Dīgha Nikāya – The Long Discourses
1: The Brahmajāla Sutta — The Prime Net
- © Translated from the Pali by Bhante Sujato. (More copyright information)
1. Talk on Wanderers
dn1:1.1So I have heard.Tradition holds that these were the words spoken by Ānanda when reciting the Suttapiṭaka at the First Council following the Buddha’s death. In fact it is a tag signifying that the text has been passed down through oral tradition and the speaker was not present at the events (DN 5.74, MN127.19).
This sutta with its commentary was translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi in his The All-Embracing Net of Views. At one time the Buddha was traveling along the road between Rājagaha and Nāḷandā together with a large Saṅgha of five hundred mendicants.By convention, suttas do not specify the date, so we have scant internal chronology.
Walk about fifteen kilometers north from Rājagaha (modern Rajgir) to reach Nāḷandā.
“Mendicant” is a literal translation of bhikkhu, one who goes for alms. The wanderer Suppiya was also traveling along the same road, together with his resident pupil, the student Brahmadatta.A “wanderer” (paribbājaka) was a homeless religious renunciate—male or female—who wandered seeking alms. Kauṭilya describes their lifestyle as “mastery of the senses, abstaining from ritual activities, living without possessions, abandoning attachments, practicing mendicancy, residing in the wilderness but not in a single place, and purifying himself internally and externally” (Arthaśāstra 1.3.12, Olivelle’s translation).
“Resident pupil” (or elsewhere just “pupil”) is antevāsi, a live-in apprentice of a master.
“Student” (māṇava) is a young man who was learning the Vedas from a master. Meanwhile, Suppiya criticized the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha in many ways,Today these are called the Triple Gem that makes up the Buddhist religion; however they are not known by that term in the early texts. but his pupil Brahmadatta praised them in many ways.While the disagreement of student and teacher signifies their confusion, it also represents the diversity of views within the brahmanical caste and the openness with which a student could disagree with their teacher. And so both tutor and pupil followed behind the Buddha and the Saṅgha of mendicants directly contradicting each other.
dn1:2.1Then the Buddha took up residence for the night in the royal rest-house in Ambalaṭṭhikā together with the Saṅgha of mendicants.Ambalaṭṭhikā means “place of mango saplings”. It was a rest-house set up by the king of Rājagaha about a day’s journey from the capital. It must have been sizable. And Suppiya and Brahmadatta did likewise. There too, Suppiya criticized the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha in many ways, but his pupil Brahmadatta praised them in many ways. And so both tutor and pupil kept on directly contradicting each other.
dn1:3.1Then several mendicants rose at the crack of dawn and sat together in the pavilion, where the topic of judgmentalism came up:Saṅkhiyadhamma is a unique term. The commentary glosses it as kathādhamma, following which it has been translated as “conversation” or “trend of conversation”. But saṅkhā means “appraisal, assessment, evaluation, measuring, calculating”, and here the subject of discussion is the different ways the two parties assess or judge the Buddha, Dhamma, and Saṅgha. Compare the “appraisal” of the Buddha at DN19.30.
dn1:3.2“It’s incredible, reverends, it’s amazing how the diverse convictions of sentient beings have been well deciphered by the Blessed One, who knows and sees, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha.Adhimutti is something that has been decided, a conviction or belief. For this Suppiya criticizes the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha in many ways, while his pupil Brahmadatta praises them in many ways. And so both tutor and pupil followed behind the Buddha and the Saṅgha of mendicants directly contradicting each other.”
dn1:4.1When the Buddha found out about this discussion on judgmentalism among the mendicants, he went to the pavilion, where he sat on the seat spread out and addressed the mendicants,This would have been an open air pavilion in the rest-house. By convention, when a teacher or other respected person is to sit, a sitting mat is spread out or made ready for them. “Mendicants, what were you sitting talking about just now? What conversation was left unfinished?”
dn1:4.3The mendicants told him what had happened, adding,The very first words of the Buddha in the Suttapiṭaka: he asks to hear what others are saying.Here and in similar passages the Pali repeats all and I abbreviate. “This was our conversation that was unfinished when the Buddha arrived.”
dn1:5.1“Mendicants, if others criticize me, the teaching, or the Saṅgha, don’t make yourselves resentful, bitter, and exasperated.The phrasing here is somewhat unusual and specific. They “should not do” what creates bitterness (i.e. judging others). Compare MN 22, where the same phrases are used. In the Buddha’s case, it has the neutral hoti, while for the mendicants it uses karaṇīya, as here. You’ll get angry and upset, which would be an obstacle for you alone.Complaining about others does not hurt them, only the one who gets upset. If others were to criticize me, the teaching, or the Saṅgha, and you got angry and upset, would you be able to understand whether they spoke well or poorly?”Equanimity is a prerequisite for evaluating facts.
dn1:5.4“No, sir.”
dn1:6.1“If others criticize me, the teaching, or the Saṅgha, you should explain that what is untrue is in fact untrue: ‘This is why that’s untrue, this is why that’s false. There’s no such thing in us, it’s not found among us.’
dn1:6.3If others praise me, the teaching, or the Saṅgha, don’t make yourselves thrilled, elated, and excited. You’ll get thrilled, elated, and excited, which would be an obstacle for you alone. If others praise me, the teaching, or the Saṅgha, you should acknowledge that what is true is in fact true: ‘This is why that’s true, this is why that’s correct. There is such a thing in us, it is found among us.’
2. Ethics
2.1. The Shorter Section on Ethics
dn1:7.1When an ordinary person speaks praise of the Realized One, they speak only of trivial, trifling details of mere ethics.Ethics (or morality or virtue, sīla) is important, but it pales in comparison with the higher dimensions of the Buddha’s path. For an example of this kind of praise see MN77.10.
The Buddha often referred to himself as “the Realized One” (tathāgata). And what are the trivial, trifling details of mere ethics that an ordinary person speaks of?Here the Buddha lays out in detail the ethical conduct for mendicant followers.
dn1:8.1‘The ascetic Gotama has given up killing living creatures. He has renounced the rod and the sword. He’s scrupulous and kind, living full of sympathy for all living beings.’The first and most important precept. It is not just the negative injunction to avoid killing, but also the positive injunction to have compassion for all creatures.
The Buddha is called “the ascetic Gotama” by non-Buddhists. Such is an ordinary person’s praise of the Realized One.An “ordinary person” (puthujjana) is anyone who has not, at minimum, entered the path to stream-entry.
dn1:8.3‘The ascetic Gotama has given up stealing. He takes only what’s given, and expects only what’s given. He keeps himself clean by not thieving.’ Such is an ordinary person’s praise of the Realized One.
dn1:8.5‘The ascetic Gotama has given up unchastity. He is chaste, set apart, avoiding the vulgar act of sex.’“Chastity” is brahmacariya, literally “divine conduct”. Here it is used in the narrow sense of refraining from sex, but more commonly it has a broader sense of “spiritual life”. Such is an ordinary person’s praise of the Realized One.
dn1:9.1‘The ascetic Gotama has given up lying. He speaks the truth and sticks to the truth. He’s honest and dependable, and doesn’t trick the world with his words.’This is the first of the four kinds of right speech. Just as the precept of not killing implies the positive injunction to live with compassion, the precepts on speech enjoin a positive and constructive use of speech. Such is an ordinary person’s praise of the Realized One.
dn1:9.3‘The ascetic Gotama has given up divisive speech. He doesn’t repeat in one place what he heard in another so as to divide people against each other. Instead, he reconciles those who are divided, supporting unity, delighting in harmony, loving harmony, speaking words that promote harmony.’“Harmony” (or “unanimity”, samagga) does not excuse untrue, bigoted, or otherwise harmful speech. True harmony is only achieved in the presence of the Dhamma. Such is an ordinary person’s praise of the Realized One.
dn1:9.5‘The ascetic Gotama has given up harsh speech. He speaks in a way that’s mellow, pleasing to the ear, lovely, going to the heart, polite, likable and agreeable to the people.’ Such is an ordinary person’s praise of the Realized One.
dn1:9.7‘The ascetic Gotama has given up talking nonsense. His words are timely, true, and meaningful, in line with the teaching and training. He says things at the right time which are valuable, reasonable, succinct, and beneficial.’Attha is a polyvalent term, here taking the senses “meaningful” and “beneficial”. Elsewhere it means “goal”, “need”, “purpose”, “lawsuit”, or “ending”, and the senses are not always easy to untangle. Such is an ordinary person’s praise of the Realized One.
dn1:10.1‘The ascetic Gotama refrains from injuring plants and seeds.’Buddhists generally do not regard plants as sentient, but value them as part of the ecosystem that supports all life.
dn1:10.3‘He eats in one part of the day, abstaining from eating at night and food at the wrong time.’From MN66 and MN70 we can see that “at night” means after dark, while “at the wrong time” means in the afternoon. More explicitly, these are the “wrong time at night” and the “wrong time in the day”, in which case they are both the “wrong time”.
dn1:10.4‘He refrains from seeing shows of dancing, singing, and music .’Such sensual entertainments distract and excite the mind. This and the next three precepts encourage peace of mind for meditation.
dn1:10.5‘He refrains from attiring and adorning himself with garlands, fragrance, and makeup.’This was ignored by the Buddha’s cousin, Nanda (SN 21.8:1.2).
dn1:10.6‘He refrains from high and luxurious beds.’To avoid sleeping too much.
dn1:10.7‘He refrains from receiving gold and currency,Literally “gold and silver” (jātarūparajata), but rajata is explained in Bhikku's Nissaggiya Pācittiya 18 as currency of any kind. raw grains,Mendicants receive only the day’s meal and do not store or cook food. raw meat, women and girls, male and female bondservants,According to ancient Indian law (Arthaśāstra 3.13), a person in a time of trouble may bind themselves in service for a fee. Such bondservants were protected against cruelty, sexual abuse, and unfair work. After earning back the fee of their indenture they were freed, retaining their original inheritance and status. goats and sheep,These are animals raised for food. chickens and pigs, elephants, cows, horses, and mares, and fields and land.’Land for a monastery may be accepted by the Saṅgha as a community, but not by individual mendicants.
dn1:10.16‘He refrains from running errands and messages;These items are discussed in detail below. | Acting as a go-between for lay business was tempting due to the mendicants’ wandering lifestyle. However, it exposes them to risk if the message is not delivered or if it is bad news. buying and selling;For example, trading in monastery property. falsifying weights, metals, or measures; bribery, fraud, cheating, and duplicity; mutilation, murder, abduction, banditry, plunder, and violence.’ Such is an ordinary person’s praise of the Realized One.
The shorter section on ethics is finished.
2.2. The Middle Section on Ethics
dn1:11.1‘There are some ascetics and brahmins who, while enjoying food given in faith, still engage in injuring plants and seeds.This section expands some of the former section in further detail.
The “middle” and “large” sections on ethics are not found in briefer presentations such as MN27.32. These include plants propagated from roots, stems, cuttings, or joints; and those from regular seeds as the fifth.That these are not five “kinds of seeds” but five kinds of “plants grown from seeds” is clear from the Vinaya and its commentary (Bhikkhu Pācittiya 11: Bhūtagāmo nāma pañca bījajātāni). The ascetic Gotama refrains from such injury to plants and seeds.’ Such is an ordinary person’s praise of the Realized One.
dn1:12.1‘There are some ascetics and brahmins who, while enjoying food given in faith, still engage in storing up goods for their own use.For storing up food as a sign of decline, see DN27.24. This includes such things as food, drink, clothes, vehicles, bedding, fragrance, and things of the flesh. The ascetic Gotama refrains from storing up such goods.’ Such is an ordinary person’s praise of the Realized One.
dn1:13.1‘There are some ascetics and brahmins who, while enjoying food given in faith, still engage in seeing shows. This includes such things as dancing, singing, music, performances, and storytelling; clapping, gongs, and kettledrums; beauty pageants; pole-acrobatics and bone-washing displays of the corpse-workers; battles of elephants, horses, buffaloes, bulls, goats, rams, chickens, and quails; staff-fights, boxing, and wrestling; combat, roll calls of the armed forces, battle-formations, and regimental reviews.Sobhanaka (“beauty pageant”) is explained by the commentary as the movement (or “sprinkling”) of dancers, or their beautification and painting. The PTS reading sobha-nagarakaṁ, supported by an unrelated reference to a gandhabba city of that name, is spurious.
Caṇḍālaṁ vaṁsaṁ dhovanaṁ should be a compound, as shown by the prose to Jataka 498, where it is a performance by corpse-workers (caṇḍāla) in Ujjenī. Vaṁsa is the bamboo used by caṇḍāla acrobats (SN47.). Dhovana is referred by the commentary to AN10.107, where it is a southern ceremony accompanied by drink and dance. The commentaries to AN and DN say it was the ritual washing of the bones of the buried dead after the decomposition of the flesh. Such “second funeral” rites have been observed world-wide. From the Jātaka it appears that the tradition had declined to a mere display for passers-by, perhaps featuring naked tribal girls.
Uyodhika is sometimes said to be “sham fights”, but at AN10.30 it is not a sham. And the definition at Bhikkhu's Pācittiya 50 says “wherever fighting is seen”. The ascetic Gotama refrains from such shows.’ Such is an ordinary person’s praise of the Realized One.
dn1:14.1‘There are some ascetics and brahmins who, while enjoying food given in faith, still engage in gambling that causes negligence.See too DN31.15. This includes such things as checkers with eight or ten rows, checkers in the air, hopscotch, spillikins, board-games, tip-cat, drawing straws, dice, leaf-flutes, toy plows, somersaults, pinwheels, toy measures, toy carts, toy bows, guessing words from syllables, guessing another’s thoughts, and imitating musical instruments.“Checkers” (aṭṭhapada) was presumably the ancestor of the Gupta period caturaṅga and hence modern chess.
Yathāvajja is explained in the commentary as “mimicking deformities”, but I cannot find support elsewhere in Pali or Sanskrit for vajja in this sense. More likely it refers to musical instruments (Sanskrit vādya). The ascetic Gotama refrains from such gambling.’ Such is an ordinary person’s praise of the Realized One.
dn1:15.1‘There are some ascetics and brahmins who, while enjoying food given in faith, still make use of high and luxurious bedding. This includes such things as sofas, couches, woolen covers—shag-piled, colorful, white, embroidered with flowers, quilted, embroidered with animals, double- or single-fringed—and silk covers studded with gems, as well as silken sheets, woven carpets, rugs for elephants, horses, or chariots, antelope hide rugs, and spreads of fine deer hide, with a canopy above and red cushions at both ends. The ascetic Gotama refrains from such bedding.’ Such is an ordinary person’s praise of the Realized One.
dn1:16.1‘There are some ascetics and brahmins who, while enjoying food given in faith, still engage in attiring and adorning themselves with garlands, fragrance, and makeup. This includes such things as applying beauty products by anointing, massaging, bathing, and rubbing; mirrors, ointments, garlands, fragrances, and makeup; face-powder, foundation, bracelets, headbands, fancy walking-sticks or containers, rapiers, parasols, fancy sandals, turbans, jewelry, chowries, and long-fringed white robes. The ascetic Gotama refrains from such beautification and adornment.’ Such is an ordinary person’s praise of the Realized One.
dn1:17.1‘There are some ascetics and brahmins who, while enjoying food given in faith, still engage in low talk. This includes such topics asTiracchānakathā literally means “animal talk”. The Pali word for animal, tiracchāna has the sense of “moving horizontally”, and “low talk” is that which does not elevate. talk about kings, bandits, and ministers; talk about armies, threats, and wars; talk about food, drink, clothes, and beds; talk about garlands and fragrances; talk about family, vehicles, villages, towns, cities, and countries; talk about women and heroes; street talk and well talk; talk about the departed; motley talk; tales of land and sea; and talk about being reborn in this or that place.Bhavābhava does not mean “existence and non-existence” but is a distributive compound, “this or that state of existence”. Indian religious texts are full of discussions about different heavens and hells. The ascetic Gotama refrains from such low talk.’ Such is an ordinary person’s praise of the Realized One.
dn1:18.1‘There are some ascetics and brahmins who, while enjoying food given in faith, still engage in arguments. They say such things as: “You don’t understand this teaching and training. I understand this teaching and training. What, you understand this teaching and training? You’re practicing wrong. I’m practicing right. I stay on topic, you don’t. You said last what you should have said first. You said first what you should have said last. What you’ve thought so much about has been disproved. Your doctrine is refuted. Go on, save your doctrine! You’re trapped; get yourself out of this—if you can!”The folly of disputatiousness is a consistent theme in the suttas, but is a special focus of the Aṭṭhakavagga of the Suttanipāta. The ascetic Gotama refrains from such argumentative talk.’ Such is an ordinary person’s praise of the Realized One.
dn1:19.1‘There are some ascetics and brahmins who, while enjoying food given in faith, still engage in running errands and messages. This includes running errands for rulers, ministers, aristocrats, brahmins, householders, or princes who say: “Go here, go there. Take this, bring that from there.”“Rulers” (raññaṁ, genitive plural) include hereditary kings as well as the elected joint leaders of republican states such as the Sakyans or Vajjis. The ascetic Gotama refrains from such errands.’ Such is an ordinary person’s praise of the Realized One.
dn1:20.1‘There are some ascetics and brahmins who, while enjoying food given in faith, still engage in deceit, flattery, hinting, and belittling, and using material things to chase after other material things.Some renunciants like to butter up potential donors, or make ostentatious displays to prompt further donations. | “Using material possessions to chase after other material possessions” includes trading monastery property for profit. The ascetic Gotama refrains from such deceit and flattery.’
Such is an ordinary person’s praise of the Realized One.
The middle section on ethics is finished.
2.3. The Large Section on Ethics
dn1:21.1‘There are some ascetics and brahmins who, while enjoying food given in faith, still earn a living by low lore, by wrong livelihood.This section focuses on practices that are wrong livelihood for a mendicant, though not for lay people. The Vinaya explains “low lore” as whatever is non-Buddhist or useless (Bhikkhu Pācittiya 49), while the commentary says it leads not to emancipation but to heaven. This includes such fields as limb-reading, omenology, divining celestial portents, interpreting dreams, divining bodily marks, divining holes in cloth gnawed by mice, fire offerings, ladle offerings, offerings of husks, rice powder, rice, ghee, or oil; offerings from the mouth, blood sacrifices, palmistry; geomancy for building sites, fields, and cemeteries; exorcisms, earth magic, snake charming, poisons; the lore of the scorpion, the rat, the bird, and the crow; prophesying lifespan, chanting for protection, and divining omens from wild animals.Reading khattavijjā (“political science”) per variant as khettavijjā (“geomancy”).
Sara in saraparitta means “sound” not “arrow”; compare with sarabhañña “chanting”.
Migacakka is explained in the commentary, supported by the astrological text Bṛhatsaṁhitā, as interpretation of the cries and behaviors of wild animals. Here the suffix -cakka refers to the field of study. See also The Questions of King Milinda 5.3.7 sācakkaṁ migacakkaṁ antaracakkaṁ (“divining omens from dogs, wild animals, and the directions around”), terms which are also found at Bṛhatsaṁhitā 2. The ascetic Gotama refrains from such low lore, such wrong livelihood.’ Such is an ordinary person’s praise of the Realized One.
dn1:22.1‘There are some ascetics and brahmins who, while enjoying food given in faith, still earn a living by low lore, by wrong livelihood. This includes reading the marks of gems, cloth, clubs, swords, spears, arrows, bows, weapons, women, men, boys, girls, male and female bondservants, elephants, horses, buffaloes, bulls, cows, goats, rams, chickens, quails, monitor lizards, rabbits, tortoises, or deer.The commentary oddly has “earrings or house-gables” for kaṇṇika (“eared one”), but it must be “rabbit”, for which see sasakaṇṇikā at Jataka 535. The ascetic Gotama refrains from such low lore, such wrong livelihood.’
Such is an ordinary person’s praise of the Realized One.
dn1:23.1‘There are some ascetics and brahmins who, while enjoying food given in faith, still earn a living by low lore, by wrong livelihood. This includes making predictions that the king will march forth or march back; or that our king will attack and the enemy king will retreat, or vice versa; or that our king will triumph and the enemy king will be defeated, or vice versa; and so there will be victory for one and defeat for the other. The ascetic Gotama refrains from such low lore, such wrong livelihood.’
Such is an ordinary person’s praise of the Realized One.
dn1:24.1‘There are some ascetics and brahmins who, while enjoying food given in faith, still earn a living by low lore, by wrong livelihood. This includes making predictions that there will be an eclipse of the moon, or sun, or stars; that the sun, moon, and stars will be in conjunction or in opposition; that there will be a meteor shower, a fiery sky, an earthquake, or thunder in the heavens; that there will be a rising, a setting, a darkening, a brightening of the moon, sun, and stars. And it also includes making predictions about the results of all such phenomena.Despite this, astrology is commonly practiced today among Buddhist mendicants.
(Up)pathagamana can hardly mean that the sun, moon, and stars will “go astray”. Rather, patha here has the sense of “range”, so it means “come within range”, which describes an astrological conjunction.
For “fiery sky” (disāḍāha) as an ill omen, see diśāṁ dāhe at Manusmṛti 4.115. The ascetic Gotama refrains from such low lore, such wrong livelihood.’
Such is an ordinary person’s praise of the Realized One.
dn1:25.1‘There are some ascetics and brahmins who, while enjoying food given in faith, still earn a living by low lore, by wrong livelihood. This includes predicting whether there will be plenty of rain or drought; plenty to eat or famine; an abundant harvest or a bad harvest; security or peril; sickness or health. It also includes such occupations as arithmetic, accounting, calculating, poetry, and cosmology.“Cosmology” (lokāyata) in early Buddhist texts is not, as it later became known, the heterodox school of materialism. Rather, it was a branch of worldly knowledge within regular Vedic studies concerned with the nature and extent of the world and how this may be known (AN 9.38, SN 12.48; cf. Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 3.3.1). The ascetic Gotama refrains from such low lore, such wrong livelihood.’
Such is an ordinary person’s praise of the Realized One.
dn1:26.1‘There are some ascetics and brahmins who, while enjoying food given in faith, still earn a living by low lore, by wrong livelihood. This includes making arrangements for giving and taking in marriage; for engagement and divorce; and for scattering rice inwards or outwards at the wedding ceremony. It also includes casting spells for good or bad luck, treating impacted fetuses, binding the tongue, or locking the jaws; charms for the hands and ears; questioning a mirror, a girl, or a god as an oracle; worshiping the sun, worshiping the Great One, breathing fire, and invoking Siri, the goddess of luck.The commentary has saṅkiraṇa/vikiraṇa as “saving and spending” (cp. Snp 1.6), but it seems unlikely. Vikiraṇa means “scattering” food or sand, while Sanskrit vikira is the ritual scattering of rice. Given the context, I think it refers to the custom of scattering rice at a wedding.
For viruddhagabbhakaraṇa, viruddha means “obstructed”. The commentary here, in general agreement with the Niddesa on gabbhakaraṇa at Snp 4.14, explains as giving treatments for the survival of the fetus.
I omit hanujappana as it is absent from the commentary and seems to have just arisen by confusion. The ascetic Gotama refrains from such low lore, such wrong livelihood.’
