English
12. Connected Discourses with Vacchagotta 1. Discourse on Ignorance of Form 607. At one time the Blessed One was staying at Sāvatthī, in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park. Then the wanderer Vacchagotta approached the Blessed One; having approached, he exchanged greetings with the Blessed One. Having concluded the courteous and memorable talk, he sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the wanderer Vacchagotta said to the Blessed One: "What, good Gotama, is the cause, what is the reason, for these various views to arise in the world— 'The world is eternal' or, 'The world is not eternal' or, 'The world is finite' or, 'The world is infinite' or, 'The soul is the same as the body' or, 'The soul is one thing, the body another' or, 'The Tathāgata exists after death' or, 'The Tathāgata does not exist after death' or, 'The Tathāgata both exists and does not exist after death' or, 'The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death'?" "Through ignorance of form, Vaccha, through ignorance of the origin of form, through ignorance of the cessation of form, through ignorance of the path leading to the cessation of form; thus these various views arise in the world— 'The world is eternal' or... 'The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death.' This, Vaccha, is the cause, this is the reason, for these various views to arise in the world— 'The world is eternal' or, 'The world is not eternal' or... 'The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death.'" First. 2. Discourse on Ignorance of Feeling 608. At Sāvatthī. Seated to one side, the wanderer Vacchagotta said to the Blessed One: "What, good Gotama, is the cause, what is the reason, for these various views to arise in the world— 'The world is eternal' or, 'The world is not eternal' or... 'The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death'?" "Through ignorance of feeling, Vaccha, through ignorance of the origin of feeling, Knowledge, ignorance of the cessation of feeling, ignorance of the path leading to the cessation of feeling; thus these many kinds of views arise in the world – "The world is eternal" or, "The world is not eternal" or... "The Tathāgata neither is nor is not after death." This, Vaccha, is the cause, this is the reason, why these many kinds of views arise in the world – "The world is eternal" or, "The world is not eternal" or... "The Tathāgata neither is nor is not after death." The Second. 3. The Discourse on Ignorance of Perception 609. At Sāvatthī. The wanderer Vacchagotta, seated to one side, said to the Blessed One: "What, good Gotama, is the cause, what is the reason, why these many kinds of views arise in the world – 'The world is eternal' or, 'The world is not eternal' or... 'The Tathāgata neither is nor is not after death'?" "Through ignorance of perception, Vaccha, ignorance of the origin of perception, ignorance of the cessation of perception, ignorance of the path leading to the cessation of perception; thus these many kinds of views arise in the world – 'The world is eternal' or, 'The world is not eternal' or... 'The Tathāgata neither is nor is not after death.' This, Vaccha, is the cause, this is the reason, why these many kinds of views arise in the world – 'The world is eternal' or, 'The world is not eternal' or... 'The Tathāgata neither is nor is not after death'." The Third. 4. The Discourse on Ignorance of Formations 610. At Sāvatthī. The wanderer Vacchagotta, seated to one side, said to the Blessed One: "What, good Gotama, is the cause, what is the reason, why these many kinds of views arise in the world – 'The world is eternal' or, 'The world is not eternal' or... 'The Tathāgata neither is nor is not after death'?" "Through ignorance of formations, Vaccha, ignorance of the origin of formations, ignorance of the cessation of formations, ignorance of the path leading to the cessation of formations..." ignorance of the path; thus these various views arise in the world – 'the world is eternal' or 'the world is not eternal'... 'the Tathāgata neither is nor is not after death'. This, Vaccha, is the cause, this is the reason, why these various views arise in the world – 'the world is eternal' or 'the world is not eternal'... 'the Tathāgata neither is nor is not after death'. The Fourth. 5. Discourse on Ignorance of Consciousness 611. At Sāvatthī. Seated to one side, the wanderer Vacchagotta said to the Blessed One: "What, good Gotama, is the cause, what is the reason, why these various views arise in the world – 'the world is eternal' or 'the world is not eternal'... 'the Tathāgata neither is nor is not after death'?" "Ignorance, Vaccha, of consciousness, ignorance of the origin of consciousness, ignorance of the cessation of consciousness, ignorance of the path leading to the cessation of consciousness; thus these various views arise in the world – 'the world is eternal' or 'the world is not eternal'... 