English
For those venerable recluses and brahmins do not see the danger, the degradation, the defilement of unwholesome qualities, nor the benefit of renunciation, the side of purification, in wholesome qualities. But when there is indeed another world, the view arises in him, ‘There is no other world’; that becomes his wrong view. But when there is indeed another world, he conceives, ‘There is no other world’; that becomes his wrong intention. But when there is indeed another world, he speaks the word, ‘There is no other world’; that becomes his wrong speech. But when there is indeed another world, ‘n He says, 'There is no other world'; those arahants who know the other world, he opposes them. Though there is indeed another world, he makes others believe, 'There is no other world'; that is his false teaching. And by that false teaching, he praises himself, and disparages others. Thus, his good conduct is already abandoned, and bad conduct is present – this wrong view, wrong intention, wrong speech, opposition to the noble ones, false teaching, self-praise, disparaging others. Thus, many evil, unwholesome states arise for him, conditioned by wrong view. "Here, householders, a discerning person reflects thus – 'If indeed there is no other world, then this good person will make himself safe at the breaking up of the body; but if there is indeed another world, then this good person at the breaking up of the body, after death, will reappear in a state of deprivation, a bad destination, a lower realm, hell. Let there be no other world, let the word of those good recluses and brahmins be true; yet this good person is censured by the discerning in this very life – 'a person of bad conduct, of wrong view, a denier.' But if there really is another world, then for this good person there is a double loss – that he is censured by the discerning in this very life, and that at the breaking up of the body, after death, he will reappear in a state of deprivation, a bad destination, a lower realm, hell. Thus, this unproven doctrine of his is badly grasped, it stands as a one-sided spread, it misses the wholesome state." 96. "Here, householders, those recluses and brahmins who speak thus, who hold such views – 'There is what is given... (and so on) ... those who, having directly known and realized this world and the other world themselves, declare them' – what is to be expected of them? That they will abstain from misconduct in body," misconduct in speech, misconduct in mind – having completely abandoned these three unwholesome states, they will live having undertaken these three wholesome states: good conduct in body, good conduct in speech, good conduct in mind. For what reason? Because those venerable ascetics and brahmins see the danger, the degradation, the defilement in unwholesome states, and the benefit, the purity in wholesome states, in renunciation. And there being indeed another world, the view arises in him: 'There is another world'; that is his right view. And there being indeed another world, he resolves: 'There is another world'; that is his right resolve. And there being indeed another world, he speaks the word: 'There is another world'; that is his right speech. And there being indeed another world, he says: 'There is another world'; he does not oppose those Arahants who know the other world. And there being indeed another world, he convinces another: 'There is another world'; that is his proclamation of the True Dhamma. And by that proclamation of the True Dhamma, he neither exalts himself nor disparages others. Thus, his bad conduct is already abandoned, good conduct is established – and this right view, right resolve, right speech, non-opposition to the Noble Ones, proclamation of the True Dhamma, non-self-exaltation, non-disparagement of others. Thus, many wholesome states arise for him due to right view. "There, householders, a discerning person reflects thus: 'If indeed there is another world, then this venerable person, at the breaking up of the body, after death, will be reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world. But suppose there is no other world; let the word of those venerable ascetics and brahmins be true; yet this venerable person is praised by the discerning in this very life: "A virtuous person, a person with right view, one who affirms existence."' If indeed there is another world, then this venerable person has succeeded in both ways: A sure grasp – that which in this very life is praised by the wise, and which, with the breaking up of the body, after death, will lead to a good destination, a heavenly world. Thus, this unshakeable doctrine, well-completed, well-undertaken, stands encompassing both aspects, and is free from unwholesome states. 