SN44:7 Moggallana
- DG BB TBW © Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi. (More copyright information)
1Then the wanderer Vacchagotta approached the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna and exchanged greetings with him. When they had concluded their greetings and cordial talk, he sat down to one side and said to the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna:
2"How is it, Master Moggallana, is the world eternal?"
"Vaccha, the Blessed One has not declared this: ‘The world is eternal.’"
"Then, Master Moggallana, is the world not eternal?"
"Vaccha, the Blessed One has not declared this either: ‘The world is not eternal.’"
"How is it then, Master Moggallana, is the world finite?"
"Vaccha, the Blessed One has not declared this: ‘The world is finite.’"
"Then, Master Moggallana, is the world infinite?"
"Vaccha, the Blessed One has not declared this either: ‘The world is infinite.’" sn.iv.392
"How is it then, Master Moggallana, are the soul and the body the same?"
"Vaccha, the Blessed One has not declared this: ‘The soul and the body are the same.’"
"Then, Master Moggallana, is the soul one thing, the body another?"
"Vaccha, the Blessed One has not declared this either: ‘The soul is one thing, the body is another.’"
"How is it, Master Moggallana, does the Tathāgata exist after death?"
"Vaccha, the Blessed One has not declared this: ‘The Tathāgata exists after death.’"
"Then, Master Moggallana, does the Tathāgata not exist after death?"
"Vaccha, the Blessed One has not declared this either: ‘The Tathāgata does not exist after death.’"
"How is it, then, Master Moggallana, does the Tathāgata both exist and not exist after death?"
"Vaccha, the Blessed One has not declared this either: ‘The Tathāgata both exists and does not exist after death.’"
"Then, Master Moggallana, does the Tathāgata neither exist nor not exist after death?"
"Vaccha, the Blessed One has not declared this either: ‘The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death.’"
3"What, Master Moggallana, is the cause and reason why, when wanderers of other sects are asked such questions, they give such answers as: ‘The world is eternal’ or ‘The world is not eternal’; or ‘The world is finite’ or ‘The world is infinite’; or ‘The soul and the body are the same’ or ‘The soul is one thing, the body is another’; or ‘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’? sn.iv.393 And what is the cause and reason why, when the ascetic Gotama is asked such questions, he does not give such answers?"
4"Vaccha, wanderers of other sects regard the eye thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self.’ They regard the ear … the nose … the tongue … the body … the mind thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self.’ Therefore, when the wanderers of other sects are asked such questions, they give such answers as: ‘The world is eternal’ … or ‘The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death.’ But, Vaccha, the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One, regards the eye thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’ He regards the ear … the mind thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’ Therefore, when the Tathāgata is asked such questions, he does not give such answers."
5Then the wanderer Vacchagotta rose from his seat and approached the Blessed One. He exchanged greetings with the Blessed One …and said to him:
"How is it, good Gotama, is the world eternal?"
All as above down to:
"Vaccha, I have not declared this either: ‘The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death.’" sn.iv.394
6"What, Master Gotama, is the cause and reason why, when wanderers of other sects are asked such questions, they give such answers as: ‘The world is eternal’ … or ‘The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death’? And what is the cause and reason why, when the ascetic Gotama is asked such questions, he does not give such answers?"
7"Vaccha, wanderers of other sects regard the eye … the mind thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self.’ Therefore, when the wanderers of other sects are asked such questions, they give such answers as: ‘The world is eternal’ … or ‘The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death.’ But, Vaccha, the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One, regards the eye … the mind thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’ Therefore, when the Tathāgata is asked such questions, he does not give such answers."
8"It is wonderful, Master Gotama! It is amazing, Master Gotama! 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. Just now, Master Gotama, I approached the ascetic Moggallana sn.iv.395 and asked him about this matter. The ascetic Moggallana explained this matter to me in exactly the same terms and phrases that Master Gotama used. It is wonderful, Master Gotama! It is amazing, Master Gotama! 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."
1Atha kho vacchagotto paribbājako yenāyasmā mahāmoggallāno tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā mahāmoggallānena saddhiṁ sammodi. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho vacchagotto paribbājako āyasmantaṁ mahāmoggallānaṁ etadavoca:
2"Kiṁ nu kho, bho moggallāna, sassato loko"ti?
"Abyākataṁ kho etaṁ, vaccha, bhagavatā: ‘sassato loko’"ti.
"Kiṁ pana, bho moggallāna, asassato loko"ti?
"Etampi kho, vaccha, abyākataṁ bhagavatā: ‘asassato loko’"ti.
"Kiṁ nu kho, bho moggallāna, antavā loko"ti?
"Abyākataṁ kho etaṁ, vaccha, bhagavatā: ‘antavā loko’"ti.
"Kiṁ pana, bho moggallāna, anantavā loko"ti?
"Etampi kho, vaccha, abyākataṁ bhagavatā: ‘anantavā loko’"ti.
"Kiṁ nu kho, bho moggallāna, taṁ jīvaṁ taṁ sarīran"ti?
"Abyākataṁ kho etaṁ, vaccha, bhagavatā: ‘taṁ jīvaṁ taṁ sarīran’"ti.
"Kiṁ pana, bho moggallāna, aññaṁ jīvaṁ aññaṁ sarīran"ti?
"Etampi kho, vaccha, abyākataṁ bhagavatā: ‘aññaṁ jīvaṁ aññaṁ sarīran’"ti.
