Thank you, Lang, for bringing up this important sutta with a deep meaning.
First, the background of the sutta. A fairly good translation that provides the background is, “With Rohitassa (AN 4.45)”
A Deva named Rohitassa comes to the Buddha and asks, “Is it possible to know or see or reach the end of the world by traveling to a place where there’s no being born, growing old, dying, passing away, or being reborn?”
– The Buddha says it is impossible to PHYSICALLY get to the end of the world (universe, in modern-day terminology).
– Rohitassa Deva said that he confirmed that by himself. He said that in a previous life, he was a yogi with supernormal powers who could travel vast distances (with his gandhabba body). One day he took off to try to get to the “end of the world”. Of course, no matter how much he traveled, there was no “end”. He died on the way.
To get in idea of how vast the universe is, see the following video: “Carl Sagan “100 Billion Galaxies each W/100 Billion Stars”
Then the Buddha says:
“Na kho panāhaṃ, āvuso, appatvā lokassa antaṃ dukkhassa antakiriyaṃ vadāmi. Api ca khvāhaṃ, āvuso, imasmiṃyeva byāmamatte kaḷevare sasaññimhi samanake lokañcapaññapemi lokasamudayañca lokanirodhañca lokanirodha-gāminiñca paṭipadanti.”
The translation of that verse is better from Lang’s quote (EXCEPT for the part that I highlighted):
“Friend, I do not say that all suffering will cease without reaching the end of the world, but I say that the world lies within this fathom long body, which possesses mind and perception. I also teach the origin of the world, the cessation of the world, and the way leading to the cessation of the world.”
A better translation would be (just the meaning): “Friend, I do say that all suffering will not cease without reaching the end of the world. But “reaching the end of the world” is possible without going anywhere. It can be done with this body that possesses mind and perception. One just needs to comprehend the mechanism that “bears this world”. I also teach the origin of the world, the cessation of the world, and the way leading to the cessation of the world.”
Let us discuss briefly what the Buddha meant by that verse.
To see the context, let us look at Rohitassa’s first question stated above: “Is it possible to know or see or reach the end of the world by traveling to a place where there’s no being born, growing old, dying, passing away, or being reborn?”
So, the Buddha is saying that getting to a place where there’s no being born, growing old, dying, passing away, or being reborn is possible by following the Noble Eightfold Path. That goal is attained upon the Parinibbana of an Arahant. There will be no more births in this world.
– That is the “end of the world”, the death of an Arahant. He/she will not be reborn anywhere in this world of 31 realms. That is reaching the “end of the world.”
One comprehends the suffering associated with the rebirth process by comprehending the anicca, dukkha, anatta nature.
– The rebirth process continues with the akusala-mula Paticca Samuppada starting with “avijja paccaya sankhara”. That means one will be tempted to do immoral deeds via abhisankhara. Here “avijja” is not to realize the anicca nature, i.e., that remaining in this world (i.e. in the rebirth process) will only lead to much suffering.
– That process always ends up with “bhava paccaya jati” and “jati paccaya jars, Marina, soka, parideva,…(or the “whole mass of suffering)”
When one gets to the Arahant stage, the akusala-mula Paticca Samuppada process stops and the Arahant WOULD NOT grasp a new bhava at death. That is the “end of the world.” That is the end of all suffering!