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Trung Boä Kinh
Majjhima Nikaya72. Kinh Daïy Vacchagotta veà Löûa
(Aggivacchagotta sutta)
Nhö vaày toâi nghe.
Moät thôøi Theá Toân ôû Savatthi (Xaù-veä) Jetavana (Kyø-ñaø-Laâm), taïi tinh xaù oâng Anathapindika (Caáp Coâ Ñoäc).
Roài du só ngoaïi ñaïo Vacchagotta ñi ñeán choã Theá Toân, sau khi ñeán, noùi leân nhöõng lôøi chaøo ñoùn hoûi thaêm vôùi Theá Toân, sau khi noùi leân nhöõng lôøi chaøo ñoùn hoûi thaêm thaân höõu roài ngoài xuoáng moät beân. Sau khi ngoài xuoáng moät beân, du só ngoaïi ñaïo Vacchagotta baïch Theá Toân:
-- Toân giaû Gotama, phaûi chaêng Toân giaû Gotama coù tri kieán nhö sau: "Theá giôùi laø thöôøng truù, chæ nhö vaäy laø chôn, ngoaøi ra laø hö voïng?"
-- Naøy Vaccha, Ta khoâng coù tri kieán nhö sau: "Theá giôùi laø thöôøng truù, chæ nhö vaäy laø chôn, ngoaøi ra laø hö voïng".
-- Toân giaû Gotama, phaûi chaêng Toân giaû Gotama coù tri kieán nhö sau: "Theá giôùi laø voâ thöôøng, chæ nhö vaäy laø chôn, ngoaøi ra laø hö voïng?"
-- Naøy Vaccha, Ta khoâng coù tri kieán nhö sau: "Theá giôùi laø voâ thöôøng, chæ nhö vaäy laø chôn, ngoaøi ra laø hö voïng".
-- Toân giaû Gotama, phaûi chaêng Toân giaû Gotama coù tri kieán nhö sau: "Theá giôùi laø höõu bieân, chæ nhö vaäy laø chôn, ngoaøi ra laø hö voïng?"
-- Naøy Vaccha, Ta khoâng coù tri kieán nhö sau: "Theá giôùi laø höõu bieân, chæ nhö vaäy laø chôn, ngoaøi ra laø hö voïng".
-- Toân giaû Gotama, phaûi chaêng Toân giaû Gotama coù tri kieán nhö sau: "Theá giôùi laø voâ bieân, chæ nhö vaäy laø chôn, ngoaøi ra laø hö voïng?"
-- Naøy Vaccha, Ta khoâng coù tri kieán nhö sau: "Theá giôùi laø voâ bieân, chæ nhö vaäy laø chôn, ngoaøi ra laø hö voïng".
-- Toân giaû Gotama, phaûi chaêng Toân giaû Gotama coù tri kieán nhö sau: "Sinh maïng vaø thaân theå laø moät, chæ nhö vaäy laø chôn, ngoaøi ra laø hö voïng?"
-- Naøy Vaccha, Ta khoâng coù tri kieán nhö sau: "Sinh maïng vaø thaân theå laø moät, chæ nhö vaäy laø chôn, ngoaøi ra laø hö voïng".
-- Toân giaû Gotama, phaûi chaêng Toân giaû Gotama coù tri kieán nhö sau: "Sinh maïng vaø thaân theå laø khaùc, chæ nhö vaäy laø chôn, ngoaøi ra laø hö voïng?"
-- Naøy Vaccha, Ta khoâng coù tri kieán nhö sau: "Sinh maïng vaø thaân theå laø khaùc, chæ nhö vaäy laø chôn, ngoaøi ra laø hö voïng".
-- Toân giaû Gotama, phaûi chaêng Toân giaû Gotama coù tri kieán nhö sau: "Nhö Lai coù toàn taïi sau khi cheát, chæ nhö vaäy laø chôn, ngoaøi ra laø hö voïng?"
-- Naøy Vaccha, Ta khoâng coù tri kieán nhö sau: "Nhö Lai coù toàn taïi sau khi cheát, chæ nhö vaäy laø chôn, ngoaøi ra laø hö voïng".
