Reading guide
Closing the bodily triad
This project's own reading: with killing (SN 56.71), stealing (SN 56.72), and now sexual misconduct addressed, this vagga's own three bodily courses of unwholesome action are complete — SN 56.74 will turn to the first of four verbal courses.
Key terms
appakā te sattā ye kāmesumicchācārā paṭiviratā — “the sentient beings who refrain from sexual misconduct are few” — the rare category, matching the tiny pinch of dirt
kāmesumicchācāra — “sexual misconduct” — literally “wrong conduct regarding sensual pleasures,” the third of the ten courses of unwholesome action
appaṭiviratā — “those who don't refrain” — 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
tatiyaṁ — “the third” — 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 refrain from sexual misconduct are few, while those who don’t refrain are many. …”
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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 this discourse claim about those who refrain from sexual misconduct?
Correct: A. Confirmed by direct reading — matching this vagga's own recurring formula.
Question 2 of 3
What does this discourse complete, per this project's own reading?
Correct: A. This project's own reading confirming the close of a three-part bodily sequence.
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 "Tatiyaṁ" ("third").