To the Nigaṇṭhas （一九）尼干经

I have heard thus:

At one time, the Buddha was wandering in the country of Śrāvastī, staying in the city of the gods.

At that time, the World-Honored One told the bhikṣus, "The Nirgranthas have such views and make such statements: 'What one experiences is all due to past actions. If one's past actions are extinguished through ascetic practices, and one does not create new ones, then all actions will be exhausted. When all actions are exhausted, one will attain the exhaustion of suffering. Having attained the exhaustion of suffering, one will attain the end of suffering.' I then went to them and, upon arrival, asked, 'Nirgranthas! Do you truly have such views and make such statements: "What one experiences is all due to past actions. If one's past actions are extinguished through ascetic practices, and one does not create new ones, then all actions will be exhausted. When all actions are exhausted, one will attain the exhaustion of suffering. Having attained the exhaustion of suffering, one will attain the end of suffering."'" They replied, "Yes, Gautama!" I further asked the Nirgranthas, 'Do you have pure knowledge yourself, that you were originally existent, originally non-existent, that you have committed evil, not committed evil, that you have exhausted so much suffering, not exhausted so much suffering, that having exhausted it, you have attained exhaustion, and that you have in this very life cut off all unwholesome states, attained wholesome states, and cultivated and realized them?' They replied, "No, Gautama!"

I further said to the Nirgranthas, 'You do not have pure knowledge yourself, that you were originally existent, originally non-existent, that you have committed evil, not committed evil, that you have exhausted so much suffering, not exhausted so much suffering, that having exhausted it, you have attained exhaustion, and that you have in this very life cut off all unwholesome states, attained wholesome states, and cultivated and realized them. Yet you make such statements: "What one experiences is all due to past actions. If one's past actions are extinguished through ascetic practices, and one does not create new ones, then all actions will be exhausted. When all actions are exhausted, one will attain the exhaustion of suffering. Having attained the exhaustion of suffering, one will attain the end of suffering." Nirgranthas! If you had pure knowledge yourself, that you were originally existent, originally non-existent, that you have committed evil, not committed evil, that you have exhausted so much suffering, not exhausted so much suffering, that having exhausted it, you have attained exhaustion, and that you have in this very life cut off all unwholesome states, attained wholesome states, and cultivated and realized them, then Nirgranthas! you could make such statements: "What one experiences is all due to past actions. If one's past actions are extinguished through ascetic practices, and one does not create new ones, then all actions will be exhausted. When all actions are exhausted, one will attain the exhaustion of suffering. Having attained the exhaustion of suffering, one will attain the end of suffering."'

"Nirgranthas! It is like a person who is struck by a poisoned arrow. Because of being struck by the poisoned arrow, extreme suffering arises. His relatives, out of compassion and pity, wishing to benefit and bring peace to him, call a skilled surgeon. When the skilled surgeon arrives, he uses a sharp knife to open the wound. When opening the wound, further extreme suffering arises. After opening the wound, he seeks the poisoned arrow. When seeking the poisoned arrow, further extreme suffering arises. After finding the poisoned arrow, he then pulls it out. When pulling it out, further extreme suffering arises. After pulling out the poisoned arrow, he wraps the wound. When wrapping the wound, further extreme suffering arises. After pulling out the poisoned arrow, he regains strength, is free from illness, and his faculties are restored to their original state. Nirgranthas! That person has pure knowledge and thinks like this: 'I was originally struck by a poisoned arrow. Because of being struck by the poisoned arrow, extreme suffering arose. My relatives, out of compassion and pity, wishing to benefit and bring peace to me, called a skilled surgeon. When the skilled surgeon arrived, he used a sharp knife to open my wound. When opening the wound, further extreme suffering arose. After opening the wound, he sought the poisoned arrow. When seeking the poisoned arrow, further extreme suffering arose. After finding the poisoned arrow, he then pulled it out. When pulling it out, further extreme suffering arose. After pulling out the poisoned arrow, he wrapped my wound. When wrapping the wound, further extreme suffering arose. After pulling out the poisoned arrow, I regained strength, am free from illness, and my faculties are restored to their original state.'"

