208. （二〇八）箭毛经

I have heard thus:

At one time, the Buddha was dwelling in the Bamboo Grove, in the Kalandaka Park, in the city of Rājagṛha.

At that time, the World-Honored One, having passed the night, put on his robe, took his alms bowl, entered the city of Rājagṛha to beg for alms. Having finished begging for alms, he put away his robe and bowl, washed his hands and feet, placed his sitting mat on his shoulder, and went to the park of the non-Buddhist practitioners in the Peacock Forest.

At that time, in the park of the non-Buddhist practitioners in the Peacock Forest, there was a non-Buddhist practitioner named Ajaramāta, a teacher of great virtue and fame, respected and revered by many people, leading a large group of five hundred non-Buddhist practitioners. He was making a great commotion in the assembly, speaking loudly in various animal-like discussions, such as discussions about kings, thieves, fighting, food, clothing, women, girls, prostitutes, the world, the wilderness, the ocean, and the people of the country. They were sitting together discussing such animal-like topics. Ajaramāta saw the Buddha coming from afar and ordered his assembly, "All of you, be silent. That Śramaṇa Gautama is coming. His assembly is always silent, he praises silence, and he speaks of silence. If he sees this assembly silent, he may come to see us." After Ajaramāta ordered his assembly to be silent, he himself remained silent.

The World-Honored One went to where the non-Buddhist practitioner Ajaramāta was. Ajaramāta immediately rose from his seat, bared one shoulder, joined his palms towards the Buddha, and said, "Welcome, Śramaṇa Gautama! Śramaṇa Gautama has not come here for a long time. Please sit on this seat." The World-Honored One then sat on the seat prepared by the non-Buddhist practitioner Ajaramāta. Ajaramāta then exchanged greetings with the World-Honored One and sat to one side.

The World-Honored One asked, "Udayin! What were you discussing just now? What was the matter that you were sitting together here for?"

The non-Buddhist practitioner Ajaramāta replied, "Gautama! Let us put aside this discussion. This discussion is not wonderful. If the Śramaṇa Gautama wishes to hear this discussion, it will not be difficult to hear it later."

The World-Honored One asked this way twice, saying, "Udayin! What were you discussing just now? What was the matter that you were sitting together here for?"

The non-Buddhist practitioner Ajaramāta also answered this way twice, saying, "Gautama! Let us put aside this discussion. This discussion is not wonderful. If the Śramaṇa Gautama wishes to hear this discussion, it will not be difficult to hear it later. If the Śramaṇa Gautama asks this way three times, if he wishes to hear it, I will now explain it. Gautama! I have contemplation, have reflection, dwell in the ground of contemplation, dwell in the ground of reflection, have wisdom, have eloquence, have the real, have the realization of all, know all, see all, have no more to know, have no more to see. I went to ask about matters, but he did not know. Gautama! I thought, 'What is this?'"

The World-Honored One asked, "Udayin! Do you have contemplation, have reflection, dwell in the ground of contemplation, dwell in the ground of reflection, have wisdom, have eloquence, who says there is the real realization of all, knows all, sees all, has no more to know, has no more to see, you went to ask about matters, but he did not know?"

The non-Buddhist practitioner Ajaramāta answered, "Gautama! It is Nirgrantha Jñātiputra. Why is that? Gautama! Nirgrantha Jñātiputra himself says there is the real realization of all, knows all, sees all, has no more to know, has no more to see. I have contemplation, have reflection, dwell in the ground of contemplation, dwell in the ground of reflection, have wisdom, have eloquence, I went to ask about matters, but he did not know. Gautama! Therefore I thought, 'What is this?'" In the same way, "Māsika, Kūṭadanta, Sañjayin Vairaṭṭīputra, Nigantha Nātaputta, Pukkusāti, and Ajita Keśakambalin. Gautama! Ajita Keśakambalin himself says there is the real realization of all, knows all, sees all, has no more to know, has no more to see. I have contemplation, have reflection, dwell in the ground of contemplation, dwell in the ground of reflection, have wisdom, have eloquence, I went to ask about matters, but he did not know. Gautama! Therefore I thought, 'What is this?'" Gautama! I further thought, 'If I were to go to the Śramaṇa Gautama and ask about past matters, the Śramaṇa Gautama would certainly be able to answer me about past matters. I should go to the Śramaṇa Gautama and ask about future matters, the Śramaṇa Gautama would certainly be able to answer me about future matters. Moreover, if I were to ask the Śramaṇa Gautama about any matter, the Śramaṇa Gautama would certainly also answer me about any matter I ask.'

