Twelve discourses compressed into a single bilara-data file, giving one explicit example before an explicit cross-reference instruction
Length
<1 minute to read, per the source's own actual content
Northern parallel
No individual parallel confirmed by this project's own check
Difficulty
★★☆☆☆ — brief in its own written form, but structurally confirmed to represent twelve discourses
Why this discourse
All hard work, said to depend on and be grounded on the earth, illustrates the seven awakening factors as the ground on which every skillful undertaking depends — the identical simile already met at SN 45.149 in this book's own Maggasaṃyutta, here explicitly cross-referenced by the source itself rather than rewritten, confirmed by the closing uddāna to span twelve similes across twelve discourses.
Reading guide
A direct cross-reference, not independent content
Confirmed by direct reading, the source itself instructs readers to “tell in full as in SN 45.149–160” — this project's own already-completed Balakaraṇīyavagga from the Maggasaṃyutta — rather than rewriting the full simile-by-simile content again. The twelve similes (hard work grounded on the earth, a seed, an elephant, a tree, a pot, a needle-maker, the sky, two clouds, a boat, and a visiting river) are confirmed by the closing uddāna's own explicit list to structure this entire twelve-discourse vagga identically to its own earlier counterpart.
The same name as its own SN 45 counterpart
Confirmed by direct reading, this vagga's own Pāli name is “Balakaraṇīyavagga” (“the Hard-Work chapter”) — identical to SN 45's own name for this vagga, unlike the previous vagga (Appamādavagga), which dropped “peyyāla” from its own SN 46 name. Each vagga's own naming is confirmed individually rather than assumed from the previous vagga's own pattern.
A different position, the same content
This vagga's own colophon numbers it “ekādasamo” (“the eleventh”) within the Bojjhaṅgasaṃyutta, differing from its own position as the TWELFTH vagga within SN 45's own Maggasaṃyutta — a difference in each saṃyutta's own internal count, not a discrepancy in the underlying twelve-simile content, which is confirmed identical.
Key terms
ye keci balakaraṇīyā kammantā karīyanti, sabbe te pathaviṁ nissāya — “all the hard work that gets done depends on the earth” — the identical opening image already met at SN 45.149, this book's own recurring hard-work simile
pathaviṁ nissāya pathaviyaṁ patiṭṭhāya — “depends on the earth and is grounded on the earth” — the shared description this project's own SN 45.149 confirmed applies to the development of the seven awakening factors
vitthāretabbaṁ — “to be elaborated in full” — the source's own explicit cross-reference instruction, pointing to SN 45.149-160 rather than repeating that content
balakaraṇīyavaggo ekādasamo — “the Hard-Work chapter, the eleventh” — confirming this vagga's own position within this saṃyutta's own count, distinct from (but not in conflict with) its own twelfth position within SN 45
balaṁ bījañca nāgo ca, rukkho kumbhena sūkiyā — “strength, and seed, and elephant, tree, with pot, needle” — the closing uddāna's own opening line, listing the first six of this vagga's own twelve similes
The text
Every genuinely translated fragment given in the consulted English source. Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0, SuttaCentral).
§1“Mendicants, all the hard work that gets done depends on the earth and is grounded on the earth. …”
§2(Tell in full as in SN 45.149–160.)
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Self-check quiz
3 questions. Click an answer to see immediate feedback. No score is recorded — this is for your own checking.
Question 1 of 3
What does the source itself instruct, rather than rewriting the full simile-by-simile content?
Correct: A. A direct cross-reference to this project's own already-completed Balakaraṇīyavagga from the Maggasaṃyutta.
Question 2 of 3
How does this vagga's own Pāli name compare to SN 45's own version of the same vagga?
Correct: A. Confirmed by direct reading — each vagga's own naming must be checked individually rather than assumed.
Question 3 of 3
Why does this vagga's own colophon number it "the eleventh" while SN 45 numbers the identical content as its own twelfth vagga?
Correct: A. A difference in each saṃyutta's own internal numbering, not a discrepancy in the underlying twelve-simile content.
