SN51:15 The Brahmin Uṇṇabha
- DG BB TBW © Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi. (More copyright information)
1Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Venerable Ānanda was dwelling at Kosambi in Ghosita's Park. sn.v.272 Then the brahmin Uṇṇabha approached the Venerable Ānanda and exchanged greetings with him. [n.265] A brahmin of this name appears at SN48.42. It is uncertain whether the two are the same person. When they had concluded their greetings and cordial talk, he sat down to one side and said to the Venerable Ānanda: "For what purpose, Master Ānanda, is the holy life lived under the ascetic Gotama?"
"It is for the sake of abandoning desire, brahmin, that the holy life is lived under the Blessed One."
2"But, Master Ānanda, is there a path, is there a way for the abandoning of this desire?"
"There is a path, brahmin, there is a way for the abandoning of this desire."
3"But, Master Ānanda, what is the path, what is the way for the abandoning of this desire?"
"Here, brahmin, a bhikkhu develops the basis for spiritual power that possesses concentration due to desire and volitional formations of striving. He develops the basis for spiritual power that possesses concentration due to energy … concentration due to mind … concentration due to investigation and volitional formations of striving. This, brahmin, is the path, this is the way for the abandoning of this desire."
4"Such being the case, Master Ānanda, the situation is interminable, not terminable. [n.266] All three eds. read here santakaṁ hoti no asantakaṁ. This, however, is exactly the wording we find at the end of the sutta, when the brahmin has been won over by Ānanda's argument. Spk offers no help, but as Woodward realized, the reading required is found in SS: anantakaṁ hoti no santakaṁ, "it is without an end (i.e., an infinite regress), not with an end." Santaka is sa + antaka. It is impossible that one can abandon desire by means of desire itself."
"Well then, brahmin, I will question you about this matter. Answer as you see fit. What do you think, brahmin, did you earlier have the desire, ‘I will go to the park,’ and after you went to the park, did the corresponding desire subside?"
"Yes, sir."
"Did you earlier arouse energy, thinking, ‘I will go to the park,’ and after you went to the park, did the corresponding energy subside?" sn.v.273
"Yes, sir."
"Did you earlier make up your mind, ‘I will go to the park,’ and after you went to the park, did the corresponding resolution [n.267] The Pāli has citta, but "mind" would not work here. subside?"
"Yes, sir."
"Did you earlier make an investigation, ‘Shall I go to the park?’ and after you went to the park, did the corresponding investigation subside?"
"Yes, sir."
5"It is exactly the same, brahmin, with a bhikkhu who is an arahant, one whose taints are destroyed, who has lived the holy life, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, reached his own goal, utterly destroyed the fetters of existence, and is completely liberated through final knowledge. He earlier had the desire for the attainment of arahantship, and when he attained arahantship, the corresponding desire subsided. He earlier had aroused energy for the attainment of arahantship, and when he attained arahantship, the corresponding energy subsided. He earlier had made up his mind to attain arahantship, and when he attained arahantship, the corresponding resolution subsided. He earlier made an investigation for the attainment of arahantship, and when he attained arahantship, the corresponding investigation subsided. [n.268] Cp. AN II 145,35–146,21, where Ānanda shows how craving is abandoned in reliance upon craving, conceit in reliance upon conceit.
"What do you think, brahmin, such being the case, is the situation terminable or interminable?"
6"Surely, Master Ānanda, such being the case, the situation is terminable, not interminable. [n.269] Here again all three eds. read santakaṁ hoti no asantakaṁ. And again, the most intelligible reading is buried in SS: santakaṁ hoti no anantakaṁ. Magnificent, Master Ānanda! … From today let Master Ānanda remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life."
1Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā ānando kosambiyaṁ vihārati ghositārāme. Atha kho uṇṇābho brāhmaṇo yenāyasmā ānando tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā ānandena saddhiṁ sammodi. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho uṇṇābho brāhmaṇo āyasmantaṁ Ānandaṁ etadavoca: "kimatthiyaṁ nu kho, bho Ānanda, samaṇe gotame brahmacariyaṁ vussatī"ti?
"Chandappahānatthaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa, bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussatī"ti.
2"Atthi pana, bho Ānanda, maggo atthi paṭipadā etassa chandassa pahānāyā"ti?
"Atthi kho, brāhmaṇa, maggo, atthi paṭipadā etassa chandassa pahānāyā"ti.
3"Katamo pana, bho Ānanda, maggo katamā paṭipadā etassa chandassa pahānāyā"ti?
"Idha, brāhmaṇa, bhikkhu chandasamādhippadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ iddhi pādaṁ bhāveti, vīriyasamādhi … pe … cittasamādhi … vīmaṁsāsamādhippadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ iddhi pādaṁ bhāveti – ayaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa, maggo ayaṁ paṭipadā etassa chandassa pahānāyā"ti.
4"Evaṁ sante, bho Ānanda, santakaṁ hoti no asantakaṁ. Chandeneva chandaṁ pajahissatīti – netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati".
"Tena hi, brāhmaṇa, taññevettha paṭipucchissāmi. Yathā te khameyya tathā taṁ byākareyyāsi. Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, brāhmaṇa, ahosi te pubbe chando ‘ārāmaṁ gamissāmī’ti? Tassa te ārāmagatassa yo tajjo chando so paṭippassaddho"ti?
"Evaṁ, bho".
"Ahosi te pubbe vīriyaṁ ‘ārāmaṁ gamissāmī’ti? Tassa te ārāmagatassa yaṁ tajjaṁ vīriyaṁ taṁ paṭippassaddhan"ti?
"Evaṁ, bho".
"Ahosi te pubbe cittaṁ ‘ārāmaṁ gamissāmī’ti? Tassa te ārāmagatassa yaṁ tajjaṁ cittaṁ taṁ paṭippassaddhan"ti?
"Evaṁ, bho".
"Ahosi te pubbe vīmaṁsā ‘ārāmaṁ gamissāmī’ti? Tassa te ārāmagatassa yā tajjā vīmaṁsā sā paṭippassaddhā"ti?
"Evaṁ, bho".
5"Evameva kho, brāhmaṇa, yo so bhikkhu arahaṁ khīṇāsavo vusitavā katakaraṇīyo ohitabhāro anuppattasadattho parikkhīṇabhavasaṁyojano sammadaññāvimutto, tassa yo pubbe chando ahosi arahattappattiyā, arahattappatte yo tajjo chando so paṭippassaddho; yaṁ pubbe vīriyaṁ ahosi arahattappattiyā, arahattappatte yaṁ tajjaṁ vīriyaṁ taṁ paṭippassaddhaṁ; yaṁ pubbe cittaṁ ahosi arahattappattiyā, arahattappatte yaṁ tajjaṁ cittaṁ taṁ paṭippassaddhaṁ; yā pubbe vīmaṁsā ahosi arahattappattiyā, arahattappatte yā tajjā vīmaṁsā sā paṭippassaddhā.
Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, brāhmaṇa, iti evaṁ sante, santakaṁ vā hoti no asantakaṁ vā"ti?
6"Addhā, bho Ānanda, evaṁ sante, santakaṁ hoti no asantakaṁ. Abhikkantaṁ, bho Ānanda, abhikkantaṁ, bho Ānanda. Seyyathāpi, bho Ānanda, nikkujjitaṁ vā ukkujjeyya, paṭicchannaṁ vā vivareyya, mūḷhassa vā maggaṁ ācikkheyya, andhakāre vā telapajjotaṁ dhāreyya: ‘cakkhumanto rūpāni dakkhantī’ti; evamevaṁ bhotā ānandena anekapariyāyena dhammo pakāsito. Esāhaṁ, bho Ānanda, taṁ bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi dhammañca bhikkhusaṅghañca. Upāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ ānando dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan"ti.
Pañcamaṁ.