Other Darkness Greater Than the Blinding Darkness in the World of Dreadful Regions

Monks, there are world interstices, vacant and dreadful regions of blinding darkness and gloom, where the light of the sun and moon, so powerful and mighty, does not reach.

‘That darkness, Venerable Sir, is indeed great; that darkness is indeed very great. But is there, Venerable Sir, any other darkness greater and more frightful than that one?’

There is, Monk.

‘But what, Venerable Sir, is that darkness greater and more frightful than that one?’

Those Ascetics and Brāhmins, Monk, who do not understand as it really is: This is discontentedness; who do not understand as it really is: This is the cause of discontentedness; who do not understand as it really is: This is the elimination of discontentedness; who do not understand as it really is: This is the way leading to the elimination of discontentedness — they excite in volitional formations (choices/decisions) that lead to birth, in volitional formations that lead to aging, in volitional formations that lead to death, in volitional formations that lead to sorrow, grief, pain, displeasure, and despair.

Exciting in such volitional formations, they generate volitional formations (choices/decisions) that lead to birth, generate volitional formations that lead to aging, generate volitional formations that lead to death, generate volitional formations that lead to sorrow, grief, pain, displeasure, and despair. Having generated such volitional formations, they tumble into the darkness of birth, tumble into the darkness of aging, tumble into the darkness of death, tumble into the darkness of sorrow, grief, pain, displeasure, and despair. They are not freed from birth, aging, and death; not freed from sorrow, grief, pain, displeasure, and despair; not freed from discontentedness, I say.

But, Monk, those Ascetics and Brāhmins who understand as it really is: This is discontentedness; who understand as it really is: This is the cause of discontentedness; who understand as it really is: This is the elimination of discontentedness; who understand as it really is: This is the way leading to the elimination of discontentedness — they do not excite in volitional formations (choices/decisions) that lead to birth, in volitional formations that lead to aging, in volitional formations that lead to death, in volitional formations that lead to sorrow, grief, pain, displeasure, and despair; freed from discontentedness, I say.

Therefore, Monks, an effort should be made to understand: ‘This is discontentedness’; an effort should be made to understand: ‘This is the cause of discontentedness’; an effort should be made to understand: ‘This is the elimination of discontentedness’; an effort should be made to understand: ‘This is the way leading to the elimination of discontentedness.’

(Reference: SN 56.46)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares that it is great darkness for a being to not understand The Four Noble Truths for the reasons mentioned in the previous Chapters.

He encourages Students to make an effort to learn and practice The Four Noble Truths to eliminate discontentedness which will allow a being to escape The Cycle of Rebirth.