-- Toân giaû Gotama, phaûi chaêng Toân giaû Gotama coù tri kieán nhö sau: "Nhö Lai khoâng coù toàn taïi sau khi cheát, chæ nhö vaäy laø chôn, ngoaøi ra laø hö voïng?"
-- Naøy Vaccha, Ta khoâng coù tri kieán nhö sau: "Nhö Lai khoâng coù toàn taïi sau khi cheát, chæ nhö vaäy laø chôn, ngoaøi ra laø hö voïng".
-- Toân giaû Gotama, phaûi chaêng Toân giaû Gotama coù tri kieán nhö sau: "Nhö Lai coù toàn taïi vaø khoâng toàn taïi sau khi cheát, chæ nhö vaäy laø chôn, ngoaøi ra laø hö voïng?"
-- Naøy Vaccha, Ta khoâng coù tri kieán nhö sau: "Nhö Lai coù toàn taïi vaø khoâng coù toàn taïi sau khi cheát, chæ nhö vaäy laø chôn, ngoaøi ra laø hö voïng".
-- Toân giaû Gotama, phaûi chaêng Toân giaû Gotama coù tri kieán nhö sau: "Nhö Lai khoâng coù toàn taïi vaø khoâng khoâng toàn taïi sau khi cheát, chæ nhö vaäy laø chôn, ngoaøi ra laø hö voïng?"
-- Naøy Vaccha, Ta khoâng coù tri kieán nhö sau: "Nhö Lai khoâng coù toàn taïi vaø khoâng khoâng toàn taïi sau khi cheát, chæ nhö vaäy laø chôn, ngoaøi ra laø hö voïng".
-- Sao vaäy, thöa Toân giaû Gotama? Khi ñöôïc hoûi: "Phaûi chaêng Toân giaû Gotama coù tri kieán nhö sau: "Theá giôùi laø thöôøng truù, chæ nhö vaäy laø chôn, ngoaøi ra laø hö voïng?", Toân giaû Gotama ñaõ traû lôøi: "Naøy Vaccha, Ta khoâng coù tri kieán nhö sau: "Theá giôùi laø thöôøng truù, chæ nhö vaäy laø chôn, ngoaøi ra laø hö voïng". Sao vaäy, thöa Toân giaû Gotama? Khi ñöôïc hoûi: "Phaûi chaêng Toân giaû Gotama coù tri kieán nhö sau: "Theá giôùi laø voâ thöôøng, chæ nhö vaäy laø chôn, ngoaøi ra laø hö voïng?" Toân giaû Gotama ñaõ traû lôøi: "Naøy Vaccha, Ta khoâng coù tri kieán nhö sau: "Theá giôùi laø voâ thöôøng, chæ nhö vaäy laø chôn, ngoaøi ra laø hö voïng". Sao vaäy, thöa Toân giaû Gotama? Khi ñöôïc hoûi: "Phaûi chaêng Toân giaû Gotama coù tri kieán nhö sau: "Theá giôùi laø höõu bieân, chæ nhö vaäy laø chôn, ngoaøi ra laø hö voïng?" Toân giaû Gotama ñaõ traû lôøi: "Naøy Vaccha, Ta khoâng coù tri kieán nhö sau: "Theá giôùi laø höõu bieân, chæ nhö vaäy laø chôn, ngoaøi ra laø hö voïng". Sao vaäy, thöa Toân giaû Gotama? Khi ñöôïc hoûi: "Phaûi chaêng Toân giaû Gotama coù tri kieán nhö sau: "Theá giôùi laø voâ bieân, chæ nhö vaäy laø chôn, ngoaøi ra laø hö voïng?", Toân giaû Gotama ñaõ traû lôøi: "Naøy Vaccha, Ta khoâng coù tri kieán nhö sau: "Theá giôùi laø voâ bieân, chæ nhö vaäy laø chôn, ngoaøi ra laø hö voïng"... Sao vaäy, thöa Toân giaû Gotama? Khi ñöôïc hoûi: "Phaûi chaêng Toân giaû Gotama coù tri kieán nhö sau: "Nhö Lai khoâng coù toàn taïi vaø khoâng khoâng toàn taïi sau khi cheát, chæ nhö vaäy laø chôn, ngoaøi ra laø hö voïng?", Toân giaû Gotama ñaõ traû lôøi: "Naøy Vaccha, Ta khoâng coù tri kieán nhö sau: "Nhö Lai khoâng coù toàn taïi vaø khoâng khoâng toàn taïi sau khi cheát, chæ nhö vaäy laø chôn, ngoaøi ra laø hö voïng" Toân giaû Gotama thaáy coù söï nguy haïi gì maø Ngaøi khoâng chaáp nhaän hoaøn toaøn nhöõng tri kieán naøy nhö vaäy?
