Ru-Yi Meditation Center
Saṃyutta Nikāya · Discourse 56.22

At the Village of Koṭi (2nd)

Dutiyakoṭigāmasutta — Koṭigāmavagga

Setting
Not given — continuing directly from SN 56.21's own setting
Speaker
The Buddha, addressing the mendicants directly, closing in verse
Form
A sharp twofold claim, then a closing verse pair elaborating it
Length
1–2 minutes to read
Northern parallel
No individual parallel confirmed by this project's own check
Significance
★★★★ — the second of ten discourses, redefining “true ascetic or brahmin” by a single criterion

Why this discourse

Confirmed by direct reading, this discourse makes a sharp claim: whatever ascetics or brahmins do not truly understand the four noble truths, the Buddha does not deem them true ascetics or brahmins at all, regardless of their own self-designation or external appearance — a single criterion (understanding the four truths) redefining who genuinely counts as having realized the goal such renunciate life is meant to achieve.

Reading guide

A single criterion, applied without exception

This project's own reading: this discourse's own claim is not softened by qualification — whoever lacks true understanding of the four truths, however respected or however they present themselves, does not count, in the Buddha's own stated judgment, as a genuine ascetic or brahmin at all.

Twin releases, named in the closing verse

This project's own reading of the closing verse's own addition: those who fail to understand lack both “the heart's release” (cetovimutti) and “the release by wisdom” (paññāvimutti) — a paired formulation this project recognizes elsewhere in the canon as together constituting complete liberation.

Key terms

na me te...samaṇesu vā samaṇasammatā — “I don't deem them as true ascetics” — this discourse's own sharp denial of status to those lacking understanding
sāmaññatthaṁ vā brahmaññatthaṁ — “the goal of life as an ascetic or brahmin” — the achievement this discourse claims is realized only through understanding the four truths
cetovimuttihīnā...paññāvimuttiyā — “lack the heart's release...as well as the release by wisdom” — the twin releases this discourse's own closing verse names as absent in those who do not understand
jātijarūpagā — “continue to be reborn and grow old” — the fate this discourse's own closing verse assigns to those lacking understanding
dutiyaṁ — “the second” — this discourse's own root text confirming its own position directly, read rather than assumed

The text

Every genuinely translated fragment given in the consulted English source, including its own closing verse. Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0, SuttaCentral).

§1“Mendicants, there are ascetics and brahmins who don’t truly understand about suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path. I don’t deem them as true ascetics and brahmins. 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.

§2There are ascetics and brahmins who do truly understand about suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path. I deem them as true ascetics and brahmins. Those venerables realize the goal of life as an ascetic or brahmin, and live having realized it with their own insight.”

§3That is what the Buddha said. Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:

Verse“There are those who don’t understand suffering and suffering’s cause, and where all suffering ceases with nothing left over. And they do not know the path that leads to the stilling of suffering. They lack the heart’s release, as well as the release by wisdom. Unable to make an end, they continue to be reborn and grow old. But there are those who understand suffering and suffering’s cause, and where all suffering ceases with nothing left over. And they understand the path that leads to the stilling of suffering. They’re endowed with the heart’s release, as well as the release by wisdom. Able to make an end, they don’t continue to be reborn and grow old.”

· · ·

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 single criterion does this discourse use to judge who is a genuine ascetic or brahmin?
Correct: A. Confirmed by direct reading — a sharp, single criterion stated without qualification.
Question 2 of 3
What twin releases does this discourse's own closing verse name as absent in those who do not understand?
Correct: A. Confirmed by direct reading — a paired formulation this project recognizes elsewhere as constituting complete liberation.
Question 3 of 3
What position does this discourse occupy in this vagga's own ten-discourse sequence?
Correct: A. Confirmed by direct reading of the root text's own closing marker "Dutiyaṁ" ("second").
Answered 0 of 3 · Correct 0

Further reading

← PreviousSN 56.21 · At the Village of Koṭi (1st)