SN22:86 Anuradha
- DG BB TBW © Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi. (More copyright information)
1On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Vesālī in the Great Wood in the Hall with the Peaked Roof. [n.162] This sutta also occurs at SN44.2, with the questionnaire given in full (though abridged in this translation). Now on that occasion the Venerable Anuradha was dwelling in a forest hut not far from the Blessed One. Then a number of wanderers of other sects approached the Venerable Anuradha and exchanged greetings with him. When they had concluded their greetings and cordial talk, they sat down to one side and said to him:
"Friend Anuradha, when a Tathāgata is describing a Tathāgata—the highest type of person, the supreme person, the attainer of the supreme attainment [n.163] Tathāgato uttamapuriso paramapuriso paramapattipatto. This should establish that "the Tathāgata" here is not just "a being," but a Buddha or an arahant; the expression recurs at SN44.9. The four theses are all rooted in a conception of the Tathāgata as a self. The commentaries explain the first as eternalism, the second as annihilationism, the third as a syncretic view (partial-eternalism), the fourth as evasive scepticism. Two whole chapters in SN deal with these issues, the Vacchagottasaṁyutta (SN 33) and the Abyakatasaṁyutta (SN 44). See too SN16.12. —he describes him in terms of these four cases: ‘The Tathāgata exists after death,’ or ‘The Tathāgata does not exist after death,’ or ‘The Tathāgata both exists and does not exist after death,’ or ‘The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death.’"
2When this was said, the Venerable Anuradha said to those wanderers: ‘Friends, when a Tathāgata is describing a Tathāgata—the highest type of person, the supreme person, the attainer of the supreme attainment—he describes him apart from these four cases: ‘The Tathāgata exists after death,’ or ‘The Tathāgata does not exist after death,’ or ‘The Tathāgata both exists and does not exist after death,’ or ‘The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death.’" [n.164] Spk: It is said that he thought, "These are hostile enemies of the Teaching. The Teacher would not describe (the Tathāgata) as they say. He must have described him in some other way."
When this was said, those wanderers said to the Venerable Anuradha: ‘This bhikkhu must be newly ordained, not long gone forth; or, if he is an elder, he must be an incompetent fool."
Then those wanderers of other sects, having denigrated the Venerable Anuradha with the terms "newly ordained" and "fool," rose from their seats and departed. sn.iii.117
3Then, not long after those wanderers had left, it occurred to the Venerable Anuradha: "If those wanderers of other sects should question me further, how should I answer if I am to state what has been said by the Blessed One and not misrepresent him with what is contrary to fact? And how should I explain in accordance with the Dhamma, so that no reasonable consequence of my assertion would give ground for criticism?"
4–6Then the Venerable Anuradha approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and reported to the Blessed One everything that had happened, sn.iii.118 asking: "If those wanderers of other sects should question me further, how should I answer … so that no reasonable consequence of my assertion would give ground for criticism?"
7"What do you think, Anuradha, is form permanent or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, venerable sir."
"Is feeling permanent or impermanent? … Is perception permanent or impermanent? … Are volitional formations permanent or impermanent? … Is consciousness permanent or impermanent?"
"Impermanent, venerable sir."
"Is what is impermanent suffering or happiness?"
"Suffering, venerable sir."
"Is what is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change fit to be regarded thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self’?"
"No, venerable sir."
"Therefore any kind of form, feeling, perception, volitional formations, or consciousness whatsoever, whether past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near – all of these should be seen as they really are with correct wisdom thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’
Seeing thus, bhikkhus, the instructed noble disciple experiences revulsion towards form, revulsion towards feeling, revulsion towards perception, revulsion towards volitional formations, revulsion towards consciousness.
Experiencing revulsion, he becomes dispassionate. Through dispassion his mind is liberated. When it is liberated there comes the knowledge: ‘It's liberated.’ He understands: ‘Destroyed is birth, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more for this state of being.’"
8"What do you think, Anuradha, do you regard form as the Tathāgata?"
"No, venerable sir."
"Do you regard feeling … perception … volitional formations … consciousness as the Tathāgata?"
"No, venerable sir."
9"What do you think, Anuradha, do you regard the Tathāgata as in form?"