-- Naøy Vaccha, nghó raèng: "Theá giôùi laø thöôøng truù", nhö vaäy laø taø kieán, kieán truø laâm, kieán hoang vu, kieán hyù luaän, kieán tranh chaáp, kieán kieát phöôïc, ñi ñoâi vôùi khoå, vôùi taøn haïi, vôùi naõo haïi, vôùi nhieät naõo, khoâng höôùng ñeán yeåm ly, ly tham, ñoaïn dieät, an tònh, thaéng trí, giaùc ngoä, Nieát-baøn.
Naøy Vaccha, nghó raèng: "Theá giôùi laø voâ thöôøng"... "Theá giôùi laø voâ thöôøng"... "Theá giôùi laø höõu bieân"... "Theá giôùi laø voâ bieân"... "Sinh maïng vaø thaân theå laø moät"... "Sinh maïng vaø thaân theå laø khaùc"... "Nhö Lai coù toàn taïi sau khi cheát"... "Nhö Lai khoâng coù toàn taïi sau khi cheát"... "Nhö Lai coù toàn taïi vaø khoâng coù toàn taïi sau khi cheát"... Naøy Vaccha, nghó raèng: "Nhö Lai khoâng coù toàn taïi vaø khoâng khoâng toàn taïi sau khi cheát", nhö vaäy laø taø kieán, kieán truø laâm, kieán hoang vu, kieán hyù luaän, kieán tranh chaáp, kieán kieát phöôïc, ñi ñoâi vôùi khoå, vôùi taøn haïi, vôùi naõo haïi, vôùi nhieät naõo, khoâng höôùng ñeán yeåm ly, ly tham, ñoaïn dieät, an tònh, thaéng trí, giaùc ngoä, Nieát-baøn. Naøy Vaccha, Ta thaáy coù söï nguy haïi naøy maø Ta khoâng chaáp nhaän hoaøn toaøn nhöõng tri kieán nhö vaäy.
-- Nhöng Toân giaû Gotama coù taø kieán naøo khoâng?
-- Naøy Vaccha, taø kieán ñaõ ñöôïc Nhö Lai ñoaïn tröø. Nhöng naøy Vaccha, ñaây laø ñieàu Nhö Lai ñaõ thaáy: "Ñaây laø saéc, ñaây laø saéc taäp, ñaây laø saéc dieät; ñaây laø thoï, ñaây laø thoï taäp, ñaây laø thoï dieät; ñaây laø töôûng, ñaây laø töôûng taäp, ñaây laø töôûng dieät; ñaây laø haønh, ñaây laø haønh taäp, ñaây laø haønh dieät; ñaây laø thöùc, ñaây laø thöùc taäp, ñaây laø thöùc dieät". Do vaäy ta noùi raèng, vôùi söï ñoaïn tröø, ly tham, ñoaïn dieät, xaû boû, vöùt boû taát caû aûo töôûng taát caû hoân meâ, cuûa taát caû ngaõ kieán, ngaõ sôû kieán, maïn tuøy mieân, maø Nhö Lai ñöôïc giaûi thoaùt, khoâng coøn chaáp thuû.
-- Thöa Toân giaû Gotama, moät Tyû-kheo ñöôïc taâm giaûi thoaùt nhö vaäy sanh khôûi choã naøo?
-- Sanh khôûi, naøy Vaccha, khoâng coù aùp duïng.
-- Nhö vaäy, Toân giaû Gotama, vò aáy khoâng sanh khôûi?
-- Khoâng sanh khôûi, naøy Vaccha, khoâng coù aùp duïng.
-- Nhö vaäy, Toân giaû Gotama, vò aáy sanh khôûi vaø khoâng sanh khôûi?
-- Sanh khôûi vaø khoâng sanh khôûi, naøy Vaccha, khoâng coù aùp duïng.
-- Nhö vaäy, Toân giaû Gotama, vò aáy khoâng sanh khôûi vaø khoâng khoâng sanh khôûi?
-- Khoâng sanh khôûi vaø khoâng khoâng sanh khôûi, naøy Vaccha, khoâng coù aùp duïng.
-- Khi ñöôïc hoûi: "Toân giaû Gotama, vò Tyû-kheo ñöôïc taâm giaûi thoaùt nhö vaäy sanh khôûi taïi choã naøo?", Toân giaû ñaùp: "Sanh khôûi, naøy Vaccha, khoâng coù aùp duïng". Khi ñöôïc hoûi: "Nhö vaäy, Toân giaû Gotama, vò aáy khoâng sanh khôûi?" Toân giaû ñaùp: "Khoâng sanh khôûi, naøy Vaccha, khoâng coù aùp duïng". Khi ñöôïc hoûi: "Nhö vaäy, Toân giaû Gotama, vò aáy sanh khôûi vaø khoâng sanh khôûi?", Toân giaû ñaùp: "Sanh khôûi vaø khoâng sanh khôûi, naøy Vaccha, khoâng coù aùp duïng". Khi ñöôïc hoûi: "Nhö vaäy, Toân giaû Gotama, vò aáy khoâng sanh khôûi vaø khoâng khoâng sanh khôûi?", Toân giaû ñaùp: "Khoâng sanh khôûi vaø khoâng khoâng sanh khôûi, naøy Vaccha, khoâng coù aùp duïng". Thöa Toân giaû Gotama, toâi trôû thaønh voâ tri veà ñieåm naøy, toâi trôû thaønh meâ môø veà ñieåm naøy, vaø moät soá tin töôûng toâi ñaõ coù ñoái vôùi Toân giaû Gotama do caùc cuoäc ñaøm thoaïi luùc tröôùc ñem laïi, nay ñaõ bieán maát nôi toâi.
-- Naøy Vaccha, thoâi vöøa roài, voâ tri cuûa OÂng! Thoâi vöøa roài, meâ môø (cuûa OÂng)! Naøy Vaccha, saâu kín laø phaùp naøy, khoù thaáy, khoù giaùc ngoä, an tònh, thuø thaéng, khoâng theå luaän baøn, teá nhò, chæ baäc trí môùi hieåu. Thaät raát khoù cho OÂng coù theå hieåu ñöôïc, khi OÂng thuoäc tri kieán khaùc, kham nhaãn khaùc, lyù töôûng khaùc, haønh trì khaùc, ñaïo sö khaùc. Vaø naøy Vaccha, nay Ta trôû laïi hoûi OÂng. Haõy traû lôøi neáu OÂng kham nhaãn. Naøy Vaccha, OÂng nghó theá naøo? Neáu moät ngoïn löûa chaùy ñoû tröôùc maët OÂng, OÂng coù bieát: "Ngoïn löûa naøy chaùy ñoû tröôùc maët toâi?"
-- Toân giaû Gotama, neáu moät ngoïn löûa chaùy ñoû tröôùc maët toâi, toâi coù bieát: "Ngoïn löûa naøy chaùy ñoû tröôùc maët toâi".
-- Nhöng neáu, naøy Vaccha, coù ngöôøi hoûi OÂng nhö sau: "Ngoïn löûa naøy chaùy ñoû tröôùc maët OÂng, ngoïn löûa naøy do duyeân gì maø chaùy ñoû?", neáu ñöôïc hoûi vaäy, naøy Vaccha, OÂng traû lôøi nhö theá naøo?