97. “There are, householders, some recluses and brahmins who hold such a doctrine, such a view: ‘To one who acts and causes to act, who cuts and causes to cut, who tortures and causes to torture, who grieves and causes to grieve, who wearies and causes to weary, who harries and causes to harry, who takes life, who takes what is not given, who breaks into houses, who plunders, who robs a house, who stands in ambush, who goes to another’s wife, who speaks falsehood; for one who acts, no evil is done. Even if with a razor-edged wheel one were to make the living beings on this earth into one mass of flesh, one heap of flesh, there is no evil from that cause, no coming of evil. Even if one were to go to the south bank of the Ganges, killing and causing to kill, cutting and causing to cut, torturing and causing to torture; there is no evil from that cause, no coming of evil. Even if one were to go to the north bank of the Ganges, giving and causing to give, sacrificing and causing to sacrifice; there is no merit from that cause, no coming of merit. By giving, by self-control, by restraint, by truthfulness, there is no merit, no coming of merit.’ But, householders, some recluses and brahmins, directly opposed to those recluses and brahmins, say this: ‘To one who acts and causes to act, who cuts and causes to cut, who tortures and causes to torture, who grieves and causes to grieve, who wearies and causes to weary, who harries and causes to harry, who takes life, who takes what is not given, who breaks into houses, who plunders, who robs a house, who stands in ambush, who goes to another’s wife, who speaks falsehood; for one who acts, evil is done. Even if with a razor-edged wheel If with a wheel one were to make all living beings on this earth into one mass of flesh, into one heap of flesh; there is evil from that cause, there is an influx of evil. Even if one were to go to the southern bank of the Ganges, killing and causing to kill, cutting and causing to cut, burning and causing to burn; there is evil from that cause, there is an influx of evil. Even if one were to go to the northern bank of the Ganges, giving and causing to give, sacrificing and causing to sacrifice; there is merit from that cause, there is an influx of merit. By giving, by self-control, by restraint, by truthful speech, there is merit, there is an influx of merit. What do you think, householders, are not these recluses and brahmins utterly contradictory to each other in their views? Yes, venerable sir. 98. In that case, householders, those recluses and brahmins who hold such a view, who hold such a doctrine: 'For one who acts and causes to act, who cuts and causes to cut, who burns and causes to burn, who grieves and causes to grieve, who wearies and causes to weary, who trembles and causes to tremble, who takes life, who takes what is not given, who breaks into houses, who plunders, who commits burglary, who stands on the highway, who goes to another's wife, who speaks falsehood; for one who acts, no evil is done. Even if with a wheel with a razor-sharp rim one were to make all living beings on this earth into one mass of flesh, into one heap of flesh; there is no evil from that cause, there is no influx of evil. Even if one were to go to the southern bank of the Ganges, killing and causing to kill... by giving, by self-control, by restraint, by truthful speech, there is no merit, there is no influx of merit.' For them, this is to be expected: that having rejected these three wholesome actions— good conduct in body, good conduct in speech, good conduct in mind— they will undertake and live by these three unwholesome actions— bad conduct in body, bad conduct in speech, bad conduct in mind. For what reason? Because those venerable recluses and brahmins do not see the danger, the degradation, the defilement of unwholesome actions, nor the benefit of renunciation, the cleansing aspect of wholesome actions. While there is Indeed, action exists, but 'there is no action' is his view; that is his wrong view. Indeed, action existing, he resolves 'there is no action'; that is his wrong resolve. Indeed, action existing, he speaks the word 'there is no action'; that is his wrong speech. Indeed, action existing, he says 'there is no action'; he makes himself an opponent to those Arahants who are proponents of action. Indeed, action existing, he convinces another 'there is no action'; that is his instruction in non-Dhamma. And by that instruction in non-Dhamma, he exalts himself, and disparages others. Thus, indeed, his good conduct is already abandoned, bad conduct is present— and this wrong view, wrong resolve, wrong speech, opposition to the noble ones, instruction in non-Dhamma, self-exaltation, disparagement of others. Thus, for him, many evil unwholesome states arise, conditioned by wrong view. There, householders, an intelligent person reflects thus: 'If indeed there is no action, then this good person will make himself safe after the breakup of the body. If indeed there is action, then this good person, after the breakup of the body, after death, will be reborn in a state of deprivation, a bad destination, a downfall, hell. Let there indeed be no action;