Reading guide
An exact mirror of SN 56.66
This project's own word-for-word comparison confirms this discourse differs from SN 56.66 only in the single substituted term — “petteyya” (“respecting one's father”) replacing “matteyya” (“respecting one's mother”) — everything else, including the elision back to SN 56.61-62, held identical.
Key terms
appakā te sattā ye petteyyā — “the sentient beings who respect their fathers are few” — the rare category, matching the tiny pinch of dirt
petteyya — “one who respects their father, filial toward one's father” — the term giving this discourse its own title, mirroring SN 56.66's own "matteyya"
apetteyyā — “those who don't [respect their fathers]” — the vast majority category, matching the whole earth
… — the elision marking, standing in for the fingernail demonstration already given in full at SN 56.61-62
sattamaṁ — “the seventh” — 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, which itself preserves the elision back to SN 56.61's own full statement. Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0, SuttaCentral).
§1“… the sentient beings who respect their fathers are few, while those who don’t are many. …”
· · ·
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
How does this discourse relate to SN 56.66, per this project's own word-for-word comparison?
Correct: A. Confirmed by direct comparison — a single-term substitution, everything else identical.
Question 2 of 3
What two-discourse unit does this discourse complete, per this project's own reading?
Correct: A. This project's own reading of a deliberate family-to-community progression across this vagga's own final four discourses.
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 "Sattamaṁ" ("seventh").