SN44:1 Khema
- DG BB TBW © Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi. (More copyright information)
1On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park. Now on that occasion the bhikkhunī Khema, [n.373] At AN1.236 (AN I 25,19) she is declared the foremost bhikkhunī among those with great wisdom (etadaggaṁ mahāpaññānaṁ), and at SN17.24 she is extolled as a model for the other bhikkhunīs. For a biographical sketch, see Hecker, "Great Woman Disciples of the Buddha," in Nyanaponika and Hecker, Great Disciples of the Buddha, pp. 263–66, and Pruitt, Commentary on the Verses of the Therīs, pp. 164–74. while wandering on tour among the Kosalans, had taken up residence in Toraṇavatthu between Sāvatthī and Saketa. Then King Pasenadi of Kosala, while travelling from Saketa to Sāvatthī, took up residence for one night in Toraṇavatthu between Saketa and Sāvatthī. Then King Pasenadi of Kosala addressed a man thus: "Go, good man, and find out whether there is any ascetic or brahmin in Toraṇavatthu whom I could visit today."
2"Yes, sire," the man replied, but though he traversed the whole of Toraṇavatthu he did not see any ascetic or brahmin there whom King Pasenadi could visit. The man did see, however, the bhikkhunī Khema resident in Toraṇavatthu, so he approached King Pasenadi and said to him:
3"Sire, there is no ascetic or brahmin in Toraṇavatthu whom your majesty could visit. But, sire, there is the bhikkhunī named Khema, a disciple of the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One. Now a good report concerning this revered lady has spread about thus: sn.iv.375 ‘She is wise, competent, intelligent, learned, a splendid speaker, ingenious.’ Let your majesty visit her."
4Then King Pasenadi of Kosala approached the bhikkhunī Khema, paid homage to her, sat down to one side, and said to her:
"How is it, revered lady, does the Tathāgata exist after death?" [n.374] As at SN16.12, 24:15–18, 33:1–55.
"Great king, the Blessed One has not declared this: ‘The Tathāgata exists after death.’"
"Then, revered lady, does the Tathāgata not exist after death?"
"Great king, the Blessed One has not declared this either: ‘The Tathāgata does not exist after death.’"
"How is it then, revered lady, does the Tathāgata both exist and not exist after death?"
"Great king, the Blessed One has not declared this: ‘The Tathāgata both exists and does not exist after death.’"
"Then, revered lady, does the Tathāgata neither exist nor not exist after death?"
"Great king, the Blessed One has not declared this either: ‘The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death.’"
5"How is this, revered lady? When asked, ‘How is it, revered lady, does the Tathāgata exist after death?’ … And when asked, ‘Then, revered lady, does the Tathāgata neither exist nor not exist after death?’—in each case you say: ‘Great king, the Blessed One has not declared this.’ What now, sn.iv.376 revered lady, is the cause and reason why this has not been declared by the Blessed One?"
6"Well then, great king, I will question you about this same matter. Answer as you see fit. What do you think, great king? Do you have an accountant or calculator or mathematician who can count the grains of sand in the river Ganges thus: ‘There are so many grains of sand,’ or ‘There are so many hundreds of grains of sand,’ or ‘There are so many thousands of grains of sand,’ or ‘There are so many hundreds of thousands of grains of sand’?"
"No, revered lady."
"Then, great king, do you have an accountant or calculator or mathematician who can count the water in the great ocean thus: ‘There are so many gallons of water,’ or ‘There are so many hundreds of gallons of water,’ or ‘There are so many thousands of gallons of water,’ or ‘There are so many hundreds of thousands of gallons of water’?"
"No, revered lady. For what reason? Because the great ocean is deep, immeasurable, hard to fathom."