"No, venerable sir."
"Do you regard the Tathāgata as apart from form?"
"No, venerable sir."
"Do you regard the Tathāgata as in feeling? As apart from feeling? As in perception? As apart from perception? As in volitional formations? As apart from volitional formations? As in consciousness? As apart from consciousness?"
"No, venerable sir."
10"What do you think, Anuradha, do you regard form, feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness taken together as the Tathāgata?"
"No, venerable sir."
11"What do you think, Anuradha, do you regard the Tathāgata as one who is without form, without feeling, without perception, without volitional formations, without consciousness?"
"No, venerable sir."
12"But, Anuradha, when the Tathāgata is not apprehended by you as real and actual here in this very life, is it fitting for you to declare: ‘Friends, when a Tathāgata is describing a Tathāgata—the highest type of person, the supreme person, the attainer of the supreme attainment—he describes him apart from these four cases: sn.iii.119 ‘The Tathāgata exists after death,’ or … ‘The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death’?"
"No, venerable sir."
13"Good, good, Anuradha! Formerly, Anuradha, and also now, I make known just suffering and the cessation of suffering." [n.165] This oft-quoted dictum can be interpreted at two levels. At the more superficial level the Buddha can be read as saying that he does not make any declaration about such metaphysical questions as an afterlife but teaches only a practical path for reaching the end of suffering here and now. This interpretation, however, does not connect the dictum with the Buddha’s previous statement that the Tathāgata is not apprehended in this very life. To make this connection we have to bring in the second interpretation, according to which the "Tathāgata" is a mere term of conventional usage referring to a compound of impermanent formations, which are "suffering" because they contain no permanent essence. It is just these that stand while the Tathāgata lives, and just these that cease with his passing away. The context in which the dictum occurs at MN I 140,14–15 also supports this interpretation.
1Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā vesāliyaṁ vihārati mahāvane kūṭāgārasālāyaṁ. Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā anurādho bhagavato avidūre araññakuṭikāyaṁ vihārati. Atha kho sambahulā aññatitthiyā paribbājakā yenāyasmā anurādho tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā anurādhena saddhiṁ sammodiṁsu. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te aññatitthiyā paribbājakā āyasmantaṁ anurādhaṁ etadavocuṁ:
"yo so, āvuso anurādha, tathāgato uttamapuriso paramapuriso paramapattipatto, taṁ tathāgato imesu catūsu ṭhānesu paññāpayamāno paññāpeti: ‘hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti vā, ‘Na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti vā, ‘hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti vā, ‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti vā"ti?
2Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā anurādho te aññatitthiye paribbājake etadavoca: "yo so āvuso tathāgato uttamapuriso paramapuriso paramapattipatto taṁ tathāgato aññatra imehi catūhi ṭhānehi paññāpayamāno paññāpeti: ‘hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti vā, ‘Na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti vā, ‘hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti vā, ‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti vā"ti.
Evaṁ vutte, aññatitthiyā paribbājakā āyasmantaṁ anurādhaṁ etadavocuṁ: "so cāyaṁ bhikkhu navo bhavissati acirapabbajito, thero vā pana bālo abyatto"ti.
Atha kho aññatitthiyā paribbājakā āyasmantaṁ anurādhaṁ navavādena ca bālavādena ca apasādetvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkamiṁsu.
3Atha kho āyasmato anurādhassa acirapakkantesu tesu aññatitthiyesu paribbājakesu etadahosi: "Sace kho maṁ te aññatitthiyā paribbājakā uttariṁ pañhaṁ puccheyyuṁ. Kathaṁ byākaramāno nu khvāhaṁ tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ vuttavādī ceva bhagavato assaṁ, na ca bhagavantaṁ abhūtena abbhācikkheyyaṁ, dhammassa cānudhammaṁ byākareyyaṁ, na ca koci sahadhammiko vādānuvādo gārayhaṁ ṭhānaṁ āgaccheyyā"ti?
