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just like the great ocean. ‘The Tathāgata is after death’ does not apply… ‘The Tathāgata neither is nor is not after death’ does not apply. By that feeling… by that perception… by those volitional formations…” “That consciousness by which one might define the Tathāgata, that consciousness of the Tathāgata has been abandoned, its root cut off, made like a palm stump, brought to non-existence, not liable to future arising. Released from the reckoning of consciousness…” The Tathāgata, great king, is unreleased, profound, immeasurable, hard to fathom— just like the great ocean. ‘The Tathāgata exists after death’— this does not apply. ‘The Tathāgata does not exist after death’— this does not apply. ‘The Tathāgata both exists and does not exist after death’— this does not apply. ‘The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death’— this does not apply. “Wonderful, venerable sir! Amazing, venerable sir! That the meaning of the Teacher and the meaning of the disciple, the expression of the Teacher and the expression of the disciple, should correspond, should agree, should not contradict on this highest point. Once, venerable sir, I approached the bhikkhunī Khemā and asked her about this matter. And that venerable one explained this matter to me with these words, with these expressions, just as the Blessed One did. Wonderful, venerable sir! Amazing, venerable sir! That the meaning of the Teacher and the meaning of the disciple, the expression of the Teacher and the expression of the disciple, should correspond, should agree, should not contradict on this highest point. Now, venerable sir, we shall go. We have much to do, much to attend to.” “Do as you deem fit, great king.” Then King Pasenadi of Kosala, having rejoiced in and approved of the Blessed One’s words, rose from his seat, saluted the Blessed One, circumambulated him respectfully, and departed. The First. 2. The Anurādha Sutta At one time the Blessed One was staying in Vesālī, in the Great Wood, in the Gabled Hall. At that time, the venerable Anurādha was staying in a forest hut not far from the Blessed One. Then a number of wandering ascetics of other sects approached the venerable Anurādha. Having approached, they exchanged greetings with the venerable Anurādha. Having concluded their courteous and amiable talk, they sat down to one side. Seated to one side, those wandering ascetics of other sects asked the venerable Anu Anurādha, they said this: “That Tathāgata, friend Anurādha, the supreme person, the ultimate person, who has attained the ultimate attainment— does the Tathāgata, when describing him, describe him in these four ways: ‘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’?” “That Tathāgata, friends, the supreme person, the ultimate person, who has attained the ultimate attainment— the Tathāgata, when describing him, describes him apart from these four ways: ‘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’.” When this was said, those wanderers of other sects said this to Venerable Anurādha: “This monk must be new, recently ordained, or else he is an elder who is foolish and inexperienced.” Then those wanderers of other sects, having disparaged Venerable Anurādha with words of newness and words of foolishness, rose from their seats and departed. Then, not long after those wanderers of other sects had departed, this thought occurred to Venerable Anurādha: “If those wanderers of other sects were to question me further, how should I answer so that I would be speaking in accordance with the Blessed One’s words, and not misrepresenting the Blessed One with what is not true, and explaining the Dhamma in accordance with the Dhamma, and no co-dharmic dispute would lead to a blameworthy position?” Then Venerable Anurādha approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, Venerable Anurādha said this to the Blessed One: “Here, venerable sir, I was dwelling in a forest hut not far from the Blessed One. Then, venerable sir, Oh, many wandering ascetics of other sects came to where I was. Having come, they exchanged greetings with me. Having finished the courteous and memorable talk, they sat down to one side. Seated to one side, indeed, Venerable Sir, those wandering ascetics of other sects said this to me: "That Tathāgata, friend Anurādha, the supreme person, the ultimate person, who has attained the ultimate attainment, does the Tathāgata declare him in these four ways: 'The Tathāgata exists after death' or... 'The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death'?" When this was said, Venerable Sir, I said to those wandering ascetics of other sects: "That Tathāgata, friend, the supreme person, the ultimate person, who has attained the ultimate attainment, the Tathāgata declares him other than by these four ways: 'The Tathāgata exists after death' or... 'The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death'." When this was said, Venerable Sir, those wandering ascetics of other sects said this to me: "This monk must be new, recently ordained, or else an elder who is foolish and inexperienced." Then, indeed, Venerable Sir, those wandering ascetics of other sects, having disparaged me with words of newness and words of foolishness, rose from their seats and departed. To me, Venerable Sir, after those wandering ascetics of other sects had not long departed, this thought occurred: "If, indeed, those wandering ascetics of other sects had questioned me further, how, by answering, would I have been one who spoke in accordance with the Blessed One's words to those wandering ascetics of other sects, and not misrepresented the Blessed One with what is untrue, and explained the Dhamma in accordance with the Dhamma, and no co-religionist, no one who follows the Dhamma, would have cause for reproach?" "What do you think, Anurādha, is form permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, Venerable Sir." "But what is impermanent, is that suffering or happiness?" "Suffering, Venerable Sir." "But what is impermanent..." is suffering, subject to change, is it fit to regard that as – 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'? "No, venerable sir." "Feeling, is it permanent or impermanent?" ...Perception... ...Formations... "Consciousness, is it permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." "But that which is impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?" "Suffering, venerable sir." "But that which is impermanent, suffering, subject to change, is it fit to regard that as – 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'?" "No, venerable sir." "Therefore, Anuradha, whatever form, past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near, all form should be seen as it really is with right wisdom: 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.' Whatever feeling, past, future, or present... Whatever perception... Whatever formations... Whatever consciousness, past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near, all consciousness should be seen as it really is with right wisdom: 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.' Seeing thus, Anuradha, the well-instructed noble disciple becomes disenchanted with form, becomes disenchanted with feeling, becomes disenchanted with perception, becomes disenchanted with formations, becomes disenchanted with consciousness. Being disenchanted, he becomes dispassionate; through dispassion, he is liberated; in liberation, the knowledge 'liberated' arises. He understands: '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.'" "What do you think, Anuradha, do you regard form as the Tathagata?" "No, venerable sir." "Do you regard feeling as the Tathagata?" "No, venerable sir." "Do you regard perception as the Tathagata?" "No, venerable sir." "Do you regard formations as the Tathagata?" is it?” “No, venerable sir.” “Do you regard consciousness as the Tathāgata?” “No, venerable sir.” “What do you think, Anurādha, do you regard form as the Tathāgata?” “No, venerable sir.” “Do you regard the Tathāgata as apart from form?” “No, venerable sir.” “Do you regard feeling… apart from feeling… perception… apart from perception… volitional formations… apart from volitional formations… consciousness as the Tathāgata?” “No, venerable sir.” “Do you regard the Tathāgata as apart from consciousness?” “No, venerable sir.” “What do you think, Anurādha, do you regard form, feeling, perception, volitional formations, consciousness as the Tathāgata?” “No, venerable sir.” “What do you think, Anurādha, do you regard this formless, feelingless, perceptionless, unconditioned, consciousnessless one as the Tathāgata?” “No, venerable sir.” “Since, Anurādha, the Tathāgata is not apprehended by you as a truth, as a reality, even in this very life, is it fitting for you to make this declaration: ‘That Tathāgata, friend, that supreme person, that ultimate person, that one who has attained the ultimate attainment, that Tathāgata, when declaring, declares apart from these four positions: “The Tathāgata exists after death”… or… “The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death”’?” “No, venerable sir.” “Good, good, Anurādha! Formerly, Anurādha, and now, I declare only suffering and the cessation of suffering.” The second. 3. The First Sāriputta-Koṭṭhika Sutta 412. At one time, the venerable Sāriputta and the venerable Mahākoṭṭhika were staying in Bārāṇasī, in Isipatana at the Deer Park.