"So too, [n.375] The reply here is identical with the Buddha’s famous reply to Vacchagotta at MN72 (MN I 487–88). Though worded in terms of the Tathāgata, the questions refer to any arahant misconceived as a "being" or a self. great king, that form by which one describing the Tathāgata might describe him has been abandoned by the Tathāgata, cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated so that it is no more subject to future arising. The Tathāgata, great king, is liberated from reckoning in terms of form; he is deep, immeasurable, hard to fathom like the great ocean. [n.376] Spk: "The form by which one might describe the Tathāgata" considered as a being (sattasaṅkhātaṁ tathāgataṁ)—as tall or short, dark or light, etc.—has been abandoned by the omniscient Tathāgata through the abandoning of its origin. He is "liberated from reckoning in terms of form" (rūpasaṅkhāya vimutto), that is, because there will be no arising of form in the future for him, even the statement, "He will be such and such" through his physical form and mental qualities, loses its validity; thus he is liberated even from description by way of form. He is deep (gambhīra) through the depth of his inclination (ajjhāsayagambhı̄ratā) and through the depth of his qualities (guṇagambhīratā). As to the description that might be used in relation to the omniscient Tathāgata with such deep qualities, considering him as a being, when one sees the nonexistence (invalidity) of this description (Spk-pṭ: "a being") owing to the nonexistence (Spk-pṭ: of the five aggregates), then the statement "The Tathāgata—considered as a being—exists after death" does not apply, i.e., it is not valid. ‘The Tathāgata exists after death’ does not apply; ‘the Tathāgata does not exist after death’ does not apply; ‘the Tathāgata both exists and does not exist after death’ does not apply; ‘the Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death’ does not apply.
7"That feeling by which one describing the Tathāgata might describe him sn.iv.377 …
8That perception by which one describing the Tathāgata might describe him … Those volitional formations by which one describing the Tathāgata might describe him … That consciousness by which one describing the Tathāgata might describe him has been abandoned by the Tathāgata, cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated so that it is no more subject to future arising.
9The Tathāgata, great king, is liberated from reckoning in terms of consciousness; he is deep, immeasurable, hard to fathom like the great ocean. ‘The Tathāgata exists after death’ does not apply; ‘the Tathāgata does not exist after death’ does not apply; ‘the Tathāgata both exists and does not exist after death’ does not apply; ‘the Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death’ does not apply."
Then King Pasenadi of Kosala, having delighted and rejoiced in the bhikkhunī Khema's statement, rose from his seat, paid homage to her, and departed, keeping her on his right.
10Then, on a later occasion, King Pasenadi of Kosala approached the Blessed One. Having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One, sat down to one side, and said to him:
"How is it, venerable sir, does the Tathāgata exist after death?" sn.iv.378
"Great king, I have not declared this: ‘The Tathāgata exists after death.’"
All as above down to:
"Great king, I have not declared this either: ‘The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death.’"
"How is this, venerable sir? When asked, ‘How is it, venerable sir, does the Tathāgata exist after death?’ … And when asked, ‘Then, venerable sir, does the Tathāgata neither exist nor not exist after death?’—in each case you say: ‘Great king, I have not declared this.’ What now, venerable sir, is the cause and reason why this has not been declared by the Blessed One?"
11–12"Well then, great king, I will question you about this same matter. Answer as you see fit. What do you think, great king? Do you have an accountant or calculator or mathematician … all as above down to: sn.iv.379 …
The Tathāgata, great king, is liberated from reckoning in terms of consciousness: he is deep, immeasurable, hard to fathom like the great ocean. ‘The Tathāgata exists after death’ does not apply; ‘the Tathāgata does not exist after death’ does not apply; ‘the Tathāgata both exists and does not exist after death’ does not apply; ‘the Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death’ does not apply."
