascetic or brahmin, and live having realized it with their own insight.” The Linked Discourses on the elements are complete. Linked Discourses on the Unknowable Beginning Contents Chapter One SN 15.1 Grass and Sticks Tiṇakaṭṭhasutta SN 15.2 The Earth Pathavīsutta SN 15.3 Tears Assusutta SN 15.4 Mother’s Milk Khīrasutta SN 15.5 A Mountain Pabbatasutta SN 15.6 A Mustard Seed Sāsapasutta SN 15.7 Disciples Sāvakasutta SN 15.8 The Ganges Gaṅgāsutta SN 15.9 A Stick Daṇḍasutta SN 15.10 A Single Individual Puggalasutta Chapter Two SN 15.11 In a Sorry State Duggatasutta SN 15.12 In a Good Way Sukhitasutta SN 15.13 Thirty Mendicants Tiṁsamattasutta SN 15.14 Mother Mātusutta SN 15.15 Father Pitusutta SN 15.16 Brother Bhātusutta SN 15.17 Sister Bhaginisutta SN 15.18 Son Puttasutta SN 15.19 Daughter Dhītusutta SN 15.20 Mount Vepulla Vepullapabbatasutta Chapter One