The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha
Page 69
22. “About this a wise man considers thus: ‘This good teacher claims to be omniscient and all-seeing, to have complete knowledge and vision…When he is questioned: “How is this?” he replies: “I had to…that is why I asked.”’ So when he finds that this holy life is without consolation, he turns away from it and leaves it.
23. “This is the first kind of holy life without consolation that has been declared by the Blessed One who knows and sees, accomplished and fully enlightened, [520] wherein a wise man certainly would not live the holy life, or if he should live it, would not attain the true way, the Dhamma that is wholesome.
24. “Again, Sandaka, here some teacher is a traditionalist, one who regards oral tradition as truth; he teaches a Dhamma by oral tradition, by legends handed down, by the authority of the collections. But when a teacher is a traditionalist, one who regards oral tradition as truth, some is well transmitted and some badly transmitted, 754 some is true and some is otherwise.
25. “About this a wise man considers thus: ‘This good teacher is a traditionalist…some is true and some is otherwise.’ So when he finds that this holy life is without consolation, he turns away from it and leaves it.
26. “This is the second kind of holy life without consolation that has been declared by the Blessed One who knows and sees, accomplished and fully enlightened…
27. “Again, Sandaka, here a certain teacher is a reasoner, an inquirer. He teaches a Dhamma hammered out by reasoning, following a line of inquiry as it occurs to him. But when a teacher is a reasoner, an inquirer, some is well reasoned and some is wrongly reasoned, some is true and some is otherwise.
28. “About this a wise man considers thus: ‘This good teacher is a reasoner…some is true and some is otherwise.’ So when he finds that this holy life is without consolation, he turns away from it and leaves it.
29. “This is the third kind of holy life without consolation that has been declared by the Blessed One who knows and sees, accomplished and fully enlightened…
30. “Again, Sandaka, here a certain teacher is dull and confused. Because he is dull and confused, [521] when he is asked such and such a question, he engages in verbal wriggling, in eel-wriggling: ‘I don’t say it is like this. And I don’t say it is like that. And I don’t say it is otherwise. And I don’t say it is not so. And I don’t say it is not not so.’755
31. “About this a wise man considers thus: ‘This good teacher is dull and confused…[thus] he engages in verbal wriggling, in eel-wriggling…’ So when he finds that this holy life is without consolation, he turns away from it and leaves it.
32. “This is the fourth kind of holy life without consolation that has been declared by the Blessed One who knows and sees, accomplished and fully enlightened…
33. “These, Sandaka, are the four kinds of holy life without consolation that have been declared by the Blessed One who knows and sees, accomplished and fully enlightened, wherein a wise man certainly would not live the holy life, or if he should live it, would not attain the true way, the Dhamma that is wholesome.”
34. “It is wonderful, Master Ānanda, it is marvellous, how the four kinds of holy life without consolation have been declared by the Blessed One who knows and sees, accomplished and fully enlightened…But, Master Ānanda, what does that teacher assert, what does he declare, wherein a wise man certainly would live the holy life, and while living it would attain the true way, the Dhamma that is wholesome?’”
35–42. “Here, Sandaka, a Tathāgata appears in the world, accomplished, fully enlightened...(as Sutta 51, §§12–19)...he purifies his mind from doubt.
43. “Having thus abandoned these five hindrances, imperfections of the mind that weaken wisdom, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, he enters upon and abides in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by applied and sustained thought, with rapture and pleasure born of seclusion. A wise man certainly would live the holy life with a teacher under whom a disciple attains such a lofty distinction, [522] and while living it he would attain the true way, the Dhamma that is wholesome.
44–46. “Again, with the stilling of applied and sustained thought, he enters upon and abides in the second jhāna…With the fading away as well of rapture...he enters upon and abides in the third jhāna... With the abandoning of pleasure and pain...he enters upon and abides in the fourth jhāna. A wise man certainly would live the holy life with a teacher under whom a disciple attains such a lofty distinction...