Such is an ordinary person’s praise of the Realized One.
dn1:27.1‘There are some ascetics and brahmins who, while enjoying food given in faith, still earn a living by low lore, by wrong livelihood. This includes rites for propitiation, for granting wishes, for ghosts, for the earth, for rain, for property settlement, and for preparing and consecrating house sites, and rites involving rinsing and bathing, and oblations. It also includes administering emetics, purgatives, expectorants, and phlegmagogues; administering ear-oils, eye restoratives, nasal medicine, ointments, and counter-ointments; surgery with needle and scalpel, treating children, prescribing root medicines, and herbal bandages.Medicine is right livelihood, but a mendicant should not make a living from it. They may treat fellow mendicants, family members, or those close to the monastery.
Santikamma is the Sanskrit śāntikakarman, a rite for averting evil.
For vassakamma and vossakamma, the commentary has “fertile and infertile men” (vassoti puriso, vossoti paṇḍako), taking “rain” as a metaphor for semen. Such usages do have precedent elsewhere. But in context I take vassa simply as “rain” and vossa as equivalent to Sanskrit vyavasya in the sense of making a settlement for land.
I take paṭimokkho in the sense of “binding”; see pratimuñcate at Rig Veda 4.53.2, 5.81.2; Jatika 524:10, Jatika 513:6; paṭimukka at MN 38 etc., rather than the commentary’s “release” (from the effects of caustic medicines. The ascetic Gotama refrains from such low lore, such wrong livelihood.’
Such is an ordinary person’s praise of the Realized One.
dn1:27.5These are the trivial, trifling details of mere ethics that an ordinary person speaks of when they speak praise of the Realized One.
The longer section on ethics is finished.
3. Views
3.1. Theories About the Past
dn1:28.1There are other principles—deep, hard to see, hard to understand, peaceful, sublime, beyond the scope of logic, subtle, comprehensible to the astute—which the Realized One makes known after realizing them with his own insight. Those who genuinely praise the Realized One would rightly speak of these things.One meaning of dhamma is “principle” in the sense of a natural law as well as a moral value.
Here begins the famous exposition of the sixty-two views. The subtlety of the analysis lies in how, rather than refuting the details of the views, the Buddha traces them all back to their fundamental psychology. And what are these principles?
dn1:29.1There are some ascetics and brahmins who theorize about the past, and assert various hypotheses concerning the past on eighteen grounds. And what are the eighteen grounds on which they rely?
3.1.1. Eternalism
dn1:30.1There are some ascetics and brahmins who are eternalists, who assert that the self and the cosmos are eternal on four grounds.In such contexts, the “self” (attā) is a postulated metaphysical entity rather than a simple psychological sense of personal identity. The nature of this “self” or “soul” was endlessly debated. The Buddha rejected all theories of a “self”, and elsewhere it is said that “identity view” underlies all sixty-two views of the Brahmajāla (SN 41.3).
The “cosmos” is the loka, otherwise translated as “world”. This sometimes refers to the simple physical realm, sometimes to the world of experience, or else, as here, the vast universe as conceived in ancient Indian thought. And what are the four grounds on which they rely?
dn1:31.1It’s when some ascetic or brahmin—by dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right application of mind—experiences an immersion of the heart of such a kind that they recollect their many kinds of past lives.“Immersion” (samādhi) is deep meditative stillness. The word conveys the sense of “gathered”, “collected”, with a secondary sense of “ignited”, “illuminated”. The practice of samādhi (or jhāna, “absorption”) has never been regarded as uniquely Buddhist. However, right meditation begins with right view. Since these meditators begin with wrong view, their samādhi is “wrong” because it merely reinforces their error. That is: one, two, three, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, a hundred, a thousand, a hundred thousand rebirths. They remember: ‘There, I was named this, my clan was that, I looked like this, and that was my food. This was how I felt pleasure and pain, and that was how my life ended. When I passed away from that place I was reborn somewhere else. There, too, I was named this, my clan was that, I looked like this, and that was my food. This was how I felt pleasure and pain, and that was how my life ended. When I passed away from that place I was reborn here.’ And so they recollect their many kinds of past lives, with features and details.The recollection of past lives is specific, detailed, and confident as it is based on the clear mind of deep immersion.
dn1:31.3They say: ‘The self and the cosmos are eternal, barren, steady as a mountain peak, standing firm like a pillar.This is the Upaniṣadic view of the eternal ātman that is the immanent soul of the world or cosmos, loka. Elsewhere in the suttas such theorists assert that the self and the cosmos are identical (SN 24.3:1.3: so attā so loko). They remain the same for all eternity, while these sentient beings wander and transmigrate and pass away and rearise.The eternal “self” is contrasted with the ephemeral lives of beings. | The famous word saṁsara is often understood as a “cycle” of rebirths, but the meaning is, rather, to “wander on” or “transmigrate”.
For the phrase sassatisamaṁ (“lasting forever and ever”), compare Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 5.10.1: “He reaches that world free of sorrow and snow, where he lives forever and ever” (sa lokam āgacchaty aśokam ahimam
tasmin vasati śāśvatīḥ samāḥ). Why is that? Because by dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right application of mind I experience an immersion of the heart of such a kind that I recollect my many kinds of past lives, with features and details.
dn1:31.9Because of this I know:Their meditative experience revealed a process of transient and changing lives, yet from that they infer that there must be an eternal self. “The self and the cosmos are eternal, barren, steady as a mountain peak, standing firm like a pillar. They remain the same for all eternity, while these sentient beings wander and transmigrate and pass away and rearise.”’ This is the first ground on which some ascetics and brahmins rely to assert that the self and the cosmos are eternal.
dn1:32.1And what is the second ground on which they rely?
It’s when some ascetic or brahmin—by dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right application of mind—experiences an immersion of the heart of such a kind that they recollect their many kinds of past lives. That is: one eon of the cosmos contracting and expanding; two, three, four, five, or ten eons of the cosmos contracting and expanding. They remember: ‘There, I was named this, my clan was that, I looked like this, and that was my food. This was how I felt pleasure and pain, and that was how my life ended. When I passed away from that place I was reborn somewhere else. There, too, I was named this, my clan was that, I looked like this, and that was my food. This was how I felt pleasure and pain, and that was how my life ended. When I passed away from that place I was reborn here.’ And so they recollect their many kinds of past lives, with features and details.This differs only in the length of time, which is now up to ten eons. A single eon (kappa) lasts longer than it would take to wear away a huge mountain by stroking it with a cloth once a century SN 15.5, while the number of eons is greater than the sands in the Ganges river SN 15.8. The vast time periods envisaged in early Buddhist texts are comparable with those of modern cosmology in physics.
dn1:32.4They say: ‘The self and the cosmos are eternal, barren, steady as a mountain peak, standing firm like a pillar. They remain the same for all eternity, while these sentient beings wander and transmigrate and pass away and rearise. Why is that? Because by dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right application of mind I experience an immersion of the heart of such a kind that I recollect my many kinds of past lives, with features and details.
dn1:32.10Because of this I know: “The self and the cosmos are eternal, barren, steady as a mountain peak, standing firm like a pillar. They remain the same for all eternity, while these sentient beings wander and transmigrate and pass away and rearise.”’ This is the second ground on which some ascetics and brahmins rely to assert that the self and the cosmos are eternal.
dn1:33.1And what is the third ground on which they rely?
It’s when some ascetic or brahmin—by dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right application of mind—experiences an immersion of the heart of such a kind that they recollect their many kinds of past lives. That is: ten eons of the cosmos contracting and expanding; twenty, thirty, or forty eons of the cosmos contracting and expanding. They remember: ‘There, I was named this, my clan was that, I looked like this, and that was my food. This was how I felt pleasure and pain, and that was how my life ended. When I passed away from that place I was reborn somewhere else. There, too, I was named this, my clan was that, I looked like this, and that was my food. This was how I felt pleasure and pain, and that was how my life ended. When I passed away from that place I was reborn here.’ And so they recollect their many kinds of past lives, with features and details.
dn1:33.4They say: ‘The self and the cosmos are eternal, barren, steady as a mountain peak, standing firm like a pillar. They remain the same for all eternity, while these sentient beings wander and transmigrate and pass away and rearise. Why is that? Because by dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right application of mind I experience an immersion of the heart of such a kind that I recollect my many kinds of past lives, with features and details.
dn1:33.10Because of this I know: “The self and the cosmos are eternal, barren, steady as a mountain peak, standing firm like a pillar. They remain the same for all eternity, while these sentient beings wander and transmigrate and pass away and rearise.”’
This is the third ground on which some ascetics and brahmins rely to assert that the self and the cosmos are eternal.
And what is the fourth ground on which they rely?
It’s when some ascetic or brahmin relies on logic and inquiry. They speak of what they have worked out by logic, following a line of inquiry, expressing their own perspective:These theorists used a process of logic to arrive at the same conclusion as the meditators. Different groups of ascetic philosophers emphasized contemplation or rational inquiry as the means to the truth. The Buddha acknowledged that both are useful but limited because, as here, they can sometimes lead to mistaken conclusions. ‘The self and the cosmos are eternal, barren, steady as a mountain peak, standing firm like a pillar. They remain the same for all eternity, while these sentient beings wander and transmigrate and pass away and rearise.’
This is the fourth ground on which some ascetics and brahmins rely to assert that the self and the cosmos are eternal.
dn1:35.1These are the four grounds on which those ascetics and brahmins assert that the self and the cosmos are eternal. Any ascetics and brahmins who assert that the self and the cosmos are eternal do so on one or other of these four grounds. Outside of this there is none.These theorists used a process of logic to arrive at the same conclusion as the meditators. Different groups of ascetic philosophers emphasized contemplation or rational inquiry as the means to the truth. The Buddha acknowledged that both are useful but limited because, as here, they can sometimes lead to mistaken conclusions.
dn1:36.1The Realized One understands this: ‘If you hold on to and attach to these grounds for views it leads to such and such a destiny in the next life.’I have my doubts about this phrase. Everywhere else, ito bahiddhā means “outside of the Buddhist community”, not “outside of the cases just considered”. Still, the commentary and the Chinese parallel at T 21 agree on this sense. He understands this, and what goes beyond this. And since he does not misapprehend that understanding, he has realized quenching within himself.The word parāmasati means “to take hold” and is often used in the sense “to misapprehend”. Having truly understood the origin, disappearance, gratification, drawback, and escape from feelings, the Realized One is freed through not grasping.Yathābhūtaṁ is often translated as “as it really is”, while I usually render it simply as “truly”. It often has a technical sense of seeing “how things came to be (bhuta)” as a process of conditionality (SN12.31). Such direct vision of the truth is an attribute of the stream-enterer, who has realized the first of the four stages of awakening, in contrast with those on the path who still rely on faith or inference (SN25.1). Here it refers to the understanding of feelings from a fivefold perspective. Feelings underlie intellectual theories and arguments, which serve to sate cravings and fears.
dn1:37.1These are the principles—deep, hard to see, hard to understand, peaceful, sublime, beyond the scope of logic, subtle, comprehensible to the astute—which the Realized One makes known after realizing them with his own insight. And those who genuinely praise the Realized One would rightly speak of these things.
The first recitation section.Long texts are sometimes marked by their “recitation sections” (bhāṇavāra), which was the length that would be recited in one session.
3.1.2. Partial Eternalism
dn:2.1.1There are some ascetics and brahmins who are partial eternalists, who assert that the self and the cosmos are partially eternal and partially not eternal on four grounds.Despite being views of the “self and the cosmos”, the main focus in the next four views is the self. And what are the four grounds on which they rely?
dn:2.2.1There comes a time when, after a very long period has passed, this cosmos contracts.This is the end of an eon. It might be compared with what the physicists call the “big crunch”. As the cosmos contracts, sentient beings are mostly headed for the realm of streaming radiance.The human and similar realms are destroyed in the conflagration at the end of the universe, but sentient beings are sustained by the power of their past kamma.
The “realm of streaming radiance” is a Brahmā heaven corresponding to the second jhāna. There they are mind-made, feeding on rapture, self-luminous, wandering in midair, steadily glorious, and they remain like that for a very long time.“Mind-made” (manomaya) beings are spontaneously born due to past kamma, not by sex.
“Rapture” (pīti) is a joyous emotional response to pleasure, usually a spiritual sense of elevation or uplift in meditation.
“Self-lumious” (sayaṁpabhā) as an external representation of the light of absorption through which they attained their exalted status. In the Rig Veda it is used of the divine light of the sun (1.52.9 svaścandram; 6.64.4 svabhāna) or the lightning (5.87.5 svarociṣa; 1.82.2 svabhāna).
dn:2.3.1There comes a time when, after a very long period has passed, this cosmos expands.This might be compared with the “big bang” of a cyclic universe. As it expands an empty mansion of divinity appears.The realms into which beings are reborn exist interdependently with the beings themselves. The different dimensions correspond with different kinds of kamma. Then a certain sentient being—due to the running out of their lifespan or merit—passes away from that host of radiant deities and is reborn in that empty mansion of divinity.That is, they pass from a world corresponding to the second jhāna to one corresponding to the first jhāna. There they are mind-made, feeding on rapture, self-luminous, wandering in midair, steadily glorious, and they remain like that for a very long time.
dn:2.4.1But after staying there all alone for a long time, they become dissatisfied and anxious:This passage echoes the creation myth in Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 1.4. At 1.4.2, the self-created Divinity feels fearful and alone, and at 1.4.3 and 1.4.17 wishes for a partner. From a Buddhist point of view, this simply shows how even God is trapped by emotional attachments in the cycle of transmigration. ‘Oh, if only other beings would come to this place.’ Then other sentient beings—due to the running out of their lifespan or merit—pass away from that host of radiant deities and are reborn in that mansion of divinity in company with that being.These beings are reborn according to their own kamma, and it is just a coincidence that they appear after the first being made their wish. There they too are mind-made, feeding on rapture, self-luminous, wandering in midair, steadily glorious, and they remain like that for a very long time.
dn:2.5.1Now, the being who was reborn there first thinks: ‘I am the Divinity, the Great Divinity, the Vanquisher, the Unvanquished, the Universal Seer, the Wielder of Power, God Almighty, the Maker, the Creator, the First, the Begetter, the Controller, the Father of those who have been born and those yet to be born.His first words ahamasmi brahmā (“I am Brahmā”) are equivalent to aham brahmāsmīti at 1.4.10. See too so’hamasmīti (“I am that”) at Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 1.4.1, which parallels the Pali eso’hamasmi at MN 28:6 etc. These beings were created by me!At Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 1.4.5 the Divinity thinks, “I created all this”. Why is that? Because first I thought:
dn:2.5.6“Oh, if only other beings would come to this place.” Such was my heart’s wish, and then these creatures came to this place.’The other creatures appeared after his wish, not because of it. God confuses correlation with causation, a mistake perpetuated by no small number of his followers.
dn:2.5.8And the beings who were reborn there later also think: ‘This must be the Divinity, the Great Divinity, the Vanquisher, the Unvanquished, the Universal Seer, the Wielder of Power, God Almighty, the Maker, the Creator, the First, the Begetter, the Controller, the Father of those who have been born and those yet to be born. And we were created by him. Why is that? Because we see that he was reborn here first, and we arrived later.’At Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 1.4.9–10 the created humans also think first about the Divinity who preceded them, from whose knowledge of self all was created.
dn:2.6.1And the being who was reborn first is more long-lived, beautiful, and illustrious than those who arrived later.
dn:2.6.3It’s possible that one of those beings passes away from that host and is reborn in this place. Having done so, they go forth from the lay life to homelessness. By dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right application of mind, they experience an immersion of the heart of such a kind that they recollect that past life, but no further.Again, their meditation experience is genuine, but what they infer from it goes beyond the facts.
They say: ‘He who is the Divinity—the Great Divinity, the Vanquisher, the Unvanquished, the Universal Seer, the Wielder of Power, God Almighty, the Maker, the Creator, the First, the Begetter, the Controller, the Father of those who have been born and those yet to be born—by he we were created. He is permanent, everlasting, eternal, imperishable, remaining the same for all eternity. We who were created by that Divinity are impermanent, not lasting, short-lived, liable to pass away, and have come to this place.’The surviving forms of Indic religion (Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism) typically hold that all creatures ultimately share the same nature and hence can find liberation. Here we see this was not always the case, for these theorists believed that there are inherently different orders of beings in the cosmos. This is not due to their conduct but to the circumstances of their creation.
This is the first ground on which some ascetics and brahmins rely to assert that the self and the cosmos are partially eternal.
dn:2.7.1And what is the second ground on which they rely?
There are gods named ‘depraved by play.’ They spend too much time laughing, playing, and making merry. And in doing so, they lose their mindfulness, and they pass away from that host of gods.Delightful as the life of the gods is, even they are supposed to retain a sense of moderation (MN37.6), a lesson forgotten by those “depraved by play” (khiḍḍāpadosikā).
Note that mindfulness (sati) is not held to be a specifically Buddhist virtue. Here it refers to a sense of moral compass and self-awareness, rather than a meditation practice.
dn:2.8.1It’s possible that one of those beings passes away from that host and is reborn in this place. Having done so, they go forth from the lay life to homelessness. By dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right application of mind, they experience an immersion of the heart of such a kind that they recollect that past life, but no further.
They say: ‘The gods not depraved by play don’t spend too much time laughing, playing, and making merry. So they don’t lose their mindfulness, and don’t pass away from that host of gods. They are permanent, everlasting, eternal, imperishable, remaining the same for all eternity. But we who were depraved by play spent too much time laughing, playing, and making merry. In doing so, we lost our mindfulness, and passed away from that host of gods. We are impermanent, not lasting, short-lived, liable to pass away, and have come to this place.’Here the difference in beings is attributed not to the circumstances of their creation but to their behavior.
This is the second ground on which some ascetics and brahmins rely to assert that the self and the cosmos are partially eternal.
dn:2.10.1And what is the third ground on which they rely?
There are gods named ‘malevolent’. They spend too much time gazing at each other, so they grow angry with each other, and their bodies and minds get tired. They pass away from that host of gods.The parallel between manopadosika (“malevolent”) and khiddapadosika (“depraved by play”) suggests a rendering “depraved in mind” for manopadosika. However, elsewhere in the suttas manopadosa consistently means “malicious intent” (MN56.56, MN93.21, DN26.40. Also see mano padūseyya at MN21.24 and MN 28.9. Thus the contrast is between greed and hate.
Here, as usual, mano and citta are synonyms for “mind”.
dn:2.11.1It’s possible that one of those beings passes away from that host and is reborn in this place. Having done so, they go forth from the lay life to homelessness. By dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right application of mind, they experience an immersion of the heart of such a kind that they recollect that past life, but no further.
They say: ‘The gods who are not malevolent don’t spend too much time gazing at each other, so they don’t grow angry with each other, their bodies and minds don’t get tired, and they don’t pass away from that host of gods. They are permanent, everlasting, eternal, imperishable, remaining the same for all eternity. But we who were malevolent spent too much time gazing at each other, we grew angry with each other, our bodies and minds got tired, and we passed away from that host of gods. We are impermanent, not lasting, short-lived, liable to pass away, and have come to this place.’
This is the third ground on which some ascetics and brahmins rely to assert that the self and the cosmos are partially eternal.
And what is the fourth ground on which they rely?
It’s when some ascetic or brahmin relies on logic and inquiry. They speak of what they have worked out by logic, following a line of inquiry, expressing their own perspective: ‘That which is called “the eye”, “the ear”, “the nose”, “the tongue”, and also “the body”: that self is impermanent, not lasting, transient, perishable.The Buddha critiqued this view at SN12.61, arguing that the body is, in fact, longer lasting than the mind. That which is called “mind” or “sentience” or “consciousness”: that self is permanent, everlasting, eternal, imperishable, remaining the same for all eternity.’The terms “mind” (citta), “sentience” (mano), and “consciousness” (viññāṇa) are broadly synonymous and in many cases may be substituted for one another. Nonetheless, they each have a particular context in which they predominate. Citta is to be developed, in which respect it pertains to the fourth noble truth, the path. Mano, which I translate here as “sentience” for the sake of disambiguation, is often used in the active sense of the deeds done by the mind, pertaining to the second noble truth, the origin of suffering. Viññāṇa is the key factor in the experience of suffering, pertaining to the first noble truth.
This is the fourth ground on which some ascetics and brahmins rely to assert that the self and the cosmos are partially eternal.
dn:2.14.1These are the four grounds on which those ascetics and brahmins assert that the self and the cosmos are partially eternal and partially not eternal. Any ascetics and brahmins who assert that the self and the cosmos are partially eternal and partially not eternal do so on one or other of these four grounds. Outside of this there is none.
dn:2.15.1The Realized One understands this: ‘If you hold on to and attach to these grounds for views it leads to such and such a destiny in the next life.’ He understands this, and what goes beyond this. And since he does not misapprehend that understanding, he has realized quenching within himself. Having truly understood the origin, disappearance, gratification, drawback, and escape from feelings, the Realized One is freed through not grasping.
dn:2.15.5These are the principles—deep, hard to see, hard to understand, peaceful, sublime, beyond the scope of logic, subtle, comprehensible to the astute—which the Realized One makes known after realizing them with his own insight. And those who genuinely praise the Realized One would rightly speak of these things.
3.1.3. The Cosmos is Finite or Infinite
dn:2.16.1There are some ascetics and brahmins who theorize about size, and assert that the cosmos is finite or infinite on four grounds.Here we move from views that conceive of both the self and the cosmos together to those that focus only on the physical extent of the cosmos. It is not clear why these are classified as “views of the past”. And what are the four grounds on which they rely?
dn:2.17.1It’s when some ascetic or brahmin—by dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right application of mind—experiences an immersion of the heart of such a kind that they meditate perceiving the cosmos as finite.Once again the view is inferred from meditation, showing that meditative experience was regarded by some as revealing genuine truths about the physical realm.
dn:2.17.2They say: ‘The cosmos is finite and bounded. Why is that? Because by dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right application of mind I experience an immersion of the heart of such a kind that I meditate perceiving the cosmos as finite.The nature of their meditation is assumed to be the nature of the world itself. Because of this I know: “The cosmos is finite and bounded.”’
This is the first ground on which some ascetics and brahmins rely to assert that the cosmos is finite or infinite.
dn:2.18.1And what is the second ground on which they rely?
It’s when some ascetic or brahmin—by dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right application of mind—experiences an immersion of the heart of such a kind that they meditate perceiving the cosmos as infinite.In each of the two previous sets of four views, the views themselves were the same, only the means of knowing them differed. Here the views themselves differ. The differences take the form of a tetralemma: A, not-A, both A and not-A, neither A nor not-A. This pattern is commonly found in early Buddhism, as well as Indian thought more generally. The final two items are not meant to be obscure or mysterious, but to express genuine possibilities that cannot be captured by a simple duality.
dn:2.18.3They say: ‘The cosmos is infinite and unbounded. The ascetics and brahmins who say that the cosmos is finite are wrong.It is common today to say that one’s own experience is valid for oneself. Clearly that is not how these philosophers thought. The cosmos is infinite and unbounded. Why is that? Because by dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right application of mind I experience an immersion of the heart of such a kind that I meditate perceiving the cosmos as infinite. Because of this I know:
“The cosmos is infinite and unbounded.”’ This is the second ground on which some ascetics and brahmins rely to assert that the cosmos is finite or infinite.
dn:2.19.1And what is the third ground on which they rely?
