SA 81（八一） 富兰那

Thus have I heard:

At one time, the Buddha was staying at the Monkey Pond in Vaiśālī, in a two-storied lecture hall.

At that time, there was a Licchavi named Mahānāma who would go to visit the Buddha every day. He thought, "If I go to see the World-Honored One too early, the World-Honored One and the bhikṣus I know will all be in meditation. I should go to the place of the Ājīvika ascetic Sattapaṇṇi." He then went to the place where Pūraṇa Kāśyapa was staying.

At that time, Pūraṇa Kāśyapa, the leader of the non-Buddhist groups, was surrounded by five hundred non-Buddhists, loudly laughing and discussing worldly matters. When Pūraṇa Kāśyapa saw Mahānāma the Licchavi coming from afar, he told his followers to be quiet, saying, "Be silent! This Mahānāma the Licchavi is a disciple of the śramaṇa Gautama. He is a lay disciple of the śramaṇa Gautama, the foremost in Vaiśālī, who always enjoys tranquility and praises tranquility. Wherever he goes, it is a tranquil assembly. Therefore, you should all be tranquil."

Then Mahānāma went to the assembly of Pūraṇa Kāśyapa and exchanged greetings with him. After the greetings, he sat to one side. Mahānāma said to Pūraṇa Kāśyapa, "I heard that you teach your disciples that sentient beings become defiled without cause or condition, and that sentient beings become pure without cause or condition. Is this true? Or is this just slander from outsiders? Is this something that worldly people discuss? Is it the Dharma or not the Dharma? Do worldly people discuss, debate, and criticize it?"

Pūraṇa Kāśyapa said, "This discussion is true, not false. I establish this discussion according to the Dharma. What I say is all in accordance with the Dharma. No worldly person has come to debate, question, or criticize it. Why is that? Mahānāma! I see and say like this: 'Sentient beings become defiled without cause or condition, and sentient beings become pure without cause or condition.'"

Then Mahānāma, hearing Pūraṇa Kāśyapa's words, was displeased. After rebuking him, he rose from his seat and left, going to the World-Honored One. He bowed his head at the Buddha's feet, sat to one side, and told the Buddha in detail about the discussion with Pūraṇa Kāśyapa.

The Buddha told the Licchavi Mahānāma, "Pūraṇa Kāśyapa's words are not worth recording. Pūraṇa Kāśyapa is foolish, not discerning, not skillful, and speaks without cause, saying, 'Sentient beings become defiled without cause or condition, and sentient beings become pure without cause or condition.' Why is that? Sentient beings become defiled with cause and condition, and sentient beings become pure with cause and condition.

Mahānāma, what causes and conditions make sentient beings defiled? What causes and conditions make sentient beings pure? Mahānāma, if form were entirely suffering, not pleasure, not conducive to pleasure, not nourished by pleasure, and separate from pleasure, sentient beings would not become attached to it. Mahānāma, because form is not entirely suffering, it is pleasure, conducive to pleasure, nourished by pleasure, and not separate from pleasure. Therefore sentient beings become attached to form; because of attachment, there is bondage; because of bondage, there is affliction. Mahānāma, if feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness were entirely suffering, not pleasure, not conducive to pleasure, not nourished by pleasure, and separate from pleasure, sentient beings would not become attached to them. Mahānāma, because consciousness is not entirely suffering, it is pleasure, conducive to pleasure, nourished by pleasure, and not separate from pleasure. Therefore sentient beings become attached to consciousness; because of attachment, there is bondage; because of bondage, there is affliction. Mahānāma, this is called the causes and conditions for sentient beings to be defiled.

Mahānāma, what causes and conditions make sentient beings pure? Mahānāma, if form were entirely pleasure, not suffering, not conducive to suffering, not nourished by suffering, and separate from suffering, sentient beings would not become disenchanted with form. Mahānāma, because form is not entirely pleasure, it is suffering, conducive to suffering, nourished by suffering, and not separate from suffering. Therefore sentient beings become disenchanted with form; because of disenchantment, there is no delight; because of no delight, there is liberation. Mahānāma, if feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness were entirely pleasure, not suffering, not conducive to suffering, not nourished by suffering, and separate from suffering, sentient beings would not become disenchanted with consciousness. Mahānāma, because feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness are not entirely pleasure, they are suffering, conducive to suffering, nourished by suffering, and not separate from suffering. Therefore sentient beings become disenchanted with consciousness; because of disenchantment, there is no delight; because of no delight, there is liberation. Mahānāma, this is called the causes and conditions for sentient beings to be pure.

At that time, Mahānāma, having heard the Buddha's teaching, joyfully rejoiced, paid homage to the Buddha, and departed.

knowing the Dharma and the heavy burden, going to, observing
desire and greed, birth, and brief explanation, Dharma seal, Pūraṇa