13"It is wonderful, venerable sir! It is amazing, venerable sir! How the meaning and the phrasing of both teacher and disciple coincide and agree with each other and do not diverge, that is, in regard to the chief matter. [n.377] Be and Ee read the last verb as virodhāyissati, Se vihayissati. Spk glosses na viruddhaṁ padaṁ (Se: viruddhasaddaṁ) bhavissati; "there will be no contradictory term." Spk glosses aggapadasmiṁ simply as "in the teaching" (desanāya). Aggapadasmiṁ occurs also at AN11.7 (AN V 320,32), glossed by Mp with nibbane. On one occasion, venerable sir, I approached the bhikkhunī Khema and asked her about this matter. The revered lady explained this matter to me in exactly the same terms and phrases that the Blessed One used. It is wonderful, venerable sir! It is amazing, venerable sir! How the meaning and the phrasing of both teacher and disciple coincide and agree with each other and do not diverge, that is, in regard to the chief matter. Now, venerable sir, we must go. We are busy and have much to do."
"Then, great king, you may go at your own convenience."
Then King Pasenadi of Kosala, having delighted and rejoiced in the Blessed One's statement, sn.iv.380 rose from his seat, paid homage to him, and departed, keeping him on his right.
1Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ vihārati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tena kho pana samayena khemā bhikkhunī kosalesu cārikaṁ caramānā antarā ca sāvatthiṁ antarā ca sāketaṁ toraṇavatthusmiṁ vāsaṁ upagatā hoti. Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo sāketā sāvatthiṁ gacchanto, antarā ca sāketaṁ antarā ca sāvatthiṁ toraṇavatthusmiṁ ekarattivāsaṁ upagacchi. Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo aññataraṁ purisaṁ āmantesi: "ehi tvaṁ, ambho purisa, toraṇavatthusmiṁ tathārūpaṁ samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā jāna yamahaṁ ajja payirupāseyyan"ti.
2"Evaṁ, devā"ti kho so puriso rañño pasenadissa kosalassa paṭissutvā kevalakappaṁ toraṇavatthuṁ āhiṇḍanto nāddasa tathārūpaṁ samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā yaṁ rājā pasenadi kosalo payirupāseyya. Addasā kho so puriso khemaṁ bhikkhuniṁ toraṇavatthusmiṁ vāsaṁ upagataṁ. Disvāna yena rājā pasenadi kosalo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā rājānaṁ pasenadiṁ kosalaṁ etadavoca:
3"Natthi kho, deva, toraṇavatthusmiṁ tathārūpo samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā yaṁ devo payirupāseyya. Atthi ca kho, deva, khemā nāma bhikkhunī, tassa bhagavato sāvikā arahato sammāsambuddhassa. Tassā kho pana ayyāya evaṁ kalyāṇo kittisaddo abbhuggato: ‘paṇḍitā, viyattā medhāvinī bahussutā cittakathā kalyāṇapaṭibhānā’ti. Taṁ devo payirupāsatū"ti.
4Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo yena khemā bhikkhunī tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā khemaṁ bhikkhuniṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho rājā pasenadi kosalo khemaṁ bhikkhuniṁ etadavoca:
"Kiṁ nu kho, ayye, hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā"ti?
"Abyākataṁ kho etaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā: ‘hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’"ti.
"Kiṁ panayye, na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā"ti?
"Etampi kho, mahārāja, abyākataṁ bhagavatā: ‘Na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’"ti.
"Kiṁ nu kho, ayye, hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā"ti?
"Abyākataṁ kho etaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā: ‘hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’"ti.
"Kiṁ panayye, neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā"ti.
"Etampi kho, mahārāja, abyākataṁ bhagavatā: ‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’"ti.
5"‘Kiṁ nu kho, ayye, hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti, iti puṭṭhā samānā: ‘abyākataṁ kho etaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā – hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti vadesi. ‘Kiṁ panayye, na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti iti puṭṭhā samānā: ‘etampi kho, mahārāja, abyākataṁ bhagavatā – na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti vadesi. ‘Kiṁ nu kho, ayye, hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti iti puṭṭhā samānā: ‘abyākataṁ kho etaṁ, mahārāja, bhagavatā – hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti vadesi. ‘Kiṁ panayye, neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti iti puṭṭhā samānā: ‘etampi kho, mahārāja, abyākataṁ bhagavatā – neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti vadesi. Ko nu kho, ayye, hetu, ko paccayo yenetaṁ abyākataṁ bhagavatā"ti?
