If you would learn the teaching from someone, honor them as the gods honor Indra. Then they will have confidence in you, and being learned, they reveal the teaching.
Heeding well, an attentive one, practicing in line with that teaching grows intelligent, discerning, and subtle through diligently sticking close to such a person.
But associating with a petty fool who falls short of the goal, jealous, then unable to discern the teaching in this life, one proceeds to death still plagued by doubts.
It’s like a man who has plunged into a river, a rushing torrent in spate. As they are swept away downstream, how could they help others across?
Just so, one unable to discern the teaching, who hasn’t studied the meaning under the learned, not knowing it oneself, still plagued by doubts, how could they help others to contemplate?
But one who has embarked on a strong boat equipped with rudder and oar, would bring many others across there with skill, care, and thoughtfulness.
So too one who understands—a knowledge master, evolved, learned, and unflappable—can help others to contemplate, so long as they are prepared to listen carefully.
That’s why you should spend time with a true person, intelligent and learned. Having understood the meaning, putting it into practice, one who understands the teaching would find happiness.
The Boat
Snp 2.8 · Dhamma (nāvā) sutta
Connections
Collection & context
- Sutta NipātaThe collection containing this text
- The Pāli canonCanonical collection in which this edition is preserved
- Theravāda traditionsTransmission and study context
- The early Buddhist communityHistorical and traditional setting
Books
- Handful of Leaves: an Anthology from the Sutta PiṭakaEarly Buddhist discourses; Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu (translator and compiler) · Included in anthology
About this edition
Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato · SuttaCentral · CC0
This translation is an expression of an ancient spiritual text that has been passed down by the Buddhist tradition for the benefit of all sentient beings. It is dedicated to the public domain via Creative Commons Zero (CC0). You are encouraged to copy, reproduce, adapt, alter, or otherwise make use of this translation. The translator respectfully requests that any use be in accordance with the values and principles of the Buddhist community. In particular, please do not use this work in AI training datasets, for the development of any AI model or algorithm, or in any AI-derived technologies.
Published source. Translation wording and order are preserved; source headings and notes are retained, with navigation and formatting adapted for this reader.
The opening image is AI-generated nature artwork for Buddhist Atlas, an evocative companion rather than a historical depiction.