The World-Honored One said, "Udayin! Stop! Stop! You have long had different views, different tolerance, different joy, different desires, and different intentions, so you cannot fully know the meaning of what I say. Udayin! I have disciples who, with causes and conditions, remember countless past lives, namely one life, two lives, a hundred lives, a thousand lives, an eon of formation, an eon of destruction, countless eons of formation and destruction. They say, 'I was once born there, with such a surname, such a name, such a birth, such food and drink, such suffering and happiness, such a long life, such a long stay, such a life span. I died there and was born here, I died here and was born there, I was born here, with such a surname, such a name, such a birth, such food and drink, such suffering and happiness, such a long life, such a long stay, such a life span.' They come to ask me about past matters, and I answer them about past matters. I also go to ask them about past matters, and they also answer me about past matters. I ask them about any matter, and they also answer me about any matter I ask.

Furthermore, Udayin! I have disciples who, with the pure divine eye surpassing that of humans, see this assembly of beings dying and being born, good color and bad color, good and bad, going and coming to good places and bad places, according to the deeds of these beings, seeing them as they truly are. If these beings have perfected evil bodily action, evil verbal and mental action, have slandered the noble ones, have wrong views, and have perfected wrong view karma, because of this, when their body breaks up and their life ends, they will definitely go to a bad place, to a hell. If these beings have perfected good bodily action, good verbal and mental action, have not slandered the noble ones, have right views, and have perfected right view karma, because of this, when their body breaks up and their life ends, they will definitely ascend to a good place, to be born in heaven. They come to ask me about future matters, and I answer them about future matters. I also go to ask them about future matters, and they also answer me about future matters. I ask them about any matter, and they also answer me about any matter I ask.

The non-Buddhist Āraṇyaka said, "Gautama! If it is so, I am even more ignorant, I am even more blind, even more foolish and deluded, namely the śramaṇa Gautama says: 'Udayin! Stop! Stop! You have long had different views, different tolerance, different joy, different desires, and different intentions, so you cannot fully know the meaning of what I say. Udayin! I have disciples who, with causes and conditions, remember countless past lives, namely one life, two lives, a hundred lives, a thousand lives, an eon of formation, an eon of destruction, countless eons of formation and destruction. They say, 'I was once born there, with such a surname, such a name, such a birth, such food and drink, such suffering and happiness, such a long life, such a long stay, such a life span. I died there and was born here, I died here and was born there, I was born here, with such a surname, such a name, such a birth, such food and drink, such suffering and happiness, such a long life, such a long stay, such a life span.' They come to ask me about past matters, and I answer them about past matters. I also go to ask them about past matters, and they also answer me about past matters. I ask them about any matter, and they also answer me about any matter I ask.

Furthermore, Udayin! I have disciples who, with the pure divine eye surpassing that of humans, see this assembly of beings dying and being born, good color and bad color, good and bad, going and coming to good places and bad places, according to the deeds of these beings, seeing them as they truly are. If these beings have perfected evil bodily action, evil verbal and mental action, have slandered the noble ones, have wrong views, and have perfected wrong view karma, because of this, when their body breaks up and their life ends, they will definitely go to a bad place, to a hell. If these beings have perfected good bodily action, good verbal and mental action, have not slandered the noble ones, have right views, and have perfected right view karma, because of this, when their body breaks up and their life ends, they will definitely ascend to a good place, to be born in heaven. They come to ask me about future matters, and I answer them about future matters. I also go to ask them about future matters, and they also answer me about future matters. I ask them about any matter, and they also answer me about any matter I ask.