-- Thöa Toân giaû Gotama, neáu coù ngöôøi hoûi toâi nhö sau: "Ngoïn löûa naøy chaùy ñoû tröôùc maët OÂng, ngoïn löûa naøy do duyeân gì maø chaùy ñoû?", neáu ñöôïc hoûi vaäy, thöa Toân giaû Gotama, toâi seõ traû lôøi nhö sau: "Ngoïn löûa chaùy ñoû tröôùc maët toâi, ngoïn löûa naøy chaùy ñoû do duyeân nhieân lieäu coû vaø cuûi".
-- Naøy Vaccha, neáu ngoïn löûa aáy bò taét tröôùc maët OÂng, OÂng coù bieát: "Ngoïn löûa naøy ñaõ taét tröôùc maët toâi?"
-- Toân giaû Gotama, neáu ngoïn löûa aáy ñöôïc taét tröôùc maët toâi, toâi seõ bieát: "Ngoïn löûa naøy ñaõ taét tröôùc maët toâi".
-- Naøy Vaccha, neáu coù ngöôøi hoûi OÂng nhö sau: "Ngoïn löûa naøy ñaõ taét tröôùc maët OÂng, ngoïn löûa aáy töø ñaây ñaõ ñi veà phöông höôùng naøo, phöông Ñoâng, phöông Taây, phöông Baéc, hay phöông Nam?", ñöôïc hoûi vaäy, naøy Vaccha, OÂng traû lôøi theá naøo?
-- Khoâng coù theå aùp duïng ôû ñaây, Toân giaû Gotama. Vì raèng, naøy Toân giaû Gotama, ngoïn löûa aáy ñaõ chaùy vì duyeân nhieân lieäu coû vaø cuûi. Khi coû vaø cuûi aáy heát vaø vì khoâng coù nhieân lieäu khaùc, neân ñöôïc xem laø khoâng coù nhieân lieäu, ñaõ bò taét.
-- Cuõng vaäy, naøy Vaccha, do saéc phaùp naøy, nhôø ñoù maø moät ngöôøi nhaän bieát Nhö Lai coù theå nhaän bieát ñöôïc, saéc phaùp aáy ñaõ ñöôïc Nhö Lai ñoaïn dieät, caét taän goác reã, laøm cho nhö thaân caây tala khoâng ñöôïc taùi sanh, khoâng theå sanh khôûi trong töông lai. Giaûi thoaùt khoûi caùi goïi laø saéc, naøy Vaccha, laø Nhö Lai, thaâm saâu, voâ löôïng, khoù doø ñeán ñaùy nhö ñaïi döông. Khôûi leân khoâng coù aùp duïng, khoâng khôûi leân khoâng coù aùp duïng, khôûi leân vaø khoâng khôûi leân khoâng coù aùp duïng, khoâng khôûi leân vaø khoâng khoâng khôûi leân khoâng coù aùp duïng.
Do thoï naøy, nhôø ñoù maø moät ngöôøi nhaän bieát Nhö Lai coù theå nhaän bieát ñöôïc, thoï aáy ñaõ ñöôïc Nhö Lai ñoaïn dieät, caét ñöùt taän goác reã, laøm cho nhö thaân caây tala khoâng ñöôïc taùi sanh, khoâng theå sanh khôûi trong töông lai. Giaûi thoaùt caùi goïi laø thoï, naøy Vaccha, laø Nhö Lai, thaâm saâu, voâ löôïng khoù doø ñeán ñaùy ñaïi döông, khôûi leân khoâng coù aùp duïng, khoâng khôûi leân khoâng coù aùp duïng, khôûi leân vaø khoâng khôûi leân khoâng coù aùp duïng, khoâng khôûi leân vaø khoâng khoâng khôûi leân khoâng coù aùp duïng.