"In this way, Nirgranthas! If you have pure knowledge yourself, that you were originally existent, originally non-existent, that you have committed evil, not committed evil, that you have exhausted so much suffering, not exhausted so much suffering, that having exhausted it, you have attained exhaustion, and that you have in this very life cut off all unwholesome states, attained wholesome states, and cultivated and realized them, then Nirgranthas! you could make such statements: "What one experiences is all due to past actions. If one's past actions are extinguished through ascetic practices, and one does not create new ones, then all actions will be exhausted. When all actions are exhausted, one will attain the exhaustion of suffering. Having attained the exhaustion of suffering, one will attain the end of suffering." I ask this, but I do not see any Nirgranthas who can answer me, saying: 'Gautama! It is so, it is not so.'"

"Furthermore, I asked the Nirgranthas: 'If the Nirgranthas have superior cessation and superior ascetic practices, do the Nirgranthas then experience superior suffering?' They answered me: 'So it is, Gautama!' 'If they have middling cessation and middling ascetic practices, do the Nirgranthas then experience middling suffering?' They answered me: 'So it is, Gautama!' 'If they have inferior cessation and inferior ascetic practices, do the Nirgranthas then experience inferior suffering?' They answered me: 'So it is, Gautama!' This means that when the Nirgranthas have superior cessation and superior ascetic practices, the Nirgranthas then experience superior suffering; when they have middling cessation and middling ascetic practices, the Nirgranthas then experience middling suffering; when they have inferior cessation and inferior ascetic practices, the Nirgranthas then experience inferior suffering. If the Nirgranthas have superior cessation and superior ascetic practices, the Nirgranthas then cease superior suffering; when they have middling cessation and middling ascetic practices, the Nirgranthas then cease middling suffering; when they have inferior cessation and inferior ascetic practices, the Nirgranthas then cease inferior suffering. If they act like this or not like this, to cease extreme suffering and heavy suffering, then one should know that the Nirgranthas experience suffering in this very life. But the Nirgranthas, being covered and bound by delusion, make such statements: "What one experiences is all due to past actions. If one's past actions are extinguished through ascetic practices, and one does not create new ones, then all actions will be exhausted. When all actions are exhausted, one will attain the exhaustion of suffering. Having attained the exhaustion of suffering, one will attain the end of suffering." I ask this, but I do not see any Nirgranthas who can answer me, saying: 'Gautama! It is so, it is not so.'"

Furthermore, I asked the Nirgranthas: 'Nirgranthas! If there is an action with a pleasant result, can that action be transformed into an action with a painful result through cessation and ascetic practices?' They answered me: 'No, Gautama!' 'Nirgranthas! If there is an action with a painful result, can that action be transformed into an action with a pleasant result through cessation and ascetic practices?' They answered me: 'No, Gautama!' 'Nirgranthas! If there is an action with a result in this life, can that action be transformed into an action with a result in the next life through cessation and ascetic practices?' They answered me: 'No, Gautama!' 'Nirgranthas! If there is an action with a result in the next life, can that action be transformed into an action with a result in this life through cessation and ascetic practices?' They answered me: 'No, Gautama!' 'Nirgranthas! If there is an action with an unripe result, can that action be transformed into an action with a ripe result through cessation and ascetic practices?' They answered me: 'No, Gautama!' 'Nirgranthas! If there is an action with a ripe result, can that action be transformed into a different action through cessation and ascetic practices?' They answered me: 'No, Gautama!' 'Nirgranthas! This means that an action with a pleasant result cannot be transformed into an action with a painful result through cessation and ascetic practices. Nirgranthas! An action with a painful result cannot be transformed into an action with a pleasant result through cessation and ascetic practices. Nirgranthas! An action with a result in this life cannot be transformed into an action with a result in the next life through cessation and ascetic practices. Nirgranthas! An action with a result in the next life cannot be transformed into an action with a result in this life through cessation and ascetic practices. Nirgranthas! An action with an unripe result cannot be transformed into an action with a ripe result through cessation and ascetic practices. Nirgranthas! An action with a ripe result cannot be transformed into a different action through cessation and ascetic practices. Therefore, Nirgranthas! it is a false expedient, empty cessation without attainment.