It’s when some ascetic or brahmin—by dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right application of mind—experiences an immersion of the heart of such a kind that they meditate perceiving the cosmos as finite vertically but infinite horizontally.They perceive the universe as spread out like a disc. One might call it a “discworld”.
dn:2.19.3They say: ‘The cosmos is both finite and infinite. The ascetics and brahmins who say that the cosmos is finite are wrong, and so are those who say that the cosmos is infinite. The cosmos is both finite and infinite. Why is that? Because by dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right application of mind I experience an immersion of the heart of such a kind that I meditate perceiving the cosmos as finite vertically but infinite horizontally. Because of this I know: “The cosmos is both finite and infinite.”’
This is the third ground on which some ascetics and brahmins rely to assert that the cosmos is finite or infinite.
And what is the fourth ground on which they rely?
It’s when some ascetic or brahmin relies on logic and inquiry. They speak of what they have worked out by logic, following a line of inquiry, expressing their own perspective: ‘The cosmos is neither finite nor infinite.The text doesn’t specify what this is, but it might include the view that the ideas “finite” and “infinite” are inadequate to describe the universe. Consider a universe expanding at the speed of light. At any point in time it is not infinite, but as it is impossible to reach its end it is not finite either. The ascetics and brahmins who say that the cosmos is finite are wrong, as are those who say that the cosmos is infinite, and also those who say that the cosmos is both finite and infinite. The cosmos is neither finite nor infinite.’
This is the fourth ground on which some ascetics and brahmins rely to assert that the cosmos is finite or infinite.
dn:2.21.1These are the four grounds on which those ascetics and brahmins assert that the cosmos is finite or infinite. Any ascetics and brahmins who assert that the cosmos is finite or infinite do so on one or other of these four grounds. Outside of this there is none.
dn:2.22.1The Realized One understands this: ‘If you hold on to and attach to these grounds for views it leads to such and such a destiny in the next life.’ He understands this, and what goes beyond this. And since he does not misapprehend that understanding, he has realized quenching within himself. Having truly understood the origin, disappearance, gratification, drawback, and escape from feelings, the Realized One is freed through not grasping.
dn:2.22.5These are the principles—deep, hard to see, hard to understand, peaceful, sublime, beyond the scope of logic, subtle, comprehensible to the astute—which the Realized One makes known after realizing them with his own insight. And those who genuinely praise the Realized One would rightly speak of these things.
3.1.4. Endless Flip-floppers
dn:2.23.1There are some ascetics and brahmins who are endless flip-floppers. Whenever they’re asked a question, they resort to verbal flip-flops and endless flip-flops on four grounds.Vikkhepa is “flip-flopping”.
Amarā is explained in the commentary as either “undying” or “eel-like”. However, amarā in the sense of “eel” is found only in the commentary to this term so is probably spurious. The feminine form amarā is attested in Sanskrit (eg. Manu 2.148).. And what are the four grounds on which they rely?
It’s when some ascetic or brahmin doesn’t truly understand what is skillful and what is unskillful.This is a basic requirement for any spiritual teacher. They think: ‘I don’t truly understand what is skillful and what is unskillful. If I were to declare that something was skillful or unskillful I might be wrong. That would be stressful for me, and that stress would be an obstacle.’ So from fear and disgust with false speech they avoid stating whether something is skillful or unskillful. Whenever they’re asked a question, they resort to verbal flip-flops and endless flip-flops:Despite their dullness, they have a genuine sense of conscience and wish to avoid breaking precepts. ‘I don’t say it’s like this. I don’t say it’s like that. I don’t say it’s otherwise. I don’t say it’s not so. And I don’t deny it’s not so.’A wise teacher avoids making pronouncements about what they do not understand, but these teachers use this as a cover to hide the fact that they do not understand anything.
This is the first ground on which some ascetics and brahmins rely when resorting to verbal flip-flops and endless flip-flops.
And what is the second ground on which they rely?
It’s when some ascetic or brahmin doesn’t truly understand what is skillful and what is unskillful. They think: ‘I don’t truly understand what is skillful and what is unskillful. If I were to declare that something was skillful or unskillful I might feel desire or greed or hate or repulsion.Here too they show a certain sincerity to avoid giving rise to unwholesome qualities. That would be grasping on my part. That would be stressful for me, and that stress would be an obstacle.’ So from fear and disgust with grasping they avoid stating whether something is skillful or unskillful. Whenever they’re asked a question, they resort to verbal flip-flops and endless flip-flops: ‘I don’t say it’s like this. I don’t say it’s like that. I don’t say it’s otherwise. I don’t say it’s not so. And I don’t deny it’s not so.’
This is the second ground on which some ascetics and brahmins rely when resorting to verbal flip-flops and endless flip-flops.
And what is the third ground on which they rely?
It’s when some ascetic or brahmin doesn’t truly understand what is skillful and what is unskillful. They think: ‘I don’t truly understand what is skillful and what is unskillful. Suppose I were to declare that something was skillful or unskillful. There are clever ascetics and brahmins who are subtle, accomplished in the doctrines of others, hair-splitters. You’d think they live to demolish convictions with their intellect.They avoid making statements, not from a sense of conscience, but for fear of public shaming. They might pursue, press, and grill me about that. I’d be stumped by such a grilling. That would be stressful for me, and that stress would be an obstacle.’ So from fear and disgust with examination they avoid stating whether something is skillful or unskillful. Whenever they’re asked a question, they resort to verbal flip-flops and endless flip-flops: ‘I don’t say it’s like this. I don’t say it’s like that. I don’t say it’s otherwise. I don’t say it’s not so. And I don’t deny it’s not so.’
This is the third ground on which some ascetics and brahmins rely when resorting to verbal flip-flops and endless flip-flops.
And what is the fourth ground on which they rely?
It’s when some ascetic or brahmin is dull and stupid.Also at MN76.19. Because of that, whenever they’re asked a question, they resort to verbal flip-flops and endless flip-flops: ‘Suppose you were to ask me whether there is another world. If I believed that to be the case, I would say so.Here begins a series of four tetrads that are commonly encountered in the suttas. The first is the belief in an afterlife. But I don’t say it’s like this. I don’t say it’s like that. I don’t say it’s otherwise. I don’t say it’s not so. And I don’t deny it’s not so. Suppose you were to ask me whether there is no other world …The denial of an afterlife. whether there both is and is not another world …This could include a belief that eternal life is offered only to adherents of a certain religion. whether there neither is nor is not another world …This could include the idea that our intrinsic nature is one with the cosmos, and our separation from that infinitude in this life is only a veil of delusion. Thus there is no other world, because all worlds are this world, but it is also not the case that there is nothing after death. whether there are beings who are reborn spontaneously …This is beings such as the gods or various ghosts and spirits, which are not born organically. whether there are not beings who are reborn spontaneously …This denies the existence of such beings. Not everyone in ancient India believed in the various orders of beings. whether there both are and are not beings who are reborn spontaneously …The belief that beings are both spontaneously born and organically born. Perhaps this denies that such a distinction can be made clearly, because both kinds of birth take place within the same order of beings. whether there neither are nor are not beings who are reborn spontaneously …Beings are reborn in other ways. whether there is fruit and result of good and bad deeds …This is the standard Buddhist view of kamma, shared with some, but not all, of the other Indian religions of the time. whether there is no fruit and result of good and bad deeds …Doing good or bad has no result; moral nihilism. whether there both is and is not fruit and result of good and bad deeds …Sometimes good and bad deeds have results, other times not. whether there neither is nor is not fruit and result of good and bad deeds …The results of actions are too subtle to be described as good or bad. whether a realized one still exists after death …An awakened one, whether the Buddha or anyone else, exists after death, for example in an eternal state of Nirvana. whether a realized one no longer exists after death …A sage ceases to exist at the time of death. From a Buddhist point of view, this is incoherent since it assumes the underlying attachment to a “self”, which the Realized One has done away with. whether a realized one both still exists and no longer exists after death …For example, their body does not exist but their mind does. whether a realized one neither exists nor doesn’t exist after death. If I believed that to be the case, I would say so.A sage is in a subtle state that cannot be characterized in terms of existence or non-existence. But I don’t say it’s like this. I don’t say it’s like that. I don’t say it’s otherwise. I don’t say it’s not so. And I don’t deny it’s not so.’
This is the fourth ground on which some ascetics and brahmins rely when resorting to verbal flip-flops and endless flip-flops.
dn:2.28.1These are the four grounds on which those ascetics and brahmins who are flip-floppers resort to verbal flip-flops and endless flip-flops whenever they’re asked a question. Any ascetics and brahmins who resort to verbal flip-flops and endless flip-flops do so on one or other of these four grounds. Outside of this there is none. The Realized One understands this … And those who genuinely praise the Realized One would rightly speak of these things.
3.1.5. Doctrines of Anomalous Origination
dn:2.30.1There are some ascetics and brahmins who theorize about anomalous origination. They assert that the self and the cosmos arose anomalously on two grounds.Adhicca is usually translated in this context as “chance”. The root meaning refers to something that has been “lifted out”, making it a “special exception” or “anomaly”. It isn’t used in Sanskrit for a philosophical theory of chance, for which we find instead yadṛcchā (“arbitrariness”, Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 1.2). The theory proposed here is not that the universe in general operates by chance, but that the happenstance of creation is an “anomaly” in the general scheme of things. At SN12.24 and SN 12.25 we learn that some philosophers who believed in the doctrine of kamma nonetheless argued that suffering arose anomalously. And what are the two grounds on which they rely?
There are gods named ‘non-percipient beings’.This is an obscure realm of existence where the operations of consciousness are suspended. When perception arises they pass away from that host of gods. It’s possible that one of those beings passes away from that host and is reborn in this place. Having done so, they go forth from the lay life to homelessness. By dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right application of mind, they experience an immersion of the heart of such a kind that they recollect the arising of perception, but no further. They say: ‘The self and the cosmos arose anomalously. Why is that? Because formerly I didn’t exist, whereas now, having not existed, I’ve transformed into the state of existing.”The idea of creation from nothingness is discussed at Rig Veda 10.129, Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 1.2.
This is the first ground on which some ascetics and brahmins rely to assert that the self and the cosmos arose anomalously.
And what is the second ground on which they rely?
It’s when some ascetic or brahmin relies on logic and inquiry. They speak of what they have worked out by logic, following a line of inquiry, expressing their own perspective: ‘The self and the cosmos arose anomalously.’
This is the second ground on which some ascetics and brahmins rely to assert that the self and the cosmos arose anomalously.
dn:2.33.1These are the two grounds on which those ascetics and brahmins who theorize about anomalous origination assert that the self and the cosmos arose anomalously. Any ascetics and brahmins who theorize about anomalous origination do so on one or other of these two grounds. Outside of this there is none. The Realized One understands this … And those who genuinely praise the Realized One would rightly speak of these things.
dn:2.35.1These are the eighteen grounds on which those ascetics and brahmins who theorize about the past assert various hypotheses concerning the past.First each section is concluded, then the whole first part is concluded. This formalism is a characteristic of oral tradition. It creates a nested hierarchy of content, clarifying the structure and helping to preserve the text in memory. Any ascetics and brahmins who theorize about the past do so on one or other of these eighteen grounds. Outside of this there is none.
dn:2.36.1The Realized One understands this: ‘If you hold on to and attach to these grounds for views it leads to such and such a destiny in the next life.’ He understands this, and what goes beyond this. And since he does not misapprehend that understanding, he has realized quenching within himself. Having truly understood the origin, disappearance, gratification, drawback, and escape from feelings, the Realized One is freed through not grasping.
dn:2.36.5These are the principles—deep, hard to see, hard to understand, peaceful, sublime, beyond the scope of logic, subtle, comprehensible to the astute—which the Realized One makes known after realizing them with his own insight. And those who genuinely praise the Realized One would rightly speak of these things.
The second recitation section.
3.2. Theories About the Future
dn:2.37.1There are some ascetics and brahmins who theorize about the future, and assert various hypotheses concerning the future on forty-four grounds.This section introduces more tetralemmas. Many of the views describe the self in terms of the five aggregates—form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness. And what are the forty-four grounds on which they rely?
3.2.1. Percipient Life After Death
dn:2.38.1There are some ascetics and brahmins who say there is life after death, and assert that the self lives on after death in a percipient form on sixteen grounds. And what are the sixteen grounds on which they rely?
They assert: ‘The self is healthy and percipient after death, and it is formed …Usually a self is conceived of as percipient, so that the subject experiences a continuity.
The term aroga (“free of disease”) is explained by the commentary as “permanent” (nicca), drawing on the root sense of the word, “unbroken”. However, aroga is always used in the sense “free of disease, well, healthy” (eg. MN97.1), and this applies to the Brahmanical tradition as well as the Buddhist. Chandogya Upaniṣad 7.26.2 says that one who sees (the self) does not see death, they have no disease or pain. Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 4.4.12 similarly says that one who sees the self will not suffer in the wake of the body, which Śaṅkāra explains, “Struggling with desires for himself, for his son, for his wife, and so on, he is born and dies again and again, and is diseased when his body is diseased.”
formless …
both formed and formless …
neither formed nor formless …
finite …
infinite …
both finite and infinite …
neither finite nor infinite …
of unified perception …
of diverse perception …
of limited perception …
of limitless perception …
experiences nothing but happiness …
experiences nothing but suffering …
experiences both happiness and suffering …
experiences neither happiness nor suffering.’
dn:2.39.1These are the sixteen grounds on which those ascetics and brahmins assert that the self lives on after death in a percipient form. Any ascetics and brahmins who assert that the self lives on after death in a percipient form do so on one or other of these sixteen grounds. Outside of this there is none. The Realized One understands this … And those who genuinely praise the Realized One would rightly speak of these things.
3.2.2. Non-Percipient Life After Death
dn:3.1.1There are some ascetics and brahmins who say there is life after death, and assert that the self lives on after death in a non-percipient form on eight grounds. And what are the eight grounds on which they rely?
They assert: ‘The self is healthy and non-percipient after death, and it is formed …Here the self has a physical dimension but no perception. This might include rebirth as a plant or inanimate object.
formless …
both formed and formless …
neither formed nor formless …
finite …
infinite …
both finite and infinite …
neither finite nor infinite.’
dn:3.3.1These are the eight grounds on which those ascetics and brahmins assert that the self lives on after death in a non-percipient form. Any ascetics and brahmins who assert that the self lives on after death in a non-percipient form do so on one or other of these eight grounds. Outside of this there is none. The Realized One understands this … And those who genuinely praise the Realized One would rightly speak of these things.
3.2.3. Neither Percipient Nor Non-Percipient Life After Death
dn:3.5.1There are some ascetics and brahmins who say there is life after death, and assert that the self lives on after death in a neither percipient nor non-percipient form on eight grounds.Buddhism acknowledges a formless realm of neither perception nor non-perception, which is attained through advanced meditation. And what are the eight grounds on which they rely?
They assert: ‘The self is healthy and neither percipient nor non-percipient after death, and it is formed …
formless …
both formed and formless …
neither formed nor formless …
finite …
infinite …
both finite and infinite …
neither finite nor infinite.’
dn:3.7.1These are the eight grounds on which those ascetics and brahmins assert that the self lives on after death in a neither percipient nor non-percipient form. Any ascetics and brahmins who assert that the self lives on after death in a neither percipient nor non-percipient form do so on one or other of these eight grounds. Outside of this there is none. The Realized One understands this … And those who genuinely praise the Realized One would rightly speak of these things.
3.2.4. Annihilationism
dn:3.9.1There are some ascetics and brahmins who are annihilationists. They assert the annihilation, eradication, and obliteration of an existing being on seven grounds.These theorists assert the true existence of a being, thus falling into the fallacy of identity view. For the Buddha, the words “being” or a “self” describe an ongoing process that is conditioned and impermanent, and do not correspond to a genuine metaphysical reality. The distinction between contingent, empirical reality and metaphysical, absolute existence is essential to understanding early Buddhism. And what are the seven grounds on which they rely?
There are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view: ‘This self is formed, made up of the four principal states, and produced by mother and father. Since it’s annihilated and destroyed when the body breaks up, and doesn’t exist after death, that’s how this self becomes rightly annihilated.’This is the materialist view, which accepts only the coarse physical realm. This view is common today, but was also well known in the Buddha’s time. | The “four principal states” are earth, water, fire, and air, i.e. the states of matter: solid, liquid, plasma, and gas. That is how some assert the annihilation of an existing being.
But someone else says to them: ‘That self of which you speak does exist, I don’t deny it.The theorist accepts multiple selves. As self theories evolve, they typically move from more coarse materialist theories towards more subtle conceptions. Sometimes the former view is rejected as being false. Sometimes, as here, the former view is seen not as false, but as incomplete and shallow. But that’s not how this self becomes rightly annihilated. There is another self that is heavenly, formed, sensual, consuming edible food.“Form” (rūpa) includes not just the physical realm of the elements, but various kinds of subtle form (sukhumarūpa). These include the energetic or mind-made bodies of beings in various dimensions. Rūpa ultimately refers to the appearance or manifestation of physical properties, and can even include the perception of colors, lights, and shapes in the mind. Here the bodies of the divine beings are not very distant from our own, as they still consume solid food. This probably refers to various nature deities or entities that were believed to consume the food offered to them by humans. You don’t know or see that. But I know it and see it. Since this self is annihilated and destroyed when the body breaks up, and doesn’t exist after death, that’s how this self becomes rightly annihilated.’Whereas the eternalists believe that their heavenly rebirth will last forever, annihilationists believe that even heaven is limited, and it ends in final annihilation. That is how some assert the annihilation of an existing being.
But someone else says to them: ‘That self of which you speak does exist, I don’t deny it. But that’s not how this self becomes rightly annihilated. There is another self that is heavenly, formed, mind-made, whole in its major and minor limbs, not deficient in any faculty.This is a more subtle kind of divine rebirth, no longer dependent on physical food. The subtle body still takes on a humanoid form, however, appearing complete in all its limbs. It includes realms produced through the practice of the four jhānas.
Sabbaṅga has the sense “whole and healthy of limb” (Rig Veda 10.161.5c, Atharva Veda 8.2.8c, 11.3.32 ff.). One is reborn with “whole body” (sarvatanu, Atharva Veda 5.6.11c, Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa 11.1.8.60, 12.8.3.31).
Paccaṅga means “minor limb”, for example the fingers or internal organs. You don’t know or see that. But I know it and see it. Since this self is annihilated and destroyed when the body breaks up, and doesn’t exist after death, that’s how this self becomes rightly annihilated.’ That is how some assert the annihilation of an existing being.
But someone else says to them: ‘That self of which you speak does exist, I don’t deny it. But that’s not how this self becomes rightly annihilated. There is another self which has gone totally beyond perceptions of form. With the disappearance of perceptions of impingement, not focusing on perceptions of diversity, aware that “space is infinite”, it’s reborn in the dimension of infinite space.Such a rebirth has left even the subtle body behind, becoming sheer consciousness. | The word āyatana is from a root meaning “expanse”. It is prominently used in this context, where it refers to a realm or “dimension” of rebirth, and in the analysis of sense experience, where it refers to a “field” of sense experience. You don’t know or see that. But I know it and see it. Since this self is annihilated and destroyed when the body breaks up, and doesn’t exist after death, that’s how this self becomes rightly annihilated.’This phrase appears incongruous as formless beings do not have a body. However the Chinese parallel at DA 21 does not mention kāya here, so it is likely to have arisen as an error in transmission where an earlier phrase was mistakenly copied. That is how some assert the annihilation of an existing being.
But someone else says to them: ‘That self of which you speak does exist, I don’t deny it. But that’s not how this self becomes rightly annihilated. There is another self which has gone totally beyond the dimension of infinite space. Aware that “consciousness is infinite”, it’s reborn in the dimension of infinite consciousness. You don’t know or see that. But I know it and see it. Since this self is annihilated and destroyed when the body breaks up, and doesn’t exist after death, that’s how this self becomes rightly annihilated.’ That is how some assert the annihilation of an existing being.
But someone else says to them: ‘That self of which you speak does exist, I don’t deny it. But that’s not how this self becomes rightly annihilated. There is another self that has gone totally beyond the dimension of infinite consciousness. Aware that “there is nothing at all”, it’s been reborn in the dimension of nothingness. You don’t know or see that. But I know it and see it. Since this self is annihilated and destroyed when the body breaks up, and doesn’t exist after death, that’s how this self becomes rightly annihilated.’ That is how some assert the annihilation of an existing being.
But someone else says to them: ‘That self of which you speak does exist, I don’t deny it. But that’s not how this self becomes rightly annihilated. There is another self that has gone totally beyond the dimension of nothingness. Aware that “this is peaceful, this is sublime”, it’s been reborn in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.The extension of the normal description of this state with the phrase “this is peaceful, this is sublime” is found only here and at AN 10.99. You don’t know or see that. But I know it and see it. Since this self is annihilated and destroyed when the body breaks up, and doesn’t exist after death, that’s how this self becomes rightly annihilated.’ That is how some assert the annihilation of an existing being.
dn:3.17.1These are the seven grounds on which those ascetics and brahmins assert the annihilation, eradication, and obliteration of an existing being. Any ascetics and brahmins who assert the annihilation, eradication, and obliteration of an existing being do so on one or other of these seven grounds. Outside of this there is none. The Realized One understands this … And those who genuinely praise the Realized One would rightly speak of these things.
3.2.5. Extinguishment of Suffering in This Life
dn:3.19.1There are some ascetics and brahmins who speak of extinguishment in this life. They assert ultimate extinguishment for an existing being in this life on five grounds.These five theories argue for the extinguishment of suffering through the experience of pleasure in the present life. The Buddha taught extinguishment (nibbāna) in this very life, but not “of an existing being” (sato sattassa) or “self” (attā). The Buddha denied that there is such a thing, pointing out that we are a stream of ever-changing conditions, fueled by desire and attachment, and liable to suffering. With the end of craving there is no fuel to sustain the stream, so suffering comes to an end.
It is unclear why these views of the “present life” (diṭṭhadhamma) are classified under views of the future; see MN102.1. And what are the five grounds on which they rely?
There are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view: ‘When this self amuses itself, supplied and provided with the five kinds of sensual stimulation, that’s how this self attains ultimate extinguishment in this life.’The hedonist. That is how some assert ultimate extinguishment for an existing being in this life.
But someone else says to them: ‘That self of which you speak does exist, I don’t deny it. But that’s not how this self attains ultimate extinguishment in this life. Why is that? Because sensual pleasures are impermanent, suffering, and perishable. Their decay and perishing give rise to sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress.Here we see the philosophical reasoning that prompts the evolution of more refined conceptions of self. Quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, this self enters and remains in the first absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, while placing the mind and keeping it connected. That’s how this self attains ultimate extinguishment in this life.’The “absorptions” (jhāna) are central to Buddhist meditation. The Buddha did say that they can be considered “extinguishment in the present life” in a qualified sense (AN 9.51). As we have seen above, however, if they are undertaken with wrong view, the experience itself will tend to reinforce the attachment to a self. That is how some assert ultimate extinguishment for an existing being in this life.