"Gautama! I cannot even remember what I did in this life and what I obtained, let alone being able to remember with causes and conditions countless past lives. Gautama! I cannot even see the wind-blown ghosts, let alone having the pure divine eye surpassing that of humans, seeing this assembly of beings dying and being born, good color and bad color, good and bad, going and coming to good places and bad places, according to the deeds of these beings, seeing them as they truly are. Gautama! I think like this: 'If the śramaṇa Gautama asks me about the Dharma learned from a teacher, perhaps I can answer him to his satisfaction.'"

The World-Honored One asked, "Udayin! How did you learn the Dharma from your teacher?"

The non-Buddhist Ārāda Kālāma replied, "Gautama! They say that form surpasses form, that form is supreme, that form is the highest."

The World-Honored One asked, "Udayin! What kind of form is it?"

The non-Buddhist Ārāda Kālāma replied, "Gautama! If there is no form that surpasses form, it is the most supreme, the most wonderful, and the most excellent. That form is supreme, that form is the highest."

The World-Honored One said, "Udayin! It is like someone saying, 'I want to obtain the most wonderful woman in this country.' If someone asks them, 'Do you know the most wonderful woman in this country, her family name, her given name, her place of birth, her height and complexion, whether she is fair or dark or neither fair nor dark, whether she is a kṣatriya woman, a brahmin, a householder, or a worker, whether she is from the east, south, west, or north?' That person would reply, 'I do not know.' Then they would be asked, 'You do not know or see the most wonderful woman in this country, her family name, given name, place of birth, height and complexion, whether she is fair or dark or neither fair nor dark, whether she is a kṣatriya woman, a brahmin, a householder, or a worker, whether she is from the east, south, west, or north, yet you say, "I want to obtain her"?'" In this way, Udayin! You say, 'That form surpasses form, that form is supreme, that form is the highest.' When asked, 'Do you know that form?' you do not know.

The non-Buddhist Ārāda Kālāma said, "Gautama! It is like a piece of purple gold, extremely fine and pure, well polished by a goldsmith, and placed in the sun on a white cloth. Its color is extremely wonderful and radiant. In this way, Gautama! I say that form surpasses form, that form is supreme, that form is the highest."

The World-Honored One said, "Udayin! I will ask you a question. Answer as you see fit. Udayin! What do you think? The color of a piece of purple gold, well polished by a goldsmith, placed in the sun on a white cloth, is extremely wonderful and radiant. Compared to the light of a firefly in the dark of night, which light is supreme and best?"

Ārāda Kālāma replied, "Gautama! The light of a firefly is supreme and best compared to the light of a piece of purple gold."

The World-Honored One asked, "Udayin! What do you think? The light of a firefly in the dark of night, compared to the light of an oil lamp in the dark of night, which light is supreme and best?"

Ārāda Kālāma replied, "Gautama! The light of an oil lamp is supreme and best compared to the light of a firefly."

The World-Honored One asked, "Udayin! What do you think? The light of an oil lamp in the dark of night, compared to the light of a large burning wood pile in the dark of night, which light is supreme and best?"

Ārāda Kālāma replied, "Gautama! The light of a large burning wood pile is supreme and best compared to the light of an oil lamp."

The World-Honored One asked, "Udayin! What do you think? The light of a large burning wood pile in the dark of night, compared to the light of the morning star when the sky is clear, which light is supreme and best?"

Ārāda Kālāma replied, "Gautama! The light of the morning star is supreme and best compared to the light of a large burning wood pile."

The World-Honored One asked, "Udayin! What do you think? The light of the morning star when the sky is clear, compared to the light of the moon palace at midnight when the sky is clear, which light is supreme and best?"