"Those Nirgranthas then replied to me: 'Gautama! We have a revered teacher named Pārśva Nirgrantha, who says: "Nirgranthas! If you have previously committed evil actions, those actions can all be extinguished through these ascetic practices. If you now protect your body, speech, and mind, you will not commit any more evil actions."'" I further asked those Nirgranthas: 'Do you believe in your revered teacher Pārśva Nirgrantha, without any doubt?' They replied to me: 'Gautama! We believe in our revered teacher Pārśva Nirgrantha, without any doubt.' I further said to those Nirgranthas: 'There are five dharmas that have two results in this life: faith, joy, hearing, mindfulness, and seeing the good. Nirgranthas! Can a person's own false speech be believed, enjoyed, heard, remembered, and seen as good?' They replied to me: 'So it is, Gautama!' I further said to those Nirgranthas: 'How can false speech be believed, enjoyed, heard, remembered, and seen as good? It means that a person's own false speech can be believed, enjoyed, heard, remembered, and seen as good.

If the Nirgranthas say this, they can be refuted in five ways according to the Dharma, and it is detestable. What are the five? Now, the suffering and happiness experienced by sentient beings are all caused by past actions. In that case, the Nirgranthas and others committed evil actions in the past. Why is that? Because of that, the Nirgranthas now experience extremely heavy suffering. This is the first thing that is detestable about the Nirgranthas. Furthermore, the suffering and happiness experienced by sentient beings are all caused by coming together. In that case, the Nirgranthas and others came together with evil in the past. Why is that? Because of that, the Nirgranthas now experience extremely heavy suffering. This is the second thing that is detestable about the Nirgranthas. Furthermore, the suffering and happiness experienced by sentient beings are all caused by life. In that case, the Nirgranthas and others had evil life in the past. Why is that? Because of that, the Nirgranthas now experience extremely heavy suffering. This is the third thing that is detestable about the Nirgranthas. Furthermore, the suffering and happiness experienced by sentient beings are all caused by views. In that case, the Nirgranthas and others had evil views in the past. Why is that? Because of that, the Nirgranthas now experience extremely heavy suffering. This is the fourth thing that is detestable about the Nirgranthas. Furthermore, the suffering and happiness experienced by sentient beings are all caused by the creation of the honored ones. In that case, the Nirgranthas and others had evil creation of the honored ones in the past. Why is that? Because of that, the Nirgranthas now experience extremely heavy suffering. This is the fifth thing that is detestable about the Nirgranthas. If the Nirgranthas are caused by past evil actions, evil coming together, evil life, evil views, and evil creation of the honored ones, and are created by evil creation of the honored ones, because of that, the Nirgranthas now experience extremely heavy suffering. This is called the cause of that event, for which the Nirgranthas and others are detestable.

The Dharma that I know and realize myself and teach to you cannot be subdued, defiled, or controlled by any śramaṇa, brāhmaṇa, god, demon, Brahmā, or any other being in the world. How is it that the Dharma that I know and realize myself and teach to you cannot be subdued, defiled, or controlled by any śramaṇa, brāhmaṇa, god, demon, Brahmā, or any other being in the world? If a bhikṣu abandons unwholesome bodily actions and cultivates wholesome bodily actions, abandons unwholesome verbal and mental actions and cultivates wholesome verbal and mental actions, he will know for himself in the future that he will have no suffering. He will attain happiness according to the Dharma and not abandon it. He may wish to eliminate the cause of suffering by practicing desire, or he may wish to eliminate the cause of suffering by practicing equanimity. If he wishes to eliminate the cause of suffering by practicing desire, he will cultivate that practice of desire, and once it is eliminated, suffering will be extinguished. If he wishes to eliminate the cause of suffering by practicing equanimity, he will cultivate that practice of equanimity, and once it is eliminated, suffering will be extinguished. If that bhikṣu then thinks: 'Whatever I do and whatever I practice, unwholesome dharmas arise and wholesome dharmas cease. If I eliminate suffering myself, unwholesome dharmas cease and wholesome dharmas arise. I should now eliminate my suffering myself.' He then eliminates his suffering. Once he has eliminated his suffering, unwholesome dharmas cease and wholesome dharmas arise. He no longer eliminates suffering. Why is that? Bhikṣu! The meaning of what he has done is already accomplished. If he eliminates suffering again, that is not the case.