But someone else says to them: ‘That self of which you speak does exist, I don’t deny it. But that’s not how this self attains ultimate extinguishment in this life.The theorist has an experience of a deeper state of meditation, so they know that the first jhāna cannot be the ultimate. Why is that? Because the placing of the mind and the keeping it connected there are coarse.Jhānas are subtle states of refined consciousness in which nothing is coarse when compared to ordinary consciousness. Within each state, however, certain mental factors are coarse relative to others. A meditator proceeds through the jhānas with the successive stilling of the relatively coarser factors in each state. But when the placing of the mind and keeping it connected are stilled, this self enters and remains in the second absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of immersion, with internal clarity and mind at one, without placing the mind and keeping it connected. That’s how this self attains ultimate extinguishment in this life.’ That is how some assert ultimate extinguishment for an existing being in this life.
But someone else says to them: ‘That self of which you speak does exist, I don’t deny it. But that’s not how this self attains ultimate extinguishment in this life. Why is that? Because the rapture and emotional elation there are coarse. But with the fading away of rapture, this self enters and remains in the third absorption, where it meditates with equanimity, mindful and aware, personally experiencing the bliss of which the noble ones declare, “Equanimous and mindful, one meditates in bliss”. That’s how this self attains ultimate extinguishment in this life.’ That is how some assert ultimate extinguishment for an existing being in this life.
But someone else says to them: ‘That self of which you speak does exist, I don’t deny it. But that’s not how this self attains ultimate extinguishment in this life. Why is that? Because the mental partaking of that as ‘blissful’ is said to be coarse.Ābhoga (“partaking”) is unique in the early texts in this sense. The commentary says that after emerging from jhāna, one repeatedly partakes and attends to that bliss (for ābhoga with manasikāra, see The Questions of King Milanda 5.1.1. Compare Patañjalī’s commentary on Yogasūtra 1.17: “vitarka is the gross (sthula) partaking in the mental object, vicāra is subtle”. But with the giving up of pleasure and pain and the disappearance of former happiness and sadness, this self enters and remains in the fourth absorption, without pleasure or pain, with pure equanimity and mindfulness. That’s how this self attains ultimate extinguishment in this life.’ That is how some assert ultimate extinguishment for an existing being in this life.
dn:3.25.1These are the five grounds on which those ascetics and brahmins assert ultimate extinguishment for an existing being in this life. Any ascetics and brahmins who assert ultimate extinguishment for an existing being in this life do so on one or other of these five grounds. Outside of this there is none.It is not clear why the still more subtle states of the formless attainments are not included here. The Realized One understands this … And those who genuinely praise the Realized One would rightly speak of these things.
dn:3.27.1These are the forty-four grounds on which those ascetics and brahmins who theorize about the future assert various hypotheses concerning the future. Any ascetics and brahmins who theorize about the future do so on one or other of these forty-four grounds. Outside of this there is none. The Realized One understands this … And those who genuinely praise the Realized One would rightly speak of these things.
dn:3.29.1These are the sixty-two grounds on which those ascetics and brahmins who theorize about the past and the future assert various hypotheses concerning the past and the future.
dn:3.29.2Any ascetics and brahmins who theorize about the past or the future do so on one or other of these sixty-two grounds. Outside of this there is none.
dn:3.30.1The Realized One understands this: ‘If you hold on to and attach to these grounds for views it leads to such and such a destiny in the next life.’Even the views of annihilation or extinguishment lead to rebirth, contrary to the beliefs of those who hold them. He understands this, and what goes beyond this. And since he does not misapprehend that understanding, he has realized quenching within himself. Having truly understood the origin, disappearance, gratification, drawback, and escape from feelings, the Realized One is freed through not grasping.
dn:3.31.1These are the principles—deep, hard to see, hard to understand, peaceful, sublime, beyond the scope of logic, subtle, comprehensible to the astute—which the Realized One makes known after realizing them with his own insight. And those who genuinely praise the Realized One would rightly speak of these things.
4. The Grounds For Assertions About the Self and the Cosmos
4.1. Anxiety and Evasiveness
dn:3.32.1Now, these things are only the feeling of those who do not know or see, the anxiety and evasiveness of those under the sway of craving. Namely, when those ascetics and brahmins assert that the self and the cosmos are eternal on four grounds …Here the Buddha brings to the fore the notion of feelings which has been briefly mentioned throughout the text. Views are not objective descriptions of the world, but responses to our innermost needs. The word paritassita (“anxiety”) conveys both fear and desire, while vipphandita (“evasiveness”) captures how attachment to theorizing serves as an avoidance strategy.
dn:3.33.1partially eternal on four grounds …
dn:3.34.1finite or infinite on four grounds …
dn:3.35.1or they resort to flip-flops on four grounds …
dn:3.36.1or they assert that the self and the cosmos arose anomalously on two grounds …
dn:3.37.1they theorize about the past on these eighteen grounds …
dn:3.38.1or they assert that the self lives on after death in a percipient form on sixteen grounds …
dn:3.39.1or that the self lives on after death in a non-percipient form on eight grounds …
dn:3.40.1or that the self lives on after death in a neither percipient nor non-percipient form on eight grounds …
dn:3.41.1or they assert the annihilation of an existing being on seven grounds …
dn:3.42.1or they assert ultimate extinguishment for an existing being in this life on five grounds …
dn:3.43.1they theorize about the future on these forty-four grounds …
dn:3.44.1When those ascetics and brahmins theorize about the past and the future on these sixty-two grounds, these things are only the feeling of those who do not know or see, the anxiety and evasiveness of those under the sway of craving.
4.2. Dependent On contact
dn:3.45.1Now, these things are dependent on contact. Namely, when those ascetics and brahmins assert that the self and the cosmos are eternal on four grounds …The analysis is introducing more elements of dependent origination. The famous twelve links say that contact is the condition for feeling, which in turn causes craving.
dn:3.46.1partially eternal on four grounds …
dn:3.47.1finite or infinite on four grounds …
dn:3.48.1or they resort to flip-flops on four grounds …
dn:3.49.1or they assert that the self and the cosmos arose anomalously on two grounds …
dn:3.50.1they theorize about the past on these eighteen grounds …
dn:3.51.1or they assert that the self lives on after death in a percipient form on sixteen grounds …
dn:3.52.1or that the self lives on after death in a non-percipient form on eight grounds …
dn:3.53.1or that the self lives on after death in a neither percipient nor non-percipient form on eight grounds …
dn:3.54.1or they assert the annihilation of an existing being on seven grounds …
dn:3.55.1or they assert ultimate extinguishment for an existing being in this life on five grounds …
dn:3.56.1they theorize about the future on these forty-four grounds …
dn:3.57.1When those ascetics and brahmins theorize about the past and the future on these sixty-two grounds, that too is dependent on contact.
4.3. Not Possible
dn:3.70.1Now, when those ascetics and brahmins theorize about the past and the future on these sixty-two grounds, it is not possible that they should experience these things without contact.The text repeats all, but I abbreviate for legibility. In the oral tradition, extensive repetitions serve to reinforce the learning and ensure reliability of transmission. More subtly, they also help deepen understanding and contemplation. After reciting the extensive and complex treatment of the sixty-two views, the reciter takes the time to go over them again and again, letting them settle and consolidate. True learning takes time, but the repetitions that are reflective and reassuring in recitation become irksome and ponderous in reading.
4.4. Dependent Origination
dn:3.71.1Now, when those ascetics and brahmins theorize about the past and the future on these sixty-two grounds, all of them experience this by repeated contact through the six fields of contact. Their feeling is a requirement for craving. Craving is a requirement for grasping. Grasping is a requirement for continued existence. Continued existence is a requirement for rebirth. Rebirth is a requirement for old age and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress to come to be.Finally the process of dependent origination, which has been foreshadowed little by little, is brought to its ultimate conclusion. The full twelve factors of dependent origination are not mentioned, but the process beginning with ignorance is implied throughout. Wrong view is a form of ignorance, and we have seen several examples of how such wrong views prompt intentional choices that generate consciousness in a new life.
5. The End of the Round
dn:3.72.1When a mendicant truly understands the six fields of contact’s origin, disappearance, gratification, drawback, and escape, they understand what lies beyond all these things.“Contact” (phassa) is the conjunction of the sense stimulus, the sense organ, and the associated consciousness.
dn:3.72.2All of these ascetics and brahmins who theorize about the past or the future are trapped in the net of these sixty-two grounds, so that wherever they emerge they are caught and trapped in this very net.They cannot see a way past attachment so long as they theorize in terms of an existing self.
dn:3.72.3Suppose a deft fisherman or his apprentice were to cast a fine-meshed net over a small pond. They’d think: ‘Any sizable creatures in this pond will be trapped in the net. Wherever they emerge they are caught and trapped in this very net.’The title is explained with a vivid simile. The Buddha was a master of observation, and constantly drew from everyday experience to illustrate his teachings. The metaphor works on a surface level to illustrate how theorists are trapped. But it also conveys something deeper, a sense of pathos and empathy with the helpless creatures who have no idea why they suffer. In the same way, all of these ascetics and brahmins who theorize about the past or the future are trapped in the net of these sixty-two grounds, so that wherever they emerge they are caught and trapped in this very net.
dn:3.73.1The Realized One’s body remains, but his conduit to rebirth has been cut off.The Buddha is not his body, which is merely the remnant of past kamma. The phrase bhavanetti (“conduit to rebirth”) invokes a channel that leads to a future life. As long as his body remains he will be seen by gods and humans. But when his body breaks up, after life has ended, gods and humans will see him no more.
dn:3.73.4When the stalk of a bunch of mangoes is cut, all the mangoes attached to the stalk will follow along.This metaphor is found at Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 4.3.36, where it refers to the separation of the self from the body at death. In the same way, the Realized One’s body remains, but his conduit to rebirth has been cut off. As long as his body remains he will be seen by gods and humans. But when his body breaks up, after life has ended, gods and humans will see him no more.”
dn:3.74.1When he had spoken, Venerable Ānanda said to the Buddha, “It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing! What is the name of this exposition of the teaching?”
dn:3.74.3“Well then, Ānanda, you may remember this exposition of the teaching as ‘The Net of Meaning’, or else ‘The Net of the Teaching’, or else ‘The Divine Net’, or else ‘The Net of Views’, or else ‘The Supreme Victory in Battle’.”It is not uncommon to find multiple names for the same sutta, and here we see this practice originated with the Buddha himself. When is referred to by name at SN 41.3, however, it is always called the Brahmajāla. It is also referred to by the list of views, numbered as sixty-three at Snp 3.6 and sixty at SN 8.2 = Thag 21.1.
dn:3.74.4That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, the mendicants approved what the Buddha said. And while this discourse was being spoken, the ten-thousandfold galaxy shook.
1. Paribbājakakathā
1Evaṁ me sutaṁ — ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā antarā ca rājagahaṁ antarā ca nāḷandaṁ addhānamaggappaṭipanno hoti mahatā bhikkhusaṁghena saddhiṁ pañcamattehi bhikkhusatehi. Suppiyopi kho paribbājako antarā ca rājagahaṁ antarā ca nāḷandaṁ addhānamaggappaṭipanno hoti saddhiṁ antevāsinā brahmadattena māṇavena. Tatra sudaṁ suppiyo paribbājako anekapariyāyena buddhassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsati, dhammassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsati, saṁghassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsati; suppiyassa pana paribbājakassa antevāsī brahmadatto māṇavo anekapariyāyena buddhassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati, dhammassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati, saṁghassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati. Itiha te ubho ācariyantevāsī aññamaññassa ujuvipaccanīkavādā bhagavantaṁ piṭṭhito piṭṭhito anubandhā honti bhikkhusaṁghañca.
2Atha kho bhagavā ambalaṭṭhikāyaṁ rājāgārake ekarattivāsaṁ upagacchi saddhiṁ bhikkhusaṁghena. Suppiyopi kho paribbājako ambalaṭṭhikāyaṁ rājāgārake ekarattivāsaṁ upagacchi antevāsinā brahmadattena māṇavena. Tatrapi sudaṁ suppiyo paribbājako anekapariyāyena buddhassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsati, dhammassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsati, saṁghassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsati; suppiyassa pana paribbājakassa antevāsī brahmadatto māṇavo anekapariyāyena buddhassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati, dhammassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati, saṁghassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati. Itiha te ubho ācariyantevāsī aññamaññassa ujuvipaccanīkavādā viharanti.
3Atha kho sambahulānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ rattiyā paccūsasamayaṁ paccuṭṭhitānaṁ maṇḍalamāḷe sannisinnānaṁ sannipatitānaṁ ayaṁ saṅkhiyadhammo udapādi:
"acchariyaṁ, āvuso, abbhutaṁ, āvuso, yāvañcidaṁ tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena sattānaṁ nānādhimuttikatā suppaṭividitā. Ayañhi suppiyo paribbājako anekapariyāyena buddhassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsati, dhammassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsati, saṅghassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsati; suppiyassa pana paribbājakassa antevāsī brahmadatto māṇavo anekapariyāyena buddhassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati, dhammassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati, saṅghassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati. Itihame ubho ācariyantevāsī aññamaññassa ujuvipaccanīkavādā bhagavantaṁ piṭṭhito piṭṭhito anubandhā honti bhikkhusaṅghañcā"ti.
4Atha kho bhagavā tesaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ imaṁ saṅkhiyadhammaṁ viditvā yena maṇḍalamāḷo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi. Nisajja kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: "kāya nuttha, bhikkhave, etarahi kathāya sannisinnā sannipatitā, kā ca pana vo antarākathā vippakatā"ti?
Evaṁ vutte, te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ: "idha, bhante, amhākaṁ rattiyā paccūsasamayaṁ paccuṭṭhitānaṁ maṇḍalamāḷe sannisinnānaṁ sannipatitānaṁ ayaṁ saṅkhiyadhammo udapādi: 'acchariyaṁ, āvuso, abbhutaṁ, āvuso, yāvañcidaṁ tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena sattānaṁ nānādhimuttikatā suppaṭividitā. Ayañhi suppiyo paribbājako anekapariyāyena buddhassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsati, dhammassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsati, saṅghassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsati; suppiyassa pana paribbājakassa antevāsī brahmadatto māṇavo anekapariyāyena buddhassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati, dhammassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati, saṅghassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati. Itihame ubho ācariyantevāsī aññamaññassa ujuvipaccanīkavādā bhagavantaṁ piṭṭhito piṭṭhito anubandhā honti bhikkhusaṅghañcā'ti. Ayaṁ kho no, bhante, antarākathā vippakatā, atha bhagavā anuppatto"ti.
5"Mamaṁ vā, bhikkhave, pare avaṇṇaṁ bhāseyyuṁ, dhammassa vā avaṇṇaṁ bhāseyyuṁ, saṅghassa vā avaṇṇaṁ bhāseyyuṁ, tatra tumhehi na āghāto na appaccayo na cetaso anabhiraddhi karaṇīyā. Mamaṁ vā, bhikkhave, pare avaṇṇaṁ bhāseyyuṁ, dhammassa vā avaṇṇaṁ bhāseyyuṁ, saṅghassa vā avaṇṇaṁ bhāseyyuṁ, tatra ce tumhe assatha kupitā vā anattamanā vā, tumhaṁ yevassa tena antarāyo. Mamaṁ vā, bhikkhave, pare avaṇṇaṁ bhāseyyuṁ, dhammassa vā avaṇṇaṁ bhāseyyuṁ, saṅghassa vā avaṇṇaṁ bhāseyyuṁ, tatra ce tumhe assatha kupitā vā anattamanā vā, api nu tumhe paresaṁ subhāsitaṁ dubbhāsitaṁ ājāneyyāthā"ti?
"No hetaṁ, bhante".
6"Mamaṁ vā, bhikkhave, pare avaṇṇaṁ bhāseyyuṁ, dhammassa vā avaṇṇaṁ bhāseyyuṁ, saṅghassa vā avaṇṇaṁ bhāseyyuṁ, tatra tumhehi abhūtaṁ abhūtato nibbeṭhetabbaṁ: 'itipetaṁ abhūtaṁ, itipetaṁ atacchaṁ, natthi cetaṁ amhesu, na ca panetaṁ amhesu saṁvijjatī'ti.
7Mamaṁ vā, bhikkhave, pare vaṇṇaṁ bhāseyyuṁ, dhammassa vā vaṇṇaṁ bhāseyyuṁ, saṁghassa vā vaṇṇaṁ bhāseyyuṁ, tatra tumhehi na ānando na somanassaṁ na cetaso uppilāvitattaṁ karaṇīyaṁ. Mamaṁ vā, bhikkhave, pare vaṇṇaṁ bhāseyyuṁ, dhammassa vā vaṇṇaṁ bhāseyyuṁ, saṁghassa vā vaṇṇaṁ bhāseyyuṁ, tatra ce tumhe assatha ānandino sumanā uppilāvitā tumhaṁ yevassa tena antarāyo. Mamaṁ vā, bhikkhave, pare vaṇṇaṁ bhāseyyuṁ, dhammassa vā vaṇṇaṁ bhāseyyuṁ, saṁghassa vā vaṇṇaṁ bhāseyyuṁ, tatra tumhehi bhūtaṁ bhūtato paṭijānitabbaṁ: 'itipetaṁ bhūtaṁ, itipetaṁ tacchaṁ, atthi cetaṁ amhesu, saṁvijjati ca panetaṁ amhesū'ti.
2. Sīla
2.1. Cūḷasīla
8Appamattakaṁ kho panetaṁ, bhikkhave, oramattakaṁ sīlamattakaṁ, yena puthujjano tathāgatassa vaṇṇaṁ vadamāno vadeyya. Katamañca taṁ, bhikkhave, appamattakaṁ oramattakaṁ sīlamattakaṁ, yena puthujjano tathāgatassa vaṇṇaṁ vadamāno vadeyya?
9'Pāṇātipātaṁ pahāya pāṇātipātā paṭivirato samaṇo gotamo nihitadaṇḍo, nihitasattho, lajjī, dayāpanno, sabbapāṇabhūtahitānukampī viharatī'ti — iti vā hi, bhikkhave, puthujjano tathāgatassa vaṇṇaṁ vadamāno vadeyya.
10'Adinnādānaṁ pahāya adinnādānā paṭivirato samaṇo gotamo dinnādāyī dinnapāṭikaṅkhī, athenena sucibhūtena attanā viharatī'ti — iti vā hi, bhikkhave, puthujjano tathāgatassa vaṇṇaṁ vadamāno vadeyya.
11'Abrahmacariyaṁ pahāya brahmacārī samaṇo gotamo ārācārī virato methunā gāmadhammā'ti — iti vā hi, bhikkhave, puthujjano tathāgatassa vaṇṇaṁ vadamāno vadeyya.
12'Musāvādaṁ pahāya musāvādā paṭivirato samaṇo gotamo saccavādī saccasandho theto paccayiko avisaṁvādako lokassā'ti — iti vā hi, bhikkhave, puthujjano tathāgatassa vaṇṇaṁ vadamāno vadeyya.
13'Pisuṇaṁ vācaṁ pahāya pisuṇāya vācāya paṭivirato samaṇo gotamo, ito sutvā na amutra akkhātā imesaṁ bhedāya, amutra vā sutvā na imesaṁ akkhātā amūsaṁ bhedāya. Iti bhinnānaṁ vā sandhātā, sahitānaṁ vā anuppadātā samaggārāmo samaggarato samagganandī samaggakaraṇiṁ vācaṁ bhāsitā'ti — iti vā hi, bhikkhave, puthujjano tathāgatassa vaṇṇaṁ vadamāno vadeyya.
14'Pharusaṁ vācaṁ pahāya pharusāya vācāya paṭivirato samaṇo gotamo, yā sā vācā nelā kaṇṇasukhā pemanīyā hadayaṅgamā porī bahujanakantā bahujanamanāpā tathārūpiṁ vācaṁ bhāsitā'ti — iti vā hi, bhikkhave, puthujjano tathāgatassa vaṇṇaṁ vadamāno vadeyya.
15'Samphappalāpaṁ pahāya samphappalāpā paṭivirato samaṇo gotamo kālavādī bhūtavādī atthavādī dhammavādī vinayavādī, nidhānavatiṁ vācaṁ bhāsitā kālena sāpadesaṁ pariyantavatiṁ atthasaṁhitan'ti — iti vā hi, bhikkhave, puthujjano tathāgatassa vaṇṇaṁ vadamāno vadeyya.
16'Bījagāmabhūtagāmasamārambhā paṭivirato samaṇo gotamo'ti — iti vā hi, bhikkhave … pe … .
17'Ekabhattiko samaṇo gotamo rattūparato virato vikālabhojanā … .
18Naccagītavāditavisūkadassanā paṭivirato samaṇo gotamo … .
19mālāgandhavilepanadhāraṇamaṇḍanavibhūsanaṭṭhānā paṭivirato samaṇo gotamo … .
20Uccāsayanamahāsayanā paṭivirato samaṇo gotamo … .
21Jātarūparajatapaṭiggahaṇā paṭivirato samaṇo gotamo … .
22Āmakadhaññapaṭiggahaṇā paṭivirato samaṇo gotamo … .
23Āmakamaṁsapaṭiggahaṇā paṭivirato samaṇo gotamo … .
24Itthikumārikapaṭiggahaṇā paṭivirato samaṇo gotamo … .
25Dāsidāsapaṭiggahaṇā paṭivirato samaṇo gotamo … .
26Ajeḷakapaṭiggahaṇā paṭivirato samaṇo gotamo … .
27Kukkuṭasūkarapaṭiggahaṇā paṭivirato samaṇo gotamo … .
28Hatthigavassavaḷavapaṭiggahaṇā paṭivirato samaṇo gotamo … .
29Khettavatthupaṭiggahaṇā paṭivirato samaṇo gotamo … .
30Dūteyyapahiṇagamanānuyogā paṭivirato samaṇo gotamo … .
31Kayavikkayā paṭivirato samaṇo gotamo … .
32Tulākūṭakaṁsakūṭamānakūṭā paṭivirato samaṇo gotamo … .
33Ukkoṭanavañcananikatisāciyogā paṭivirato samaṇo gotamo … .
34Chedanavadhabandhanaviparāmosaālopasahasākārā paṭivirato samaṇo gotamo'ti — iti vā hi, bhikkhave, puthujjano tathāgatassa vaṇṇaṁ vadamāno vadeyya.
Cūḷasīlaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.
2.2. Majjhimasīla
35'Yathā vā paneke bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā saddhādeyyāni bhojanāni bhuñjitvā te evarūpaṁ bījagāmabhūtagāmasamārambhaṁ anuyuttā viharanti, seyyathidaṁ — mūlabījaṁ khandhabījaṁ phaḷubījaṁ aggabījaṁ bījabījameva pañcamaṁ; iti evarūpā bījagāmabhūtagāmasamārambhā paṭivirato samaṇo gotamo'ti — iti vā hi, bhikkhave, puthujjano tathāgatassa vaṇṇaṁ vadamāno vadeyya.
36'Yathā vā paneke bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā saddhādeyyāni bhojanāni bhuñjitvā te evarūpaṁ sannidhikāraparibhogaṁ anuyuttā viharanti, seyyathidaṁ — annasannidhiṁ pānasannidhiṁ vatthasannidhiṁ yānasannidhiṁ sayanasannidhiṁ gandhasannidhiṁ āmisasannidhiṁ iti vā iti evarūpā sannidhikāraparibhogā paṭivirato samaṇo gotamo'ti — iti vā hi, bhikkhave, puthujjano tathāgatassa vaṇṇaṁ vadamāno vadeyya.