Ārāda Kālāma replied, "Gautama! The light of the moon palace is supreme and best compared to the light of the morning star."

The World-Honored One asked, "Udayin! What do you think? The light of the moon palace at midnight when the sky is clear, compared to the light of the sun palace at noon in autumn when the sky is clear, which light is supreme and best?"

Ārāda Kālāma replied, "Gautama! The light of the sun palace is supreme and best compared to the light of the moon palace."

The World-Honored One said, "Udayin! There are many devas. Although the sun and moon have great supernatural powers, great majesty, great merit, and great spiritual power, their light is still inferior to the light of the devas. I have once gathered with the devas to discuss matters. What I said pleased the devas. But I did not say, 'That form surpasses form, that form is supreme, that form is best.' Udayin! You speak of the light of a firefly, the worst and ugliest form, as surpassing form, supreme, and best. When asked, you do not know."

Ārāda Kālāma said, "World-Honored One! I repent of this statement. Well-Gone One! I repent of this statement."

The World-Honored One asked, "Udayin! What is your intention in saying, 'World-Honored One! I repent of this statement. Well-Gone One! I repent of this statement'?"

Ārāda Kālāma replied, "Gautama! I said that those forms are superior to forms, those forms are supreme, those forms are the highest. Now, Śramaṇa Gautama has well examined me, well instructed and well rebuked me, making my falsehoods nonexistent. Gautama! Therefore I say, 'World-Honored One! I repent of this statement. Well-Gone One! I repent of this statement.' Ārāda Kālāma said, 'Gautama! There is a path in the afterlife that leads to one-sided happiness and one-sided realization of the world.'"

The World-Honored One asked, "Udayin! How is there one-sided happiness in the afterlife? How is there one path that leads to one-sided realization of the world?"

Ārāda Kālāma replied, "Gautama! There is one who abandons killing, taking what is not given, sexual misconduct, false speech, and so on, up to abandoning wrong views and attaining right views. Gautama! This is called one-sided happiness in the afterlife, this is called one path that leads to one-sided realization of the world."

The World-Honored One said, "Udayin! I will ask you, answer as you see fit. Udayin! What do you think? If there is one who abandons killing and abstains from killing, is that one-sided happiness or mixed with suffering?"

Ārāda Kālāma replied, "Gautama! That is mixed with suffering."

"If there is one who abandons taking what is not given, sexual misconduct, false speech, and so on, up to abandoning wrong views and attaining right views, is that one-sided happiness or mixed with suffering?"

Ārāda Kālāma replied, "Gautama! That is mixed with suffering."

The World-Honored One asked, "Udayin! Is it not for the sake of such a mixed path of happiness and suffering that one attains the world-honored state?"

Ārāda Kālāma replied, "Gautama! It is for the sake of such a mixed path of happiness and suffering that one attains the world-honored state."

Ārāda Kālāma said, "World-Honored One! I regret this statement. Well-Gone One! I regret this statement."

The World-Honored One asked, "Udayin! What is the meaning of your statement, 'World-Honored One! I regret this statement. Well-Gone One! I regret this statement'?"

Ārāda Kālāma replied, "Gautama! I previously said that there is a path that leads to the attainment of the highest happiness in the afterlife. Now, Gautama, you have thoroughly examined me, instructed me well, and rebuked me well, making my false claims nothing. Therefore, Gautama, I say this: 'World-Honored One! I regret this statement. Well-Gone One! I regret this statement.'"

The World-Honored One said, "Udayin! There is indeed a path that leads to the attainment of the highest happiness in the afterlife.

Ārāda Kālāma asked, "Gautama! How is there a world of highest happiness? How is there a path that leads to the attainment of the highest happiness in the afterlife?"

