The Connected Discourses of the Buddha
Page 149
(i)
“Therein, headman, the ascetic of rough life who afflicts and torments himself, yet does not achieve a wholesome state or realize a superhuman distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones, may be criticized on three grounds. On what three grounds may he be criticized? ‘He afflicts and torments himself’—this is the first ground on which he may be criticized. ‘He does not achieve a wholesome state’—this is the second ground on which he may be criticized. ‘He does not realize a superhuman distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones’—this is the third ground on which he may be criticized. This ascetic of rough life may be criticized on these three grounds.
(ii)
“Therein, headman, the ascetic of rough life who afflicts and torments himself, and achieves a wholesome state, yet does not realize a superhuman distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones, may be criticized on two grounds and praised on one ground. On what two grounds may he be criticized? ‘He afflicts and torments himself’—this is the first ground on which he may be criticized. ‘He does not realize a superhuman distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones’—this is the second ground on which he may be criticized. On what one ground may he be praised? ‘He achieves a wholesome state’—this is the one ground on which he may be praised. This ascetic of rough life may be criticized on these two grounds and praised on this one ground. [339]
(iii)
“Therein, headman, the ascetic of rough life who afflicts and torments himself, achieves a wholesome state, and realizes a superhuman distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones, may be criticized on one ground and praised on two grounds. On what one ground may he be criticized? ‘He afflicts and torments himself’—this is the one ground on which he may be criticized. On what two grounds may he be praised? ‘He achieves a wholesome state’—this is the first ground on which he may be praised. ‘He realizes a superhuman distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones’—this is the second ground on which he may be praised. This ascetic of rough life may be criticized on this one ground and praised on these two grounds.
VI
“There are, headman, these three kinds of wearing away that are directly visible,357 immediate, inviting one to come and see, applicable, to be personally experienced by the wise. What three?
(i)
“Someone is lustful, and on account of lust he intends for his own affliction, for the affliction of others, for the affliction of both. When lust is abandoned, he does not intend for his own affliction, or for the affliction of others, or for the affliction of both. The wearing away is directly visible, immediate, inviting one to come and see, applicable, to be personally experienced by the wise.
(ii)
“Someone is full of hatred, and on account of hatred he intends for his own affliction, for the affliction of others, for the affliction of both. When hatred is abandoned, he does not intend for his own affliction, or for the affliction of others, or for the affliction of both. [340] The wearing away is directly visible, immediate, inviting one to come and see, applicable, to be personally experienced by the wise.
(iii)
“Someone is deluded, and on account of delusion he intends for his own affliction, for the affliction of others, for the affliction of both. When delusion is abandoned, he does not intend for his own affliction, or for the affliction of others, or for the affliction of both. The wearing away is directly visible, immediate, inviting one to come and see, applicable, to be personally experienced by the wise.
“These, headman, are the three kinds of wearing away that are directly visible, immediate, inviting one to come and see, applicable, to be personally experienced by the wise.”
When this was said, Rāsiya the headman said to the Blessed One: “Magnificent, venerable sir!… From today let the Blessed One remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”
13 Pāṭaliya
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Koliyans where there was a town of the Koliyans named Uttara. Then Pāṭaliya the headman approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him:
“I have heard, venerable sir: ‘The ascetic Gotama knows magic.’358 I hope, venerable sir, that those who say, ‘The ascetic Gotama knows magic,’ state what has been said by the Blessed One and do not misrepresent him with what is contrary to fact; that they explain in accordance with the Dhamma, and that no reasonable consequence of their assertion gives ground for criticism. For we would not wish to misrepresent the Blessed One, venerable sir.”
“Those, headman, who say, ‘The ascetic Gotama knows magic,’ state what has been said by me and do not misrepresent me with what is contrary to fact; they explain in accordance with the Dhamma, and no reasonable consequence of their assertion gives ground for criticism.” [341]
“Then, sir, we did not believe the plain truth asserted by those ascetics and brahmins who said, ‘The ascetic Gotama knows magic.’ Indeed, sir, the ascetic Gotama is a magician!”359
“Headman, does one who asserts, ‘I know magic,’ also assert, ‘I am a magician’?”
“So it is, Blessed One! So it is, Fortunate One!”
“Well then, headman, I will question you about this same matter. Answer as you see fit.
I
(i)
“What do you think, headman? Do you know the Koliyans’ hirelings with drooping head-dresses?”360
“I do, venerable sir.”
“What do you think, headman? What is the job of the Koliyans’ hirelings with drooping head-dresses?”
“Their job, venerable sir, is to arrest thieves for the Koliyans and to carry the Koliyans’ messages.”