37'Yathā vā paneke bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā saddhādeyyāni bhojanāni bhuñjitvā te evarūpaṁ visūkadassanaṁ anuyuttā viharanti, seyyathidaṁ — naccaṁ gītaṁ vāditaṁ pekkhaṁ akkhānaṁ pāṇissaraṁ vetāḷaṁ kumbhathūṇaṁ sobhanakaṁ caṇḍālaṁ vaṁsaṁ dhovanaṁ hatthiyuddhaṁ assayuddhaṁ mahiṁsayuddhaṁ usabhayuddhaṁ ajayuddhaṁ meṇḍayuddhaṁ kukkuṭayuddhaṁ vaṭṭakayuddhaṁ daṇḍayuddhaṁ muṭṭhiyuddhaṁ nibbuddhaṁ uyyodhikaṁ balaggaṁ senābyūhaṁ anīkadassanaṁ iti vā iti evarūpā visūkadassanā paṭivirato samaṇo gotamo'ti — iti vā hi, bhikkhave, puthujjano tathāgatassa vaṇṇaṁ vadamāno vadeyya.
38'Yathā vā paneke bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā saddhādeyyāni bhojanāni bhuñjitvā te evarūpaṁ jūtappamādaṭṭhānānuyogaṁ anuyuttā viharanti, seyyathidaṁ — aṭṭhapadaṁ dasapadaṁ ākāsaṁ parihārapathaṁ santikaṁ khalikaṁ ghaṭikaṁ salākahatthaṁ akkhaṁ paṅgacīraṁ vaṅkakaṁ mokkhacikaṁ ciṅgulikaṁ pattāḷhakaṁ rathakaṁ dhanukaṁ akkharikaṁ manesikaṁ yathāvajjaṁ iti vā iti evarūpā jūtappamādaṭṭhānānuyogā paṭivirato samaṇo gotamo'ti — iti vā hi, bhikkhave, puthujjano tathāgatassa vaṇṇaṁ vadamāno vadeyya.
39'Yathā vā paneke bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā saddhādeyyāni bhojanāni bhuñjitvā te evarūpaṁ uccāsayanamahāsayanaṁ anuyuttā viharanti, seyyathidaṁ — āsandiṁ pallaṅkaṁ gonakaṁ cittakaṁ paṭikaṁ paṭalikaṁ tūlikaṁ vikatikaṁ uddalomiṁ ekantalomiṁ kaṭṭissaṁ koseyyaṁ kuttakaṁ hatthattharaṁ assattharaṁ rathattharaṁ ajinappaveṇiṁ kadalimigapavarapaccattharaṇaṁ sauttaracchadaṁ ubhatolohitakūpadhānaṁ iti vā iti evarūpā uccāsayanamahāsayanā paṭivirato samaṇo gotamo'ti — iti vā hi, bhikkhave, puthujjano tathāgatassa vaṇṇaṁ vadamāno vadeyya.
40'Yathā vā paneke bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā saddhādeyyāni bhojanāni bhuñjitvā te evarūpaṁ maṇḍanavibhūsanaṭṭhānānuyogaṁ anuyuttā viharanti, seyyathidaṁ – ucchādanaṁ parimaddanaṁ nhāpanaṁ sambāhanaṁ ādāsaṁ añjanaṁ mālāgandhavilepanaṁ mukhacuṇṇaṁ mukhalepanaṁ hatthabandhaṁ sikhābandhaṁ daṇḍaṁ nāḷikaṁ asiṁ chattaṁ citrupāhanaṁ uṇhīsaṁ maṇiṁ vālabījaniṁ odātāni vatthāni dīghadasāni iti vā iti evarūpā maṇḍanavibhūsanaṭṭhānānuyogā paṭivirato samaṇo gotamo'ti — iti vā hi, bhikkhave, puthujjano tathāgatassa vaṇṇaṁ vadamāno vadeyya.
41'Yathā vā paneke bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā saddhādeyyāni bhojanāni bhuñjitvā te evarūpaṁ tiracchānakathaṁ anuyuttā viharanti, seyyathidaṁ — rājakathaṁ corakathaṁ mahāmattakathaṁ senākathaṁ bhayakathaṁ yuddhakathaṁ annakathaṁ pānakathaṁ vatthakathaṁ sayanakathaṁ mālākathaṁ gandhakathaṁ ñātikathaṁ yānakathaṁ gāmakathaṁ nigamakathaṁ nagarakathaṁ janapadakathaṁ itthikathaṁ sūrakathaṁ visikhākathaṁ kumbhaṭṭhānakathaṁ pubbapetakathaṁ nānattakathaṁ lokakkhāyikaṁ samuddakkhāyikaṁ itibhavābhavakathaṁ iti vā iti evarūpāya tiracchānakathāya paṭivirato samaṇo gotamo'ti — iti vā hi, bhikkhave, puthujjano tathāgatassa vaṇṇaṁ vadamāno vadeyya.
42'Yathā vā paneke bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā saddhādeyyāni bhojanāni bhuñjitvā te evarūpaṁ viggāhikakathaṁ anuyuttā viharanti, seyyathidaṁ — na tvaṁ imaṁ dhammavinayaṁ ājānāsi, ahaṁ imaṁ dhammavinayaṁ ājānāmi, kiṁ tvaṁ imaṁ dhammavinayaṁ ājānissasi, micchā paṭipanno tvamasi, ahamasmi sammā paṭipanno, sahitaṁ me, asahitaṁ te, purevacanīyaṁ pacchā avaca, pacchāvacanīyaṁ pure avaca, adhiciṇṇaṁ te viparāvattaṁ, āropito te vādo, niggahito tvamasi, cara vādappamokkhāya, nibbeṭhehi vā sace pahosīti iti vā iti evarūpāya viggāhikakathāya paṭivirato samaṇo gotamo'ti — iti vā hi, bhikkhave, puthujjano tathāgatassa vaṇṇaṁ vadamāno vadeyya.
43'Yathā vā paneke bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā saddhādeyyāni bhojanāni bhuñjitvā te evarūpaṁ dūteyyapahiṇagamanānuyogaṁ anuyuttā viharanti, seyyathidaṁ — raññaṁ, rājamahāmattānaṁ, khattiyānaṁ, brāhmaṇānaṁ, gahapatikānaṁ, kumārānaṁ "idha gaccha, amutrāgaccha, idaṁ hara, amutra idaṁ āharā"ti iti vā iti evarūpā dūteyyapahiṇagamanānuyogā paṭivirato samaṇo gotamo'ti — iti vā hi, bhikkhave, puthujjano tathāgatassa vaṇṇaṁ vadamāno vadeyya.
44'Yathā vā paneke bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā saddhādeyyāni bhojanāni bhuñjitvā te kuhakā ca honti, lapakā ca nemittikā ca nippesikā ca, lābhena lābhaṁ nijigīsitāro ca iti evarūpā kuhanalapanā paṭivirato samaṇo gotamo'ti —
Iti vā hi, bhikkhave, puthujjano tathāgatassa vaṇṇaṁ vadamāno vadeyya.
Majjhimasīlaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.
2.3. Mahāsīla
45'Yathā vā paneke bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā saddhādeyyāni bhojanāni bhuñjitvā te evarūpāya tiracchānavijjāya micchājīvena jīvitaṁ kappenti, seyyathidaṁ — aṅgaṁ nimittaṁ uppātaṁ supinaṁ lakkhaṇaṁ mūsikacchinnaṁ aggihomaṁ dabbihomaṁ thusahomaṁ kaṇahomaṁ taṇḍulahomaṁ sappihomaṁ telahomaṁ mukhahomaṁ lohitahomaṁ aṅgavijjā vatthuvijjā khattavijjā sivavijjā bhūtavijjā bhūrivijjā ahivijjā visavijjā vicchikavijjā mūsikavijjā sakuṇavijjā vāyasavijjā pakkajjhānaṁ saraparittāṇaṁ migacakkaṁ iti vā iti evarūpāya tiracchānavijjāya micchājīvā paṭivirato samaṇo gotamo'ti — iti vā hi, bhikkhave, puthujjano tathāgatassa vaṇṇaṁ vadamāno vadeyya.
46'Yathā vā paneke bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā saddhādeyyāni bhojanāni bhuñjitvā te evarūpāya tiracchānavijjāya micchājīvena jīvitaṁ kappenti, seyyathidaṁ — maṇilakkhaṇaṁ vatthalakkhaṇaṁ daṇḍalakkhaṇaṁ satthalakkhaṇaṁ asilakkhaṇaṁ usulakkhaṇaṁ dhanulakkhaṇaṁ āvudhalakkhaṇaṁ itthilakkhaṇaṁ purisalakkhaṇaṁ kumāralakkhaṇaṁ kumārilakkhaṇaṁ dāsalakkhaṇaṁ dāsilakkhaṇaṁ hatthilakkhaṇaṁ assalakkhaṇaṁ mahiṁsalakkhaṇaṁ usabhalakkhaṇaṁ golakkhaṇaṁ ajalakkhaṇaṁ meṇḍalakkhaṇaṁ kukkuṭalakkhaṇaṁ vaṭṭakalakkhaṇaṁ godhālakkhaṇaṁ kaṇṇikālakkhaṇaṁ kacchapalakkhaṇaṁ migalakkhaṇaṁ iti vā iti evarūpāya tiracchānavijjāya micchājīvā paṭivirato samaṇo gotamo'ti —
Iti vā hi, bhikkhave, puthujjano tathāgatassa vaṇṇaṁ vadamāno vadeyya.
47'Yathā vā paneke bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā saddhādeyyāni bhojanāni bhuñjitvā te evarūpāya tiracchānavijjāya micchājīvena jīvitaṁ kappenti, seyyathidaṁ — raññaṁ niyyānaṁ bhavissati, raññaṁ aniyyānaṁ bhavissati, abbhantarānaṁ raññaṁ upayānaṁ bhavissati, bāhirānaṁ raññaṁ apayānaṁ bhavissati, bāhirānaṁ raññaṁ upayānaṁ bhavissati, abbhantarānaṁ raññaṁ apayānaṁ bhavissati, abbhantarānaṁ raññaṁ jayo bhavissati, bāhirānaṁ raññaṁ parājayo bhavissati, bāhirānaṁ raññaṁ jayo bhavissati, abbhantarānaṁ raññaṁ parājayo bhavissati, iti imassa jayo bhavissati, imassa parājayo bhavissati iti vā iti evarūpāya tiracchānavijjāya micchājīvā paṭivirato samaṇo gotamo'ti —
Iti vā hi, bhikkhave, puthujjano tathāgatassa vaṇṇaṁ vadamāno vadeyya.
48'Yathā vā paneke bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā saddhādeyyāni bhojanāni bhuñjitvā te evarūpāya tiracchānavijjāya micchājīvena jīvitaṁ kappenti, seyyathidaṁ — candaggāho bhavissati, sūriyaggāho bhavissati, nakkhattaggāho bhavissati, candimasūriyānaṁ pathagamanaṁ bhavissati, candimasūriyānaṁ uppathagamanaṁ bhavissati, nakkhattānaṁ pathagamanaṁ bhavissati, nakkhattānaṁ uppathagamanaṁ bhavissati, ukkāpāto bhavissati, disāḍāho bhavissati, bhūmicālo bhavissati, devadudrabhi bhavissati, candimasūriyanakkhattānaṁ uggamanaṁ ogamanaṁ saṁkilesaṁ vodānaṁ bhavissati, evaṁvipāko candaggāho bhavissati, evaṁvipāko sūriyaggāho bhavissati, evaṁvipāko nakkhattaggāho bhavissati, evaṁvipākaṁ candimasūriyānaṁ pathagamanaṁ bhavissati, evaṁvipākaṁ candimasūriyānaṁ uppathagamanaṁ bhavissati, evaṁvipākaṁ nakkhattānaṁ pathagamanaṁ bhavissati, evaṁvipākaṁ nakkhattānaṁ uppathagamanaṁ bhavissati, evaṁvipāko ukkāpāto bhavissati, evaṁvipāko disāḍāho bhavissati, evaṁvipāko bhūmicālo bhavissati, evaṁvipāko devadudrabhi bhavissati, evaṁvipākaṁ candimasūriyanakkhattānaṁ uggamanaṁ ogamanaṁ saṁkilesaṁ vodānaṁ bhavissati iti vā iti evarūpāya tiracchānavijjāya micchājīvā paṭivirato samaṇo gotamo'ti —
Iti vā hi, bhikkhave, puthujjano tathāgatassa vaṇṇaṁ vadamāno vadeyya.
49'Yathā vā paneke bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā saddhādeyyāni bhojanāni bhuñjitvā te evarūpāya tiracchānavijjāya micchājīvena jīvitaṁ kappenti, seyyathidaṁ — suvuṭṭhikā bhavissati, dubbuṭṭhikā bhavissati, subhikkhaṁ bhavissati, dubbhikkhaṁ bhavissati, khemaṁ bhavissati, bhayaṁ bhavissati, rogo bhavissati, ārogyaṁ bhavissati, muddā, gaṇanā, saṅkhānaṁ, kāveyyaṁ, lokāyataṁ iti vā iti evarūpāya tiracchānavijjāya micchājīvā paṭivirato samaṇo gotamo'ti —
Iti vā hi, bhikkhave, puthujjano tathāgatassa vaṇṇaṁ vadamāno vadeyya.
50'Yathā vā paneke bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā saddhādeyyāni bhojanāni bhuñjitvā te evarūpāya tiracchānavijjāya micchājīvena jīvitaṁ kappenti, seyyathidaṁ — āvāhanaṁ vivāhanaṁ saṁvaraṇaṁ vivaraṇaṁ saṁkiraṇaṁ vikiraṇaṁ subhagakaraṇaṁ dubbhagakaraṇaṁ viruddhagabbhakaraṇaṁ jivhānibandhanaṁ hanusaṁhananaṁ hatthābhijappanaṁ hanujappanaṁ kaṇṇajappanaṁ ādāsapañhaṁ kumārikapañhaṁ devapañhaṁ ādiccupaṭṭhānaṁ mahatupaṭṭhānaṁ abbhujjalanaṁ sirivhāyanaṁ iti vā iti evarūpāya tiracchānavijjāya micchājīvā paṭivirato samaṇo gotamo'ti —
Iti vā hi, bhikkhave, puthujjano tathāgatassa vaṇṇaṁ vadamāno vadeyya.
51'Yathā vā paneke bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā saddhādeyyāni bhojanāni bhuñjitvā te evarūpāya tiracchānavijjāya micchājīvena jīvitaṁ kappenti, seyyathidaṁ — santikammaṁ paṇidhikammaṁ bhūtakammaṁ bhūrikammaṁ vassakammaṁ vossakammaṁ vatthukammaṁ vatthuparikammaṁ ācamanaṁ nhāpanaṁ juhanaṁ vamanaṁ virecanaṁ uddhaṁvirecanaṁ adhovirecanaṁ sīsavirecanaṁ kaṇṇatelaṁ nettatappanaṁ natthukammaṁ añjanaṁ paccañjanaṁ sālākiyaṁ sallakattiyaṁ dārakatikicchā mūlabhesajjānaṁ anuppadānaṁ osadhīnaṁ paṭimokkho iti vā iti evarūpāya tiracchānavijjāya micchājīvā paṭivirato samaṇo gotamo'ti —
Iti vā hi, bhikkhave, puthujjano tathāgatassa vaṇṇaṁ vadamāno vadeyya.
52Idaṁ kho, bhikkhave, appamattakaṁ oramattakaṁ sīlamattakaṁ, yena puthujjano tathāgatassa vaṇṇaṁ vadamāno vadeyya.
Mahāsīlaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.
3. Diṭṭhi
3.1. Pubbantakappika
53Atthi, bhikkhave, aññeva dhammā gambhīrā duddasā duranubodhā santā paṇītā atakkāvacarā nipuṇā paṇḍitavedanīyā, ye tathāgato sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedeti, yehi tathāgatassa yathābhuccaṁ vaṇṇaṁ sammā vadamānā vadeyyuṁ. Katame ca te, bhikkhave, dhammā gambhīrā duddasā duranubodhā santā paṇītā atakkāvacarā nipuṇā paṇḍitavedanīyā, ye tathāgato sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedeti, yehi tathāgatassa yathābhuccaṁ vaṇṇaṁ sammā vadamānā vadeyyuṁ?
54Santi, bhikkhave, eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā pubbantakappikā pubbantānudiṭṭhino, pubbantaṁ ārabbha anekavihitāni adhimuttipadāni abhivadanti aṭṭhārasahi vatthūhi. Te ca bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā kimāgamma kimārabbha pubbantakappikā pubbantānudiṭṭhino pubbantaṁ ārabbha anekavihitāni adhimuttipadāni abhivadanti aṭṭhārasahi vatthūhi?
3.1.1. Sassatavāda
55Santi, bhikkhave, eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā sassatavādā, sassataṁ attānañca lokañca paññapenti catūhi vatthūhi. Te ca bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā kimāgamma kimārabbha sassatavādā sassataṁ attānañca lokañca paññapenti catūhi vatthūhi?
56Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā ātappamanvāya padhānamanvāya anuyogamanvāya appamādamanvāya sammāmanasikāramanvāya tathārūpaṁ cetosamādhiṁ phusati, yathāsamāhite citte anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarati. Seyyathidaṁ — ekampi jātiṁ dvepi jātiyo tissopi jātiyo catassopi jātiyo pañcapi jātiyo dasapi jātiyo vīsampi jātiyo tiṁsampi jātiyo cattālīsampi jātiyo paññāsampi jātiyo jātisatampi jātisahassampi jātisatasahassampi anekānipi jātisatāni anekānipi jātisahassāni anekānipi jātisatasahassāni: 'amutrāsiṁ evaṁnāmo evaṁgotto evaṁvaṇṇo evamāhāro evaṁsukhadukkhappaṭisaṁvedī evamāyupariyanto, so tato cuto amutra udapādiṁ; tatrāpāsiṁ evaṁnāmo evaṁgotto evaṁvaṇṇo evamāhāro evaṁsukhadukkhappaṭisaṁvedī evamāyupariyanto, so tato cuto idhūpapanno'ti. Iti sākāraṁ sauddesaṁ anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarati.
57So evamāha: 'sassato attā ca loko ca vañjho kūṭaṭṭho esikaṭṭhāyiṭṭhito; te ca sattā sandhāvanti saṁsaranti cavanti upapajjanti, atthi tveva sassatisamaṁ. Taṁ kissa hetu? Ahañhi ātappamanvāya padhānamanvāya anuyogamanvāya appamādamanvāya sammāmanasikāramanvāya tathārūpaṁ cetosamādhiṁ phusāmi, yathāsamāhite citte anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarāmi. Seyyathidaṁ — ekampi jātiṁ dvepi jātiyo tissopi jātiyo catassopi jātiyo pañcapi jātiyo dasapi jātiyo vīsampi jātiyo tiṁsampi jātiyo cattālīsampi jātiyo paññāsampi jātiyo jātisatampi jātisahassampi jātisatasahassampi anekānipi jātisatāni anekānipi jātisahassāni anekānipi jātisatasahassāni: "amutrāsiṁ evaṁnāmo evaṅgotto evaṁvaṇṇo evamāhāro evaṁsukhadukkhappaṭisaṁvedī evamāyupariyanto, so tato cuto amutra udapādiṁ; tatrāpāsiṁ evaṁnāmo evaṅgotto evaṁvaṇṇo evamāhāro evaṁsukhadukkhappaṭisaṁvedī evamāyupariyanto, so tato cuto idhūpapanno"ti. Iti sākāraṁ sauddesaṁ anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarāmi.
58Imināmahaṁ etaṁ jānāmi: "yathā sassato attā ca loko ca vañjho kūṭaṭṭho esikaṭṭhāyiṭṭhito; te ca sattā sandhāvanti saṁsaranti cavanti upapajjanti, atthi tveva sassatisaman"'ti. Idaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamaṁ ṭhānaṁ, yaṁ āgamma yaṁ ārabbha eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā sassatavādā sassataṁ attānañca lokañca paññapenti. (1: 1)
59Dutiye ca bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā kimāgamma kimārabbha sassatavādā sassataṁ attānañca lokañca paññapenti?
Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā ātappamanvāya padhānamanvāya anuyogamanvāya appamādamanvāya sammāmanasikāramanvāya tathārūpaṁ cetosamādhiṁ phusati, yathāsamāhite citte anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarati. Seyyathidaṁ — ekampi saṁvaṭṭavivaṭṭaṁ dvepi saṁvaṭṭavivaṭṭāni tīṇipi saṁvaṭṭavivaṭṭāni cattāripi saṁvaṭṭavivaṭṭāni pañcapi saṁvaṭṭavivaṭṭāni dasapi saṁvaṭṭavivaṭṭāni: 'amutrāsiṁ evaṁnāmo evaṅgotto evaṁvaṇṇo evamāhāro evaṁsukhadukkhappaṭisaṁvedī evamāyupariyanto, so tato cuto amutra udapādiṁ; tatrāpāsiṁ evaṁnāmo evaṅgotto evaṁvaṇṇo evamāhāro evaṁsukhadukkhappaṭisaṁvedī evamāyupariyanto, so tato cuto idhūpapanno'ti. Iti sākāraṁ sauddesaṁ anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarati.
60So evamāha: 'sassato attā ca loko ca vañjho kūṭaṭṭho esikaṭṭhāyiṭṭhito; te ca sattā sandhāvanti saṁsaranti cavanti upapajjanti, atthi tveva sassatisamaṁ. Taṁ kissa hetu? Ahañhi ātappamanvāya padhānamanvāya anuyogamanvāya appamādamanvāya sammāmanasikāramanvāya tathārūpaṁ cetosamādhiṁ phusāmi yathāsamāhite citte anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarāmi. Seyyathidaṁ — ekampi saṁvaṭṭavivaṭṭaṁ dvepi saṁvaṭṭavivaṭṭāni tīṇipi saṁvaṭṭavivaṭṭāni cattāripi saṁvaṭṭavivaṭṭāni pañcapi saṁvaṭṭavivaṭṭāni dasapi saṁvaṭṭavivaṭṭāni: "amutrāsiṁ evaṁnāmo evaṅgotto evaṁvaṇṇo evamāhāro evaṁsukhadukkhappaṭisaṁvedī evamāyupariyanto, so tato cuto amutra udapādiṁ; tatrāpāsiṁ evaṁnāmo evaṅgotto evaṁvaṇṇo evamāhāro evaṁsukhadukkhappaṭisaṁvedī evamāyupariyanto, so tato cuto idhūpapanno"ti. Iti sākāraṁ sauddesaṁ anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarāmi.
61Imināmahaṁ etaṁ jānāmi: "yathā sassato attā ca loko ca vañjho kūṭaṭṭho esikaṭṭhāyiṭṭhito, te ca sattā sandhāvanti saṁsaranti cavanti upapajjanti, atthi tveva sassatisaman"'ti. Idaṁ, bhikkhave, dutiyaṁ ṭhānaṁ, yaṁ āgamma yaṁ ārabbha eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā sassatavādā sassataṁ attānañca lokañca paññapenti. (2: 2)
62Tatiye ca bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā kimāgamma kimārabbha sassatavādā sassataṁ attānañca lokañca paññapenti?
Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā ātappamanvāya padhānamanvāya anuyogamanvāya appamādamanvāya sammāmanasikāramanvāya tathārūpaṁ cetosamādhiṁ phusati, yathāsamāhite citte anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarati. Seyyathidaṁ — dasapi saṁvaṭṭavivaṭṭāni vīsampi saṁvaṭṭavivaṭṭāni tiṁsampi saṁvaṭṭavivaṭṭāni cattālīsampi saṁvaṭṭavivaṭṭāni: 'amutrāsiṁ evaṁnāmo evaṅgotto evaṁvaṇṇo evamāhāro evaṁsukhadukkhappaṭisaṁvedī evamāyupariyanto, so tato cuto amutra udapādiṁ; tatrāpāsiṁ evaṁnāmo evaṅgotto evaṁvaṇṇo evamāhāro evaṁsukhadukkhappaṭisaṁvedī evamāyupariyanto, so tato cuto idhūpapanno'ti. Iti sākāraṁ sauddesaṁ anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarati.
63So evamāha: 'sassato attā ca loko ca vañjho kūṭaṭṭho esikaṭṭhāyiṭṭhito; te ca sattā sandhāvanti saṁsaranti cavanti upapajjanti, atthi tveva sassatisamaṁ. Taṁ kissa hetu? Ahañhi ātappamanvāya padhānamanvāya anuyogamanvāya appamādamanvāya sammāmanasikāramanvāya tathārūpaṁ cetosamādhiṁ phusāmi, yathāsamāhite citte anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarāmi. Seyyathidaṁ — dasapi saṁvaṭṭavivaṭṭāni vīsampi saṁvaṭṭavivaṭṭāni tiṁsampi saṁvaṭṭavivaṭṭāni cattālīsampi saṁvaṭṭavivaṭṭāni: "amutrāsiṁ evaṁnāmo evaṅgotto evaṁvaṇṇo evamāhāro evaṁsukhadukkhappaṭisaṁvedī evamāyupariyanto, so tato cuto amutra udapādiṁ; tatrāpāsiṁ evaṁnāmo evaṅgotto evaṁvaṇṇo evamāhāro evaṁsukhadukkhappaṭisaṁvedī evamāyupariyanto, so tato cuto idhūpapanno"ti. Iti sākāraṁ sauddesaṁ anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarāmi.
64Imināmahaṁ etaṁ jānāmi: "yathā sassato attā ca loko ca vañjho kūṭaṭṭho esikaṭṭhāyiṭṭhito, te ca sattā sandhāvanti saṁsaranti cavanti upapajjanti, atthi tveva sassatisaman"'ti.
Idaṁ, bhikkhave, tatiyaṁ ṭhānaṁ, yaṁ āgamma yaṁ ārabbha eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā sassatavādā sassataṁ attānañca lokañca paññapenti. (3: 3)
65Catutthe ca bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā kimāgamma kimārabbha sassatavādā sassataṁ attānañca lokañca paññapenti?
Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā takkī hoti vīmaṁsī, so takkapariyāhataṁ vīmaṁsānucaritaṁ sayaṁ paṭibhānaṁ evamāha: 'sassato attā ca loko ca vañjho kūṭaṭṭho esikaṭṭhāyiṭṭhito; te ca sattā sandhāvanti saṁsaranti cavanti upapajjanti, atthi tveva sassatisaman'ti.
Idaṁ, bhikkhave, catutthaṁ ṭhānaṁ, yaṁ āgamma yaṁ ārabbha eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā sassatavādā sassataṁ attānañca lokañca paññapenti. (4: 4)
66Imehi kho te, bhikkhave, samaṇabrāhmaṇā sassatavādā sassataṁ attānañca lokañca paññapenti catūhi vatthūhi. Ye hi keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā sassatavādā sassataṁ attānañca lokañca paññapenti, sabbe te imeheva catūhi vatthūhi, etesaṁ vā aññatarena; natthi ito bahiddhā.
67Tayidaṁ, bhikkhave, tathāgato pajānāti: 'ime diṭṭhiṭṭhānā evaṁgahitā evaṁparāmaṭṭhā evaṁgatikā bhavanti evaṁabhisamparāyā'ti, tañca tathāgato pajānāti, tato ca uttaritaraṁ pajānāti; tañca pajānanaṁ na parāmasati, aparāmasato cassa paccattaññeva nibbuti viditā. Vedanānaṁ samudayañca atthaṅgamañca assādañca ādīnavañca nissaraṇañca yathābhūtaṁ viditvā anupādāvimutto, bhikkhave, tathāgato.
68Ime kho te, bhikkhave, dhammā gambhīrā duddasā duranubodhā santā paṇītā atakkāvacarā nipuṇā paṇḍitavedanīyā, ye tathāgato sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedeti, yehi tathāgatassa yathābhuccaṁ vaṇṇaṁ sammā vadamānā vadeyyuṁ.
Paṭhamabhāṇavāro.
3.1.2. Ekaccasassatavāda
69Santi, bhikkhave, eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā ekaccasassatikā ekaccaasassatikā ekaccaṁ sassataṁ ekaccaṁ asassataṁ attānañca lokañca paññapenti catūhi vatthūhi. Te ca bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā kimāgamma kimārabbha ekaccasassatikā ekaccaasassatikā ekaccaṁ sassataṁ ekaccaṁ asassataṁ attānañca lokañca paññapenti catūhi vatthūhi?
70Hoti kho so, bhikkhave, samayo, yaṁ kadāci karahaci dīghassa addhuno accayena ayaṁ loko saṁvaṭṭati. Saṁvaṭṭamāne loke yebhuyyena sattā ābhassarasaṁvattanikā honti. Te tattha honti manomayā pītibhakkhā sayaṁpabhā antalikkhacarā subhaṭṭhāyino, ciraṁ dīghamaddhānaṁ tiṭṭhanti.
71Hoti kho so, bhikkhave, samayo, yaṁ kadāci karahaci dīghassa addhuno accayena ayaṁ loko vivaṭṭati. Vivaṭṭamāne loke suññaṁ brahmavimānaṁ pātubhavati. Atha kho aññataro satto āyukkhayā vā puññakkhayā vā ābhassarakāyā cavitvā suññaṁ brahmavimānaṁ upapajjati. So tattha hoti manomayo pītibhakkho sayampabho antalikkhacaro subhaṭṭhāyī, ciraṁ dīghamaddhānaṁ tiṭṭhati.
72Tassa tattha ekakassa dīgharattaṁ nivusitattā anabhirati paritassanā uppajjati: 'aho vata aññepi sattā itthattaṁ āgaccheyyun'ti. Atha aññepi sattā āyukkhayā vā puññakkhayā vā ābhassarakāyā cavitvā brahmavimānaṁ upapajjanti tassa sattassa sahabyataṁ. Tepi tattha honti manomayā pītibhakkhā sayaṁpabhā antalikkhacarā subhaṭṭhāyino, ciraṁ dīghamaddhānaṁ tiṭṭhanti.
73Tatra, bhikkhave, yo so satto paṭhamaṁ upapanno tassa evaṁ hoti: 'ahamasmi brahmā mahābrahmā abhibhū anabhibhūto aññadatthudaso vasavattī issaro kattā nimmātā seṭṭho sajitā vasī pitā bhūtabhabyānaṁ. Mayā ime sattā nimmitā. Taṁ kissa hetu?
Mamañhi pubbe etadahosi: "aho vata aññepi sattā itthattaṁ āgaccheyyun"ti. Iti mama ca manopaṇidhi, ime ca sattā itthattaṁ āgatā'ti.
74Yepi te sattā pacchā upapannā, tesampi evaṁ hoti: 'ayaṁ kho bhavaṁ brahmā mahābrahmā abhibhū anabhibhūto aññadatthudaso vasavattī issaro kattā nimmātā seṭṭho sajitā vasī pitā bhūtabhabyānaṁ. Iminā mayaṁ bhotā brahmunā nimmitā. Taṁ kissa hetu? Imañhi mayaṁ addasāma idha paṭhamaṁ upapannaṁ, mayaṁ panamha pacchā upapannā'ti.
75Tatra, bhikkhave, yo so satto paṭhamaṁ upapanno, so dīghāyukataro ca hoti vaṇṇavantataro ca mahesakkhataro ca. Ye pana te sattā pacchā upapannā, te appāyukatarā ca honti dubbaṇṇatarā ca appesakkhatarā ca.
76Ṭhānaṁ kho panetaṁ, bhikkhave, vijjati, yaṁ aññataro satto tamhā kāyā cavitvā itthattaṁ āgacchati. Itthattaṁ āgato samāno agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajati. Agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito samāno ātappamanvāya padhānamanvāya anuyogamanvāya appamādamanvāya sammāmanasikāramanvāya tathārūpaṁ cetosamādhiṁ phusati, yathāsamāhite citte taṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarati, tato paraṁ nānussarati.
77So evamāha: 'yo kho so bhavaṁ brahmā mahābrahmā abhibhū anabhibhūto aññadatthudaso vasavattī issaro kattā nimmātā seṭṭho sajitā vasī pitā bhūtabhabyānaṁ, yena mayaṁ bhotā brahmunā nimmitā, so nicco dhuvo sassato avipariṇāmadhammo sassatisamaṁ tatheva ṭhassati. Ye pana mayaṁ ahumhā tena bhotā brahmunā nimmitā, te mayaṁ aniccā addhuvā appāyukā cavanadhammā itthattaṁ āgatā'ti.
Idaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamaṁ ṭhānaṁ, yaṁ āgamma yaṁ ārabbha eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā ekaccasassatikā ekaccaasassatikā ekaccaṁ sassataṁ ekaccaṁ asassataṁ attānañca lokañca paññapenti. (1: 5)
78Dutiye ca bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā kimāgamma kimārabbha ekaccasassatikā ekaccaasassatikā ekaccaṁ sassataṁ ekaccaṁ asassataṁ attānañca lokañca paññapenti?
Santi, bhikkhave, khiḍḍāpadosikā nāma devā, te ativelaṁ hassakhiḍḍāratidhammasamāpannā viharanti.
Tesaṁ ativelaṁ hassakhiḍḍāratidhammasamāpannānaṁ viharataṁ sati sammussati. Satiyā sammosā te devā tamhā kāyā cavanti.
79Ṭhānaṁ kho panetaṁ, bhikkhave, vijjati yaṁ aññataro satto tamhā kāyā cavitvā itthattaṁ āgacchati. Itthattaṁ āgato samāno agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajati. Agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito samāno ātappamanvāya padhānamanvāya anuyogamanvāya appamādamanvāya sammāmanasikāramanvāya tathārūpaṁ cetosamādhiṁ phusati, yathāsamāhite citte taṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarati, tato paraṁ nānussarati.
80So evamāha: 'ye kho te bhonto devā na khiḍḍāpadosikā, te na ativelaṁ hassakhiḍḍāratidhammasamāpannā viharanti. Tesaṁ na ativelaṁ hassakhiḍḍāratidhammasamāpannānaṁ viharataṁ sati na sammussati. Satiyā asammosā te devā tamhā kāyā na cavanti; niccā dhuvā sassatā avipariṇāmadhammā sassatisamaṁ tatheva ṭhassanti. Ye pana mayaṁ ahumhā khiḍḍāpadosikā, te mayaṁ ativelaṁ hassakhiḍḍāratidhammasamāpannā viharimhā. Tesaṁ no ativelaṁ hassakhiḍḍāratidhammasamāpannānaṁ viharataṁ sati sammussati. Satiyā sammosā evaṁ mayaṁ tamhā kāyā cutā aniccā addhuvā appāyukā cavanadhammā itthattaṁ āgatā'ti.
Idaṁ, bhikkhave, dutiyaṁ ṭhānaṁ, yaṁ āgamma yaṁ ārabbha eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā ekaccasassatikā ekaccaasassatikā ekaccaṁ sassataṁ ekaccaṁ asassataṁ attānañca lokañca paññapenti. (2: 6)
81Tatiye ca bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā kimāgamma kimārabbha ekaccasassatikā ekaccaasassatikā ekaccaṁ sassataṁ ekaccaṁ asassataṁ attānañca lokañca paññapenti?
Santi, bhikkhave, manopadosikā nāma devā, te ativelaṁ aññamaññaṁ upanijjhāyanti. Te ativelaṁ aññamaññaṁ upanijjhāyantā aññamaññamhi cittāni padūsenti. Te aññamaññaṁ paduṭṭhacittā kilantakāyā kilantacittā. Te devā tamhā kāyā cavanti.
82Ṭhānaṁ kho panetaṁ, bhikkhave, vijjati yaṁ aññataro satto tamhā kāyā cavitvā itthattaṁ āgacchati. Itthattaṁ āgato samāno agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajati. Agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito samāno ātappamanvāya padhānamanvāya anuyogamanvāya appamādamanvāya sammāmanasikāramanvāya tathārūpaṁ cetosamādhiṁ phusati, yathāsamāhite citte taṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarati, tato paraṁ nānussarati.
83So evamāha: 'ye kho te bhonto devā na manopadosikā, te nātivelaṁ aññamaññaṁ upanijjhāyanti. Te nātivelaṁ aññamaññaṁ upanijjhāyantā aññamaññamhi cittāni nappadūsenti. Te aññamaññaṁ appaduṭṭhacittā akilantakāyā akilantacittā. Te devā tamhā kāyā na cavanti, niccā dhuvā sassatā avipariṇāmadhammā sassatisamaṁ tatheva ṭhassanti. Ye pana mayaṁ ahumhā manopadosikā, te mayaṁ ativelaṁ aññamaññaṁ upanijjhāyimhā. Te mayaṁ ativelaṁ aññamaññaṁ upanijjhāyantā aññamaññamhi cittāni padūsimhā, te mayaṁ aññamaññaṁ paduṭṭhacittā kilantakāyā kilantacittā. Evaṁ mayaṁ tamhā kāyā cutā aniccā addhuvā appāyukā cavanadhammā itthattaṁ āgatā'ti.
Idaṁ, bhikkhave, tatiyaṁ ṭhānaṁ, yaṁ āgamma yaṁ ārabbha eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā ekaccasassatikā ekaccaasassatikā ekaccaṁ sassataṁ ekaccaṁ asassataṁ attānañca lokañca paññapenti. (3: 7)
84Catutthe ca bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā kimāgamma kimārabbha ekaccasassatikā ekaccaasassatikā ekaccaṁ sassataṁ ekaccaṁ asassataṁ attānañca lokañca paññapenti?
Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā takkī hoti vīmaṁsī. So takkapariyāhataṁ vīmaṁsānucaritaṁ sayampaṭibhānaṁ evamāha: 'yaṁ kho idaṁ vuccati cakkhuṁ itipi sotaṁ itipi ghānaṁ itipi jivhā itipi kāyo itipi, ayaṁ attā anicco addhuvo asassato vipariṇāmadhammo. Yañca kho idaṁ vuccati cittanti vā manoti vā viññāṇanti vā ayaṁ attā nicco dhuvo sassato avipariṇāmadhammo sassatisamaṁ tatheva ṭhassatī'ti.
Idaṁ, bhikkhave, catutthaṁ ṭhānaṁ, yaṁ āgamma yaṁ ārabbha eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā ekaccasassatikā ekaccaasassatikā ekaccaṁ sassataṁ ekaccaṁ asassataṁ attānañca lokañca paññapenti. (4: 8)
85Imehi kho te, bhikkhave, samaṇabrāhmaṇā ekaccasassatikā ekaccaasassatikā ekaccaṁ sassataṁ ekaccaṁ asassataṁ attānañca lokañca paññapenti catūhi vatthūhi. Ye hi keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā ekaccasassatikā ekaccaasassatikā ekaccaṁ sassataṁ ekaccaṁ asassataṁ attānañca lokañca paññapenti, sabbe te imeheva catūhi vatthūhi, etesaṁ vā aññatarena; natthi ito bahiddhā.
86Tayidaṁ, bhikkhave, tathāgato pajānāti: 'ime diṭṭhiṭṭhānā evaṅgahitā evaṁparāmaṭṭhā evaṅgatikā bhavanti evaṁabhisamparāyā'ti. Tañca tathāgato pajānāti, tato ca uttaritaraṁ pajānāti, tañca pajānanaṁ na parāmasati, aparāmasato cassa paccattaññeva nibbuti viditā. Vedanānaṁ samudayañca atthaṅgamañca assādañca ādīnavañca nissaraṇañca yathābhūtaṁ viditvā anupādāvimutto, bhikkhave, tathāgato.
87Ime kho te, bhikkhave, dhammā gambhīrā duddasā duranubodhā santā paṇītā atakkāvacarā nipuṇā paṇḍitavedanīyā, ye tathāgato sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedeti, yehi tathāgatassa yathābhuccaṁ vaṇṇaṁ sammā vadamānā vadeyyuṁ.
3.1.3. Antānantavāda
88Santi, bhikkhave, eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā antānantikā antānantaṁ lokassa paññapenti catūhi vatthūhi. Te ca bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā kimāgamma kimārabbha antānantikā antānantaṁ lokassa paññapenti catūhi vatthūhi?
89Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā ātappamanvāya padhānamanvāya anuyogamanvāya appamādamanvāya sammāmanasikāramanvāya tathārūpaṁ cetosamādhiṁ phusati, yathāsamāhite citte antasaññī lokasmiṁ viharati.
90So evamāha: 'antavā ayaṁ loko parivaṭumo. Taṁ kissa hetu? Ahañhi ātappamanvāya padhānamanvāya anuyogamanvāya appamādamanvāya sammāmanasikāramanvāya tathārūpaṁ cetosamādhiṁ phusāmi, yathāsamāhite citte antasaññī lokasmiṁ viharāmi. Imināmahaṁ etaṁ jānāmi: "yathā antavā ayaṁ loko parivaṭumo"'ti.
Idaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamaṁ ṭhānaṁ, yaṁ āgamma yaṁ ārabbha eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā antānantikā antānantaṁ lokassa paññapenti. (1: 9)
91Dutiye ca bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā kimāgamma kimārabbha antānantikā antānantaṁ lokassa paññapenti?
Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā ātappamanvāya padhānamanvāya anuyogamanvāya appamādamanvāya sammāmanasikāramanvāya tathārūpaṁ cetosamādhiṁ phusati, yathāsamāhite citte anantasaññī lokasmiṁ viharati.
92So evamāha: 'ananto ayaṁ loko apariyanto. Ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā evamāhaṁsu: "antavā ayaṁ loko parivaṭumo"ti, tesaṁ musā. Ananto ayaṁ loko apariyanto. Taṁ kissa hetu? Ahañhi ātappamanvāya padhānamanvāya anuyogamanvāya appamādamanvāya sammāmanasikāramanvāya tathārūpaṁ cetosamādhiṁ phusāmi, yathāsamāhite citte anantasaññī lokasmiṁ viharāmi. Imināmahaṁ etaṁ jānāmi: "yathā ananto ayaṁ loko apariyanto"'ti.
Idaṁ, bhikkhave, dutiyaṁ ṭhānaṁ, yaṁ āgamma yaṁ ārabbha eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā antānantikā antānantaṁ lokassa paññapenti.
93Tatiye ca bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā kimāgamma kimārabbha antānantikā antānantaṁ lokassa paññapenti?
Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā ātappamanvāya padhānamanvāya anuyogamanvāya appamādamanvāya sammāmanasikāramanvāya tathārūpaṁ cetosamādhiṁ phusati, yathāsamāhite citte uddhamadho antasaññī lokasmiṁ viharati, tiriyaṁ anantasaññī.
94So evamāha: 'antavā ca ayaṁ loko ananto ca. Ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā evamāhaṁsu: "antavā ayaṁ loko parivaṭumo"ti, tesaṁ musā. Yepi te samaṇabrāhmaṇā evamāhaṁsu: "ananto ayaṁ loko apariyanto"ti, tesampi musā. Antavā ca ayaṁ loko ananto ca. Taṁ kissa hetu? Ahañhi ātappamanvāya padhānamanvāya anuyogamanvāya appamādamanvāya sammāmanasikāramanvāya tathārūpaṁ cetosamādhiṁ phusāmi, yathāsamāhite citte uddhamadho antasaññī lokasmiṁ viharāmi, tiriyaṁ anantasaññī. Imināmahaṁ etaṁ jānāmi: "yathā antavā ca ayaṁ loko ananto cā"'ti.
Idaṁ, bhikkhave, tatiyaṁ ṭhānaṁ, yaṁ āgamma yaṁ ārabbha eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā antānantikā antānantaṁ lokassa paññapenti.
95Catutthe ca bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā kimāgamma kimārabbha antānantikā antānantaṁ lokassa paññapenti?
Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā takkī hoti vīmaṁsī. So takkapariyāhataṁ vīmaṁsānucaritaṁ sayampaṭibhānaṁ evamāha: 'nevāyaṁ loko antavā, na panānanto. Ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā evamāhaṁsu: "antavā ayaṁ loko parivaṭumo"ti, tesaṁ musā. Yepi te samaṇabrāhmaṇā evamāhaṁsu: "ananto ayaṁ loko apariyanto"ti, tesampi musā. Yepi te samaṇabrāhmaṇā evamāhaṁsu: "antavā ca ayaṁ loko ananto cā"ti, tesampi musā. Nevāyaṁ loko antavā, na panānanto'ti.
Idaṁ, bhikkhave, catutthaṁ ṭhānaṁ, yaṁ āgamma yaṁ ārabbha eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā antānantikā antānantaṁ lokassa paññapenti.
96Imehi kho te, bhikkhave, samaṇabrāhmaṇā antānantikā antānantaṁ lokassa paññapenti catūhi vatthūhi. Ye hi keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā antānantikā antānantaṁ lokassa paññapenti, sabbe te imeheva catūhi vatthūhi, etesaṁ vā aññatarena; natthi ito bahiddhā.
97Tayidaṁ, bhikkhave, tathāgato pajānāti: 'ime diṭṭhiṭṭhānā evaṅgahitā evaṁparāmaṭṭhā evaṅgatikā bhavanti evaṁabhisamparāyā'ti. Tañca tathāgato pajānāti, tato ca uttaritaraṁ pajānāti, tañca pajānanaṁ na parāmasati, aparāmasato cassa paccattaññeva nibbuti viditā. Vedanānaṁ samudayañca atthaṅgamañca assādañca ādīnavañca nissaraṇañca yathābhūtaṁ viditvā anupādāvimutto, bhikkhave, tathāgato.
98Ime kho te, bhikkhave, dhammā gambhīrā duddasā duranubodhā santā paṇītā atakkāvacarā nipuṇā paṇḍitavedanīyā, ye tathāgato sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedeti, yehi tathāgatassa yathābhuccaṁ vaṇṇaṁ sammā vadamānā vadeyyuṁ.
3.1.4. Amarāvikkhepavāda
99Santi, bhikkhave, eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā amarāvikkhepikā, tattha tattha pañhaṁ puṭṭhā samānā vācāvikkhepaṁ āpajjanti amarāvikkhepaṁ catūhi vatthūhi. Te ca bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā kimāgamma kimārabbha amarāvikkhepikā tattha tattha pañhaṁ puṭṭhā samānā vācāvikkhepaṁ āpajjanti amarāvikkhepaṁ catūhi vatthūhi?
100Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā 'idaṁ kusalan'ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti, 'idaṁ akusalan'ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti. Tassa evaṁ hoti: 'ahaṁ kho "Idaṁ kusalan"ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāmi, "Idaṁ akusalan"ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāmi. Ahañce kho pana "Idaṁ kusalan"ti yathābhūtaṁ appajānanto, "Idaṁ akusalan"ti yathābhūtaṁ appajānanto, "Idaṁ kusalan"ti vā byākareyyaṁ, "Idaṁ akusalan"ti vā byākareyyaṁ, taṁ mamassa musā. Yaṁ mamassa musā, so mamassa vighāto. Yo mamassa vighāto so mamassa antarāyo'ti. Iti so musāvādabhayā musāvādaparijegucchā nevidaṁ kusalanti byākaroti, na panidaṁ akusalanti byākaroti, tattha tattha pañhaṁ puṭṭho samāno vācāvikkhepaṁ āpajjati amarāvikkhepaṁ: 'evantipi me no; tathātipi me no; aññathātipi me no; notipi me no; no notipi me no'ti.
Idaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamaṁ ṭhānaṁ, yaṁ āgamma yaṁ ārabbha eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā amarāvikkhepikā tattha tattha pañhaṁ puṭṭhā samānā vācāvikkhepaṁ āpajjanti amarāvikkhepaṁ.
101Dutiye ca bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā kimāgamma kimārabbha amarāvikkhepikā tattha tattha pañhaṁ puṭṭhā samānā vācāvikkhepaṁ āpajjanti amarāvikkhepaṁ?
Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā 'idaṁ kusalan'ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti, 'idaṁ akusalan'ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti. Tassa evaṁ hoti: 'ahaṁ kho "Idaṁ kusalan"ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāmi, "Idaṁ akusalan"ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāmi. Ahañce kho pana "Idaṁ kusalan"ti yathābhūtaṁ appajānanto, "Idaṁ akusalan"ti yathābhūtaṁ appajānanto, "Idaṁ kusalan"ti vā byākareyyaṁ, "Idaṁ akusalan"ti vā byākareyyaṁ, tattha me assa chando vā rāgo vā doso vā paṭigho vā. Yattha me assa chando vā rāgo vā doso vā paṭigho vā, taṁ mamassa upādānaṁ. Yaṁ mamassa upādānaṁ, so mamassa vighāto. Yo mamassa vighāto, so mamassa antarāyo'ti. Iti so upādānabhayā upādānaparijegucchā nevidaṁ kusalanti byākaroti, na panidaṁ akusalanti byākaroti, tattha tattha pañhaṁ puṭṭho samāno vācāvikkhepaṁ āpajjati amarāvikkhepaṁ: 'evantipi me no; tathātipi me no; aññathātipi me no; notipi me no; no notipi me no'ti.
Idaṁ, bhikkhave, dutiyaṁ ṭhānaṁ, yaṁ āgamma yaṁ ārabbha eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā amarāvikkhepikā tattha tattha pañhaṁ puṭṭhā samānā vācāvikkhepaṁ āpajjanti amarāvikkhepaṁ.
102Tatiye ca bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā kimāgamma kimārabbha amarāvikkhepikā tattha tattha pañhaṁ puṭṭhā samānā vācāvikkhepaṁ āpajjanti amarāvikkhepaṁ?
Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā 'idaṁ kusalan'ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti, 'idaṁ akusalan'ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti. Tassa evaṁ hoti: 'ahaṁ kho "Idaṁ kusalan"ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāmi, "Idaṁ akusalan"ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāmi. Ahañce kho pana "Idaṁ kusalan"ti yathābhūtaṁ appajānanto "Idaṁ akusalan"ti yathābhūtaṁ appajānanto "Idaṁ kusalan"ti vā byākareyyaṁ, "Idaṁ akusalan"ti vā byākareyyaṁ; santi hi kho samaṇabrāhmaṇā paṇḍitā nipuṇā kataparappavādā vālavedhirūpā, te bhindantā maññe caranti paññāgatena diṭṭhigatāni, te maṁ tattha samanuyuñjeyyuṁ samanugāheyyuṁ samanubhāseyyuṁ. Ye maṁ tattha samanuyuñjeyyuṁ samanugāheyyuṁ samanubhāseyyuṁ, tesāhaṁ na sampāyeyyaṁ. Yesāhaṁ na sampāyeyyaṁ, so mamassa vighāto. Yo mamassa vighāto, so mamassa antarāyo'ti. Iti so anuyogabhayā anuyogaparijegucchā nevidaṁ kusalanti byākaroti, na panidaṁ akusalanti byākaroti, tattha tattha pañhaṁ puṭṭho samāno vācāvikkhepaṁ āpajjati amarāvikkhepaṁ: 'evantipi me no; tathātipi me no; aññathātipi me no; notipi me no; no notipi me no'ti.
Idaṁ, bhikkhave, tatiyaṁ ṭhānaṁ, yaṁ āgamma yaṁ ārabbha eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā amarāvikkhepikā tattha tattha pañhaṁ puṭṭhā samānā vācāvikkhepaṁ āpajjanti amarāvikkhepaṁ.
103Catutthe ca bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā kimāgamma kimārabbha amarāvikkhepikā tattha tattha pañhaṁ puṭṭhā samānā vācāvikkhepaṁ āpajjanti amarāvikkhepaṁ?
Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā mando hoti momūho. So mandattā momūhattā tattha tattha pañhaṁ puṭṭho samāno vācāvikkhepaṁ āpajjati amarāvikkhepaṁ: 'atthi paro loko'ti iti ce maṁ pucchasi, 'atthi paro loko'ti iti ce me assa, 'atthi paro loko'ti iti te naṁ byākareyyaṁ, 'evantipi me no, tathātipi me no, aññathātipi me no, notipi me no, no notipi me no'ti. 'Natthi paro loko … pe … 'atthi ca natthi ca paro loko … pe … 'nevatthi na natthi paro loko … pe … 'atthi sattā opapātikā … pe … 'natthi sattā opapātikā … pe … 'atthi ca natthi ca sattā opapātikā … pe … 'nevatthi na natthi sattā opapātikā … pe … 'atthi sukatadukkaṭānaṁ kammānaṁ phalaṁ vipāko … pe … 'natthi sukatadukkaṭānaṁ kammānaṁ phalaṁ vipāko … pe … 'atthi ca natthi ca sukatadukkaṭānaṁ kammānaṁ phalaṁ vipāko … pe … 'nevatthi na natthi sukatadukkaṭānaṁ kammānaṁ phalaṁ vipāko … pe … 'hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā … pe … 'na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā … pe … 'hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā … pe … 'neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā'ti iti ce maṁ pucchasi, 'neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā'ti iti ce me assa, 'neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā'ti iti te naṁ byākareyyaṁ, 'evantipi me no, tathātipi me no, aññathātipi me no, notipi me no, no notipi me no'ti.
Idaṁ, bhikkhave, catutthaṁ ṭhānaṁ, yaṁ āgamma yaṁ ārabbha eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā amarāvikkhepikā tattha tattha pañhaṁ puṭṭhā samānā vācāvikkhepaṁ āpajjanti amarāvikkhepaṁ.
104Imehi kho te, bhikkhave, samaṇabrāhmaṇā amarāvikkhepikā tattha tattha pañhaṁ puṭṭhā samānā vācāvikkhepaṁ āpajjanti amarāvikkhepaṁ catūhi vatthūhi. Ye hi keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā amarāvikkhepikā tattha tattha pañhaṁ puṭṭhā samānā vācāvikkhepaṁ āpajjanti amarāvikkhepaṁ, sabbe te imeheva catūhi vatthūhi, etesaṁ vā aññatarena, natthi ito bahiddhā … pe … yehi tathāgatassa yathābhuccaṁ vaṇṇaṁ sammā vadamānā vadeyyuṁ.
3.1.5. Adhiccasamuppannavāda
105Santi, bhikkhave, eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā adhiccasamuppannikā adhiccasamuppannaṁ attānañca lokañca paññapenti dvīhi vatthūhi. Te ca bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā kimāgamma kimārabbha adhiccasamuppannikā adhiccasamuppannaṁ attānañca lokañca paññapenti dvīhi vatthūhi?
106Santi, bhikkhave, asaññasattā nāma devā. Saññuppādā ca pana te devā tamhā kāyā cavanti. Ṭhānaṁ kho panetaṁ, bhikkhave, vijjati, yaṁ aññataro satto tamhā kāyā cavitvā itthattaṁ āgacchati. Itthattaṁ āgato samāno agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajati. Agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajito samāno ātappamanvāya padhānamanvāya anuyogamanvāya appamādamanvāya sammāmanasikāramanvāya tathārūpaṁ cetosamādhiṁ phusati, yathāsamāhite citte saññuppādaṁ anussarati, tato paraṁ nānussarati. So evamāha: 'adhiccasamuppanno attā ca loko ca. Taṁ kissa hetu? Ahañhi pubbe nāhosiṁ, somhi etarahi ahutvā santatāya pariṇato'ti.
Idaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamaṁ ṭhānaṁ, yaṁ āgamma yaṁ ārabbha eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā adhiccasamuppannikā adhiccasamuppannaṁ attānañca lokañca paññapenti.
107Dutiye ca bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā kimāgamma kimārabbha adhiccasamuppannikā adhiccasamuppannaṁ attānañca lokañca paññapenti?
Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā takkī hoti vīmaṁsī. So takkapariyāhataṁ vīmaṁsānucaritaṁ sayampaṭibhānaṁ evamāha: 'adhiccasamuppanno attā ca loko cā'ti.
Idaṁ, bhikkhave, dutiyaṁ ṭhānaṁ, yaṁ āgamma yaṁ ārabbha eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā adhiccasamuppannikā adhiccasamuppannaṁ attānañca lokañca paññapenti.
108Imehi kho te, bhikkhave, samaṇabrāhmaṇā adhiccasamuppannikā adhiccasamuppannaṁ attānañca lokañca paññapenti dvīhi vatthūhi. Ye hi keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā adhiccasamuppannikā adhiccasamuppannaṁ attānañca lokañca paññapenti, sabbe te imeheva dvīhi vatthūhi, etesaṁ vā aññatarena, natthi ito bahiddhā … pe … yehi tathāgatassa yathābhuccaṁ vaṇṇaṁ sammā vadamānā vadeyyuṁ.
109Imehi kho te, bhikkhave, samaṇabrāhmaṇā pubbantakappikā pubbantānudiṭṭhino pubbantaṁ ārabbha anekavihitāni adhimuttipadāni abhivadanti aṭṭhārasahi vatthūhi. Ye hi keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā pubbantakappikā pubbantānudiṭṭhino pubbantamārabbha anekavihitāni adhimuttipadāni abhivadanti, sabbe te imeheva aṭṭhārasahi vatthūhi, etesaṁ vā aññatarena, natthi ito bahiddhā.
110Tayidaṁ, bhikkhave, tathāgato pajānāti: 'ime diṭṭhiṭṭhānā evaṅgahitā evaṁparāmaṭṭhā evaṅgatikā bhavanti evaṁabhisamparāyā'ti. Tañca tathāgato pajānāti, tato ca uttaritaraṁ pajānāti, tañca pajānanaṁ na parāmasati, aparāmasato cassa paccattaññeva nibbuti viditā. Vedanānaṁ samudayañca atthaṅgamañca assādañca ādīnavañca nissaraṇañca yathābhūtaṁ viditvā anupādāvimutto, bhikkhave, tathāgato.
111Ime kho te, bhikkhave, dhammā gambhīrā duddasā duranubodhā santā paṇītā atakkāvacarā nipuṇā paṇḍitavedanīyā, ye tathāgato sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedeti, yehi tathāgatassa yathābhuccaṁ vaṇṇaṁ sammā vadamānā vadeyyuṁ.
Dutiyabhāṇavāro.
3.2. Aparantakappika
112Santi, bhikkhave, eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā aparantakappikā aparantānudiṭṭhino, aparantaṁ ārabbha anekavihitāni adhimuttipadāni abhivadanti catucattārīsāya vatthūhi. Te ca bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā kimāgamma kimārabbha aparantakappikā aparantānudiṭṭhino aparantaṁ ārabbha anekavihitāni adhimuttipadāni abhivadanti catucattārīsāya vatthūhi?
3.2.1. Saññīvāda
113Santi, bhikkhave, eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā uddhamāghātanikā saññīvādā uddhamāghātanaṁ saññiṁ attānaṁ paññapenti soḷasahi vatthūhi. Te ca bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā kimāgamma kimārabbha uddhamāghātanikā saññīvādā uddhamāghātanaṁ saññiṁ attānaṁ paññapenti soḷasahi vatthūhi?
114'Rūpī attā hoti arogo paraṁ maraṇā saññī'ti naṁ paññapenti.
115'Arūpī attā hoti arogo paraṁ maraṇā saññī'ti naṁ paññapenti.
116'Rūpī ca arūpī ca attā hoti … pe … .
117'Nevarūpī nārūpī attā hoti … .
118'Antavā attā hoti … .
119'Anantavā attā hoti … .
120'Antavā ca anantavā ca attā hoti … .
121'Nevantavā nānantavā attā hoti … .
122'Ekattasaññī attā hoti … .
123'Nānattasaññī attā hoti … .
124'Parittasaññī attā hoti … .
125'Appamāṇasaññī attā hoti … .
126'Ekantasukhī attā hoti … .
127'Ekantadukkhī attā hoti … .
128'Sukhadukkhī attā hoti … .
129'Adukkhamasukhī attā hoti arogo paraṁ maraṇā saññī'ti naṁ paññapenti.
130Imehi kho te, bhikkhave, samaṇabrāhmaṇā uddhamāghātanikā saññīvādā uddhamāghātanaṁ saññiṁ attānaṁ paññapenti soḷasahi vatthūhi. Ye hi keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā uddhamāghātanikā saññīvādā uddhamāghātanaṁ saññiṁ attānaṁ paññapenti, sabbe te imeheva soḷasahi vatthūhi, etesaṁ vā aññatarena, natthi ito bahiddhā … pe … yehi tathāgatassa yathābhuccaṁ vaṇṇaṁ sammā vadamānā vadeyyuṁ.
3.2.2. Asaññīvāda
131Santi, bhikkhave, eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā uddhamāghātanikā asaññīvādā uddhamāghātanaṁ asaññiṁ attānaṁ paññapenti aṭṭhahi vatthūhi. Te ca bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā kimāgamma kimārabbha uddhamāghātanikā asaññīvādā uddhamāghātanaṁ asaññiṁ attānaṁ paññapenti aṭṭhahi vatthūhi?
132'Rūpī attā hoti arogo paraṁ maraṇā asaññī'ti naṁ paññapenti.
133'Arūpī attā hoti arogo paraṁ maraṇā asaññī'ti naṁ paññapenti.
134'Rūpī ca arūpī ca attā hoti … pe … .
135'Nevarūpī nārūpī attā hoti … .
136'Antavā attā hoti … .
137'Anantavā attā hoti … .
138'Antavā ca anantavā ca attā hoti … .
139'Nevantavā nānantavā attā hoti arogo paraṁ maraṇā asaññī'ti naṁ paññapenti.
140Imehi kho te, bhikkhave, samaṇabrāhmaṇā uddhamāghātanikā asaññīvādā uddhamāghātanaṁ asaññiṁ attānaṁ paññapenti aṭṭhahi vatthūhi. Ye hi keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā uddhamāghātanikā asaññīvādā uddhamāghātanaṁ asaññiṁ attānaṁ paññapenti, sabbe te imeheva aṭṭhahi vatthūhi, etesaṁ vā aññatarena, natthi ito bahiddhā … pe … yehi tathāgatassa yathābhuccaṁ vaṇṇaṁ sammā vadamānā vadeyyuṁ.
3.2.3. Nevasaññīnāsaññīvāda
141Santi, bhikkhave, eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā uddhamāghātanikā nevasaññīnāsaññīvādā, uddhamāghātanaṁ nevasaññīnāsaññiṁ attānaṁ paññapenti aṭṭhahi vatthūhi. Te ca bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā kimāgamma kimārabbha uddhamāghātanikā nevasaññīnāsaññīvādā uddhamāghātanaṁ nevasaññīnāsaññiṁ attānaṁ paññapenti aṭṭhahi vatthūhi?
142'Rūpī attā hoti arogo paraṁ maraṇā nevasaññīnāsaññī'ti naṁ paññapenti.
143'Arūpī attā hoti … pe … .
144'Rūpī ca arūpī ca attā hoti … .
145'Nevarūpī nārūpī attā hoti … .
146'Antavā attā hoti … .
147'Anantavā attā hoti … .
148'Antavā ca anantavā ca attā hoti … .
149'Nevantavā nānantavā attā hoti arogo paraṁ maraṇā nevasaññīnāsaññī'ti naṁ paññapenti.
150Imehi kho te, bhikkhave, samaṇabrāhmaṇā uddhamāghātanikā nevasaññīnāsaññīvādā uddhamāghātanaṁ nevasaññīnāsaññiṁ attānaṁ paññapenti aṭṭhahi vatthūhi. Ye hi keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā uddhamāghātanikā nevasaññīnāsaññīvādā uddhamāghātanaṁ nevasaññīnāsaññiṁ attānaṁ paññapenti, sabbe te imeheva aṭṭhahi vatthūhi … pe … yehi tathāgatassa yathābhuccaṁ vaṇṇaṁ sammā vadamānā vadeyyuṁ.
3.2.4. Ucchedavāda
151Santi, bhikkhave, eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā ucchedavādā sato sattassa ucchedaṁ vināsaṁ vibhavaṁ paññapenti sattahi vatthūhi. Te ca bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā kimāgamma kimārabbha ucchedavādā sato sattassa ucchedaṁ vināsaṁ vibhavaṁ paññapenti sattahi vatthūhi?
152Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā evaṁvādī hoti evaṁdiṭṭhi: 'yato kho, bho, ayaṁ attā rūpī cātumahābhūtiko mātāpettikasambhavo kāyassa bhedā ucchijjati vinassati, na hoti paraṁ maraṇā, ettāvatā kho, bho, ayaṁ attā sammā samucchinno hotī'ti. Ittheke sato sattassa ucchedaṁ vināsaṁ vibhavaṁ paññapenti.
153Tamañño evamāha: 'atthi kho, bho, eso attā, yaṁ tvaṁ vadesi, neso natthīti vadāmi; no ca kho, bho, ayaṁ attā ettāvatā sammā samucchinno hoti. Atthi kho, bho, añño attā dibbo rūpī kāmāvacaro kabaḷīkārāhārabhakkho. Taṁ tvaṁ na jānāsi na passasi. Tamahaṁ jānāmi passāmi. So kho, bho, attā yato kāyassa bhedā ucchijjati vinassati, na hoti paraṁ maraṇā, ettāvatā kho, bho, ayaṁ attā sammā samucchinno hotī'ti. Ittheke sato sattassa ucchedaṁ vināsaṁ vibhavaṁ paññapenti.
154Tamañño evamāha: 'atthi kho, bho, eso attā, yaṁ tvaṁ vadesi, neso natthīti vadāmi; no ca kho, bho, ayaṁ attā ettāvatā sammā samucchinno hoti. Atthi kho, bho, añño attā dibbo rūpī manomayo sabbaṅgapaccangī ahīnindriyo. Taṁ tvaṁ na jānāsi na passasi. Tamahaṁ jānāmi passāmi. So kho, bho, attā yato kāyassa bhedā ucchijjati vinassati, na hoti paraṁ maraṇā, ettāvatā kho, bho, ayaṁ attā sammā samucchinno hotī'ti. Ittheke sato sattassa ucchedaṁ vināsaṁ vibhavaṁ paññapenti.
155Tamañño evamāha: 'atthi kho, bho, eso attā, yaṁ tvaṁ vadesi, neso natthīti vadāmi; no ca kho, bho, ayaṁ attā ettāvatā sammā samucchinno hoti. Atthi kho, bho, añño attā sabbaso rūpasaññānaṁ samatikkamā paṭighasaññānaṁ atthaṅgamā nānattasaññānaṁ amanasikārā "ananto ākāso"ti ākāsānañcāyatanūpago. Taṁ tvaṁ na jānāsi na passasi. Tamahaṁ jānāmi passāmi. So kho, bho, attā yato kāyassa bhedā ucchijjati vinassati, na hoti paraṁ maraṇā, ettāvatā kho, bho, ayaṁ attā sammā samucchinno hotī'ti. Ittheke sato sattassa ucchedaṁ vināsaṁ vibhavaṁ paññapenti.
156Tamañño evamāha: 'atthi kho, bho, eso attā yaṁ tvaṁ vadesi, neso natthīti vadāmi; no ca kho, bho, ayaṁ attā ettāvatā sammā samucchinno hoti. Atthi kho, bho, añño attā sabbaso ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma "anantaṁ viññāṇan"ti viññāṇañcāyatanūpago. Taṁ tvaṁ na jānāsi na passasi. Tamahaṁ jānāmi passāmi. So kho, bho, attā yato kāyassa bhedā ucchijjati vinassati, na hoti paraṁ maraṇā, ettāvatā kho, bho, ayaṁ attā sammā samucchinno hotī'ti. Ittheke sato sattassa ucchedaṁ vināsaṁ vibhavaṁ paññapenti.
157Tamañño evamāha: 'atthi kho, bho, so attā, yaṁ tvaṁ vadesi, neso natthīti vadāmi; no ca kho, bho, ayaṁ attā ettāvatā sammā samucchinno hoti. Atthi kho, bho, añño attā sabbaso viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma "natthi kiñcī"ti ākiñcaññāyatanūpago. Taṁ tvaṁ na jānāsi na passasi. Tamahaṁ jānāmi passāmi. So kho, bho, attā yato kāyassa bhedā ucchijjati vinassati, na hoti paraṁ maraṇā, ettāvatā kho, bho, ayaṁ attā sammā samucchinno hotī'ti. Ittheke sato sattassa ucchedaṁ vināsaṁ vibhavaṁ paññapenti.
158Tamañño evamāha: 'atthi kho, bho, eso attā, yaṁ tvaṁ vadesi, neso natthīti vadāmi; no ca kho, bho, ayaṁ attā ettāvatā sammā samucchinno hoti. Atthi kho, bho, añño attā sabbaso ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ samatikkamma "santametaṁ paṇītametan"ti nevasaññānāsaññāyatanūpago. Taṁ tvaṁ na jānāsi na passasi. Tamahaṁ jānāmi passāmi. So kho, bho, attā yato kāyassa bhedā ucchijjati vinassati, na hoti paraṁ maraṇā, ettāvatā kho, bho, ayaṁ attā sammā samucchinno hotī'ti. Ittheke sato sattassa ucchedaṁ vināsaṁ vibhavaṁ paññapenti.
159Imehi kho te, bhikkhave, samaṇabrāhmaṇā ucchedavādā sato sattassa ucchedaṁ vināsaṁ vibhavaṁ paññapenti sattahi vatthūhi. Ye hi keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā ucchedavādā sato sattassa ucchedaṁ vināsaṁ vibhavaṁ paññapenti, sabbe te imeheva sattahi vatthūhi … pe … yehi tathāgatassa yathābhuccaṁ vaṇṇaṁ sammā vadamānā vadeyyuṁ.
