English
thinks thus: 'From this, this will be mine; by this, I shall gain this.' Even so, these good ascetics and brahmins seem to me like merchants: 'Thus we shall be after death, thus we shall be after death.' This, bhikkhus, the Tathāgata knows. And those good ascetics and brahmins who declare the cutting off, the destruction, the annihilation of an existing being, they, from fear of self-existence, from disgust with self-existence, run and revolve around self-existence itself. Just as a dog, tied by a leash to a strong post or pillar, runs and revolves around that very post or pillar; even so, these good ascetics and brahmins, from fear of self-existence, from disgust with self-existence, run and revolve around self-existence itself. 'This is conditioned, this is gross. But there is a cessation of formations, there is that.' Knowing this, the Tathāgata, seeing the escape from it, has gone beyond it. 26. Whatever ascetics or brahmins, bhikkhus, are speculators about the future, holding views about the future, who speak in various ways with statements concerning the future, all of them speak of these five sense bases, or of one of them. 27. There are, bhikkhus, some ascetics and brahmins who are speculators about the past, holding views about the past, who speak in various ways with statements concerning the past. 'The self and the world are eternal; this alone is true, anything else is foolish' – thus some declare. 'The self and the world are not eternal; this alone is true, anything else is foolish' – thus some declare. 'The self and the world are both eternal and not eternal... The self and the world are eternal, This alone is truth, anything else is delusion – Thus some proclaim. Neither eternal nor non-eternal is the self and the world, This alone is truth, anything else is delusion – Thus some proclaim. Finite is the self and the world, This alone is truth, anything else is delusion – Thus some proclaim. Infinite is the self and the world, This alone is truth, anything else is delusion – Thus some proclaim. Both finite and infinite is the self and the world, This alone is truth, anything else is delusion – Thus some proclaim. Neither finite nor infinite is the self and the world, This alone is truth, anything else is delusion – Thus some proclaim. The self and the world are of a single perception, This alone is truth, anything else is delusion – Thus some proclaim. The self and the world are of diverse perceptions, This alone is truth, anything else is delusion – Thus some proclaim. The self and the world are of limited perception, This alone is truth, anything else is delusion – Thus some proclaim. The self and the world are of immeasurable perception, This alone is truth, anything else is delusion – Thus some proclaim. The self and the world are entirely happy, This alone is truth, anything else is delusion – Thus some proclaim. The self and the world are entirely suffering, This alone is truth, anything else is delusion – Thus some proclaim. The self and the world are both happy and suffering, This alone is truth, anything else is delusion – Thus some proclaim. The self and the world are neither suffering nor happy, This alone is truth, anything else is delusion – Thus some proclaim. 28. "Here, monks, those ascetics and brahmins who speak thus, who hold such views – 'The self and the world are eternal, this alone is truth, anything else is delusion,' for them, apart from faith, apart from inclination, apart from oral tradition, apart from reasoned cogitation, apart from the acceptance of a view, there will be personal knowledge, purified and cleansed – this is not possible. But, monks, when there is no personal knowledge, purified and cleansed, whatever they... those recluses and brahmins there purify only a portion of knowledge. Even that is called an clinging for those venerable recluses and brahmins. 'This is conditioned, gross, but there is a cessation of formations here.' Having thus known, the Tathāgata, seeing the escape from it, has gone beyond it. 29. "There, bhikkhus, those recluses and brahmins who speak thus, who hold such views: 'The self and the world are impermanent, this alone is true, anything else is foolish.' ... The self and the world are both eternal and impermanent. The self and the world are neither eternal nor impermanent. The self and the world are finite. The self and the world are infinite. The self and the world are both finite and infinite. The self and the world are neither finite nor infinite. The self and the world are of a single perception. The self and the world are of diverse perceptions. The self and the world are of limited perception. The self and the world are of immeasurable perception. The self and the world are entirely happy. The self and the world are entirely suffering. The self and the world are both happy and suffering. The self and the world are neither suffering nor happy. This alone is true, anything else is foolish.' For them, it is not possible that, apart from faith, apart from inclination, apart from oral tradition, apart from reasoned cogitation, apart from the acceptance of a view after pondering, their own knowledge will be pure and cleansed – this is not possible. But, bhikkhus, when there is no pure, cleansed knowledge in themselves, even if those venerable recluses and brahmins there purify only a portion of knowledge, even that is called an clinging for those venerable recluses and brahmins. 