"Kiṁ nu kho, bho moggallāna, hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā"ti?
"Abyākataṁ kho etaṁ, vaccha, bhagavatā: ‘hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’"ti.
"Kiṁ pana, bho moggallāna, na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā"ti?
"Etampi kho, vaccha, abyākataṁ bhagavatā: ‘Na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’"ti.
"Kiṁ nu kho, bho moggallāna, hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā"ti?
"Abyākataṁ kho etaṁ, vaccha, bhagavatā: ‘hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’"ti.
"Kiṁ pana, bho moggallāna, neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā"ti?
"Etampi kho, vaccha, abyākataṁ bhagavatā: ‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’"ti.
3"Ko nu kho, bho moggallāna, hetu ko paccayo, yena aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ evaṁ puṭṭhānaṁ evaṁ veyyākaraṇaṁ hoti – sassato lokoti vā, asassato lokoti vā, antavā lokoti vā, anantavā lokoti vā, taṁ jīvaṁ taṁ sarīranti vā, aññaṁ jīvaṁ aññaṁ sarīranti vā, hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇāti vā, na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇāti vā, hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇāti vā, neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇāti vā? Ko pana, bho moggallāna, hetu ko paccayo, yena samaṇassa gotamassa evaṁ puṭṭhassa na evaṁ veyyākaraṇaṁ hoti – sassato lokotipi, asassato lokotipi, antavā lokotipi, anantavā lokotipi, taṁ jīvaṁ taṁ sarīrantipi, aññaṁ jīvaṁ aññaṁ sarīrantipi, hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇātipi, na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇātipi, hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇātipi, neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇātipī"ti?
4"Aññatitthiyā kho, vaccha, paribbājakā cakkhuṁ ‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’ti samanupassanti … pe … jivhaṁ ‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’ti samanupassanti … pe … manaṁ ‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’ti samanupassanti. Tasmā aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ evaṁ puṭṭhānaṁ evaṁ veyyākaraṇaṁ hoti – sassato lokoti vā … pe … neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇāti vā. Tathāgato ca kho, vaccha, arahaṁ sammāsambuddho cakkhuṁ ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti samanupassati … pe … jivhaṁ ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti samanupassati … pe … manaṁ ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti samanupassati. Tasmā tathāgatassa evaṁ puṭṭhassa na evaṁ veyyākaraṇaṁ hoti – sassato lokotipi … pe … neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇātipī"ti.
5Atha kho vacchagotto paribbājako uṭṭhāyāsanā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho vacchagotto paribbājako bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
"Kiṁ nu kho, bho gotama, sassato loko"ti?
"Abyākataṁ kho etaṁ, vaccha, mayā: ‘sassato loko’ti … pe … .
"Kiṁ pana, bho gotama, neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā"ti?
"Etampi kho, vaccha, abyākataṁ mayā: ‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’"ti.
6"Ko nu kho, bho gotama, hetu ko paccayo, yena aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ evaṁ puṭṭhānaṁ evaṁ veyyākaraṇaṁ hoti: ‘sassato loko’ti vā … pe … ‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti vā? Ko pana, bho gotama, hetu ko paccayo, yena bhoto gotamassa evaṁ puṭṭhassa na evaṁ veyyākaraṇaṁ hoti: ‘sassato loko’tipi … pe … ‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipī"ti?
7"Aññatitthiyā kho, vaccha, paribbājakā cakkhuṁ ‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’ti samanupassanti … pe … jivhaṁ ‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’ti samanupassanti … pe … manaṁ ‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’ti samanupassanti. Tasmā aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ evaṁ puṭṭhānaṁ evaṁ veyyākaraṇaṁ hoti: ‘sassato loko’ti vā … pe … ‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti vā. Tathāgato ca kho, vaccha, arahaṁ sammāsambuddho cakkhuṁ ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti samanupassati … pe … jivhaṁ ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti samanupassati … pe … manaṁ ‘netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti samanupassati. Tasmā tathāgatassa evaṁ puṭṭhassa na evaṁ veyyākaraṇaṁ hoti: ‘sassato loko’tipi, ‘asassato loko’tipi, ‘antavā loko’tipi, ‘anantavā loko’tipi, ‘taṁ jīvaṁ taṁ sarīran’tipi, ‘aññaṁ jīvaṁ aññaṁ sarīran’tipi, ‘hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipi, ‘Na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipi, ‘hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipi, ‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipī"ti.
8"Acchariyaṁ, bho gotama, abbhutaṁ, bho gotama. Yatra hi nāma satthu ca sāvakassa ca atthena attho byañjanena byañjanaṁ saṁsandissati samessati na virodhayissati, yadidaṁ aggapadasmiṁ. Idānāhaṁ, bho gotama, samaṇaṁ mahāmoggallānaṁ upasaṅkamitvā etamatthaṁ apucchiṁ. Samaṇopi me moggallāno etehi padehi etehi byañjanehi tamatthaṁ byākāsi, seyyathāpi bhavaṁ gotamo. Acchariyaṁ, bho gotama, abbhutaṁ, bho gotama. Yatra hi nāma satthu ca sāvakassa ca atthena attho byañjanena byañjanaṁ saṁsandissati samessati na virodhayissati, yadidaṁ aggapadasmin"ti.
Sattamaṁ.