English
Then a man might come, seeking the other shore, searching for the other shore, going to the other shore, desiring to cross to the other shore. He, on the near bank, covering his head, might lie down. "What do you think, Vāseṭṭha, would that man from the near bank of the Aciravatī river go to the far bank?" "No, indeed, Venerable Gotama." 548. Just so, Vāseṭṭha, these five hindrances in the Noble Discipline are called coverings, are called hindrances, are called ties, are called fetters. Which five? The hindrance of sensual desire, the hindrance of ill-will, the hindrance of sloth and torpor, the hindrance of restlessness and remorse, the hindrance of doubt. These, Vāseṭṭha, are the five hindrances in the Noble Discipline that are called coverings, are called hindrances, are called ties, are called fetters. 549. By these five hindrances, Vāseṭṭha, the Brahmins skilled in the three Vedas are covered, enveloped, bound, fettered. Indeed, Vāseṭṭha, those Brahmins skilled in the three Vedas, living having abandoned those qualities that make one a Brahmin, living having undertaken those qualities that do not make one a Brahmin, covered, enveloped, bound, fettered by the five hindrances— with the breaking up of the body, after death, they will become companions of Brahmā— this is not possible. The Discourse on Comparison 550. "What do you think, Vāseṭṭha, what have you heard from the Brahmins, old and venerable, your teachers and their teachers speaking: is Brahmā with possessions or without possessions?" "Without possessions, Venerable Gotama." "Is he with ill-will or without ill-will?" "Without ill-will, Venerable Gotama." "Is he with malice..." or with a mind of non-ill-will?’’ ‘‘With a mind of non-ill-will, good Gotama.’’ ‘‘Or with a defiled mind, or with an undefiled mind?’’ ‘‘With an undefiled mind, good Gotama.’’ ‘‘Or under control, or not under control?’’ ‘‘Under control, good Gotama.’’ ‘‘What do you think, Vāseṭṭha, are the three-Veda brahmins with possessions or without possessions?’’ ‘‘With possessions, good Gotama.’’ ‘‘Or with a mind of enmity, or with a mind of non-enmity?’’ ‘‘With a mind of enmity, good Gotama.’’ ‘‘Or with a mind of ill-will, or with a mind of non-ill-will?’’ ‘‘With a mind of ill-will, good Gotama.’’ ‘‘Or with a defiled mind, or with an undefiled mind?’’ ‘‘With a defiled mind, good Gotama.’’ ‘‘Or under control, or not under control?’’ ‘‘Not under control, good Gotama.’’ 551. ‘‘So then, Vāseṭṭha, the three-Veda brahmins are with possessions, Brahmā is without possessions. Do the three-Veda brahmins with possessions accord and agree with Brahmā who is without possessions?’’ ‘‘No, good Gotama.’’ ‘‘Good, Vāseṭṭha. It is not possible, Vāseṭṭha, that those three-Veda brahmins with possessions, after the breaking up of the body, after death, will become companions of Brahmā who is without possessions.’’ ‘‘So then, Vāseṭṭha, the three-Veda brahmins are with a mind of enmity, Brahmā is with a mind of non-enmity… the three-Veda brahmins are with a mind of ill-will, Brahmā is with a mind of non-ill-will… the three-Veda brahmins are with a defiled mind, Brahmā is with an undefiled mind… the three-Veda brahmins are not under control, Brahmā is under control. Do the three-Veda brahmins who are not under control accord and agree with Brahmā who is under control?’’ ‘‘No, good Gotama.’’ ‘‘Good, Vāseṭṭha. It is not possible, Vāseṭṭha, that those three-Veda brahmins who are not under control, after the breaking up of the body, after death, will become companions of Brahmā who is under control.’’ 552. ‘‘Here, Vāseṭṭha, the three-Veda brahmins, having sat down, sink down, having sunk down, or they reach despair, I think they cross to a drier place. Therefore, this of the three-knowledge brahmins is also called the three-knowledge barren land, is also called the three-knowledge wilderness, is also called the three-knowledge calamity. 553. When this was said, the young brahmin Vāseṭṭha said to the Blessed One: "I have heard this, good Gotama, that the recluse Gotama knows the path to companionship with Brahmā." "What do you think, Vāseṭṭha? Is Manasākaṭa near from here, not far from here?" "Yes, good Gotama, Manasākaṭa is near from here, not far from here." 554. "What do you think, Vāseṭṭha? Suppose there was a man born and raised in Manasākaṭa. If, having just left Manasākaṭa, they were to ask him the way to Manasākaṭa. Would that man, Vāseṭṭha, born and raised in Manasākaṭa, when asked the way to Manasākaṭa, hesitate or be perplexed?" "No, good Gotama." "For what reason?" "Because, good Gotama, that man was born and raised in Manasākaṭa; all the ways to Manasākaṭa are well known to him." "It might be, Vāseṭṭha, that that man, born and raised in Manasākaṭa, when asked the way to Manasākaṭa, would hesitate or be perplexed. But not so for the Tathāgata when asked about the Brahmā-world or the path leading to the Brahmā-world, that he would hesitate or be perplexed. For I, Vāseṭṭha, know Brahmā, and the