English
"Just as, Venerable Gotama, a beryl gem, beautiful, of good origin, eight-faceted, well-polished, placed on a yellow cloth, shines, glows, and radiates; so is the self, healthy after death, of such a form." 279. "What do you think, Kaccāna, of these two forms: the beryl gem, beautiful, of good origin, eight-faceted, well-polished, placed on a yellow cloth, shining, glowing, and radiating; or a glow-worm in the pitch-dark night? Which of these two forms is more excellent and more sublime?" "Venerable Gotama, the glow-worm in the pitch-dark night is more excellent and more sublime of these two forms." "What do you think, Kaccāna, of these two forms: a glow-worm in the pitch-dark night, or an oil lamp in the pitch-dark night? Which of these two forms is more excellent and more sublime?" "Venerable Gotama, the oil lamp in the pitch-dark night is more excellent and more sublime of these two forms." "What do you think, Kaccāna, of these two forms: an oil lamp in the pitch-dark night, or a great blazing fire in the pitch-dark night? Which of these two forms is more excellent and more and more excellent?" "This, good Gotama, the great mass of fire in the deep darkness of night, this is more beautiful and more excellent than these two colors." "What do you think, Kaccāna? Of these two colors, which color is more beautiful and more excellent: that great mass of fire in the deep darkness of night, or that medicinal star at dawn in the night, when the sky is clear, free of clouds?" "This, good Gotama, that medicinal star at dawn in the night, when the sky is clear, free of clouds, this is more beautiful and more excellent than these two colors." "What do you think, Kaccāna? Of these two colors, which color is more beautiful and more excellent: that medicinal star at dawn in the night, when the sky is clear, free of clouds, or that moon on the fifteenth day of the Uposatha, at midnight, when the sky is clear, free of clouds?" "This, good Gotama, that moon on the fifteenth day of the Uposatha, at midnight, when the sky is clear, free of clouds, this is more beautiful and more excellent than these two colors." "What do you think, Kaccāna? Of these two colors, which color is more beautiful and more excellent: that moon on the fifteenth day of the Uposatha, at midnight, when the sky is clear, free of clouds, or that sun at midday, in the last month of the rainy season, in autumn, when the sky is clear, free of clouds?" "This, good Gotama, that sun at midday, in the last month of the rainy season, in autumn, when the sky is clear, free of clouds, this is more beautiful and more excellent than these two colors." "Beyond this, Kaccāna, there are many, many more deities who do not experience the light of these moon and sun. And I know them. Yet, I do not say: 'From this color, another color is superior...'" There is no other, nor more excellent. And yet you, Kaccāna, ‘This color, by this glow-worm, is more inferior and more despicable, that is the supreme color,’ you say; and that color you do not describe. 280. These five, Kaccāna, are sense pleasures. Which five? Forms cognizable by the eye, desirable, lovely, agreeable, pleasing, associated with sensual desire, arousing passion; Sounds cognizable by the ear... Smells cognizable by the nose... Tastes cognizable by the tongue... Tactile objects cognizable by the body, desirable, lovely, agreeable, pleasing, associated with sensual desire, arousing passion – These, Kaccāna, are the five sense pleasures. That, Kaccāna, which arises as happiness and joy dependent on these five sense pleasures, this is called sensual pleasure. Thus, from sense objects, sensual pleasure; from sensual pleasure, the highest sensual pleasure is declared there. When this was said, the wanderer Vekhanasa said to the Blessed One – ‘‘Wonderful, Venerable Gotama! Amazing, Venerable Gotama! How well-spoken this is by the Venerable Gotama – ‘From sense objects, sensual pleasure; from sensual pleasure, the highest sensual pleasure is declared there.’’’ ‘‘This, Kaccāna, is difficult for you to know, being of another view, of another acceptance, of another liking, of another practice, of another teacher – whether sense objects, or sensual pleasure, or the highest sensual pleasure. Those, Kaccāna, monks who are Arahants, whose taints are destroyed, who have lived the holy life, who have done what had to be done, who have laid down the burden, who have attained their own goal, whose fetters of existence are utterly destroyed, who are liberated by perfect knowledge, they would know this – whether sense objects, or sensual pleasure, or the highest sensual pleasure.’’ 281. When this was said, the wanderer Vekhanasa, angry and displeased, reviling the Blessed One, disparaging the Blessed One, speaking ill of the Blessed One, ‘‘The ascetic Gotama will be led astray!’’ The Blessed One... He said this: "Just so, some recluses and brahmins here, not knowing the past end, not seeing the future end, yet declare: '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' – they claim to know. Their speech becomes laughable, becomes mere words, becomes empty, becomes hollow." "Those recluses and brahmins, Kaccāna, who, not knowing the past end, not seeing the future end, declare: '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' – they claim to know; for them, that very claim is a refutation in accordance with the Dhamma. But Kaccāna, let the past end stand aside, let the future end stand aside. Let an intelligent person come, not deceitful, not fraudulent, of upright nature. I will instruct, I will teach the Dhamma. Practicing as instructed, before long, he will know for himself, he will see for himself: 'Indeed, in this way there is proper release from bondage, that is, release from the bondage of ignorance.' Just as, Kaccāna, a young child, weak, lying on its back, might be bound by five-fold bonds with string bonds; as it grows, as its faculties mature, those bonds would loosen. He would know: 'I am released,' but not the bonds themselves. Just so, Kaccāna, let an intelligent person come, not deceitful, not fraudulent, of upright nature. I will instruct, I will teach the Dhamma. Practicing as instructed, before long, he will know for himself, he will see for himself: 'Indeed, in this way there is proper release from bondage, that is, release from the bondage of ignorance.'" When this was said, Vekhanasa the wanderer said to the Blessed One: "Excellent, good Gotama… (etc.)" … May the venerable Gotama remember me as a lay follower, gone for refuge from this day forth, as long as life lasts. The Vekhanasa Sutta, the tenth, is concluded. The Wanderer Chapter, the third, is concluded. Its summary – Puṇḍarīka, Aggivessana, Kathina by name, Dīghanakha, and Bhāradvāja by clan; Sandaka, Udāyi, Muṇḍikaputta, Maṇika, and also Kaccāna, the excellent chapter.