Rain soddens what’s covered
& doesn’t sodden what’s open.
So open up what’s covered up,
so that it won’t get soddened by the rain.2
Notes
1. Na āyataken’eva papāto: literally, “not for quite a long stretch a sudden drop-off.” The Commentary, however, insists that this phrase means, “with no abrupt drop-off.” There are three reasons for not accepting the Commentary’s interpretation here. (a) The first is grammatical. The word āyataka means “long, drawn out; lasting a long time.” To interpret āyatakena, the instrumental of a word meaning “long, drawn out,” to mean “abrupt” makes little sense. (b) The second reason is geographical. The continental shelf off the east coast of India does have a sudden drop-off after a long gradual slope. (c) The third reason is doctrinal. As noted in the interpretation of the simile, the shape of the ocean floor corresponds to the course of the practice. If there were no sudden drop-off, there would be no sudden penetration to awakening. However, there are many cases of sudden penetration in the Canon, Exhibit A being Bāhiya’s attainment of arahantship in Ud 1:10.
2. This verse also appears among the verses attributed to Ven. Sirimaṇḍa at Thag 6:13 (verse 447 in the PTS edition).
Origin URL: https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/KN/Ud/ud5_5.html