Near Sāvatthī, in Jeta’s Grove — the same recurring circumstances as the discourses before it
Speakers
An unnamed deity and the Buddha, in a single exchange of verses
Form
The same four-line verse structure as SN 1.7, with one key term replaced throughout
Length
~1 minute to read
Difficulty
★☆☆☆☆ — the shortest kind of reading here, given how closely it tracks the discourse just read
Companion discourse
SN 1.7, immediately before this one, shares every line of this verse's structure but one term
Why this discourse
This discourse restates SN 1.7 almost exactly, with a single substitution: where that verse spoke of teachings ‘not deciphered’ (appaṭividitā), this one speaks of teachings ‘very confused’ or thoroughly muddled (susammuṭṭhā). Every other line — the danger of being led astray by other doctrines, the figure of sleep, the Buddha's mirrored answer, the closing image of walking smoothly in the rough — carries over unchanged.
Reading guide
One term changed, the rest identical
Set beside SN 1.7 directly, the two verses diverge only in their opening description of the failure at hand: ‘not deciphered’ there becomes ‘very confused’ here. The consequence named — being led astray by other doctrines — and the Buddha's full mirrored answer are word for word the same in both discourses.
Not deciphering versus being confused
The distinction between the two terms is one of degree or kind, not of outcome: appaṭividitā describes teachings simply not yet penetrated, while susammuṭṭhā describes something closer to active confusion — a mind that has muddled what it encountered, rather than one that merely has not yet grasped it. Both are treated as equally liable to being led astray.
Why place two such close verses side by side
This vagga elsewhere pairs discourses that share an opening formula and vary only their conclusion, as at SN 1.3 and SN 1.4. Here the pattern runs the other direction: the conclusion, structure, and most of the wording stay fixed, and only the diagnosis at the very start shifts. Reading SN 1.7 and SN 1.8 together shows this vagga using near-repetition itself as a way of marking out closely related but distinct failures.
The unchanged answer
The Buddha's reply here is identical to SN 1.7's: those whose teachings are well deciphered (suppaṭividitā, contrasted with asammuṭṭhā, ‘unconfused,’ here) are not led astray, have woken up, rightly know, and walk smoothly in the rough. The prescription for confusion and the prescription for non-comprehension turn out to be exactly the same.
Key terms
susammuṭṭhā — “very confused, thoroughly muddled” — the failure this discourse's title names, distinct from but closely related to SN 1.7's ‘not deciphered.’
asammuṭṭhā — “unconfused” — the Buddha's counter-term in his answering verse, mirroring susammuṭṭhā by simple negation.
paravādesu nīyare — “may be led astray by the doctrines of others” — the same consequence named in SN 1.7, carried over here unchanged.
suttā nappabujjhanti — “asleep, they have not woken up” — the same figurative sleep used at SN 1.6 and SN 1.7, appearing here for a third consecutive discourse.
caranti visame samaṁ — “they walk smoothly in the rough” — the closing image, identical to SN 1.7's, describing understanding that meets difficult ground without difficulty.
The text
The discourse in full: SN 1.7's verse restated with one key term changed. Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0, SuttaCentral).
§1At Sāvatthī. Standing to one side, that deity spoke this verse in the Buddha’s presence:
§2“Those who are very confused about the teachings may be led astray by the doctrines of others. Asleep, they have not woken up: it is time for them to wake!”
§3“Those who are unconfused about the teachings, won’t be led astray by the doctrines of others. They have woken up, they rightly know, smoothly they walk in the rough.”
· · ·
Self-check quiz
Ten questions. Click an answer to see immediate feedback. No score is recorded — this is for your own checking.
Question 1 of 10
What single term changes between SN 1.7 and this discourse?
Correct: A. The only substitution between these two closely paired verses.
Question 2 of 10
What consequence does this discourse attach to being 'very confused' about the teachings?
Correct: A. Paravādesu nīyare — identical to SN 1.7's stated consequence.
Question 3 of 10
How does the Buddha's answering verse here compare to SN 1.7's?
Correct: A. Asammuṭṭhā mirrors susammuṭṭhā by simple negation, as in SN 1.7.
Question 4 of 10
What distinction, if any, exists between 'not deciphered' and 'very confused'?
Correct: A. A difference in degree or kind, though both lead to the same danger.
Question 5 of 10
What figurative image, used across three consecutive discourses, appears again here?
Correct: A. Continuing from SN 1.6 and SN 1.7.
Question 6 of 10
What closing image does this discourse share word for word with SN 1.7?
Correct: A. Identical closing line to SN 1.7's answering verse.
Question 7 of 10
What does this pairing of SN 1.7 and SN 1.8 illustrate about this vagga's method?
Correct: A. The opposite pattern from SN 1.3/1.4, which varied the opening and kept the conclusion fixed.
Question 8 of 10
What does 'asammuṭṭhā' mean?
Correct: A. The Buddha's counter-term, negating susammuṭṭhā.
Question 9 of 10
What is the setting of this discourse?
Correct: A. The Devatāsaṃyutta's recurring frame continues.
Question 10 of 10
Does the Buddha's prescription differ between confusion (SN 1.8) and non-comprehension (SN 1.7)?
Correct: A. Both failures receive the identical mirrored answer.