Do töôûng naøy, nhôø ñoù maø moät ngöôøi nhaän bieát Nhö Lai coù theå nhaän bieát ñöôïc, töôûng aáy ñaõ ñöôïc Nhö Lai ñoaïn dieät, caét ñöùt taän goác reã, laøm cho nhö thaân caây tala khoâng ñöôïc taùi sanh, khoâng theå sanh khôûi trong töông lai. Giaûi thoaùt caùi goïi laø töôûng, naøy Vaccha, laø Nhö Lai, thaâm saâu, voâ löôïng khoù doø ñeán ñaùy ñaïi döông, khôûi leân khoâng coù aùp duïng, khoâng khôûi leân khoâng coù aùp duïng, khôûi leân vaø khoâng khôûi leân khoâng coù aùp duïng, khoâng khôûi leân vaø khoâng khoâng khôûi leân khoâng coù aùp duïng.
Do nhöõng haønh naøy nhôø ñoù maø moät ngöôøi nhaän bieát Nhö Lai coù theå nhaän bieát ñöôïc, caùc haønh aáy ñaõ ñöôïc Nhö Lai ñoaïn dieät, caét ñöùt taän goác reã, laøm cho nhö thaân caây tala khoâng ñöôïc taùi sanh, khoâng theå sanh khôûi trong töông lai. Giaûi thoaùt nhöõng caùi goïi laø haønh, naøy Vaccha, laø Nhö Lai, thaâm saâu, voâ löôïng khoù doø ñeán ñaùy ñaïi döông, khôûi leân khoâng coù aùp duïng, khoâng khôûi leân khoâng coù aùp duïng, khôûi leân vaø khoâng khôûi leân khoâng coù aùp duïng, khoâng khôûi leân vaø khoâng khoâng khôûi leân, khoâng coù aùp duïng.
Do thöùc naøy, nhôø ñoù maø moät ngöôøi nhaän thöùc Nhö Lai coù theå nhaän thöùc ñöôïc, caùi thöùc aáy ñaõ ñöôïc Nhö Lai ñoaïn dieät, caét ñöùt ñöôïc taän goác reã, laøm cho nhö thaân caây tala khoâng ñöôïc taùi sanh, khoâng theå sanh khôûi trong töông lai. Giaûi thoaùt caùi goïi laø thöùc, naøy Vaccha, laø Nhö Lai, thaâm saâu, voâ löôïng, khoù doø ñeán ñaùy nhö ñaïi döông, khôûi leân khoâng coù aùp duïng, khoâng khôûi leân khoâng coù aùp duïng, khôûi leân vaø khoâng khôûi leân khoâng coù aùp duïng, khoâng khôûi leân vaø khoâng khoâng khôûi leân khoâng coù aùp duïng.
Khi ñöôïc noùi vaäy, du só ngoaïi ñaïo Vacchagotta baïch Theá Toân:
-- Thöa Toân giaû Gotama, nhö moät caây tala lôùn, khoâng xa laøng hay thò traán, vì voâ thöôøng neân caønh laù rôi ruïng, voû vaø ñoït non rôi ruïng, giaùc caây rôi ruïng vaø sau moät thôøi gian, vôùi caønh laù rôi ruïng, vôùi voû vaø ñoït non rôi ruïng, vôùi giaùc caây rôi ruïng, caây aáy thuaàn tònh chæ coøn laïi loõi caây. Cuõng vaäy, lôøi noùi naøy cuûa Toân giaû Gotama, vôùi caønh laù rôi ruïng, vôùi voû vaø ñoït non ruïng, vôùi giaùc caây rôi ruïng, lôøi noùi aáy thuaàn tònh, chæ coøn laïi loõi caây.
Thaät vi dieäu thay, Toân giaû Gotama! Thaät vi dieäu thay, Toân giaû Gotama! Nhö ngöôøi döïng ñöùng laïi nhöõng gì bò quaêng ngaõ xuoáng, phôi baøy ra nhöõng gì bò che kín, chæ ñöôøng cho ngöôøi bò laïc höôùng, ñem ñeøn saùng vaøo trong boùng toái ñeå nhöõng ai coù maét coù theå thaáy saéc; cuõng vaäy, Chaùnh phaùp ñaõ ñöôïc Toân giaû Gotama duøng nhieàu phöông tieän trình baøy giaûi thích. Con xin quy y Toân giaû Gotama, quy Phaùp vaø quy y Taêng. Mong Toân giaû Gotama nhaän con laøm ñeä töû, töø nay trôû ñi cho ñeán maïng chung, con troïn ñôøi quy ngöôõng.