“What do you think, headman? Do you know whether the Koliyans’ hirelings with drooping head-dresses are virtuous or immoral?”
“I know, venerable sir, that they are immoral, of bad character. They are to be included among those in the world who are immoral, of bad character.”
“Would one be speaking rightly, headman, if one were to say: ‘Pāṭaliya the headman knows the Koliyans’ hirelings with drooping head-dresses, who are immoral, of bad character. Pāṭaliya the headman too is immoral, of bad character’?”
“No, venerable sir. I am quite different from the Koliyans’ hirelings with drooping head-dresses. My character is quite different from theirs.” [342]
“If, headman, it can be said about you, ‘Pāṭaliya the headman knows the Koliyans’ hirelings with drooping head-dresses, who are immoral, of bad character, but Pāṭaliya the headman is not immoral, of bad character,’ then why can’t it be said about the Tathāgata: ‘The Tathāgata knows magic, but the Tathāgata is not a magician’? I understand magic, headman, and the result of magic, and I understand how a magician, faring along, with the breakup of the body, after death, is reborn in a state of misery, in a bad destination, in the nether world, in hell.
(ii)
“I understand, headman, the destruction of life, and the result of the destruction of life, and I understand how one who destroys life, faring along, with the breakup of the body, after death, is reborn in a state of misery, in a bad destination, in the nether world, in hell.
“I understand, headman, the taking of what is not given ... sexual misconduct … false speech … divisive speech … harsh speech ... [343] … idle chatter … covetousness … ill will and hatred ... wrong view, and the result of wrong view, and I understand how one who holds wrong view, faring along, with the breakup of the body, after death, is reborn in a state of misery, in a bad destination, in the nether world, in hell.
II
“There are, headman, some ascetics and brahmins who hold such a doctrine and view as this: ‘Anyone at all who destroys life experiences pain and grief in this very life. Anyone at all who takes what is not given ... who engages in sexual misconduct … who speaks falsely experiences pain and grief in this very life.’
; (i)
“Someone here, headman, is seen garlanded and adorned, freshly bathed and groomed, with hair and beard trimmed, enjoying sensual pleasures with women as if he were a king. They ask someone about him: ‘Sir, what has this man done, that he has been garlanded and adorned … enjoying sensual pleasures with women as if he were a king?’ [344] They answer: ‘Sir, this man attacked the king’s enemy and took his life. The king was pleased with him and bestowed a reward upon him. That is why this man is garlanded and adorned … enjoying sensual pleasures with women as if he were a king.’
(ii)
“Then, headman, someone here is seen with his arms tightly bound behind him with a strong rope, his head shaven, being led around from street to street, from square to square, to the ominous beating of a drum, and then taken out through the south gate and beheaded to the south of the city. They ask someone about him: ‘Sir, what has this man done, that with his arms tightly tied behind his back … he is beheaded to the south of the city?’ They answer: ‘Sir, this man, an enemy of the king, has taken the life of a man or a woman. That is why the rulers, having had him arrested, imposed such a punishment upon him.’
“What do you think, headman, have you ever seen or heard of such a case?”
“I have seen this, venerable sir, and I have heard of it, and I will hear of it [still again].”
“Therein, headman, when those ascetics and brahmins who hold such a doctrine and view as this say: ‘Anyone at all who destroys life experiences pain and grief here and now,’ do they speak truthfully or falsely?”
“Falsely, venerable sir.”
“Are those who prattle empty falsehood virtuous or immoral?” [345]
“Immoral, venerable sir.”
“Are those who are immoral and of bad character practising wrongly or rightly?”
“Practising wrongly, venerable sir.”
“Do those who are practising wrongly hold wrong view or right view?”
“Wrong view, venerable sir.”
“Is it proper to place confidence in those who hold wrong view?”
“No, venerable sir.”
(iii)
“Then, headman, someone here is seen garlanded and adorned, freshly bathed and groomed, with hair and beard trimmed, enjoying sensual pleasures with women as if he were a king. They ask someone about him: ‘Sir, what has this man done, that he has been garlanded and adorned ... enjoying sensual pleasures with women as if he were a king?’ They answer: ‘Sir, this man attacked the king’s enemy and stole a gem. The king was pleased with him and bestowed a reward upon him. That is why this man is garlanded and adorned … enjoying sensual pleasures with women as if he were a king.’
(iv)
“Then, headman, someone here is seen with his arms tightly bound behind him with a strong rope, his head shaven, being led around from street to street, from square to square, to the ominous beating of a drum, and then taken out through the south gate and beheaded to the south of the city. They ask someone about him: ‘Sir, what has this man done, that with his arms tightly bound behind him … he is beheaded to the south of the city?’ They answer: ‘Sir, this man, an enemy of the king, stole something from a village or a forest, he committed theft. That is why the rulers, having had him arrested, imposed such a punishment on him.’
