23. Wisdom （二三）智经

I have heard thus:

At one time, the Buddha was traveling in the country of Śrāvastī, staying at the Jeta Grove Anāthapiṇḍada-ārāma.

At that time, the monk Maudgalyāyana renounced the precepts and left the monastic life. The monk Kāśyapa heard that Maudgalyāyana had renounced the precepts and left the monastic life. He then went to Venerable Śāriputra, bowed at his feet, sat to one side, and said, "Venerable Śāriputra, you should know that Maudgalyāyana has renounced the precepts and left the monastic life."

Venerable Śāriputra said, "Did Maudgalyāyana take delight in this teaching?"

The monk Kāśyapa asked, "Venerable Śāriputra, did you take delight in this teaching?"

Venerable Śāriputra replied, "Kāśyapa, I have no doubts about this teaching."

The monk Kāśyapa then asked again, "Venerable Śāriputra, what about the future?"

Venerable Śāriputra replied, "Kāśyapa, I have no doubts about the future either."

Having heard this, the monk Kāśyapa rose from his seat, went to where the Buddha was, bowed his head at the Buddha's feet, sat to one side, and said, "World-Honored One, Venerable Śāriputra now declares that he has attained knowledge, that his births are exhausted, that the holy life has been established, that what was to be done has been accomplished, that he will not again experience rebirth, and that he knows this to be true."

Having heard this, the World-Honored One told a monk, "Go to Śāriputra and say, 'Śāriputra, the World-Honored One calls you.'"

The monk, having received the instruction, rose from his seat, bowed to the Buddha, and left. He went to where Venerable Śāriputra was and said, "The World-Honored One calls Venerable Śāriputra." Having heard this, Venerable Śāriputra went to where the Buddha was, bowed his head at the Buddha's feet, and sat to one side.

The World-Honored One asked, "Śāriputra! Do you truly claim to have attained knowledge, that birth is exhausted, the holy life has been established, the task is accomplished, no more to be reborn, and you know it as it really is?"

Venerable Śāriputra said, "World-Honored One! It is not by this text, not by this phrase, but I only speak of the meaning."

The World-Honored One said, "Śāriputra! A clansman speaks according to his means, and one who has attained knowledge speaks of having attained knowledge."

Venerable Śāriputra said, "World-Honored One! I have already said that it is not by this text, not by this phrase, but I only speak of the meaning."

The World-Honored One asked, "Śāriputra! If the various virtuous ones come and ask you, 'Venerable Śāriputra! How do you know, how do you see, that you can claim to have attained knowledge, that birth is exhausted, the holy life has been established, what was to be done has been done, and that there will be no more rebirth, knowing it as it really is?' Śāriputra! Having heard this, how would you answer?"

Venerable Śāriputra said, "World-Honored One! If the various virtuous ones come and ask me, 'Venerable Śāriputra! How do you know, how do you see, that you can claim to have attained knowledge, that birth is exhausted, the holy life has been established, what was to be done has been done, and that there will be no more rebirth, knowing it as it really is?' World-Honored One! Having heard this, I would answer like this: 'Virtuous ones! Birth has a cause, this cause of birth is exhausted. Having known the exhaustion of the cause of birth, I myself claim to have attained knowledge, that birth is exhausted, the holy life has been established, what was to be done has been done, and that there will be no more rebirth, knowing it as it really is.' World-Honored One! If the various virtuous ones come and ask like this, I would answer like this."

The World-Honored One praised, "Excellent! Excellent! Śāriputra! If the various virtuous ones come and ask like this, you should answer like this. Why is that? Because if one speaks like this, one should know the meaning of it."

The World-Honored One asked, "Śāriputra! If the various virtuous ones come and ask you, 'Venerable Śāriputra! What is the cause and condition of birth? From what is birth born? What is its basis?' Having heard this, how would you answer?"

