English
Then Upaka the Ājīvaka saw the Blessed One walking along the road between Gayā and Bodhi. Having seen the Blessed One, he said this: "Friend, your faculties are very clear, your skin color is pure and bright. For whose sake, friend, have you gone forth? Who is your teacher? Whose Dhamma do you profess?" When this was said, the Blessed One addressed Upaka the Ājīvaka with verses: was – Having overcome all, knowing all, I am, In all things unattached; Having abandoned all, released by the destruction of craving, Having understood by myself, whom should I point to? No teacher have I, no equal is found for me; In the world with its gods, no opponent is there for me. Indeed, I am an Arahant in the world, I am the supreme Teacher; I am the Sole Perfectly Self-Enlightened One, cooled, extinguished. To set in motion the Wheel of Dhamma, I go to the city of Kasi; In this world blinded, I have beaten the drum of the Deathless. As you, friend, declare, you are worthy of being the endless conqueror. Such indeed are the conquerors, who have attained the destruction of defilements; Conquered by me are evil states, therefore, Upaka, I am a conqueror. When this was said, Upaka the Ajivaka, saying, "May it be so, friend," shook his head, took an off-road path, and departed. 12. Then the Blessed One, wandering by stages, approached the five monks at Isipatana Migadaya in Varanasi. The five monks saw the Blessed One coming from afar; having seen him, they agreed among themselves: "Friends, the ascetic Gotama is coming, he is given to abundance, he has fallen away from exertion, he has reverted to abundance. He should not be saluted, nor should he be risen for, nor should his bowl and robe be received; but a seat should be placed, if he wishes, he will sit." As the Blessed One approached the five monks, so the five monks were unable to adhere to their agreement. Unable to adhere, they approached the Blessed One. One went forward and received the Blessed One's bowl and robe. One arranged a seat. One placed water for the feet, one a footstool, one a foot-mat nearby. The Blessed One sat down on the seat arranged. And having sat down, the Blessed One washed his feet. Moreover, they addressed the Blessed One by name and by the address 'friend'. When this was said, the Blessed One spoke to the group of five bhikkhus: "Do not, bhikkhus, address the Tathagata by name or by the address 'friend'. The Tathagata, bhikkhus, is an Arahant, a Fully Awakened One. Lend ear, bhikkhus, the Deathless has been attained. I instruct, I teach the Dhamma. Acting in accordance with the instruction, before long, for the sake of which noble sons rightly go forth from the household life into homelessness, that unsurpassed culmination of the holy life, in this very life, having realized it for yourselves by direct knowledge, you will abide therein." When this was said, the group of five bhikkhus spoke thus to the Blessed One: "Even by that conduct, friend Gotama, by that practice, by that difficult asceticism, you did not attain a superhuman state, a distinction of noble knowledge and vision. How then now, being given to abundance, having abandoned exertion, reverted to abundance, will you attain a superhuman state, a distinction of noble knowledge and vision?" When this was said, the Blessed One spoke to the group of five bhikkhus: "The Tathagata, bhikkhus, is not given to abundance, not one who has abandoned exertion, not one who has reverted to abundance. The Tathagata, bhikkhus, is an Arahant, a Fully Awakened One. Lend ear, bhikkhus, the Deathless has been attained. I instruct, I teach the Dhamma. Acting in accordance with the instruction, before long, for the sake of which noble sons rightly go forth from the household life into homelessness, that unsurpassed— the culmination of the holy life, having realized it for yourselves with direct knowledge in this very life, you will enter upon it and dwell therein.” A second time, the group of five bhikkhus said to the Blessed One… A second time, the Blessed One said to the group of five bhikkhus… A third time, the group of five bhikkhus said to the Blessed One: “Even with that practice, friend Gotama, with that path, with that difficult asceticism, you did not attain any superhuman state, any distinction of noble knowledge and vision. How then, now, when you are given to abundance, have abandoned exertion, and have reverted to abundance, will you attain any superhuman state, any distinction of noble knowledge and vision?” When this was said, the Blessed One said to the group of five bhikkhus: “Do you recall, bhikkhus, that I have ever spoken in such a way before?” “No, venerable sir.” “The Tathāgata, bhikkhus, is an Arahant, a Fully Self-Awakened One. Lend your ear, bhikkhus, the Deathless has been attained. I will instruct you, I will teach the Dhamma. As you are instructed, so practicing, before long— for the sake of which sons of good families rightly go forth from home to homelessness— that unsurpassed culmination of the holy life, having realized it for yourselves with direct knowledge in this very life, you will enter upon it and dwell therein.” The Blessed One was able to convince the group of five bhikkhus. Then the group of five bhikkhus listened to the Blessed One, they lent their ear, they applied their minds to knowledge. 