'the Tathāgata neither is nor is not after death'. This, Vaccha, is the cause, this is the reason, why these various views arise in the world – 'the world is eternal' or 'the world is not eternal'... 'the Tathāgata neither is nor is not after death'." The Fifth. 6-10. The Quintet of Discourses Beginning with 'Non-perception of Form' 612-616. At Sāvatthī. Seated to one side, the wanderer Vacchagotta said to the Blessed One: "What, good Gotama, is the cause, what is the reason, why these various views arise in the world – 'the world is eternal' or 'the world is not eternal'... 'the Tathāgata neither is nor is not after death'?" "Non-perception, Vaccha, of form... non-perception of the path leading to the cessation of form... of feeling... of perception... of fabrications, Vaccha, non-perception..." ...pe... In consciousness, Vaccha, from not seeing...pe... from not seeing the path leading to the cessation of consciousness...pe... The Tenth. 11-15. The Five Discourses beginning with "Not comprehending form" 617-621. Occasion at Sāvatthī. In form, Vaccha, from not comprehending...pe... from not comprehending the path leading to the cessation of form...pe... Occasion at Sāvatthī. In feeling, Vaccha, from not comprehending...pe... Occasion at Sāvatthī. In perception, Vaccha, from not comprehending...pe... Occasion at Sāvatthī. In volitional formations, Vaccha, from not comprehending...pe... Occasion at Sāvatthī. In consciousness, Vaccha, from not comprehending...pe... The Fifteenth. 16-20. The Five Discourses beginning with "Not understanding form" 622-626. Occasion at Sāvatthī. The wanderer Vacchagotta, having sat down to one side, said to the Blessed One: "What, good Gotama, is the reason, what is the cause...pe... In form, Vaccha, from not understanding...pe... from not understanding the path leading to the cessation of form...pe... Occasion at Sāvatthī. In feeling, Vaccha...pe... Occasion at Sāvatthī. In perception, Vaccha...pe... Occasion at Sāvatthī. In volitional formations, Vaccha...pe... Occasion at Sāvatthī. In consciousness, Vaccha, from not understanding...pe... from not understanding the path leading to the cessation of consciousness. The Twentieth. 21-25. The Five Discourses beginning with "Not penetrating form" 627-631. Occasion at Sāvatthī. "What, good Gotama, is the reason, what is the cause...pe... In form, Vaccha, from not penetrating...pe... in consciousness, Vaccha, from not penetrating...pe... The Twenty-fifth. 26-30. The Five Discourses beginning with "Not discerning form" 632-636. Occasion at Sāvatthī. In form, Vaccha, from not discerning...pe... in consciousness, Vaccha, from not discerning...pe... The Thirtieth. 31-35. The Five Discourses beginning with "Not observing form" 637-641. Occasion at Sāvatthī. In form, Vaccha, from not observing...pe... in consciousness, Vaccha, from not observing...pe... The Thirty-fifth. 36-40. The Five Discourses beginning with "Not perceiving form" 642-646. Occasion at Sāvatthī. In form, Vaccha, six, not observing the present…and so on… in consciousness, Vaccha, not observing the present…and so on…. The fortieth. 41-45. The five suttas on not properly examining form, etc. 647-651. Occasion at Sāvatthī. In form, Vaccha, not properly examining…and so on… in consciousness, Vaccha, not properly examining…and so on…. The forty-fifth. 46-50. The five suttas on not reviewing form, etc. 652-656. Occasion at Sāvatthī. In form, Vaccha, not reviewing…and so on… in consciousness, Vaccha, not reviewing…and so on…. The fiftieth. 51-54. The four suttas on not directly knowing form, etc. 657-660. Occasion at Sāvatthī. Then the wanderer Vacchagotta approached the Blessed One; having approached, he exchanged greetings with the Blessed One. Having concluded the courteous and memorable talk, he sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, the wanderer Vacchagotta said to the Blessed One: “What, good Gotama, is the cause, what is the reason, for these various kinds of speculative views that arise in the world— ‘the world is eternal’…and so on… ‘the Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death’?” “Because, Vaccha, of not directly knowing form, of not directly knowing the origin of form, of not directly knowing the cessation of form, of not directly knowing the path leading to the cessation of form…and so on…. Occasion at Sāvatthī. Because, Vaccha, of not directly knowing feeling…and so on… of not directly knowing the path leading to the cessation of feeling…and so on…. Occasion at Sāvatthī. Because, Vaccha, of not directly knowing perception…and so on… of not directly knowing the path leading to the cessation of perception…and so on…. Occasion at Sāvatthī. Because, Vaccha, of not directly knowing volitional formations…and so on… of not directly knowing the path leading to the cessation of volitional formations…and so on…. The fifty-fourth. 55. The sutta on not directly knowing consciousness 661. Occasion at Sāvatthī. “Because, Vaccha, of not directly knowing consciousness,