“What do you think, headman, have you ever seen or heard of such a case?”
“I have seen this, venerable sir, and I have heard of it, and I will hear of it [still again].” [346]
“Therein, headman, when those ascetics and brahmins who hold such a doctrine and view as this say: ‘Anyone at all who takes what is not given experiences pain and grief here and now,’ do they speak truthfully or falsely?… Is it proper to place confidence in those who hold wrong view?”
“No, venerable sir.”
(v)
“Then, headman, someone here is seen garlanded and adorned, freshly bathed and groomed, with hair and beard trimmed, enjoying sensual pleasures with women as if he were a king. They ask someone about him: ‘Sir, what has this man done, that he has been garlanded and adorned … enjoying sensual pleasures with women as if he were a king?’ They answer: ‘Sir, this man seduced the wives of the king’s enemy. The king was pleased with him and bestowed a reward upon him. That is why this man is garlanded and adorned ... enjoying sensual pleasures with women as if he were a king.’
(vi)
“Then, headman, someone here is seen with his arms tightly bound behind him with a strong rope, his head shaven, being led around from street to street, from square to square, to the ominous beating of a drum, and then taken out through the south gate and beheaded to the south of the city. They ask someone about him: ‘Sir, what has this man done, that with his arms tightly bound behind him ... he is beheaded to the south of the city?’ They answer: ‘Sir, this man seduced women and girls of good families. That is why the rulers, having had him arrested, imposed such a punishment upon him.’
“What do you think, headman, have you ever seen or heard of such a case?”
“I have seen this, venerable sir, and I have heard of it, and I will hear of it [still again].”
“Therein, headman, when those ascetics and brahmins who hold such a doctrine and view as this say: ‘Anyone at all who engages in sexual misconduct experiences pain and grief here and now,’ do they speak truthfully or falsely?… Is it proper to place confidence in those who hold wrong view?”
“No, venerable sir.” [347]
(vii)
“Then, headman, someone here is seen garlanded and adorned, freshly bathed and groomed, with hair and beard trimmed, enjoying sensual pleasures with women as if he were a king. They ask someone about him: ‘Sir, what has this man done, that he has been garlanded and adorned … enjoying sensual pleasures with women as if he were a king?’ They answer: ‘Sir, this man amused the king with false speech. The king was pleased with him and bestowed a reward upon him. That is why this man is garlanded and adorned … enjoying sensual pleasures with women as if he were a king.’
(viii)
“Then, headman, someone here is with his arms tightly bound behind him with a strong rope, his head shaven, being led around from street to street, from square to square, to the ominous beating of a drum, and then taken out through the south gate and beheaded to the south of the city. They ask someone about him: ‘Sir, what has this man done, that with his arms tightly bound behind him ... he is beheaded to the south of the city?’ They answer: ‘Sir, this man has brought to ruin a householder or a householder’s son with false speech. That is why the rulers, having had him arrested, imposed such a punishment upon him.’
“What do you think, headman, have you ever seen or heard of such a case?”
“I have seen this, venerable sir, and I have heard of it, and I will hear of it [still again].”
“Therein, headman, when those ascetics and brahmins who hold such a doctrine and view as this say: ‘Anyone at all who speaks falsely experiences pain and grief here and now,’ [348] do they speak truthfully or falsely?… Is it proper to place confidence in those who hold wrong view?”
“No, venerable sir.
III
“It is wonderful, venerable sir! It is amazing, venerable sir! I have a rest house in which there are beds, seats, a waterpot, and an oil lamp. When any ascetic or brahmin comes to reside there, then I share it with him to the best of my means and ability. In the past, venerable sir, four teachers—holding different views, with different convictions, different preferences—came to dwell in that rest house.
(i)
“One teacher held such a doctrine and view as this:361 ‘There is nothing given, nothing offered, nothing presented in charity; no fruit or result of good and bad actions; no this world, no other world; no mother, no father; no beings who are reborn spontaneously; no ascetics and brahmins faring and practising rightly in the world who, having realized this world and the other world for themselves by direct knowledge, make them known to others.’
&
nbsp; (ii)
“One teacher held such a doctrine and view as this: ‘There is what is given, [349] what is offered, what is presented in charity; there is fruit and result of good and bad actions; there is this world and the other world; there is mother and father; there are beings who are reborn spontaneously; there are ascetics and brahmins faring and practising rightly in the world who, having realized this world and the other world for themselves by direct knowledge, make them known to others.’