English
From the cessation of happiness free from sensuality arises the feeling of neither pain nor pleasure. 'This is conditioned, gross; but there is indeed a cessation of formations.' Knowing this, the Tathagata, seeing the escape from it, has gone beyond it. 33. Here, monks, some ascetic or brahmin, by relinquishing views about the past, and 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, by transcending the feeling that is neither painful nor pleasant, perceives: 'I am peaceful, I am extinguished, I am without clinging.' This, monks, the Tathagata knows directly. 'This venerable ascetic or brahmin, by relinquishing views about the past, and 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, by transcending the feeling that is neither painful nor pleasant, perceives: 'I am peaceful, I am extinguished, I am without clinging.' Surely this venerable one declares a path conducive to Nibbana. Yet this venerable ascetic or brahmin, if clinging, clings to views about the past; if clinging, clings to views about the future; if clinging, clings to sensual fetters; if clinging, clings to the joy of seclusion; if clinging, clings to happiness free from sensuality... Clinging to it, he clings, or clinging to a neutral feeling, he clings. And what this venerable one perceives as: ‘I am peaceful, I am extinguished, I am without clinging,’ even that is declared to be clinging for this venerable ascetic or brahmin. ‘This is conditioned, gross; but there is indeed a cessation of formations’ – thus knowing, the Tathāgata, seeing the escape from that, has gone beyond it. ‘‘And this, bhikkhus, is the unsurpassed supreme state of peace realized by the Tathāgata, namely – having truly known the origin and the passing away, the gratification and the danger, and the escape from the six sense-bases for contact, there is liberation without clinging.’’ The Blessed One said this. Delighted, those bhikkhus rejoiced in the Blessed One's words. The Pañcattaya Sutta, the second, is finished. 3. The Kinti Sutta 34. Thus have I heard – At one time the Blessed One was staying in Pisinārā in the Baliharaṇa forest grove. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus, saying: ‘‘Bhikkhus!’’ ‘‘Venerable Sir,’’ those bhikkhus replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this: ‘‘What do you think of me, bhikkhus – ‘Does the ascetic Gotama teach the Dhamma for the sake of robes, or does the ascetic Gotama teach the Dhamma for the sake of almsfood, or does the ascetic Gotama teach the Dhamma for the sake of lodgings, or for the sake of this or that existence... that the recluse Gotama teaches the Dhamma?” “Indeed not, venerable sir, it is not so for us regarding the Blessed One: ‘The recluse Gotama teaches the Dhamma for the sake of robes, or the recluse Gotama teaches the Dhamma for the sake of almsfood, or the recluse Gotama teaches the Dhamma for the sake of lodging, or the recluse Gotama teaches the Dhamma for the sake of existence or non-existence.’” “So then, bhikkhus, it is not so for you regarding me: ‘The recluse Gotama teaches the Dhamma for the sake of robes… …for the sake of existence or non-existence’; then how, bhikkhus, is it for you regarding me?” “Thus, venerable sir, it is for us regarding the Blessed One: ‘The Blessed One is compassionate, a well-wisher; he teaches the Dhamma out of compassion.’” “So then, bhikkhus, it is for you regarding me: ‘The Blessed One is compassionate, a well-wisher; he teaches the Dhamma out of compassion.’” 35. “Therefore, bhikkhus, those teachings that I have taught you by direct knowledge, namely— the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right exertions, the four bases of psychic power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, the noble eightfold path— therein you should all train in unity, in harmony, without dispute. And if, bhikkhus, while you are training in unity, in harmony, without dispute, there should be two bhikkhus who hold different views on the Abhidhamma. If it should seem to you then: ‘These venerable ones differ in meaning and differ in wording,’ then you should approach the bhikkhu whom you consider to be more amenable, and he should be addressed thus: ‘Venerable sirs, you differ in meaning and you differ in wording. By this, venerable sirs, you should know that you differ in meaning and you differ in wording. Venerable sirs, do not fall into dispute.” Then to other bhikkhus of one side, whichever bhikkhu you consider more amenable, he should be approached and told thus: ‘Indeed, venerable sirs, there is a difference in meaning, and a difference in wording. And by this, venerable sirs, you should know – that there is a difference in meaning, and a difference in wording. Venerable sirs, do not engage in dispute.’ Thus, what is ill-grasped should be held as ill-grasped; what is well-grasped should be held as well-grasped. Having held what is ill-grasped as ill-grasped, having held what is well-grasped as well-grasped, that Dhamma, that Vinaya should be spoken. 36. ‘‘If there, it should be thus for you – ‘Indeed, for these venerable sirs, there is a difference in meaning, but the wording agrees,’ there, whichever bhikkhu you consider more amenable, he should be approached and told thus: ‘Indeed, venerable sirs, there is a difference in meaning, but the wording agrees. And by this, venerable sirs, you should know – that there is a difference in meaning, but the wording agrees. Venerable sirs, do not engage in dispute.’ Then to other bhikkhus of one side, whichever bhikkhu you consider more amenable, he should be approached and told thus: ‘Indeed, venerable sirs, there is a difference in meaning, but the wording agrees. And by this, venerable sirs, you should know – that there is a difference in meaning, but the wording agrees. Venerable sirs, do not engage in dispute.’ Thus, what is ill-grasped should be held as ill-grasped; what is well-grasped should be held as well-grasped. Having held what is ill-grasped as ill-grasped, having held what is well-grasped as well-grasped, that Dhamma, that Vinaya should be spoken. 37. ‘‘If there, it should be thus for you – ‘Indeed, for these venerable sirs, the meaning agrees, but there is a difference in wording,’ there, whichever bhikkhu you consider more amenable, he should be approached and should be said to him: ‘Indeed, for the Venerables, the meaning agrees, the wording differs. So, Venerables, know this by this: that indeed the meaning agrees, the wording differs. And this is a small matter, this wording. Venerables, do not engage in dispute over a small matter.’ Then, to the other monks of one side, whichever monk you consider more amenable, approach him and say this: ‘Indeed, for the Venerables, the meaning agrees, the wording differs. So, Venerables, know this by this: that indeed the meaning agrees, the wording differs. And this is a small matter, this wording. Venerables, do not engage in dispute over a small matter.’ Thus, what is well-grasped should be held as well-grasped; what is ill-grasped should be held as ill-grasped. Having held what is well-grasped as well-grasped, and what is ill-grasped as ill-grasped, that Dhamma, that Vinaya should be spoken. 38. And if it should be thus for you there: ‘Indeed, for these Venerables, both the meaning agrees and the wording agrees,’ then, whichever monk you consider more amenable, approach him and say this: ‘Indeed, for the Venerables, both the meaning agrees and the wording agrees. So, Venerables, know this by this: that both the meaning agrees and the wording agrees. Venerables, do not engage in dispute.’ Then, to the other monks of one side, whichever monk you consider more amenable, approach him and say this: ‘Indeed, for the Venerables, both the meaning agrees and the wording agrees. So, Venerables, know this by this: that both the meaning agrees and the wording agrees. Venerables, do not engage in dispute.’ Thus, what is well-grasped should be held as well-grasped. Having held what is well-grasped as well-grasped, that Dhamma, that Vinaya should be spoken. 39. And, monks, when you are united, rejoicing… Among those not disputing, among those training, should a certain bhikkhu incur an offense, should there be a transgression, there, bhikkhus, one should not rush to accuse. The person should be examined: 'Thus, there will be no harm to me, and no injury to the other person. For that person is not angry, not resentful, not rigid in views, easily letting go. And I am able to raise this person from unwholesome states and establish them in wholesome states.' If, bhikkhus, it is so, it is fit to speak. But if, bhikkhus, it is so: 'Indeed, there will be no harm to me, but injury to the other person. For that person is angry, resentful, not rigid in views, easily letting go. And I am able to raise this person from unwholesome states and establish them in wholesome states. Indeed, this is a small matter: the injury to the other person. But this is much greater: that I am able to raise this person from unwholesome states and establish them in wholesome states.' If, bhikkhus, it is so, it is fit to speak. But if, bhikkhus, it is so: 'Indeed, there will be harm to me, but no injury to the other person. For that person is not angry, not resentful, rigid in views, difficult to let go. And I am able to raise this person from unwholesome states and establish them in wholesome states. Indeed, this is a small matter: the harm to me. But this is much greater: that I am able to raise this person from unwholesome states and establish them in wholesome states.' If, bhikkhus, it is so, it is fit to speak. But if, bhikkhus, it is so: 'Indeed, there will be harm to me, and injury to the other person.