Bhikṣu! It is like a fletcher straightening an arrow. Once the arrow is straight, it is no longer straightened. Why is that? The person's original purpose is already accomplished. If it is straightened again, that is not the case. In the same way, the bhikṣu thinks: 'Whatever I do and whatever I practice, unwholesome dharmas arise and wholesome dharmas cease. If I eliminate suffering myself, unwholesome dharmas cease and wholesome dharmas arise. I should now eliminate my suffering myself.' He then eliminates his suffering. Once he has eliminated his suffering, unwholesome dharmas cease and wholesome dharmas arise. He no longer eliminates suffering. Why is that? The original purpose is already accomplished. If he eliminates suffering again, that is not the case.

"The bhikṣu replied: "Yes, World-Honored One! Why is that? The person loves, is attached to, and respects the woman. If that woman speaks with another man, greets him, comes and goes, and stays with him, how could the person not experience mental and physical suffering and distress?

"Bhikṣu! If that person thinks: 'I have loved and respected that woman in vain. If that woman speaks with another man, greets him, comes and goes, and stays with him, I should now eliminate my love and attachment to her because of my own suffering and distress.' If that person later eliminates his love and attachment to her because of his own suffering and distress. If that woman still speaks with another man, greets him, comes and goes, and stays with him, will that person later experience mental and physical suffering and distress?"

"The bhikṣu replied: "No, World-Honored One! Why is that? The person no longer has any feelings of love and attachment to the woman. If that woman still speaks with another man, greets him, comes and goes, and stays with him, if that person were to experience mental and physical suffering and distress because of that, it would not be so.

In the same way, the bhikṣu thinks: 'Whatever I do and whatever I practice, unwholesome dharmas arise and wholesome dharmas cease. If I eliminate my suffering, unwholesome dharmas cease and wholesome dharmas arise. I should now eliminate my suffering.' He then eliminates his suffering. After eliminating his suffering, unwholesome dharmas cease and wholesome dharmas arise. He no longer eliminates his suffering. Why is that? The meaning of what he did before has already been accomplished. If he were to eliminate his suffering again, it would not be so.

He further thinks: 'If there is a cause for eliminating suffering, I have already eliminated it. However, I have not yet eliminated desire. I should now seek to eliminate desire.' He then seeks to eliminate desire. In order to eliminate desire, he dwells alone in seclusion, in a place without affairs, either under a tree or in an empty, quiet place, a mountain cave, a stone chamber, in the open, or in a straw pile. He goes to a forest or to a charnel ground. Having already gone to a place without affairs, or under a tree in an empty, quiet place, he spreads out his sitting mat, sits cross-legged, straightens his body and mind, and reflects inwardly, eliminating greed and desire, with no disputes in his mind. Seeing the wealth and livelihood of others, he does not give rise to greed and desire, wishing to obtain it for himself. He purifies his mind of greed and desire. In the same way, he eliminates anger, sloth and torpor, restlessness and remorse, eliminates doubt, and transcends confusion. Regarding wholesome dharmas, he has no hesitation. He purifies his mind of doubt.

