English
I attained in the middle watch of the night. Ignorance was dispelled, knowledge arose; darkness was dispelled, light arose; as happens to one who dwells diligent, ardent, and resolute. Even such a pleasant feeling that arose in me, Aggivessana, did not overpower my mind. 386. With my mind thus concentrated, purified, bright, unblemished, rid of defilements, pliant, workable, steady, and imperturbable, I directed it to the knowledge of the destruction of the taints. I directly knew, as it actually is: ‘This is suffering.’ I directly knew, as it actually is: ‘This is the origin of suffering.’ I directly knew, as it actually is: ‘This is the cessation of suffering.’ I directly knew, as it actually is: ‘This is the path leading to the cessation of suffering.’ I directly knew, as it actually is: ‘These are the taints.’ I directly knew, as it actually is: ‘This is the origin of the taints.’ I directly knew, as it actually is: ‘This is the cessation of the taints.’ I directly knew, as it actually is: ‘This is the path leading to the cessation of the taints.’ As I thus knew, as I thus saw, my mind was liberated from the taint of sensual desire, my mind was liberated from the taint of becoming, my mind was liberated from the taint of ignorance. With liberation, there arose the knowledge: ‘It is liberated.’ I directly knew: ‘Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more for this state of being.’ This, indeed, Aggivessana, was the third knowledge I attained in the last watch of the night. Ignorance was dispelled, knowledge arose; darkness was dispelled, light arose; as happens to one who dwells diligent, ardent, and resolute. Even such a pleasant feeling that arose in me, Aggivessana, did not overpower my mind. 387. I know, Aggivessana, Aggivessana, I teach the Dhamma to an assembly of many hundreds. And yet, each and every one thinks thus: 'The recluse Gotama teaches the Dhamma just for me.' 'But this, Aggivessana, should not be seen thus; the Tathāgata teaches the Dhamma to others only for the sake of understanding.' 'So I, Aggivessana, at the conclusion of that very talk, in that very former sign of concentration, within myself, I establish my mind, I settle it, I make it one-pointed, I concentrate it, whereby I constantly dwell.' "This is fitting for Master Gotama, as for an Arahant, a Perfectly Self-Awakened One." "Does Master Gotama, however, acknowledge having slept during the day?" "I do acknowledge, Aggivessana, that in the last month of the hot season, after my meal, having returned from my alms round, having folded my outer robe into four, I lay down on my right side, mindful and clearly comprehending, and entered into sleep." "This, Master Gotama, some recluses and brahmins call a dwelling in delusion." "Not by this much, Aggivessana, is one deluded or not deluded." "But, Aggivessana, how one is deluded and how one is not deluded, listen to that, pay careful attention, I shall speak." "Yes, Master," Saccaka the Nigaṇṭha's son replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One spoke thus: "Whoever, Aggivessana, whose taints are defiling, leading to renewed existence, accompanied by suffering, resulting in pain, leading to birth, aging, and death in the future, are not abandoned, him I call 'deluded'." For by the non-abandonment of taints, Aggivessana, one is deluded. Whoever, Aggivessana, whose taints are defiling, leading to renewed existence, accompanied by suffering, resulting in pain, leading to birth, aging, and death in the future, are abandoned, him I call 'not deluded'." For by the abandonment of taints, Aggivessana, one is not deluded. "But for the Tathāgata, Aggivessana, those taints that are defiling, leading to renewed existence, accompanied by suffering, resulting in pain, leading to birth, aging, and death in the future, are abandoned, their root cut off, made like a palm stump... made non-existent, not liable to arise again in the future. Just as, Aggivessana, a palm tree whose crown has been cut off is incapable of growing again, even so, Aggivessana, the Tathāgata's defilements that are conducive to defilement, to renewed existence, to suffering, to painful results, to future birth, aging, and death, are abandoned, their roots cut out, made like a palm stump, made non-existent, not liable to arise again in the future." 389. When this was said, Saccaka the Jain's son said to the Blessed One: "Wonderful, good Gotama! Amazing, good Gotama! Even though the good Gotama is spoken to so aggressively, addressed with such challenging words, his skin color brightens, his face becomes serene, as is fitting for an Arahant, a Fully Self-Awakened One. I recall, good Gotama, having engaged in a debate with Pūraṇa Kassapa. And when I engaged in a debate with him, he evaded the issue with irrelevancies, diverted the conversation, and displayed anger, displeasure, and resentment. But even though the good Gotama is spoken to so aggressively, addressed with such challenging words, his skin color brightens, his face becomes serene, as is fitting for an Arahant, a Fully Self-Awakened One. I recall, good Gotama, having engaged in a debate with Makkhali Gosāla... ...Ajita Kesakambala... ...Pakudha Kaccāyana... ...Sañjaya Belaṭṭhaputta... ...Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta. And when I engaged in a debate with him, he evaded the issue with irrelevancies, diverted the conversation, and displayed anger, displeasure, and resentment. But even though the good Gotama is spoken to so aggressively, addressed with such challenging words, his skin color brightens, his face becomes serene, as is fitting for an Arahant, a Fully Self-Awakened One. Well then, good Gotama, we will now go. We have much to do, many duties." "Do now, as you , Aggivessana, you think it is time.'' Then Saccaka the Nigaṇṭha's son, having delighted in and approved of the Blessed One's words, rose from his seat and departed. The Great Saccaka Sutta, the sixth, is finished. 7. The Shorter Discourse on the Destruction of Craving 390. Thus have I heard: At one time the Blessed One was staying at Sāvatthī, in the Eastern Park, at Migāra's mother's palace. Then Sakka, lord of devas, approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, he stood to one side. Standing to one side, Sakka, lord of devas, said this to the Blessed One: "To what extent, venerable sir, is a bhikkhu, in brief, liberated by the destruction of craving, one who has reached the ultimate end, the ultimate security from bondage, the ultimate holy life, the ultimate culmination, the foremost among devas and humans?" "Here, lord of devas, a bhikkhu hears: 'All phenomena are not to be clung to.' And if, lord of devas, a bhikkhu hears this: 'All phenomena are not to be clung to,' he fully understands all phenomena; having fully understood all phenomena, he fully comprehends all phenomena; having fully comprehended all phenomena, whatever feeling he feels — whether pleasant or painful or neither-painful-nor-pleasant — he dwells contemplating impermanence in those feelings, he dwells contemplating dispassion, he dwells contemplating cessation, he dwells contemplating relinquishment. Dwelling thus, contemplating impermanence in those feelings, contemplating dispassion, contemplating cessation, contemplating relinquishment, he does not cling to anything in the world. Not clinging, he is not agitated; not agitated, he attains Nibbāna within himself — he understands: 'Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived, what was to be done has been done, there is no more for this state of being.' To this extent, lord of devas, is a bhikkhu, in brief, liberated by the destruction of craving, one who has reached the ultimate end, the ultimate security from bondage, the ultimate holy life, the ultimate culmination, the foremost among devas and humans." Then Sakka, lord of devas, the Blessed One Having delighted in and approved of that teaching, having saluted the Blessed One, and circumambulated him, he vanished right there. 391. Now at that time, the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna was seated not far from the Blessed One. Then it occurred to the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna: “Did that yakkha understand and approve the Blessed One’s teaching, or not? What if I were to find out whether that yakkha understood and approved the Blessed One’s teaching, or not?” Then the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna, just as a strong man might extend his flexed arm or flex his extended arm, even so, vanished from the Migāramātupāsāda in Pubbārāma and reappeared among the Tāvatiṃsa devas. Now at that time, Sakka, king of the devas, was enjoying himself in the Ekapuṇḍarīka park, accompanied and attended by five hundred divine musical instruments. Sakka, king of the devas, saw the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna coming from afar. Having seen him, he put away those five hundred divine musical instruments, and approached the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna; having approached, he said to the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna: “Come, friend Moggallāna, welcome, friend Moggallāna! It has been a long time, friend Moggallāna, since you made this journey, namely, coming here. Sit down, friend Moggallāna, this seat is prepared.” The Venerable Mahāmoggallāna sat down on the prepared seat. Sakka, king of the devas, also took a low seat and sat down to one side. The Venerable Mahāmoggallāna said to Sakka, king of the devas, who was seated to one side: “How, then, Kosiya, did the Blessed One briefly teach the liberation through the destruction of craving? It would be good if we too could be partakers of this talk, for listening.” 392. “We, friend Moggallāna, have much to do, many duties— perhaps our own not by what is to be done, but by what is to be done by the Tāvatiṃsa gods themselves. Moreover, friend Moggallāna, it is well-heard, well-grasped, well-attended, well-considered, that which quickly disappears from us. Formerly, friend Moggallāna, a battle between gods and asuras was arrayed.