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pains, griefs, and despairs; for the destruction of which I teach in this very life. ‘The Tathāgata exists after death,’ Mālunkyaputta, if this view were held, the holy life would exist. If the holy life would exist, thus, 'the Tathāgata does not exist after death' for us, Mālunkyāputta, if there is the view, the holy life would exist. Even so, 'the Tathāgata exists after death' for us, Mālunkyāputta, if there is the view, or if there is the view, 'the Tathāgata does not exist after death', there is still birth... (etc.)... for which I declare the destruction in this very life. 'The Tathāgata both exists and does not exist after death', Mālunkyāputta, if there is the view, the holy life would exist. Thus, 'the Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death' for us, Mālunkyāputta, if there is the view, the holy life would exist. Even so, 'the Tathāgata both exists and does not exist after death' for us, Mālunkyāputta, if there is the view, or if there is the view, 'the Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death', there is still birth... (etc.)... for which I declare the destruction in this very life. 128. Therefore, Mālunkyāputta, what I have left undeclared, hold it as undeclared. And what I have declared, hold it as declared. What, Mālunkyāputta, have I left undeclared? 'The world is eternal' — Mālunkyāputta, I have left this undeclared. 'The world is not eternal' — I have left this undeclared. 'The world is finite' — I have left this undeclared. 'The world is infinite' — I have left this undeclared. 'The soul and the body are the same' — I have left this undeclared. 'The soul and the body are different' — I have left this undeclared. 'The Tathāgata exists after death' — I have left this undeclared. 'The Tathāgata does not exist after death' — I have left this undeclared. 'The Tathāgata both exists and does not exist after death' — I have left this undeclared. 'The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death' — I have left this undeclared. Why, Mālunkyāputta, have I left these undeclared? Because, Mālunkyāputta, this is not connected with the goal, it is not fundamental to the holy life, it does not lead to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to tranquility, to direct knowledge, to full awakening, to Nibbāna. Therefore, I have left it undeclared. declared. And what, Mālunkyaputta, has been declared by me? 'This is suffering,' Mālunkyaputta, has been declared by me; 'This is the origin of suffering' – has been declared by me; 'This is the cessation of suffering' – has been declared by me; 'This is the path leading to the cessation of suffering' – has been declared by me. And why, Mālunkyaputta, has this been declared by me? Because, Mālunkyaputta, this is connected with the goal, this is fundamental to the holy life, it leads to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbāna. Therefore, it has been declared by me. Therefore, Mālunkyaputta, what I have not declared, hold as undeclared; and what I have declared, hold as declared." The Blessed One said this. Venerable Mālunkyaputta, delighted, rejoiced in the Blessed One's words. The Shorter Discourse to Mālunkyaputta is finished, the third. 4. The Longer Discourse to Mālunkyaputta 129. Thus have I heard: On one occasion, the Blessed One was staying at Sāvatthī, in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park. There, the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: "Bhikkhus!" "Venerable Sir!" those bhikkhus replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this: "Do you remember, bhikkhus, the five lower fetters taught by me?" When this was said, Venerable Mālunkyaputta said to the Blessed One: "Indeed, Venerable Sir, I remember the five lower fetters taught by the Blessed One." "But how, Mālunkyaputta, do you remember the five lower fetters taught by me?" "Indeed, Venerable Sir, I remember self-identity view as a lower fetter taught by the Blessed One; indeed, Venerable Sir, I remember doubt as a lower fetter taught by the Blessed One; indeed, Venerable Sir, I remember adherence to rites and rituals as a lower fetter taught by the Blessed One; indeed, Venerable Sir, I remember sensual desire as a lower fetter taught by the Blessed One; indeed, Venerable Sir, I remember ill will as a lower fetter I hold the fetter taught. Thus, indeed, Venerable Sir, I hold the five lower fetters taught by the Blessed One. "By whom, Mālukyaputta, do you hold these five lower fetters as taught? Will not, Mālukyaputta, other sect ascetics reproach you with this simile of a young child? For indeed, Mālukyaputta, for a young, dull child, lying on its back, there is no 'self-view' (sakkāya), how then will self-view arise in it? Yet the latent tendency to self-view lies latent in it. For indeed, Mālukyaputta, for a young, dull child, lying on its back, there is no 'Dhamma', how then will doubt about the Dhamma arise in it? Yet the latent tendency to