6"Tena hi, mahārāja, taññevettha paṭipucchissāmi. Yathā te khameyya tathā naṁ byākareyyāsi. Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, mahārāja, atthi te koci gaṇako vā muddiko vā saṅkhāyako vā yo pahoti gaṅgāya vālukaṁ gaṇetuṁ – ettakā vālukā iti vā, ettakāni vālukasatāni iti vā, ettakāni vālukasahassāni iti vā, ettakāni vālukasatasahassāni iti vā"ti?
"No hetaṁ, ayye".
"Atthi pana te koci gaṇako vā muddiko vā saṅkhāyako vā yo pahoti mahāsamudde udakaṁ gaṇetuṁ – ettakāni udakāḷhakāni iti vā, ettakāni udakāḷhakasatāni iti vā, ettakāni udakāḷhakasahassāni iti vā, ettakāni udakāḷhakasatasahassāni iti vā"ti?
"No hetaṁ, ayye". "Taṁ kissa hetu"? "Mahāyye, samuddo gambhīro appameyyo duppariyogāho"ti.
"Evameva kho, mahārāja, yena rūpena tathāgataṁ paññāpayamāno paññāpeyya taṁ rūpaṁ tathāgatassa pahīnaṁ ucchinnamūlaṁ tālāvatthukataṁ anabhāvaṅkataṁ āyatiṁ anuppāda dhammaṁ. Rūpasaṅkhāyavimutto kho, mahārāja, tathāgato gambhīro appameyyo duppariyogāho – seyyathāpi mahāsamuddo. ‘Hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipi na upeti, ‘Na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipi na upeti, ‘hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipi na upeti, ‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipi na upeti.
7Yāya vedanāya tathāgataṁ paññāpayamāno paññāpeyya, sā vedanā tathāgatassa pahīnā ucchinnamūlā tālāvatthukatā anabhāvaṅkatā āyatiṁ anuppāda dhammā. Vedanāsaṅkhāyavimutto, mahārāja, tathāgato gambhīro appameyyo duppariyogāho – seyyathāpi mahāsamuddo. ‘Hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipi na upeti, ‘Na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipi na upeti, ‘hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipi na upeti, ‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipi na upeti.
8Yāya saññāya tathāgataṁ … pe … yehi saṅkhārehi tathāgataṁ paññāpayamāno paññāpeyya, te saṅkhārā tathāgatassa pahīnā ucchinnamūlā tālāvatthukatā anabhāvaṅkatā āyatiṁ anuppāda dhammā. Sankhārasaṅkhāyavimutto kho, mahārāja, tathāgato gambhīro appameyyo duppariyogāho – seyyathāpi mahāsamuddo. ‘Hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipi na upeti, ‘Na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipi na upeti, ‘hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipi na upeti, ‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipi na upeti.
9Yena viññāṇena tathāgataṁ paññāpayamāno paññāpeyya taṁ viññāṇaṁ tathāgatassa pahīnaṁ ucchinnamūlaṁ tālāvatthukataṁ anabhāvaṅkataṁ āyatiṁ anuppāda dhammaṁ. Viññāṇasaṅkhāyavimutto kho, mahārāja, tathāgato gambhīro appameyyo duppariyogāho – seyyathāpi mahāsamuddo. ‘Hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipi na upeti, ‘Na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipi na upeti, ‘hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipi na upeti, ‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipi na upetī"ti.
Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo khemāya bhikkhuniyā bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā khemaṁ bhikkhuniṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkāmi.
10Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo aparena samayena yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho rājā pasenadi kosalo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
"Kiṁ nu kho, bhante, hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā"ti?
"Abyākataṁ kho etaṁ, mahārāja, mayā: ‘hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’"ti. "Kiṁ pana, bhante, na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā"ti? "Etampi kho, mahārāja, abyākataṁ mayā: ‘Na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’"ti.