47. “When his concentrated mind is thus purified, bright, unblemished, rid of imperfection, malleable, wieldy, steady, and attained to imperturbability, he directs it to knowledge of the recollection of past lives. He recollects his manifold past lives, that is, one birth, two births...(as Sutta 51, §24)...Thus with their aspects and particulars he recollects his manifold past lives. A wise man certainly would live the holy life with a teacher under whom a disciple attains such a lofty distinction…
48. “When his concentrated mind is thus purified, bright, unblemished, rid of imperfection, malleable, wieldy, steady, and attained to imperturbability, he directs it to knowledge of the passing away and reappearance of beings...(as Sutta 51, §25)...Thus with the divine eye, which is purified and surpasses the human, he sees beings passing away and reappearing, inferior and superior, fair and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate, and he understands how beings pass on according to their actions. A wise man certainly would live the holy life with a teacher under whom a disciple attains such a lofty distinction…
49. “When his concentrated mind is thus purified, bright, unblemished, rid of imperfection, malleable, wieldy, steady, and attained to imperturbability, he directs it to knowledge of the destruction of the taints. He understands as it actually is: ‘This is suffering’...(as Sutta 51, §26)...He understands as it actually is: ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of the taints.’
50. “When he knows and sees thus, his mind is liberated from the taint of sensual desire, from the taint of being, and from the taint of ignorance. When it is liberated there comes the knowledge: ‘It is liberated.’ He understands: ‘Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming to any state of being.’ A wise man certainly would live the holy life with a teacher under whom a disciple attains such a lofty distinction, and while living it he would attain the true way, the Dhamma that is wholesome.”
51. “But, Master Ānanda, when a bhikkhu is an arahant with taints destroyed, one who has lived the holy life, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, reached his own goal, destroyed the fetters of being, and is completely liberated through final knowledge, [523] could he enjoy sensual pleasures?”
“Sandaka, when a bhikkhu is an arahant with taints destroyed …and is completely liberated through final knowledge, he is incapable of transgression in five cases. A bhikkhu whose taints are destroyed is incapable of deliberately depriving a living being of life; he is incapable of taking what is not given, that is, of stealing; he is incapable of indulging in sexual intercourse; he is incapable of knowingly speaking falsehood; he is incapable of enjoying sensual pleasures by storing them up as he did formerly in lay life.756 When a bhikkhu is an arahant with taints destroyed…he is incapable of transgression in these five cases.”757
52. “But, Master Ānanda, when a bhikkhu is an arahant with taints destroyed…is his knowledge and vision that his taints are destroyed continuously and uninterruptedly present to him whether he is walking or standing or sleeping or awake?”
“As to that, Sandaka, I shall give you a simile, for some wise men here understand the meaning of a statement by means of a simile. Suppose a man’s hands and feet were cut off. Whether he is walking or standing or sleeping or awake, his hands and feet are continuously and uninterruptedly cut off, but he would know this only when he reviews the fact. So too, Sandaka, when a bhikkhu is an arahant with taints destroyed…his knowledge and vision that his taints are destroyed is not continuously
and uninterruptedly present to him whether he is walking or standing or sleeping or awake; rather, he knows ‘My taints are destroyed’ only when he reviews this fact.”758
53. “How many emancipators759 are there in this Dhamma and Discipline, Master Ānanda?”
“There are not only one hundred, Sandaka, or two hundred, three hundred, four hundred or five hundred, but far more emancipators than that in this Dhamma and Discipline.” “It is wonderful, Master Ānanda, it is marvellous! There is no lauding of one ’s own Dhamma and no disparaging of the Dhamma of others; there is the teaching of the Dhamma in its full range, [524] and so many emancipators. But these Ājīvakas, those mothers’ dead sons, laud themselves and disparage others, and they recognise only three emancipators, namely, Nanda Vaccha, Kisa Sankicca, and Makkhali Gosāla.”760
54. Then the wanderer Sandaka addressed his own assembly: “Go, sirs. The holy life is to be lived under the recluse Gotama. It is not easy for us now to give up gain, honour, and renown.”
That is how the wanderer Sandaka exhorted his own assembly to live the holy life under the Blessed One.