doubt lies latent in it. For indeed, Mālukyaputta, for a young, dull child, lying on its back, there is no 'virtue' (sīla), how then will adherence to rites and rituals arise in it concerning virtues? Yet the latent tendency to adherence to rites and rituals lies latent in it. For indeed, Mālukyaputta, for a young, dull child, lying on its back, there are no 'sensual pleasures' (kāma), how then will sensual desire for sensual pleasures arise in it? Yet the latent tendency to sensual passion lies latent in it. For indeed, Mālukyaputta, for a young, dull child, lying on its back, there are no 'beings' (satta), how then will ill-will towards beings arise in it? Yet the latent tendency to ill-will lies latent in it. Will not, Mālukyaputta, other sect ascetics reproach you with this simile of a young child?" When this was said, Venerable Ānanda spoke to the Blessed One thus: "It is time, Blessed One, it is time, Fortunate One, for the Blessed One to teach the five lower fetters. Having heard from the Blessed One, the bhikkhus will remember them." "Then, Ānanda, listen, pay close attention; I will speak." "Yes, Venerable Sir," Venerable Ānanda replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One spoke thus: 130. "Here, Ānanda, the uninstructed The ordinary person, not seeing the noble ones, unskilled in the noble Dhamma, undisciplined in the noble Dhamma; not seeing the true men, unskilled in the Dhamma of true men, undisciplined in the Dhamma of true men; lives with a mind obsessed by identity view, overcome by identity view. And when identity view arises, he does not understand its escape as it really is. For him, that identity view, having become strong, not removed, is a lower fetter. lives with a mind obsessed by doubt, overcome by doubt. And when doubt arises, he does not understand its escape as it really is. For him, that doubt, having become strong, not removed, is a lower fetter. lives with a mind obsessed by adherence to rites and rituals, overcome by adherence to rites and rituals. And when adherence to rites and rituals arises, he does not understand its escape as it really is. For him, that adherence to rites and rituals, having become strong, not removed, is a lower fetter. lives with a mind obsessed by sensual desire, overcome by sensual desire. And when sensual desire arises, he does not understand its escape as it really is. For him, that sensual desire, having become strong, not removed, is a lower fetter. lives with a mind obsessed by ill will, overcome by ill will. And when ill will arises, he does not understand its escape as it really is. For him, that ill will, having become strong, not removed, is a lower fetter. 131. "But, Ananda, the well-instructed noble disciple, seeing the noble ones, skilled in the noble Dhamma, well-disciplined in the noble Dhamma; seeing the true men, skilled in the Dhamma of true men, well-disciplined in the Dhamma of true men; does not live with a mind obsessed by identity view, not overcome by identity view. And when identity view arises, he understands its escape as it really is. For him, that identity view is abandoned with its underlying tendency. does not live with a mind obsessed by doubt, not overcome by doubt. And when doubt arises, he understands its escape as it really is. He understands. His doubt, with its underlying tendency, is abandoned. He does not dwell with a mind obsessed by attachment to rules and observances, nor overcome by attachment to rules and observances. And he understands as it really is the escape from attachment to rules and observances that has arisen. His attachment to rules and observances, with its underlying tendency, is abandoned. He does not dwell with a mind obsessed by sensual desire, nor overcome by sensual desire. And he understands as it really is the escape from sensual desire that has arisen. His sensual desire, with its underlying tendency, is abandoned. He does not dwell with a mind obsessed by ill will, nor overcome by ill will. And he understands as it really is the escape from ill will that has arisen. His ill will, with its underlying tendency, is abandoned. 132. Ananda, that path, that practice, for the abandoning of the five lower fetters— to know, or to see, or to abandon the five lower fetters without approaching that path, that practice— that is not possible. Just as, Ananda, for a great, standing, strong tree, to cut out the heartwood without cutting through the bark, without cutting through the sapwood— that is not possible. Even so, Ananda, that path, that practice, for the abandoning of the five lower fetters— to know, or to see, or to abandon the five lower fetters without approaching that path, that practice— that is not possible. But, Ananda, that path, that practice, for the abandoning of the five lower fetters— to know, or to see, or to abandon the five lower fetters by approaching that path, that practice— that is possible. Just as, Ananda, for a great, standing, strong tree, to cut out the heartwood