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Samyutta
Nikaya XXII.86
Anuradha
Sutta
To Anuradha
Translated
from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
For free distribution only.
I
have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying
near Vesali, in the Great Wood, at the Hall of the Gabled Pavilion.
At that time Ven. Anuradha was staying not far from the Blessed
One in a wilderness hut.
Then a large number of wandering sectarians
went to Ven. Anuradha and on arrival exchanged courteous greetings
with him. After an exchange of friendly greetings & courtesies,
they sat to one side. As they were sitting there, they said
to Ven. Anuradha, "Friend Anuradha, the Tathagata -- the supreme
man, the superlative man, attainer of the superlative attainment
-- being described, is described with [one of] these four
positions: The Tathagata exists after death, does not exist
after death, both does & does not exist after death, neither
exists nor does not exist after death."
When this was said, Ven. Anuradha said to
the wandering sectarians, "Friends, the Tathagata -- the supreme
man, the superlative man, attainer of the superlative attainment
-- being described, is described otherwise than with these
four positions: The Tathagata exists after death, does not
exist after death, both does & does not exist after death,
neither exists nor does not exist after death."
When this was said, the wandering sectarians
said to Ven. Anuradha, "This monk is either a newcomer, not
long gone forth, or else an elder who is foolish & inexperienced."
So the wandering sectarians, addressing Ven. Anuradha as they
would a newcomer or a fool, got up from their seats and left.
Then not long after the wandering sectarians
had left, this thought occurred to Ven. Anuradha: "If I am
questioned again by those wandering sectarians, how will I
answer in such a way that will I speak in line with what the
Blessed One has said, will not misrepresent the Blessed One
with what is unfactual, will answer in line with the Dhamma,
so that no one whose thinking is in line with the Dhamma will
have grounds for criticizing me?"
Then Ven. Anuradha went to the Blessed One
and on arrival, having bowed down to the Blessed One, sat
to one side. As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed
One: "Just now I was staying not far from the Blessed One
in a wilderness hut. Then a large number of wandering sectarians
came and... said to me, 'Friend Anuradha, the Tathagata --
the supreme man, the superlative man, attainer of the superlative
attainment -- being described, is described with [one of]
these four positions: The Tathagata exists after death, does
not exist after death, both does & does not exist after
death, neither exists nor does not exist after death.'
"When
this was said, I said to them, 'Friends, the Tathagata --
the supreme man, the superlative man, attainer of the superlative
attainment -- being described, is described otherwise than
with these four positions: The Tathagata exists after death,
does not exist after death, both does & does not exist
after death, neither exists nor does not exist after death.'
"When
this was said, the wandering sectarians said to me, 'This
monk is either a newcomer, not long gone forth, or else an
elder who is foolish & inexperienced.' So, addressing
me as they would a newcomer or a fool, they got up from their
seats and left.
"Then
not long after the wandering sectarians had left, this thought
occurred to me: 'If I am questioned again by those wandering
sectarians, how will I answer in such a way that will I speak
in line with what the Blessed One has said, will not misrepresent
the Blessed One with what is unfactual, will answer in line
with the Dhamma, and no one whose thinking is in line with
the Dhamma will have grounds for criticizing me?'"
"What
do you think, Anuradha: Is form constant or inconstant?"
"Inconstant,
lord."
"And
is that which is inconstant easeful or stressful?"
"Stressful,
lord."
"And
is it proper to regard what is inconstant, stressful, subject
to change as: 'This is mine. This is my self. This is what
I am'?"
"No,
lord."
"Is
feeling constant or inconstant?"
"Inconstant,
lord."...
"Is
perception constant or inconstant?"
"Inconstant,
lord."...
"Are
fabrications constant or inconstant?"
"Inconstant,
lord."...
"Is
consciousness constant or inconstant?
"Inconstant,
lord."
"And
is that which is inconstant easeful or stressful?"
"Stressful,
lord."
"And
is it proper to regard what is inconstant, stressful, subject
to change as: 'This is mine. This is my self. This is what
I am'?"
"No,
lord."
"What
do you think, Anuradha: Do you regard form as the Tathagata?"
"No,
lord."
"Do
you regard feeling as the Tathagata?"
"No,
lord."
"Do
you regard perception as the Tathagata?"
"No,
lord."
"Do
you regard fabrications as the Tathagata?"
"No,
lord."
"Do
you regard consciousness as the Tathagata?"
"No,
lord."
"What
do you think, Anuradha: Do you regard the Tathagata as being
in form?... Elsewhere than form?... In feeling?... Elsewhere
than feeling?... In perception?... Elsewhere than perception?...
In fabrications?... Elsewhere than fabrications?... In consciousness?...
Elsewhere than consciousness?"
"No,
lord."
"What
do you think: Do you regard the Tathagata as form-feeling-perception-fabrications-consciousness?"
"No,
lord."
"Do
you regard the Tathagata as that which is without form, without
feeling, without perception, without fabrications, without
consciousness?"
"No,
lord."
"And
so, Anuradha -- when you can't pin down the Tathagata as a
truth or reality even in the present life -- is it proper
for you to declare, 'Friends, the Tathagata -- the supreme
man, the superlative man, attainer of the superlative attainment
-- being described, is described otherwise than with these
four positions: The Tathagata exists after death, does not
exist after death, both does & does not exist after death,
neither exists nor does not exist after death'?"
"No,
lord."
"Very
good, Anuradha. Very good. Both formerly & now, it is
only stress that I describe, and the cessation of stress."
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/sutta/samyutta/sn22-086.html
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