Mahāsakuludāyi Sutta
The Greater Discourse
to Sakuludāyin
[1] 1. THUS HAVE I HEARD. On one occasion the Blessed One was living at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrels’ Sanctuary.
2. Now on that occasion a number of well-known wanderers were staying at the Peacocks’ Sanctuary, the wanderers’ park—that is, Annabhāra, Varadhara, and the wanderer Sakuludāyin, as well as other well-known wanderers.
3. Then, when it was morning, the Blessed One dressed, and taking his bowl and outer robe, went into Rājagaha for alms. Then he thought: “It is still too early to wander for alms in Rājagaha. Suppose I went to the wanderer Sakuludāyin in the Peacocks’ Sanctuary, the wanderers’ park.”
4. Then the Blessed One went to the Peacocks’ Sanctuary, the wanderers’ park. Now on that occasion the wanderer Sakuludāyin was seated with a large assembly of wanderers who were making an uproar, loudly and noisily talking many kinds of pointless talk, such as talk of kings...(as Sutta 76, §4) [2]... whether things are so or are not so. Then the wanderer Sakuludāyin saw the Blessed One coming in the distance. Seeing him, he quieted his own assembly thus: “Sirs, be quiet; sirs, make no noise. Here comes the recluse Gotama. This venerable one likes quiet and commends quiet. Perhaps if he finds our assembly a quiet one, he will think to join us.” Then the wanderers became silent.
5. The Blessed One went to the wanderer Sakuludāyin, who said to him: “Let the Blessed One come, venerable sir! Welcome to the Blessed One! It is long since the Blessed One found an opportunity to come here. Let the Blessed One be seated; this seat is ready.”
The Blessed One sat down on the seat made ready, and the wanderer Sakuludāyin took a low seat and sat down at one side. When he had done so, the Blessed One asked him: “For what discussion are you sitting together here now, Udāyin? And what was your discussion that was interrupted?”
6. “Venerable sir, let be the discussion for which we are now sitting together here. The Blessed One can well hear about it later. In recent days, venerable sir, when recluses and brahmins of various sects have been gathering together and sitting together in the debating hall, this topic has arisen: ‘It is a gain for the people of Anga and Magadha, it is a great gain for the people of Anga and Magadha that these recluses and brahmins, heads of orders, heads of groups, teachers of groups, well-known and famous founders of sects regarded by many as saints, have come to spend the Rains at Rājagaha. There is this Pūraṇa Kassapa, the head of an order, the head of a group, the teacher of a group, the well-known and famous founder of a sect regarded by many as a saint: he has come to spend the Rains at Rājagaha. There is also this Makkhali Gosāla…this Ajita Kesakambalin… this Pakudha Kaccāyana…this Sañjaya Belaṭṭhiputta…this Nigaṇṭha Nātaputta, the head of an order, the head of a group, the teacher of a group, [3] the well-known and famous founder of a sect regarded by many as a saint: he too has come to spend the Rains at Rājagaha. There is also this recluse Gotama, the head of an order, the head of a group, the teacher of a group, the well-known and famous founder of a sect regarded by many as a saint: he too has come to spend the Rains at Rājagaha. Now among these worthy recluses and brahmins, heads of orders…regarded by many as saints, who is honoured, respected, revered, and venerated by his disciples? And how, honouring and respecting him, do they live in dependence on him?’