Venerable Śāriputra said, "World-Honored One! If the various virtuous ones come and ask me, 'Venerable Śāriputra! What is the cause and condition of birth? From what is birth born? What is its basis?' World-Honored One! Having heard this, I would answer like this: 'Virtuous ones! Birth is caused by existence, conditioned by existence, born from existence, and has existence as its basis.' World-Honored One! If the various virtuous ones come and ask like this, I would answer like this."

The World-Honored One praised, "Excellent! Excellent! Śāriputra! If the various virtuous ones come and ask like this, you should answer like this. Why is that? Because if one explains like this, one should know the meaning."

The World-Honored One asked, "Śāriputra! If the various virtuous ones come and ask you, 'Venerable Śāriputra! What is the cause and condition of existence? From what is existence born? What is its basis?' Having heard this, how would you answer?"

Venerable Śāriputra said, "World-Honored One! If the various virtuous ones come and ask me, 'Venerable Śāriputra! What is the cause and condition of existence? From what is existence born? What is its basis?' World-Honored One! Having heard this, I would answer like this: 'Virtuous ones! Existence is caused by feeling, conditioned by feeling, born from feeling, and has feeling as its basis.' World-Honored One! If the various virtuous ones come and ask like this, I would answer like this."

The World-Honored One praised, "Excellent! Excellent! Śāriputra! If the various virtuous ones come and ask like this, you should answer like this. Why is that? Because if you speak like this, you will understand the meaning."

The World-Honored One asked, "Śāriputra! If the various virtuous ones come and ask you, 'Venerable Śāriputra! What is the cause and condition of feeling? From what is feeling born? What is its basis?' Having heard this, how would you answer?"

Venerable Śāriputra said, "World-Honored One! If the various virtuous ones come and ask me, 'Venerable Śāriputra! What is the cause and condition of feeling? From what is feeling born? What is its basis?' World-Honored One! Having heard this, I would answer like this: 'Virtuous ones! Feeling is caused by craving, conditioned by craving, born from craving, and has craving as its basis.' World-Honored One! If the various virtuous ones come and ask like this, I would answer like this."

The World-Honored One praised, "Excellent! Excellent! Śāriputra! If the various virtuous ones come and ask like this, you should answer like this. Why is that? Because if one explains like this, one understands the meaning."

The World-Honored One asked, "Śāriputra! If the various virtuous ones come and ask you, 'Venerable Śāriputra! What is craving?' Having heard this, how would you answer?"

Venerable Śāriputra said, "World-Honored One! If the various virtuous ones come and ask me, 'Venerable Śāriputra! What is craving?' World-Honored One! Having heard this, I would answer like this: 'Virtuous ones! There are three feelings: pleasant feeling, painful feeling, and neither painful nor pleasant feeling. Desiring what is pleasant among them is called craving.' World-Honored One! If the various virtuous ones come and ask like this, I would answer like this."

The World-Honored One praised, "Excellent! Excellent! Śāriputra! If the various virtuous ones come and ask like this, you should answer like this. Why is that? Because if one explains like this, one should know the meaning."

The World-Honored One asked, "Śāriputra! If the various virtuous ones come and ask you, 'Venerable Śāriputra! How does one know, how does one see, so as to have no desire and attachment to the three feelings?' Having heard this, how would you answer?"

Venerable Śāriputra said, "World-Honored One! If the various virtuous ones come and ask me, 'Venerable Śāriputra! How does one know, how does one see, so as to have no desire and attachment to the three feelings?' World-Honored One! Having heard this, I would answer like this: 'Virtuous ones! It is because these three feelings are impermanent phenomena, suffering phenomena, and ceasing phenomena. Impermanent phenomena are suffering. Having seen suffering, one then has no desire and attachment to the three feelings.' World-Honored One! If the various virtuous ones come and ask like this, I would answer like this."

The World-Honored One praised, "Excellent! Excellent! Śāriputra! If the various virtuous ones come and ask like this, you should answer like this. Why is that? Because if one explains like this, one should know the meaning."