"Kiṁ nu kho, bhante, hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā"ti? "Abyākataṁ kho etaṁ, mahārāja, mayā: ‘hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’"ti. "Kiṁ pana, bhante, neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā"ti?
"Etampi kho, mahārāja, abyākataṁ mayā: ‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’"ti. "
‘Kiṁ nu kho, bhante, hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti iti puṭṭho samāno: ‘abyākataṁ kho etaṁ, mahārāja, mayā – hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti vadesi … pe … . "‘Kiṁ pana, bhante, neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti iti puṭṭho samāno: ‘etampi kho, mahārāja, abyākataṁ mayā – neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti vadesi. Ko nu kho, bhante, hetu, ko paccayo, yenetaṁ abyākataṁ bhagavatā"ti?
11"Tena hi, mahārāja, taññevettha paṭipucchissāmi. Yathā te khameyya tathā naṁ byākareyyāsi. Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, mahārāja, atthi te koci gaṇako vā muddiko vā saṅkhāyako vā yo pahoti gaṅgāya vālukaṁ gaṇetuṁ – ettakā vālukā iti vā … pe … ettakāni vālukasatasahassāni iti vā"ti? "No hetaṁ, bhante". "Atthi pana te koci gaṇako vā muddiko vā saṅkhāyako vā yo pahoti mahāsamudde udakaṁ gaṇetuṁ – ettakāni udakāḷhakāni iti vā … pe … ettakāni udakāḷhakasatasahassāni iti vā"ti? "No hetaṁ, bhante". "Taṁ kissa hetu"? "Mahā, bhante, samuddo gambhīro appameyyo duppariyogāho. Evameva kho, mahārāja, yena rūpena tathāgataṁ paññāpayamāno paññāpeyya, taṁ rūpaṁ tathāgatassa pahīnaṁ ucchinnamūlaṁ tālāvatthukataṁ anabhāvaṅkataṁ āyatiṁ anuppāda dhammaṁ. Rūpasaṅkhāyavimutto kho, mahārāja, tathāgato gambhīro appameyyo duppariyogāho – seyyathāpi mahāsamuddo. ‘Hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipi na upeti … pe … ‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipi na upeti. Yāya vedanāya … pe … yāya saññāya … pe … yehi saṅkhārehi … pe … .
12Yena viññāṇena tathāgataṁ paññāpayamāno paññāpeyya, taṁ viññāṇaṁ tathāgatassa pahīnaṁ ucchinnamūlaṁ tālāvatthukataṁ anabhāvaṅkataṁ āyatiṁ anuppāda dhammaṁ. Viññāṇasaṅkhāyavimutto kho, mahārāja, tathāgato gambhīro appameyyo duppariyogāho – seyyathāpi mahāsamuddo. ‘Hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipi na upeti, ‘Na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipi na upeti, ‘hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipi na upeti, ‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipi na upetī"ti.
13"Acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ, bhante. Yatra hi nāma satthu ceva sāvikāya ca atthena attho byañjanena byañjanaṁ saṁsandissati, samessati, na virodhayissati yadidaṁ aggapadasmiṁ. Ekamidāhaṁ, bhante, samayaṁ khemaṁ bhikkhuniṁ upasaṅkamitvā etamatthaṁ apucchiṁ. Sāpi me ayyā etehi padehi etehi byañjanehi etamatthaṁ byākāsi, seyyathāpi bhagavā. Acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ, bhante. Yatra hi nāma satthu ceva sāvikāya ca atthena attho byañjanena byañjanaṁ saṁsandissati, samessati, na virodhayissati yadidaṁ aggapadasmiṁ. Handa dāni mayaṁ, bhante, gacchāma. Bahukiccā mayaṁ bahukaraṇīyā"ti.
"Yassadāni tvaṁ, mahārāja, kālaṁ maññasī"ti.
Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkāmīti.
Paṭhamaṁ.