13. Then the Blessed One addressed the group of five bhikkhus: “These two extremes, bhikkhus, should not be followed by one who has gone forth. Which two? There is the devotion to sensual pleasures, which is low, vulgar, worldly, ignoble, and unbeneficial. And there is the devotion to self-mortification, which is painful, ignoble, and unbeneficial. These two, bhikkhus, Avoiding these two extremes, the Middle Way has been fully awakened to by the Tathāgata, which brings about vision, brings about knowledge, leads to peace, to direct knowledge, to full awakening, to Nibbāna. And what, monks, is that Middle Way fully awakened to by the Tathāgata, which brings about vision, brings about knowledge, leads to peace, to direct knowledge, to full awakening, to Nibbāna? It is this Noble Eightfold Path, that is to say: Right View, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration. This, monks, is that Middle Way fully awakened to by the Tathāgata, which brings about vision, brings about knowledge, leads to peace, to direct knowledge, to full awakening, to Nibbāna. 14. "Now this, monks, is the Noble Truth of Suffering: Birth is suffering, aging is suffering, sickness is suffering, death is suffering, association with what is disliked is suffering, separation from what is liked is suffering, not getting what one wants is also suffering. In brief, the five aggregates subject to clinging are suffering. "Now this, monks, is the Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering: It is this craving which leads to renewed existence, accompanied by delight and lust, seeking delight here and there; that is, craving for sensual pleasures, craving for existence, craving for non-existence. "Now this, monks, is the Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering: ...truth – which is the complete fading away and cessation of that very craving, its giving up, its relinquishing, its liberation, its non-attachment. "And this, monks, is the Noble Truth of the path leading to the cessation of suffering – this Noble Eightfold Path, namely – Right View, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration. 15. "This is the Noble Truth of Suffering" – thus, monks, for me, in things unheard before, vision arose, knowledge arose, wisdom arose, true knowledge arose, light arose. "This Noble Truth of Suffering is to be fully understood" – thus, monks, for me, in things unheard before, vision arose, knowledge arose, wisdom arose, true knowledge arose, light arose. "This Noble Truth of Suffering has been fully understood" – thus, monks, for me, in things unheard before, vision arose, knowledge arose, wisdom arose, true knowledge arose, light arose. "This is the Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering" – thus, monks, for me, in things unheard before, vision arose, knowledge arose, wisdom arose, true knowledge arose, light arose. "This Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering is to be abandoned" – thus, monks, for me, in things unheard before, vision arose, knowledge arose, wisdom arose, true knowledge arose, light arose. "This Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering has been abandoned" – thus, monks, for me, in things unheard before, vision arose, knowledge arose, wisdom arose, true knowledge arose, light arose. "This is the Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering" – thus, monks, for me, in things unheard before, vision arose, knowledge arose, wisdom arose, true knowledge arose, light arose. "This Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering is to be realized" – thus, monks, for me, in things unheard before, vision arose, knowledge arose, wisdom arose, true knowledge arose, light arose. And this Noble Truth of the cessation of suffering is to be realized, so, monks, in things unheard before, vision arose in me, knowledge arose, wisdom arose, true knowledge arose, light arose. ‘‘This Noble Truth of the way leading to the cessation of suffering, so, monks, in things unheard before, vision arose in me, knowledge arose, wisdom arose, true knowledge arose, light arose. And this Noble Truth of the way leading to the cessation of suffering is to be developed, so, monks, in things unheard before, vision arose in me, knowledge arose, wisdom arose, true knowledge arose, light arose. And this Noble Truth of the way leading to the cessation of suffering has been developed, so, monks, in things unheard before, vision arose in me, knowledge arose, wisdom arose, true knowledge arose, light arose. 16. ‘‘As long, monks, as my knowledge and vision of these Four Noble Truths,