4Atha kho āyasmā anurādho yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā … pe … ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā anurādho bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: "Idhāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavato avidūre araññakuṭikāyaṁ viharāmi. Atha kho, bhante, sambahulā aññatitthiyā paribbājakā yenāhaṁ tenupasaṅkamiṁsu … pe … maṁ etadavocuṁ: ‘yo so, āvuso anurādha, tathāgato uttamapuriso paramapuriso paramapattipatto taṁ tathāgato imesu catūsu ṭhānesu paññāpayamāno paññāpeti – hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇāti vā, na hoti … hoti ca na ca hoti, neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇāti vā’"ti?
5Evaṁ vuttāhaṁ, bhante, te aññatitthiye paribbājake etadavocaṁ: "yo so, āvuso, tathāgato uttamapuriso paramapuriso paramapattipatto, taṁ tathāgato aññatra imehi catūhi ṭhānehi paññāpayamāno paññāpeti: ‘hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti vā … pe … ‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti vāti. Evaṁ vutte, bhante, te aññatitthiyā paribbājakā maṁ etadavocuṁ: ‘so cāyaṁ bhikkhu na vo bhavissati acirapabbajito thero vā pana bālo abyatto’ti. Atha kho maṁ, bhante, te aññatitthiyā paribbājakā navavādena ca bālavādena ca apasādetvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkamiṁsu.
6Tassa mayhaṁ, bhante, acirapakkantesu tesu aññatitthiyesu paribbājakesu etadahosi: ‘sace kho maṁ te aññatitthiyā paribbājakā uttariṁ pañhaṁ puccheyyuṁ. Kathaṁ byākaramāno nu khvāhaṁ tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ vuttavādī ceva bhagavato assaṁ, na ca bhagavantaṁ abhūtena abbhācikkheyyaṁ, dhammassa cānudhammaṁ byākareyyaṁ, na ca koci sahadhammiko vādānuvādo gārayhaṁ ṭhānaṁ āgaccheyyā’"ti?
7"Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, anurādha, rūpaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā"ti?
"Aniccaṁ, bhante".
"Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vā taṁ sukhaṁ vā"ti?
"Dukkhaṁ, bhante".
"Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ: ‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’"ti?
"No hetaṁ, bhante".
"Vedanā … saññā … saṅkhārā … viññāṇaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā"ti?
"Aniccaṁ, bhante" … pe …
"Tasmātiha … pe …
Evaṁ passaṁ … pe
… nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānāti".
8"Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, anurādha, rūpaṁ tathāgatoti samanupassasī"ti? "No hetaṁ, bhante". "vedanāṁ … saññaṁ … saṅkhāre … viññāṇaṁ tathāgatoti samanupassasī"ti? "No hetaṁ, bhante".
9"Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, anurādha, rūpasmiṁ tathāgatoti samanupassasī"ti? "No hetaṁ, bhante". "Aññatra rūpā tathāgatoti samanupassasī"ti? "No hetaṁ, bhante". "Vedanāya … pe … aññatra vedanāya … pe … saññāya … aññatra saññāya … saṅkhāresu … aññatra saṅkhārehi … viññāṇasmiṁ … aññatra viññāṇā tathāgatoti samanupassasī"ti? "No hetaṁ, bhante".
10"Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, anurādha, rūpaṁ … vedanā … saññā … saṅkhārā … viññāṇaṁ tathāgatoti samanupassasī"ti? "No hetaṁ, bhante".
11"Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, anurādha, ayaṁ so arūpī … avedano … asaññī … asaṅkhāro … aviññāṇo tathāgatoti samanupassasī"ti? "No hetaṁ, bhante".
12"Ettha ca te, anurādha, diṭṭheva dhamme saccato thetato tathāgate anupalabbhiyamāne kallaṁ nu te taṁ veyyākaraṇaṁ: ‘yo so, āvuso, tathāgato uttamapuriso paramapuriso paramapattipatto taṁ tathāgato aññatra imehi catūhi ṭhānehi paññāpayamāno paññāpeti – hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇāti vā … na hoti … hoti ca na ca hoti … neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇāti vā’"ti?
"No hetaṁ, bhante".
13"Sādhu sādhu, anurādha. Pubbe cāhaṁ, anurādha, etarahi ca dukkhañceva paññapemi, dukkhassa ca nirodhan"ti.
Catutthaṁ.