Having already eliminated these five hindrances, defilements of the mind, and weakness of wisdom, he is detached from desire, detached from evil and unwholesome dharmas, and attains the fourth dhyāna, accomplishing and dwelling in it. Having attained such concentration, his mind is pure, undefiled, free from afflictions, pliant, well-established, and immovable. He directs his mind towards the knowledge and vision of the exhaustion of the taints, and realizes it. He then truly knows this suffering, truly knows the origin of this suffering, truly knows the cessation of this suffering, and truly knows the path to the cessation of this suffering. He also truly knows these taints, truly knows the origin of these taints, truly knows the cessation of these taints, and truly knows the path to the cessation of these taints. Having thus known and seen, his mind is liberated from the taints of desire, from the taints of existence, and from the taints of ignorance. Having been liberated, he knows he is liberated. He knows that birth is exhausted, the holy life has been established, what was to be done has been done, and there is no more of this mundane state.

The Tathāgata is thus liberated in mind, and attains five praises in accordance with the Dharma, being free from disputes and lovable and respectable. What are the five? Those sentient beings experience suffering and happiness due to their past actions. In that case, the Tathāgata had wonderful actions in the past. Because of that, the Tathāgata now attains the holy, undefiled bliss, peaceful and tranquil, and experiences the bliss of cessation. This is called the Tathāgata's attainment of the first praise. Furthermore, sentient beings experience suffering and happiness due to their past associations. In that case, the Tathāgata had wonderful associations in the past. Because of that, the Tathāgata now attains the holy, undefiled bliss, peaceful and tranquil, and experiences the bliss of cessation. This is called the Tathāgata's attainment of the second praise. Furthermore, sentient beings experience suffering and happiness due to their past lives. In that case, the Tathāgata had wonderful lives in the past. Because of that, the Tathāgata now attains the holy, undefiled bliss, peaceful and tranquil, and experiences the bliss of cessation. This is called the Tathāgata's attainment of the third praise. Furthermore, sentient beings experience suffering and happiness due to their past views. In that case, the Tathāgata had wonderful views in the past. Because of that, the Tathāgata now attains the holy, undefiled bliss, peaceful and tranquil, and experiences the bliss of cessation. This is called the Tathāgata's attainment of the fourth praise. Furthermore, sentient beings experience suffering and happiness due to their past noble blessings. In that case, the Tathāgata had wonderful noble blessings in the past. Because of that, the Tathāgata now attains the holy, undefiled bliss, peaceful and tranquil, and experiences the bliss of cessation. This is called the Tathāgata's attainment of the fifth praise. These are the Tathāgata's wonderful actions, wonderful associations, wonderful lives, wonderful views, and wonderful noble blessings, which are created by wonderful noble blessings. Because of that, the Tathāgata now attains the holy, undefiled bliss, peaceful and tranquil, and experiences the bliss of cessation. For this reason, the Tathāgata now attains the five praises.

There are five causes and conditions that give rise to mental sorrow and suffering. What are the five? Those who are bound by lust give rise to mental sorrow and suffering due to being bound by lust. Similarly, those who are bound by anger, sloth, restlessness, and doubt give rise to mental sorrow and suffering due to being bound by doubt. These are the five causes and conditions that give rise to mental sorrow and suffering. There are five causes and conditions that eliminate mental sorrow and suffering. What are the five? For those who are bound by lust, the mental sorrow and suffering that arises due to being bound by lust ceases when the bonds of lust are removed. The mental sorrow and suffering that arises due to being bound by lust is completely eliminated in this very life, free from afflictions and heat, eternally abiding and unchanging. This is known and seen by the noble ones. Similarly, for those who are bound by anger, sloth, restlessness, and doubt, the mental sorrow and suffering that arises due to being bound by doubt ceases when the bonds of doubt are removed. The mental sorrow and suffering that arises due to being bound by doubt is completely eliminated in this very life, free from afflictions and heat, eternally abiding and unchanging. This is known and seen by the noble ones. These are the five causes and conditions that eliminate mental sorrow and suffering.

Furthermore, there is another way to completely eliminate in this very life, free from afflictions and heat, eternally abiding and unchanging, which is known and seen by the noble ones. What is that way? It is the noble eightfold path, namely right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. This is called another way to completely eliminate in this very life, free from afflictions and heat, eternally abiding and unchanging, which is known and seen by the noble ones.

The Buddha spoke thus. Those bhikṣus, having heard the Buddha's words, rejoiced and practiced accordingly.