Brahmā-world, and the path leading to the Brahmā-world, and how one who has practiced the path is reborn in the Brahmā-world, that too I know." 555. When this was said, the young brahmin Vāseṭṭha said to the Blessed One: "I have heard this, good Gotama, that the recluse Gotama teaches the path to companionship with Brahmā." "It would be good if the good Gotama would teach us the path to companionship with Brahmā. May the good Gotama uplift the brahmin folk." Then, Vāseṭṭha, listen; pay careful attention; I will speak. Yes, sir, Vāseṭṭha the brahmin student replied to the Blessed One. The Path to the Brahma-world 556. The Blessed One said this: Here, Vāseṭṭha, a Tathāgata arises in the world, an Arahant, a Fully Self-Awakened One… (as in paragraphs 190-212, so should it be elaborated). Thus, Vāseṭṭha, a monk is endowed with virtue… When he sees these five hindrances abandoned in himself, joy arises in him. Being joyful, rapture arises. With a rapturous mind, his body becomes tranquil. With a tranquil body, he feels pleasure. With a pleasant mind, his mind becomes concentrated. He dwells pervading one direction with a mind imbued with loving-kindness. Likewise the second. Likewise the third. Likewise the fourth. Thus, above, below, around, everywhere, in all ways, the entire world, he dwells pervading with a mind imbued with loving-kindness, vast, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility, without ill-will. Just as, Vāseṭṭha, a strong conch-blower can make himself heard in the four directions with little effort; even so, Vāseṭṭha, with such a developed liberation of mind through loving-kindness, any limited action does not remain there, does not stand there. This too, Vāseṭṭha, is a path to companionship with Brahmā. Furthermore, Vāseṭṭha, a monk dwells pervading one direction with a mind imbued with compassion… with a mind imbued with appreciative joy… with a mind imbued with equanimity. Likewise the second. Likewise the third. Likewise the fourth. Thus, above, below, around, everywhere, in all ways, the entire world, he dwells pervading with a mind imbued with equanimity, vast, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility, without ill-will. Just as, Vāseṭṭha, a strong conch-blower can make himself heard in the four directions with little effort. Even so, Vāseṭṭha, with such a developed liberation of mind through equanimity, any limited action does not remain there, does not He abides there. This, indeed, Vāseṭṭha, is the path to companionship with Brahmā. 557. "What do you think, Vāseṭṭha, is a bhikkhu who dwells thus, with possessions or without possessions?" "Without possessions, good Gotama." "With a mind of ill-will or without a mind of ill-will?" "Without a mind of ill-will, good Gotama." "With a mind of malevolence or without a mind of malevolence?" "Without a mind of malevolence, good Gotama." "With a defiled mind or with an undefiled mind?" "With an undefiled mind, good Gotama." "Masterful or not masterful?" "Masterful, good Gotama." "So then, Vāseṭṭha, the bhikkhu is without possessions, and Brahmā is without possessions. Does the bhikkhu without possessions, then, agree and conform with Brahmā without possessions?" "Yes, good Gotama." "Good, Vāseṭṭha. It is indeed possible, Vāseṭṭha, that a bhikkhu without possessions, with the breaking up of the body, after death, will become a companion of Brahmā without possessions." 558. "So then, Vāseṭṭha, the bhikkhu is without a mind of ill-will, and Brahmā is without a mind of ill-will. Does the bhikkhu without a mind of ill-will, then, agree and conform with Brahmā without a mind of ill-will?" "Yes, good Gotama." "Good, Vāseṭṭha. It is indeed possible, Vāseṭṭha, that a bhikkhu without a mind of ill-will, with the breaking up of the body, after death, will become a companion of Brahmā without a mind of ill-will." ... (and so on for malevolence and defilement) ... "So then, Vāseṭṭha, the bhikkhu is masterful, and Brahmā is masterful. Does the masterful bhikkhu, then, agree and conform with the masterful Brahmā?" "Yes, good Gotama." "Good, Vāseṭṭha. It is indeed possible, Vāseṭṭha, that a masterful bhikkhu, with the breaking up of the body, after death, will become a companion of the masterful Brahmā." 559. When this was said, the young men Vāseṭṭha and Bhāradvāja said to the Blessed One: "Excellent, good Gotama! Excellent, good Gotama! Just as, good Gotama, one might set upright what was overturned, or reveal what was hidden, or point out the way to one who was lost, or hold up a lamp in the darkness so that those with eyes might see forms. Even so, has the good Gotama, in many ways..." The Dhamma was made manifest by the Noble One. To this Master Gotama we go for refuge, to the Dhamma and to the Sangha of bhikkhus. May Master Gotama remember us as lay followers who have gone for refuge, from this day forth, as long as life shall last. The Tevijja Sutta, the thirteenth, is finished. The Sīlakkhandha Vagga is finished. Its summary: