English
'Wait a moment, good sirs, guardians of hell, until we go and inform Prince Payasi: "Indeed, there is another world, there are beings of spontaneous birth, there is fruit and result of good and bad deeds"?' By this reasoning too, O prince, let it be thus for you: 'Indeed, there is another world, there are beings of spontaneous birth, there is fruit and result of good and bad deeds.'" 414. "Although Master Kassapa speaks thus, yet it seems to me here: 'Indeed, there is no other world, there are no beings of spontaneous birth, there is no fruit and result of good and bad deeds.'" "But, O prince, is there a reason by which it seems to you thus: 'Indeed, there is no other world, there are no beings of spontaneous birth, there is no fruit and result of good and bad deeds'?" "There is, good Kassapa, a reason by which it seems to me thus: 'Indeed, there is no other world, there are no beings of spontaneous birth, there is no fruit and result of good and bad deeds.'" "How so, O prince?" "Here, good Kassapa, my friends, associates, relatives, and kinsmen, abstaining from killing living beings, abstaining from taking what is not given, abstaining from sexual misconduct, abstaining from false speech, abstaining from slanderous speech, abstaining from harsh speech, abstaining from frivolous talk, abstaining from... refrained, not covetous, with minds free from ill-will, with right view. They, after some time, become afflicted, suffering, gravely ill. When I know: 'They will not recover from this affliction,' I, approaching them, say thus: 'There are, sirs, some ascetics and brahmins who speak thus, who hold such views: 'Those who abstain from killing living beings, abstain from taking what is not given, abstain from sexual misconduct, abstain from false speech, abstain from divisive speech, abstain from harsh speech, abstain from idle chatter, are not covetous, with minds free from ill-will, with right view— they, with the breaking up of the body, after death, are reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world.' You, sirs, abstain from killing living beings, abstain from taking what is not given, abstain from sexual misconduct, abstain from false speech, abstain from divisive speech, abstain from harsh speech, abstain from idle chatter, are not covetous, with minds free from ill-will, with right view. If the word of those venerable ascetics and brahmins is true, you, with the breaking up of the body, after death, will be reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world. If, sirs, with the breaking up of the body, after death, you are reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world, then you should come and inform me: 'There is indeed another world, there are spontaneously arisen beings, there is fruit and result of good and bad deeds.' You, sirs, are trustworthy and reliable to me; what you have seen will be as if seen by myself.' They, having assented to me with 'So be it,' neither come and inform me, nor send a messenger. 'This too, sirs, Kassapa, is a way, by which way it occurs to me thus: 'There is indeed no other world, there are no spontaneously arisen beings, there is no fruit and result of good and bad deeds.' The simile of the man in the cesspit. 415. 'In that case, prince, I will make a simile for you. By means of a simile, some... Wise men understand the meaning of what is said. Just as, O king, a man might be submerged headfirst in a cesspit. Then you would command your men: "Come now, sirs, pull that man out from that cesspit." They, saying "Yes, sir," would pull that man out from that cesspit. You would then say to them: "Come now, sirs, thoroughly wipe off the faeces from that man's body with bamboo splinters." They, saying "Yes, sir," would thoroughly wipe off the faeces from that man's body with bamboo splinters. You would then say to them: "Come now, sirs, thoroughly rub that man's body three times with yellow clay." They would thoroughly rub that man's body three times with yellow clay. You would then say to them: "Come now, sirs, anoint that man with oil and thoroughly cleanse him three times with fine powder." They would anoint that man with oil and thoroughly cleanse him three times with fine powder. You would then say to them: "Come now, sirs, cut that man's hair and beard." They would cut that man's hair and beard. You would then say to them: "Come now, sirs, bring that man an expensive garland, an expensive perfume, and expensive clothes." They would bring that man an expensive garland, an expensive perfume, and expensive clothes. You would then say to them: "Come now, sirs, lead that man up to the palace and provide him with the five strands of sensual pleasure." They would lead that man up to the palace and provide him with the five strands of sensual pleasure. What do you think, O king? Would that man, well-bathed, well-anointed, with hair and beard well-trimmed, adorned with garlands and ornaments, wearing clean clothes, having ascended to the top of the excellent palace, and