Hoøa thöôïng Thích Minh Chaâu dòch Vieät
Chaân thaønh caùm ôn anh HDC vaø nhoùm Phaät töû VH ñaõ coù thieän taâm göûi taëng aán baûn ñieän töû.
(Bình Anson hieäu ñính, döïa theo baûn Anh ngöõ "The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha", Tyø kheo Nanamoli vaø Tyø kheo Bodhi dòch, 1995).
10/99
Majjhima Nikaya 72
Aggi-Vacchagotta Sutta
To Vacchagotta on FireTranslation by Bhikkhu Thanissaro
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying in Savatthi, at Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's park. Then the wanderer Vacchagotta went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, exchanged courteous greetings with him. After an exchange of friendly greetings and courtesies, he sat down to one side. As he was sitting there he asked the Blessed One: "How is it, Master Gotama, does Master Gotama hold the view: 'The cosmos is eternal: only this is true, anything otherwise is worthless'?"
"...no..."
"Then does Master Gotama hold the view: 'The cosmos is not eternal: only this is true, anything otherwise is worthless'?"
"...no..."
"Then does Master Gotama hold the view: 'The cosmos is finite: only this is true, anything otherwise is worthless'?"
"...no..."
"Then does Master Gotama hold the view: 'The cosmos is infinite: only this is true, anything otherwise is worthless'?"
"...no..."
"Then does Master Gotama hold the view: 'The soul and the body are the same: only this is true, anything otherwise is worthless'?"
"...no..."
"Then does Master Gotama hold the view: 'The soul is one thing and the body another: only this is true, anything otherwise is worthless'?"
"...no..."
"Then does Master Gotama hold the view: 'After death a Tathagata exists: only this is true, anything otherwise is worthless'?"
"...no..."
"Then does Master Gotama hold the view: 'After death a Tathagata does not exist: only this is true, anything otherwise is worthless'?"
"...no..."
"Then does Master Gotama hold the view: 'After death a Tathagata both exists and does not exist: only this is true, anything otherwise is worthless'?"
"...no..."
"Then does Master Gotama hold the view: 'After death a Tathagata neither exists nor does not exist: only this is true, anything otherwise is worthless'?"
"...no..."
"How is it, Master Gotama, when Master Gotama is asked if he holds the view 'the cosmos is eternal...'...'after death a Tathagata neither exists nor does not exist: only this is true, anything otherwise is worthless,' he says '...no...' in each case. Seeing what drawback, then, is Master Gotama thus entirely dissociated from each of these ten positions?"
"Vaccha, the position that 'the cosmos is eternal' is a thicket of views, a wilderness of views, a contortion of views, a writhing of views, a fetter of views. It is accompanied by suffering, distress, despair, and fever, and it does not lead to disenchantment, dispassion, cessation; to calm, direct knowledge, full awakening, Unbinding.
"The position that 'the cosmos is not eternal'...
"...'the cosmos is finite'...
"...'the cosmos is infinite'...
"...'the soul and the body are the same'...
"...'the soul is one thing and the body another'...
"...'after death a Tathagata exists'...
"...'after death a Tathagata does not exist'...
"...'after death a Tathagata both exists and does not exist'...
"...'after death a Tathagata neither exists nor does not exist'...does not lead to disenchantment, dispassion, cessation; to calm, direct knowledge, full awakening, Unbinding."
"Does Master Gotama have any position at all?"
"A 'position,' Vaccha, is something that a Tathagata has done away with. What a Tathagata sees is this: 'Such is form, such its origin, such its disappearance; such is feeling, such its origin, such its disappearance; such is perception...such are mental fabrications...such is consciousness, such its origin, such its disappearance.' Because of this, I say, a Tathagata -- with the ending, fading out, cessation, renunciation, and relinquishment of all construings, all excogitations, all I-making and mine-making and tendencies to conceits -- is, through lack of sustenance/clinging, released."
