[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Buddhist Sanskrit literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit) › [Āgama sūtras of the mainstream schools](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.agama) › [Saṃyuktāgama (Sanskrit fragments)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.agama.samyuktagama) › [雜阿含經](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.agama.samyuktagama*zh-gunabhadra) › [The Connected Discourses (selected sutras)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.agama.samyuktagama*zh-gunabhadra~en-patton) › 268 # 雜阿含經 268: The River Torrent The Connected Discourses (selected sūtras) 268 - **Language:** English ### The River Torrent ### [268.p1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.agama.samyuktagama*zh-gunabhadra~en-patton.268.p1) Thus I have heard: One time, the Buddha was staying at Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park in Jeta’s Grove of Śrāvastī. ### [268.p2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.agama.samyuktagama*zh-gunabhadra~en-patton.268.p2) It was then that the Bhagavān addressed the monks, “Take the example of a river produced by a mountain torrent. Its water is deep and fast moving. The current flows violently, and many things bob up and down in it. Both shores of that river have a mixture of reeds and trees growing on them. They form a bridge that leans across that large river from its shores. When a group of people attempt to ford the river there, many are carried away by the water, following the current until they disappear. When a wave pushes them near the shore, they grab at the reeds and trees, but the reeds and trees break, and they continue floating down the river. ### [268.p3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.agama.samyuktagama*zh-gunabhadra~en-patton.268.p3) “In this way, monks, if ordinary, foolish sentient beings don’t truly know form … the formation of form … cessation of form … enjoyment of form … trouble of form … don’t truly know the escape from form, they will delight in form, saying: ‘Form is myself.’ That form subsequently breaks. In the same way, they don’t truly know feeling … conception … volition … awareness … the formation of awareness … cessation of awareness, enjoyment of awareness, trouble of awareness … don’t truly know the escape from awareness. Because they don’t truly know it, they delight in awareness. They say, ‘Awareness is myself.’ That awareness will also subsequently break. ### [268.p4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.agama.samyuktagama*zh-gunabhadra~en-patton.268.p4) “If a well-versed noble disciple truly knows form … the formation of form … cessation of form … enjoyment of form … trouble of form … truly knows the escape from form, then they won’t delight in form. Truly knowing feeling … conception … volition … awareness … the formation of awareness … cessation of awareness … enjoyment of awareness … trouble of awareness … truly knowing the escape from awareness, they don’t delight in awareness. Because they don’t delight in it, they will themselves know the attainment of parinirvāṇa: ‘My births have been ended, the religious life has been established, and the task has been accomplished. I myself know that I won’t be subject to a later existence.’” ### [268.p5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.agama.samyuktagama*zh-gunabhadra~en-patton.268.p5) After the Buddha taught this sūtra, the monks who heard what he taught rejoiced and approved. ### [268.p6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.agama.samyuktagama*zh-gunabhadra~en-patton.268.p6) This sūtra is part of the Dharma Pearls translation project. ### [268.p7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.agama.samyuktagama*zh-gunabhadra~en-patton.268.p7) Prepared by Charles Patton for SuttaCentral. ## Linked texts (1) - [雜阿含經](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.agama.samyuktagama*zh-gunabhadra.268.1-3) — Classical Chinese --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.agama.samyuktagama*zh-gunabhadra~en-patton.268](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.agama.samyuktagama*zh-gunabhadra~en-patton.268) · Pramāṇa