SA 965（九六五） 优陟

Thus have I heard:

At one time the Buddha was staying at the Kalandaka Bamboo Grove in Rājagṛha.

At that time, there was an ascetic named Uttara who came to where the Buddha was, exchanged greetings and pleasantries with the World-Honored One, and then sat to one side. He said to the Buddha, "Gautama! Is it so, Gautama? Is the world finite?"

The Buddha told Uttara, "This is indeterminate."

Uttara said to the Buddha, "Is it so, Gautama? Is the world infinite? Is it finite and infinite? Is it neither finite nor infinite?"

The Buddha told Uttara, "This is indeterminate."

Uttara said to the Buddha, "Is it so, Gautama? Is the world finite? You say 'indeterminate.' Is the world infinite? Is the world finite and infinite? Is the world neither finite nor infinite? You say 'indeterminate.' Gautama, what kind of dharmas can be determined and spoken of?"

The Buddha told Uttara, "The knower, the wise one, I declare the path for my disciples, to completely end suffering and reach the end of suffering."

Uttara said to the Buddha, "Is it so, Gautama? Do you declare the path for your disciples to completely end suffering and reach the end of suffering? Do all worldly beings emerge from this path, or only a part?"

At that time, the World-Honored One remained silent and did not answer.

The second and third times he asked, the Buddha also remained silent and did not answer.

At that time, Venerable Ānanda was standing behind the Buddha, holding a fan and fanning him. Venerable Ānanda said to the non-Buddhist monk Uttara, "You asked this question before, and now you ask it again with a different explanation. That is why the World-Honored One did not give a prediction. Uttara, I will now give you an analogy. The wise understand through analogies.

"It is like a king's border city, surrounded by solid walls, with even streets and alleys, and only one gate. A gatekeeper is appointed who is wise and intelligent, able to make good judgments. He allows those who should enter to enter, and does not allow those who should not enter. One goes around the city looking for a second gate, but cannot find one. There is no place for cats and rats to enter or exit, let alone a second gate. The gatekeeper does not even notice those who enter or exit, but that person knows that all people enter or exit only through this gate, and there is no other way. In the same way, although the World-Honored One does not intentionally awaken sentient beings, all worlds exit through this path, and those who have exhausted suffering and reached the end of suffering all exit through this path."

At that time, the non-Buddhist monk Uttara, having heard the Buddha's teaching, rejoiced and followed the Buddha's teaching. He rose from his seat and departed.