“Thereupon some said this: ‘This Pūraṇa Kassapa is the head of an order…regarded by many as a saint, yet he is not honoured, respected, revered, and venerated by his disciples, nor do his disciples live in dependence on him, honouring and respecting him. Once Pūraṇa Kassapa was teaching his Dhamma to an assembly of several hundred followers. Then a certain disciple of his made a noise thus: “Sirs, do not ask Pūraṇa Kassapa this question. He does not know that. We know that. Ask us that question. We will answer that for you, sirs.” It happened that Pūraṇa Kassapa did not get his way, though he waved his arms and wailed: “Be quiet, sirs, make no noise, sirs. They are not asking you, sirs. They are asking us. We will answer them.” Indeed, many of his disciples left him after refuting his doctrine thus: “You do not understand this Dhamma and Discipline. I understand this Dhamma and Discipline. How could you understand this Dhamma and Discipline? Your way is wrong. My way is right. I am consistent. You are inconsistent. What should have been said first, you said last. What should have been said last, you said first. What you had so carefully thought up has been turned inside out. Your doctrine is refuted. You are proved wrong. Go and learn better, or disentangle yourself if you can!” Thus Pūraṇa Kassapa is not honoured, respected, revered, and venerated by his disciples, nor do his disciples live in dependence on him, honouring and respecting him. Indeed, he is scorned by the scorn shown to his Dhamma.’ [4]
“And some said this: ‘This Makkhali Gosāla...this Ajita Kesakambalin…this Pakudha Kaccāyana…this Sañjaya Belaṭṭhiputta…this Nigaṇṭha Nātaputta is the head of an order…[but he] is not honoured, respected, revered, and venerated by his disciples, nor do his disciples live in dependence on him, honouring and respecting him. Indeed, he is scorned by the scorn shown to his Dhamma.’
“And some said this: ‘This recluse Gotama is the head of an order, the head of a group, the teacher of a group, the well-known and famous founder of a sect regarded by many as a saint. He is honoured, respected, revered, and venerated by his disciples, and his disciples live in dependence on him, honouring and respecting him. Once the recluse Gotama was teaching his Dhamma to an assembly of several hundred followers and there a certain disciple of his cleared his throat. Thereupon one of his companions in the holy life nudged him with his knee [to indicate]: [5] “Be quiet, venerable sir, make no noise; the Blessed One, the Teacher, is teaching us the Dhamma.” When the recluse Gotama is teaching the Dhamma to an assembly of several hundred followers, on that occasion there is no sound of his disciples’ coughing or clearing their throats. For then that large assembly is poised in expectancy: “Let us hear the Dhamma the Blessed One is about to teach.” Just as though a man were at a crossroads pressing out pure honey and a large group of people were poised in expectancy, so too, when the recluse Gotama is teaching the Dhamma to an assembly of several hundred followers, on that occasion there is no sound of his disciples’ coughing or clearing their throats. For then that large assembly is poised in expectancy: “Let us hear the Dhamma the Blessed One is about to teach.” And even those disciples of his who fall out with their companions in the holy life and abandon the training to return to the low life—even they praise the Master and the Dhamma and the Sangha; they blame themselves instead of others, saying: “We were unlucky, we have little merit; for though we went forth into homelessness in such a well-proclaimed Dhamma, we were unable to live the perfect and pure holy life for the rest of our lives.” Having become monastery attendants or lay follower
s, they undertake and observe the five precepts. Thus the recluse Gotama is honoured, respected, revered, and venerated by his disciples, and his disciples live in dependence on him, honouring and respecting him.’”
7. “But, Udāyin, how many qualities do you see in me because of which my disciples honour, respect, revere, and venerate me, and live in dependence on me, honouring and respecting me?”
8. “Venerable sir, I see five qualities in the Blessed One because of which his disciples honour, respect, revere, and venerate him, and live in dependence on him, honouring and respecting him. What are the five? First, venerable sir, the Blessed One eats little and commends eating little; this I see as the first quality of the Blessed One because of which his disciples honour, respect, revere, and venerate him, and live in dependence on him, honouring and respecting him. [6] Again, venerable sir, the Blessed One is content with any kind of robe and commends contentment with any kind of robe; this I see as the second quality of the Blessed One…Again, venerable sir, the Blessed One is content with any kind of almsfood and commends contentment with any kind of almsfood; this I see as the third quality of the Blessed One…Again, venerable sir, the Blessed One is content with any kind of resting place and commends contentment with any kind of resting place; this I see as the fourth quality of the Blessed One…Again, venerable sir, the Blessed One is secluded and commends seclusion; this I see as the fifth quality of the Blessed One…Venerable sir, these are the five qualities I see in the Blessed One because of which his disciples honour, respect, revere, and venerate him, and live in dependence on him, honouring and respecting him.”