'This is conditioned, gross, but there is a cessation of formations here.' Having thus known, the Tathāgata, seeing the escape from it, has gone beyond it. 30. "Here, bhikkhus, some recluse or brahmin, having abandoned views about the past, having abandoned views about the future, having not taken up any sensual fetters at all, He dwells, having attained secluded joy – 'This is peaceful, this is sublime, that I dwell having attained secluded joy.' That secluded joy of his ceases. With the cessation of secluded joy, dejection arises. With the cessation of dejection, secluded joy arises. Just as, bhikkhus, what shade abandons, heat pervades, what heat abandons, shade pervades; even so, bhikkhus, with the cessation of secluded joy, dejection arises, with the cessation of dejection, secluded joy arises. This, bhikkhus, the Tathāgata fully understands. This venerable recluse or brahmin, having abandoned views about the past, and abandoned views about the future, and having not established any sensual fetters, dwells, having attained secluded joy – 'This is peaceful, this is sublime, that I dwell having attained secluded joy.' That secluded joy of his ceases. With the cessation of secluded joy, dejection arises. With the cessation of dejection, secluded joy arises. 'This is conditioned, coarse, but there is cessation of formations here' – thus knowing, the Tathāgata, seeing the escape from it, has transcended it. 31. Here, bhikkhus, some recluse or brahmin, having abandoned views about the past, and abandoned views about the future, and having not established any sensual fetters, having transcended secluded joy, dwells, having attained unworldly happiness – 'This is peaceful, this is sublime, that I dwell having attained unworldly happiness.' That unworldly happiness of his ceases. With the cessation of unworldly happiness, secluded joy arises. With the cessation of secluded joy, unworldly happiness arises. Just as, bhikkhus, what shade abandons, heat pervades, what heat abandons, shade pervades; even so, b Monks, from the cessation of non-sensual pleasure arises secluded joy, from the cessation of secluded joy arises non-sensual pleasure. This, monks, the Tathāgata fully understands. This venerable recluse or brahmin, having relinquished views about the past, having relinquished views about the future, having completely abandoned all sensual fetters, having transcended secluded joy, abides having attained non-sensual pleasure – ‘This is peaceful, this is sublime, that I abide having attained non-sensual pleasure.’ That non-sensual pleasure of his ceases. From the cessation of non-sensual pleasure arises secluded joy, from the cessation of secluded joy arises non-sensual pleasure. ‘This is conditioned, gross. There is, however, a cessation of formations.’ – thus knowing, the Tathāgata, seeing the escape from it, has gone beyond that. 32. Here, monks, some recluse or brahmin, having relinquished views about the past, having relinquished views about the future, having completely abandoned all sensual fetters, having transcended secluded joy, having transcended non-sensual pleasure, abides having attained neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling – ‘This is peaceful, this is sublime, that I abide having attained neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling.’ That neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling of his ceases. From the cessation of neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling arises non-sensual pleasure, from the cessation of non-sensual pleasure arises neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling. Just as, monks, what the shade leaves, the sun strikes, what the sun leaves, the shade strikes; even so, monks, from the cessation of neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling arises non-sensual pleasure, from the cessation of non-sensual pleasure arises neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling. This, monks, the Tathāgata fully understands. This venerable recluse or brahmin, having... and by relinquishing views about the past, and by relinquishing views about the future, by not clinging to any sensual fetters at all, by transcending the joy of seclusion, by transcending the happiness free from sensuality, he dwells having attained the feeling that is neither painful nor pleasant, thinking: 'This is peaceful, this is sublime, namely, to dwell having attained the feeling that is neither painful nor pleasant.' That feeling of neither pain nor pleasure ceases for him. From the cessation of the feeling of neither pain nor pleasure arises happiness free from sensuality.