3.2.5. diṭṭhadhammanibbānavāda
160Santi, bhikkhave, eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā diṭṭhadhammanibbānavādā sato sattassa paramadiṭṭhadhammanibbānaṁ paññapenti pañcahi vatthūhi. Te ca bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā kimāgamma kimārabbha diṭṭhadhammanibbānavādā sato sattassa paramadiṭṭhadhammanibbānaṁ paññapenti pañcahi vatthūhi?
161Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā evaṁvādī hoti evaṁdiṭṭhi: 'yato kho, bho, ayaṁ attā pañcahi kāmaguṇehi samappito samaṅgībhūto paricāreti, ettāvatā kho, bho, ayaṁ attā paramadiṭṭhadhammanibbānaṁ patto hotī'ti. Ittheke sato sattassa paramadiṭṭhadhammanibbānaṁ paññapenti.
162Tamañño evamāha: 'atthi kho, bho, eso attā, yaṁ tvaṁ vadesi, neso natthīti vadāmi; no ca kho, bho, ayaṁ attā ettāvatā paramadiṭṭhadhammanibbānaṁ patto hoti. Taṁ kissa hetu? Kāmā hi, bho, aniccā dukkhā vipariṇāmadhammā, tesaṁ vipariṇāmaññathābhāvā uppajjanti sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā. Yato kho, bho, ayaṁ attā vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati, ettāvatā kho, bho, ayaṁ attā paramadiṭṭhadhammanibbānaṁ patto hotī'ti. Ittheke sato sattassa paramadiṭṭhadhammanibbānaṁ paññapenti.
163Tamañño evamāha: 'atthi kho, bho, eso attā, yaṁ tvaṁ vadesi, neso natthīti vadāmi; no ca kho, bho, ayaṁ attā ettāvatā paramadiṭṭhadhammanibbānaṁ patto hoti. Taṁ kissa hetu? Yadeva tattha vitakkitaṁ vicāritaṁ, etenetaṁ oḷārikaṁ akkhāyati. Yato kho, bho, ayaṁ attā vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā ajjhattaṁ sampasādanaṁ cetaso ekodibhāvaṁ avitakkaṁ avicāraṁ samādhijaṁ pītisukhaṁ dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati, ettāvatā kho, bho, ayaṁ attā paramadiṭṭhadhammanibbānaṁ patto hotī'ti. Ittheke sato sattassa paramadiṭṭhadhammanibbānaṁ paññapenti.
164Tamañño evamāha: 'atthi kho, bho, eso attā, yaṁ tvaṁ vadesi, neso natthīti vadāmi; no ca kho, bho, ayaṁ attā ettāvatā paramadiṭṭhadhammanibbānaṁ patto hoti. Taṁ kissa hetu? Yadeva tattha pītigataṁ cetaso uppilāvitattaṁ, etenetaṁ oḷārikaṁ akkhāyati. Yato kho, bho, ayaṁ attā pītiyā ca virāgā upekkhako ca viharati, sato ca sampajāno, sukhañca kāyena paṭisaṁvedeti, yaṁ taṁ ariyā ācikkhanti "upekkhako satimā sukhavihārī"ti, tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati, ettāvatā kho, bho, ayaṁ attā paramadiṭṭhadhammanibbānaṁ patto hotī'ti. Ittheke sato sattassa paramadiṭṭhadhammanibbānaṁ paññapenti.
165Tamañño evamāha: 'atthi kho, bho, eso attā, yaṁ tvaṁ vadesi, neso natthīti vadāmi; no ca kho, bho, ayaṁ attā ettāvatā paramadiṭṭhadhammanibbānaṁ patto hoti. Taṁ kissa hetu? Yadeva tattha sukhamiti cetaso ābhogo, etenetaṁ oḷārikaṁ akkhāyati. Yato kho, bho, ayaṁ attā sukhassa ca pahānā dukkhassa ca pahānā pubbeva somanassadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamā adukkhamasukhaṁ upekkhāsatipārisuddhiṁ catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati, ettāvatā kho, bho, ayaṁ attā paramadiṭṭhadhammanibbānaṁ patto hotī'ti. Ittheke sato sattassa paramadiṭṭhadhammanibbānaṁ paññapenti.
166Imehi kho te, bhikkhave, samaṇabrāhmaṇā diṭṭhadhammanibbānavādā sato sattassa paramadiṭṭhadhammanibbānaṁ paññapenti pañcahi vatthūhi. Ye hi keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā diṭṭhadhammanibbānavādā sato sattassa paramadiṭṭhadhammanibbānaṁ paññapenti, sabbe te imeheva pañcahi vatthūhi … pe … yehi tathāgatassa yathābhuccaṁ vaṇṇaṁ sammā vadamānā vadeyyuṁ.
167Imehi kho te, bhikkhave, samaṇabrāhmaṇā aparantakappikā aparantānudiṭṭhino aparantaṁ ārabbha anekavihitāni adhimuttipadāni abhivadanti catucattārīsāya vatthūhi. Ye hi keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā aparantakappikā aparantānudiṭṭhino aparantaṁ ārabbha anekavihitāni adhimuttipadāni abhivadanti, sabbe te imeheva catucattārīsāya vatthūhi … pe … yehi tathāgatassa yathābhuccaṁ vaṇṇaṁ sammā vadamānā vadeyyuṁ.
168Imehi kho te, bhikkhave, samaṇabrāhmaṇā pubbantakappikā ca aparantakappikā ca pubbantāparantakappikā ca pubbantāparantānudiṭṭhino pubbantāparantaṁ ārabbha anekavihitāni adhimuttipadāni abhivadanti dvāsaṭṭhiyā vatthūhi.
169Ye hi keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā pubbantakappikā vā aparantakappikā vā pubbantāparantakappikā vā pubbantāparantānudiṭṭhino pubbantāparantaṁ ārabbha anekavihitāni adhimuttipadāni abhivadanti, sabbe te imeheva dvāsaṭṭhiyā vatthūhi, etesaṁ vā aññatarena; natthi ito bahiddhā.
170Tayidaṁ, bhikkhave, tathāgato pajānāti: 'ime diṭṭhiṭṭhānā evaṅgahitā evaṁparāmaṭṭhā evaṅgatikā bhavanti evaṁabhisamparāyā'ti. Tañca tathāgato pajānāti, tato ca uttaritaraṁ pajānāti, tañca pajānanaṁ na parāmasati, aparāmasato cassa paccattaññeva nibbuti viditā. Vedanānaṁ samudayañca atthaṅgamañca assādañca ādīnavañca nissaraṇañca yathābhūtaṁ viditvā anupādāvimutto, bhikkhave, tathāgato.
171Ime kho te, bhikkhave, dhammā gambhīrā duddasā duranubodhā santā paṇītā atakkāvacarā nipuṇā paṇḍitavedanīyā, ye tathāgato sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedeti, yehi tathāgatassa yathābhuccaṁ vaṇṇaṁ sammā vadamānā vadeyyuṁ.
4. Attālokapaññattivatthu
4.1. Paritassitavipphanditavāra
172Tatra, bhikkhave, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā sassatavādā sassataṁ attānañca lokañca paññapenti catūhi vatthūhi, tadapi tesaṁ bhavataṁ samaṇabrāhmaṇānaṁ ajānataṁ apassataṁ vedayitaṁ taṇhāgatānaṁ paritassitavipphanditameva.
173Tatra, bhikkhave, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā ekaccasassatikā ekaccaasassatikā ekaccaṁ sassataṁ ekaccaṁ asassataṁ attānañca lokañca paññapenti catūhi vatthūhi, tadapi tesaṁ bhavataṁ samaṇabrāhmaṇānaṁ ajānataṁ apassataṁ vedayitaṁ taṇhāgatānaṁ paritassitavipphanditameva.
174Tatra, bhikkhave, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā antānantikā antānantaṁ lokassa paññapenti catūhi vatthūhi, tadapi tesaṁ bhavataṁ samaṇabrāhmaṇānaṁ ajānataṁ apassataṁ vedayitaṁ taṇhāgatānaṁ paritassitavipphanditameva.
175Tatra, bhikkhave, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā amarāvikkhepikā tattha tattha pañhaṁ puṭṭhā samānā vācāvikkhepaṁ āpajjanti amarāvikkhepaṁ catūhi vatthūhi, tadapi tesaṁ bhavataṁ samaṇabrāhmaṇānaṁ ajānataṁ apassataṁ vedayitaṁ taṇhāgatānaṁ paritassitavipphanditameva.
176Tatra, bhikkhave, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā adhiccasamuppannikā adhiccasamuppannaṁ attānañca lokañca paññapenti dvīhi vatthūhi, tadapi tesaṁ bhavataṁ samaṇabrāhmaṇānaṁ ajānataṁ apassataṁ vedayitaṁ taṇhāgatānaṁ paritassitavipphanditameva.
177Tatra, bhikkhave, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā pubbantakappikā pubbantānudiṭṭhino pubbantaṁ ārabbha anekavihitāni adhimuttipadāni abhivadanti aṭṭhārasahi vatthūhi, tadapi tesaṁ bhavataṁ samaṇabrāhmaṇānaṁ ajānataṁ apassataṁ vedayitaṁ taṇhāgatānaṁ paritassitavipphanditameva.
178Tatra, bhikkhave, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā uddhamāghātanikā saññīvādā uddhamāghātanaṁ saññiṁ attānaṁ paññapenti soḷasahi vatthūhi, tadapi tesaṁ bhavataṁ samaṇabrāhmaṇānaṁ ajānataṁ apassataṁ vedayitaṁ taṇhāgatānaṁ paritassitavipphanditameva.
179Tatra, bhikkhave, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā uddhamāghātanikā asaññīvādā uddhamāghātanaṁ asaññiṁ attānaṁ paññapenti aṭṭhahi vatthūhi, tadapi tesaṁ bhavataṁ samaṇabrāhmaṇānaṁ ajānataṁ apassataṁ vedayitaṁ taṇhāgatānaṁ paritassitavipphanditameva.
180Tatra, bhikkhave, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā uddhamāghātanikā nevasaññīnāsaññīvādā uddhamāghātanaṁ nevasaññīnāsaññiṁ attānaṁ paññapenti aṭṭhahi vatthūhi, tadapi tesaṁ bhavataṁ samaṇabrāhmaṇānaṁ ajānataṁ apassataṁ vedayitaṁ taṇhāgatānaṁ paritassitavipphanditameva.
181Tatra, bhikkhave, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā ucchedavādā sato sattassa ucchedaṁ vināsaṁ vibhavaṁ paññapenti sattahi vatthūhi, tadapi tesaṁ bhavataṁ samaṇabrāhmaṇānaṁ ajānataṁ apassataṁ vedayitaṁ taṇhāgatānaṁ paritassitavipphanditameva.
182Tatra, bhikkhave, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā diṭṭhadhammanibbānavādā sato sattassa paramadiṭṭhadhammanibbānaṁ paññapenti pañcahi vatthūhi, tadapi tesaṁ bhavataṁ samaṇabrāhmaṇānaṁ ajānataṁ apassataṁ vedayitaṁ taṇhāgatānaṁ paritassitavipphanditameva.
183Tatra, bhikkhave, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā aparantakappikā aparantānudiṭṭhino aparantaṁ ārabbha anekavihitāni adhimuttipadāni abhivadanti catucattārīsāya vatthūhi, tadapi tesaṁ bhavataṁ samaṇabrāhmaṇānaṁ ajānataṁ apassataṁ vedayitaṁ taṇhāgatānaṁ paritassitavipphanditameva.
184Tatra, bhikkhave, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā pubbantakappikā ca aparantakappikā ca pubbantāparantakappikā ca pubbantāparantānudiṭṭhino pubbantāparantaṁ ārabbha anekavihitāni adhimuttipadāni abhivadanti dvāsaṭṭhiyā vatthūhi, tadapi tesaṁ bhavataṁ samaṇabrāhmaṇānaṁ ajānataṁ apassataṁ vedayitaṁ taṇhāgatānaṁ paritassitavipphanditameva.
4.2. Phassapaccayāvāra
185Tatra, bhikkhave, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā sassatavādā sassataṁ attānañca lokañca paññapenti catūhi vatthūhi, tadapi phassapaccayā.
186Tatra, bhikkhave, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā ekaccasassatikā ekaccaasassatikā ekaccaṁ sassataṁ ekaccaṁ asassataṁ attānañca lokañca paññapenti catūhi vatthūhi, tadapi phassapaccayā.
187Tatra, bhikkhave, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā antānantikā antānantaṁ lokassa paññapenti catūhi vatthūhi, tadapi phassapaccayā.
188Tatra, bhikkhave, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā amarāvikkhepikā tattha tattha pañhaṁ puṭṭhā samānā vācāvikkhepaṁ āpajjanti amarāvikkhepaṁ catūhi vatthūhi, tadapi phassapaccayā.
189Tatra, bhikkhave, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā adhiccasamuppannikā adhiccasamuppannaṁ attānañca lokañca paññapenti dvīhi vatthūhi, tadapi phassapaccayā.
190Tatra, bhikkhave, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā pubbantakappikā pubbantānudiṭṭhino pubbantaṁ ārabbha anekavihitāni adhimuttipadāni abhivadanti aṭṭhārasahi vatthūhi, tadapi phassapaccayā.
191Tatra, bhikkhave, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā uddhamāghātanikā saññīvādā uddhamāghātanaṁ saññiṁ attānaṁ paññapenti soḷasahi vatthūhi, tadapi phassapaccayā.
192Tatra, bhikkhave, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā uddhamāghātanikā asaññīvādā uddhamāghātanaṁ asaññiṁ attānaṁ paññapenti aṭṭhahi vatthūhi, tadapi phassapaccayā.
193Tatra, bhikkhave, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā uddhamāghātanikā nevasaññīnāsaññīvādā uddhamāghātanaṁ nevasaññīnāsaññiṁ attānaṁ paññapenti aṭṭhahi vatthūhi, tadapi phassapaccayā.
194Tatra, bhikkhave, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā ucchedavādā sato sattassa ucchedaṁ vināsaṁ vibhavaṁ paññapenti sattahi vatthūhi, tadapi phassapaccayā.
195Tatra, bhikkhave, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā diṭṭhadhammanibbānavādā sato sattassa paramadiṭṭhadhammanibbānaṁ paññapenti pañcahi vatthūhi, tadapi phassapaccayā.
196Tatra, bhikkhave, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā aparantakappikā aparantānudiṭṭhino aparantaṁ ārabbha anekavihitāni adhimuttipadāni abhivadanti catucattārīsāya vatthūhi, tadapi phassapaccayā.
197Tatra, bhikkhave, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā pubbantakappikā ca aparantakappikā ca pubbantāparantakappikā ca pubbantāparantānudiṭṭhino pubbantāparantaṁ ārabbha anekavihitāni adhimuttipadāni abhivadanti dvāsaṭṭhiyā vatthūhi, tadapi phassapaccayā.
4.3. Netaṁṭhānaṁvijjativāra
198Tatra, bhikkhave, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā sassatavādā sassataṁ attānañca lokañca paññapenti catūhi vatthūhi, te vata aññatra phassā paṭisaṁvedissantīti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.
199Tatra, bhikkhave, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā ekaccasassatikā ekaccaasassatikā ekaccaṁ sassataṁ ekaccaṁ asassataṁ attānañca lokañca paññapenti catūhi vatthūhi, te vata aññatra phassā paṭisaṁvedissantīti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.
200Tatra, bhikkhave, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā antānantikā antānantaṁ lokassa paññapenti catūhi vatthūhi, te vata aññatra phassā paṭisaṁvedissantīti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.
201Tatra, bhikkhave, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā amarāvikkhepikā tattha tattha pañhaṁ puṭṭhā samānā vācāvikkhepaṁ āpajjanti amarāvikkhepaṁ catūhi vatthūhi, te vata aññatra phassā paṭisaṁvedissantīti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.
202Tatra, bhikkhave, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā adhiccasamuppannikā adhiccasamuppannaṁ attānañca lokañca paññapenti dvīhi vatthūhi, te vata aññatra phassā paṭisaṁvedissantīti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.
203Tatra, bhikkhave, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā pubbantakappikā pubbantānudiṭṭhino pubbantaṁ ārabbha anekavihitāni adhimuttipadāni abhivadanti aṭṭhārasahi vatthūhi, te vata aññatra phassā paṭisaṁvedissantīti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.
204Tatra, bhikkhave, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā uddhamāghātanikā saññīvādā uddhamāghātanaṁ saññiṁ attānaṁ paññapenti soḷasahi vatthūhi, te vata aññatra phassā paṭisaṁvedissantīti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.
205Tatra, bhikkhave, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā uddhamāghātanikā asaññīvādā, uddhamāghātanaṁ asaññiṁ attānaṁ paññapenti aṭṭhahi vatthūhi, te vata aññatra phassā paṭisaṁvedissantīti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.
206Tatra, bhikkhave, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā uddhamāghātanikā nevasaññīnāsaññīvādā uddhamāghātanaṁ nevasaññīnāsaññiṁ attānaṁ paññapenti aṭṭhahi vatthūhi, te vata aññatra phassā paṭisaṁvedissantīti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.
207Tatra, bhikkhave, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā ucchedavādā sato sattassa ucchedaṁ vināsaṁ vibhavaṁ paññapenti sattahi vatthūhi, te vata aññatra phassā paṭisaṁvedissantīti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.
208Tatra, bhikkhave, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā diṭṭhadhammanibbānavādā sato sattassa paramadiṭṭhadhammanibbānaṁ paññapenti pañcahi vatthūhi, te vata aññatra phassā paṭisaṁvedissantīti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.
209Tatra, bhikkhave, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā aparantakappikā aparantānudiṭṭhino aparantaṁ ārabbha anekavihitāni adhimuttipadāni abhivadanti catucattārīsāya vatthūhi, te vata aññatra phassā paṭisaṁvedissantīti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.
210Tatra, bhikkhave, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā pubbantakappikā ca aparantakappikā ca pubbantāparantakappikā ca pubbantāparantānudiṭṭhino pubbantāparantaṁ ārabbha anekavihitāni adhimuttipadāni abhivadanti dvāsaṭṭhiyā vatthūhi, te vata aññatra phassā paṭisaṁvedissantīti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.
4.4. Diṭṭhigatikādhiṭṭhānavaṭṭakathā
211Tatra, bhikkhave, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā sassatavādā sassataṁ attānañca lokañca paññapenti catūhi vatthūhi, yepi te samaṇabrāhmaṇā ekaccasassatikā ekaccaasassatikā … pe … yepi te samaṇabrāhmaṇā antānantikā … yepi te samaṇabrāhmaṇā amarāvikkhepikā … yepi te samaṇabrāhmaṇā adhiccasamuppannikā … yepi te samaṇabrāhmaṇā pubbantakappikā … yepi te samaṇabrāhmaṇā uddhamāghātanikā saññīvādā … yepi te samaṇabrāhmaṇā uddhamāghātanikā asaññīvādā … yepi te samaṇabrāhmaṇā uddhamāghātanikā nevasaññīnāsaññīvādā … yepi te samaṇabrāhmaṇā ucchedavādā … yepi te samaṇabrāhmaṇā diṭṭhadhammanibbānavādā … yepi te samaṇabrāhmaṇā aparantakappikā … yepi te samaṇabrāhmaṇā pubbantakappikā ca aparantakappikā ca pubbantāparantakappikā ca pubbantāparantānudiṭṭhino pubbantāparantaṁ ārabbha anekavihitāni adhimuttipadāni abhivadanti dvāsaṭṭhiyā vatthūhi, sabbe te chahi phassāyatanehi phussa phussa paṭisaṁvedenti tesaṁ vedanāpaccayā taṇhā, taṇhāpaccayā upādānaṁ, upādānapaccayā bhavo, bhavapaccayā jāti, jātipaccayā jarāmaraṇaṁ sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā sambhavanti.
5. Vivaṭṭakathādi
212Yato kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu channaṁ phassāyatanānaṁ samudayañca atthaṅgamañca assādañca ādīnavañca nissaraṇañca yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ayaṁ imehi sabbeheva uttaritaraṁ pajānāti.
213Ye hi keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā pubbantakappikā vā aparantakappikā vā pubbantāparantakappikā vā pubbantāparantānudiṭṭhino pubbantāparantaṁ ārabbha anekavihitāni adhimuttipadāni abhivadanti, sabbe te imeheva dvāsaṭṭhiyā vatthūhi antojālīkatā, ettha sitāva ummujjamānā ummujjanti, ettha pariyāpannā antojālīkatāva ummujjamānā ummujjanti.
214Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, dakkho kevaṭṭo vā kevaṭṭantevāsī vā sukhumacchikena jālena parittaṁ udakadahaṁ otthareyya. Tassa evamassa: 'ye kho keci imasmiṁ udakadahe oḷārikā pāṇā, sabbe te antojālīkatā. Ettha sitāva ummujjamānā ummujjanti; ettha pariyāpannā antojālīkatāva ummujjamānā ummujjantī'ti; evameva kho, bhikkhave, ye hi keci samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā pubbantakappikā vā aparantakappikā vā pubbantāparantakappikā vā pubbantāparantānudiṭṭhino pubbantāparantaṁ ārabbha anekavihitāni adhimuttipadāni abhivadanti, sabbe te imeheva dvāsaṭṭhiyā vatthūhi antojālīkatā ettha sitāva ummujjamānā ummujjanti, ettha pariyāpannā antojālīkatāva ummujjamānā ummujjanti.
215Ucchinnabhavanettiko, bhikkhave, tathāgatassa kāyo tiṭṭhati. Yāvassa kāyo ṭhassati, tāva naṁ dakkhanti devamanussā. Kāyassa bhedā uddhaṁ jīvitapariyādānā na naṁ dakkhanti devamanussā.
216Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ambapiṇḍiyā vaṇṭacchinnāya yāni kānici ambāni vaṇṭapaṭibandhāni, sabbāni tāni tadanvayāni bhavanti; evameva kho, bhikkhave, ucchinnabhavanettiko tathāgatassa kāyo tiṭṭhati, yāvassa kāyo ṭhassati, tāva naṁ dakkhanti devamanussā, kāyassa bhedā uddhaṁ jīvitapariyādānā na naṁ dakkhanti devamanussā"ti.
217Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: "acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ, bhante, ko nāmo ayaṁ, bhante, dhammapariyāyo"ti?
"Tasmātiha tvaṁ, ānanda, imaṁ dhammapariyāyaṁ atthajālantipi naṁ dhārehi, dhammajālantipi naṁ dhārehi, brahmajālantipi naṁ dhārehi, diṭṭhijālantipi naṁ dhārehi, anuttaro saṅgāmavijayotipi naṁ dhārehī"ti.
218Idamavoca bhagavā. Attamanā te bhikkhū bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandunti. Imasmiñca pana veyyākaraṇasmiṁ bhaññamāne dasasahassī lokadhātu akampitthāti.
Brahmajālasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ paṭhamaṁ.