The World-Honored One replied, "Udayin! When a Tathāgata, an Arhat, a Perfectly Enlightened One, a one who has perfect knowledge and conduct, a Sugata, a knower of the world, an unsurpassed guide who tames beings, a teacher of gods and humans, a Buddha, a Blessed One appears in the world, he abandons the five hindrances, defilements of the mind that weaken wisdom. He is detached from sensual desires, detached from unwholesome states, and attains the joy and bliss born of detachment. He dwells in the first absorption, which is accompanied by initial and sustained thought, and is born of detachment. He does not share the same precepts, mind, and views as those gods. When his initial and sustained thought cease, his mind is internally serene, unified, free from initial and sustained thought, and attains the joy and bliss born of concentration. He dwells in the second absorption, which is accompanied by joy and bliss, and is born of concentration. He does not share the same precepts, mind, and views as those gods. He is detached from joy, abandons desire, and dwells in equanimity, mindful and clearly comprehending, experiencing bliss himself. He dwells in the third absorption, which is devoid of joy, and is born of detachment, mindfulness, and equanimity. He does not share the same precepts, mind, and views as those gods. Udayin! This is called the world of highest happiness."

Ārāda Kālāma asked, "Gautama! Is this the highest happiness in the world?"

The World-Honored One replied, "The highest happiness in the world is not only that. Udayin! There is another path that leads to the highest realization in the world."

Ārāda Kālāma asked, "Gautama! What is the other path that leads to the highest realization in the world?"

The World-Honored One replied, "Udayin! A monk, having separated from sensual desires, separated from evil and unwholesome states, with initial and sustained thought, and with joy and happiness born of separation, attains and abides in the first absorption. He attains the same precepts, mind, and views as those gods. With the subsiding of initial and sustained thought, he attains and abides in the second absorption, with internal clarity, unified mind, without initial or sustained thought, with joy and happiness born of concentration. He attains the same precepts, mind, and views as those gods. With the fading away of joy, he abides in equanimity, mindful and clearly comprehending, experiencing happiness in the body, and attains and abides in the third absorption, which the noble ones declare to be without joy. He attains the same precepts, mind, and views as those gods. Udayin! This is called the other path that leads to the highest realization in the world."

Ārāda Kālāma asked, "Gautama! Do the disciples of the śramaṇa Gautama practice the holy life with the śramaṇa Gautama for the sake of the highest happiness in this world, because of the one path that leads to the highest realization in the world?"

The World-Honored One replied, "Udayin! My disciples do not practice the holy life with me for the sake of the highest happiness in this world, nor because of the one path that leads to the highest realization in the world. Udayin! There is something even higher, more sublime, and more excellent, for the sake of which my disciples practice the holy life with me."

Then the great assembly let out a loud and high-pitched sound, saying, "That is the highest, most sublime, and most excellent, for the sake of which the disciples of the śramaṇa Gautama practice the holy life with the śramaṇa Gautama."

Then the non-Buddhist Ārāda instructed his assembly to be silent, and said, "Gautama! What is the highest, most sublime, and most excellent, for the sake of which the disciples of the śramaṇa Gautama practice the holy life with the śramaṇa Gautama?"

The World-Honored One replied, "Udayin! A monk, with the cessation of pleasure and pain, and the earlier cessation of joy and sorrow, without pleasure or pain, with pure equanimity and mindfulness, attains and abides in the fourth meditation. Udayin! This is called the highest, most sublime, and most excellent, for the sake of which my disciples practice the holy life with me."

Then the non-Buddhist Ārāda rose from his seat, intending to bow at the Buddha's feet. Then the non-Buddhist Ārāda's disciples, the non-Buddhist Brahmins, said to the non-Buddhist Ārāda, "Now is the time for you to be the teacher. Do you want to be a disciple of the śramaṇa Gautama? It is not the time for you to be the teacher. Be a disciple of the śramaṇa Gautama. This is an obstacle for the non-Buddhist Ārāda's disciples who study the holy life, namely, studying the holy life with the World-Honored One."

The Buddha spoke thus. The non-Buddhist Ārāda, having heard the Buddha's words, was delighted and practiced accordingly.