provided with the five strands of sensual pleasure, would he wish to plunge again into that cesspit of excrement, filled with raw flesh, being united with it, serving it?” “No, venerable Kassapa.” “For what reason?” “Because, venerable Kassapa, a cesspit of excrement is impure, and known as impure; it is foul-smelling, and known as foul-smelling; it is disgusting, and known as disgusting; it is repulsive, and known as repulsive.” “Just so, O prince, humans are impure, and known as impure; they are foul-smelling, and known as foul-smelling; they are disgusting, and known as disgusting; they are repulsive, and known as repulsive to the devas. The smell of humans, O prince, disturbs the devas for a hundred leagues. But would your friends and companions, relatives and kinsmen, who have abstained from taking life, abstained from taking what is not given, abstained from sexual misconduct, abstained from false speech, abstained from malicious speech, abstained from harsh speech, abstained from frivolous talk, who are not covetous, whose minds are not ill-willed, who have right view, and who, with the breaking up of the body, after death, have reappeared in a good destination, a heavenly world— would they come and announce to you: ‘Indeed, there is another world; there are spontaneously arisen beings; there is fruit and result of good and bad deeds’? By this reasoning too, O prince, let it be so for you: ‘Indeed, there is another world; there are spontaneously arisen beings; there is fruit and result of good and bad deeds.’” 416. “Although venerable Kassapa says this, yet it occurs to me thus: ‘Indeed, there is no other world; there are no spontaneously arisen beings; there is no fruit and result of good and bad deeds.’” “Is there, O prince, a way… “There is, venerable Kassapa, a way…” “How so, O prince?” “Here, venerable Kassapa, my friends and companions, relatives and kinsmen, who have abstained from taking life, abstained from taking what is not given, abstained from sexual misconduct, abstained from false speech, abstained from intoxicating drinks and drugs that lead to heedlessness, abstained from Those who abstain, they, at a later time, become sick, suffering, gravely ill. When I know: 'Now they will not recover from this illness,' then I approach them and say this: 'Indeed, sirs, there are some recluses and brahmins who speak thus, who hold such views: "Those who abstain from taking life, abstain from taking what is not given, abstain from sexual misconduct, abstain from false speech, abstain from intoxicants which are a basis for heedlessness, they, upon the breaking up of the body, after death, are reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world, in companionship with the Tāvatiṃsa gods." You, sirs, indeed abstain from taking life, abstain from taking what is not given, abstain from sexual misconduct, abstain from false speech, abstain from intoxicants which are a basis for heedlessness. If the words of those venerable recluses and brahmins are true, you, sirs, upon the breaking up of the body, after death, will be reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world, in companionship with the Tāvatiṃsa gods. If, sirs, upon the breaking up of the body, after death, you are reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world, in companionship with the Tāvatiṃsa gods, then you should come and report to me: 'Indeed, there is another world, there are spontaneously arisen beings, there is fruit and result of good and bad deeds.' For you, sirs, are trustworthy and reliable to me; what you have seen, as if seen by yourselves, so it will be. They, having assented to me with 'So be it,' neither come and report, nor do they send a messenger. This too, indeed, good Kassapa, is a way by which I come to think: 'Indeed, there is no other world, there are no spontaneously arisen beings, there is no fruit and result of good and bad deeds.'" The Simile of the Tāvatiṃsa Gods "Then, O king, I will question you about this; as it seems fit to you, so should you explain it. Indeed, O king, what is a hundred human years, that is one day and night for the Tāvatiṃsa gods; and by that night, thirty nights make a month. , by that month, there are twelve months in a year; by that year, a thousand divine years is the lifespan of the Tāvatiṃsa gods. Those friends, acquaintances, relatives, and blood-relations who abstained from taking life, abstained from taking what is not given, abstained from sexual misconduct, abstained from false speech, abstained from intoxicants which cause heedlessness, they, with the breaking up of the body, after death, reappeared in a good destination, a heavenly world, in companionship with the Tāvatiṃsa gods. If it should occur to them thus: 'As long as we enjoy and are endowed with the five divine sense-pleasures for two or three days and nights, then we will go to King Pāyāsi and report to him: "There is indeed another world, there are spontaneously arisen beings, there is fruit and result of good and bad deeds.