"But, Master Gotama, the monk whose mind is thus released: Where does he reappear?"
"'Reappear,' Vaccha, doesn't apply."
"In that case, Master Gotama, he does not reappear."
"'Does not reappear,' Vaccha, doesn't apply."
"...both does and does not reappear."
"...doesn't apply."
"...neither does nor does not reappear."
"...doesn't apply."
"How is it, Master Gotama, when Master Gotama is asked if the monk reappears...does not reappear...both does and does not reappear...neither does nor does not reappear, he says, '...doesn't apply' in each case. At this point, Master Gotama, I am befuddled; at this point, confused. The modicum of clarity coming to me from your earlier conversation is now obscured."
"Of course you're befuddled, Vaccha. Of course you're confused. Deep, Vaccha, is this phenomenon, hard to see, hard to realize, tranquil, refined, beyond the scope of conjecture, subtle, to-be-experienced by the wise. For those with other views, other practices, other satisfactions, other aims, other teachers, it is difficult to know. That being the case, I will now put some questions to you. Answer as you see fit. How do you construe this, Vaccha: If a fire were burning in front of you, would you know that, 'This fire is burning in front of me'?"
"...yes..."
"And suppose someone were to ask you, Vaccha, 'This fire burning in front of you, dependent on what is it burning?' Thus asked, how would you reply?"
"...I would reply, 'This fire burning in front of me is burning dependent on grass and timber as its sustenance.'"
"If the fire burning in front of you were to go out, would you know that, 'This fire burning in front of me has gone out'?"
"...yes..."
"And suppose someone were to ask you, 'This fire that has gone out in front of you, in which direction from here has it gone? East? West? North? Or south?' Thus asked, how would you reply?"
"That doesn't apply, Master Gotama. Any fire burning dependent on a sustenance of grass and timber, being unnourished -- from having consumed that sustenance and not being offered any other -- is classified simply as 'out' (unbound)."
"Even so, Vaccha, any physical form by which one describing the Tathagata would describe him: That the Tathagata has abandoned, its root destroyed, like an uprooted palm tree, deprived of the conditions of existence, not destined for future arising. Freed from the classification of form, Vaccha, the Tathagata is deep, boundless, hard to fathom, like the sea. 'Reappears' doesn't apply. 'Does not reappear' doesn't apply. 'Both does and does not reappear' doesn't apply. 'Neither reappears nor does not reappear' doesn't apply.
"Any feeling...Any perception...Any mental fabrication...
"Any consciousness by which one describing the Tathagata would describe him: That the Tathagata has abandoned, its root destroyed, like an uprooted palm tree, deprived of the conditions of existence, not destined for future arising. Freed from the classification of consciousness, Vaccha, the Tathagata is deep, boundless, hard to fathom, like the sea. 'Reappears' doesn't apply. 'Does not reappear' doesn't apply. 'Both does and does not reappear' doesn't apply. 'Neither reappears nor does not reappear' doesn't apply."
When this was said, the wanderer Vacchagotta said to the Blessed One: "Master Gotama, it is as if there were a great sala tree not far from a village or town: From inconstancy, its branches and leaves would wear away, its bark would wear away, its sapwood would wear away, so that on a later occasion -- divested of branches, leaves, bark, and sapwood -- it would stand as pure heartwood. In the same way, Master Gotama's words are divested of branches, leaves, bark, and sapwood and stand as pure heartwood.
"Magnificent, Master Gotama! Magnificent! Just as if he were to place upright what had been overturned, were to reveal what was hidden, were to show the way to one who was lost, or were to hold up a lamp in the dark so that those with eyes could see forms, in the same way Master Gotama has -- through many lines of reasoning -- made the Dhamma clear. I go to Master Gotama for refuge, to the Dhamma, and to the Sangha of monks. May Master Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone to him for refuge, from this day forward, for life."
Source: Access-to-Insight, http://world.std.com/~metta/canon/majjhima/mn72.html
Source = BuddhaSasana
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