At that time, the World-Honored One said, "Śāriputra! This explanation can also be answered briefly. Śāriputra! What is the meaning that this explanation can be answered briefly? All that is felt and experienced is suffering. Śāriputra! This is called another meaning that this explanation can be answered briefly."

The World-Honored One asked, "Śāriputra! If the various virtuous ones come and ask you, 'Venerable Śāriputra! How do you claim to have attained knowledge by turning away from and not facing it, knowing that birth is exhausted, the holy life has been established, what was to be done has been accomplished, and one will not enter into any future existence again?'"

Venerable Śāriputra said, "World-Honored One! If the various virtuous ones come and ask me, 'Venerable Śāriputra! How do you claim to have attained knowledge by turning away from and not facing it, knowing that birth is exhausted, the holy life has been established, what was to be done has been accomplished, and one will not enter into any future existence again?' World-Honored One! Having heard this, I would answer like this: 'Virtuous ones! I myself have turned away from and not faced it within, and all craving is exhausted. Without alarm, fear, doubt, or confusion, I practice such protection. Having practiced such protection, I do not give rise to unwholesome taints.' World-Honored One! If the various virtuous ones come and ask like this, I would answer like this."

The World-Honored One praised, "Excellent! Excellent! Śāriputra! If the various virtuous ones come and ask like this, you should answer like this. Why is that? Because if one explains like this, one should know the meaning."

The World-Honored One said, "Śāriputra! Furthermore, there is a meaning to this that can be answered briefly. If the śramaṇas speak of the fetters, those fetters are not mine. Practicing such protection, having practiced such protection, unwholesome taints do not arise. Śāriputra! This is called another meaning to this that can be answered briefly." Having spoken thus, the World-Honored One rose from his seat, entered the room, and sat in meditation.

Not long after the World-Honored One entered the room, Venerable Śāriputra told the bhikṣus, "Venerable friends! I had not yet considered it, but the World-Honored One suddenly asked about this meaning. I thought, 'I fear I cannot answer.' Venerable friends! When I first explained one meaning, it was praised and approved by the World-Honored One. I further thought, 'If the World-Honored One were to ask me about this meaning with different words and phrases for one day and night, I would be able to answer the World-Honored One with different words and phrases for one day and night. If the World-Honored One were to ask me about this meaning with different words and phrases for two, three, four, up to seven days and nights, I would also be able to answer the World-Honored One with different words and phrases for two, three, four, up to seven days and nights.'"

The bhikṣu Black Teeth, having heard what Venerable Śāriputra had said, immediately rose from his seat, quickly went to where the Buddha was, and said to the World-Honored One, "Not long after the World-Honored One entered the room, what Venerable Śāriputra said was extremely lofty, a lion's roar in one direction: 'Venerable friends! I had not yet considered it, but the World-Honored One suddenly asked about this meaning. I thought, "I fear I cannot answer." Venerable friends! When I first explained one meaning, it was praised and approved by the World-Honored One. I further thought, "If the World-Honored One were to ask me about this meaning with different words and phrases for one day and night, I would be able to answer the World-Honored One with different words and phrases for one day and night. Venerable friends! If the World-Honored One were to ask me about this meaning with different words and phrases for two, three, four, up to seven days and nights, I would also be able to answer the World-Honored One with different words and phrases for two, three, four, up to seven days and nights."'

The World-Honored One said, "Black Teeth! It is so, it is so. If I were to ask bhikṣu Śāriputra about this meaning with different words and phrases for one day and night, bhikṣu Śāriputra would definitely be able to answer me with different words and phrases for one day and night. Black Teeth! If I were to ask bhikṣu Śāriputra about this meaning with different words and phrases for two, three, four, up to seven days and nights, bhikṣu Śāriputra would also be able to answer me with different words and phrases for two, three, four, up to seven days and nights. Why is that? Black Teeth! Because bhikṣu Śāriputra has profound understanding of the Dharma realm."

The Buddha spoke thus. Venerable Śāriputra and the bhikṣus, having heard what the Buddha said, rejoiced and upheld it.