English
'a Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death' — this is for him. Indeed, friend, for one not delighting in form, not attached to form, not rejoicing in form, knowing, seeing the cessation of form as it really is, 'a Tathāgata exists after death' — this is not for him... 'a Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death' — this is not for him. Indeed, friend, for one not delighting in feeling... Indeed, friend, for one not delighting in perception... Indeed, friend, for one not delighting in formations... Indeed, friend, for one not delighting in consciousness, not attached to consciousness, not rejoicing in consciousness, knowing, seeing the cessation of consciousness as it really is, 'a Tathāgata exists after death' — this is not for him... 'a Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death' — this is not for him. Indeed, friend, this is the reason, this is the cause, why this has not been declared by the Blessed One. "Might there be, friend, another way, by which this has not been declared by the Blessed One?" "There might be, friend. Indeed, friend, for one delighting in becoming, attached to becoming, rejoicing in becoming, not knowing, not seeing the cessation of becoming as it really is, 'a Tathāgata exists after death' — this is for him... 'a Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death' — this is for him. Indeed, friend, for one not delighting in becoming, not attached to becoming, not rejoicing in becoming, knowing, seeing the cessation of becoming as it really is, 'a Tathāgata exists after death' — this is not for him... 'a Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death' — this is not for him. Indeed, friend, this also is a reason." noble ones, why this was undeclared by the Blessed One.” “Might there be, friend, another reason why this was undeclared by the Blessed One?” “There might, friend. For one delighting in clinging, friend, rejoicing in clinging, satisfied with clinging, not knowing, not seeing the cessation of clinging as it really is, for him there is ‘the Tathāgata exists after death’… …‘the Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death.’ For one not delighting in clinging, friend, not rejoicing in clinging, not satisfied with clinging, knowing, seeing the cessation of clinging as it really is, for him there is not ‘the Tathāgata exists after death’… …‘the Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death.’ This too, friend, is a reason why this was undeclared by the Blessed One.” “Might there be, friend, another reason why this was undeclared by the Blessed One?” “There might, friend. For one delighting in craving, friend, rejoicing in craving, satisfied with craving, not knowing, not seeing the cessation of craving as it really is, for him there is ‘the Tathāgata exists after death’… …‘the Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death.’ For one not delighting in craving, friend, not rejoicing in craving, not satisfied with craving, knowing, seeing the cessation of craving as it really is, for him there is not ‘the Tathāgata exists after death’… …‘the Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death.’ This too, friend, is a reason why this was undeclared by the Blessed One.” “Might there be, friend, another reason why this was undeclared by the Blessed One?” “Now, friend Sāriputta, what more do you wish for beyond this? For a monk, friend Sāriputta, whose craving is destroyed and who is liberated, there is no designation of the cycle of existence.” The Sixth. 7. Moggallāna Sutta 416. Then Vacchagotta the wanderer approached Venerable Mahāmoggallāna. Having approached, he exchanged greetings with Venerable Mahāmoggallāna. He exchanged greetings. Having exchanged courteous and memorable talk, he sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the wanderer Vacchagotta said this to the venerable Mahāmoggallāna: "Is the world eternal, good Moggallāna?" "This, Vaccha, has been undeclared by the Blessed One: 'The world is eternal.'" "Then, good Moggallāna, is the world not eternal?" "This too, Vaccha, has been undeclared by the Blessed One: 'The world is not eternal.'" "Is the world finite, good Moggallāna?" "This, Vaccha, has been undeclared by the Blessed One: 'The world is finite.'" "Then, good Moggallāna, is the world infinite?" "This too, Vaccha, has been undeclared by the Blessed One: 'The world is infinite.'" "Is the soul the same as the body, good Moggallāna?" "This, Vaccha, has been undeclared by the Blessed One: 'The soul is the same as the body.'" "Then, good Moggallāna, is the soul one thing and the body another?" "This too, Vaccha, has been undeclared by the Blessed One: 'The soul is one thing and the body another.'" "Does the Tathāgata exist after death, good Moggallāna?" "This, Vaccha, has been undeclared by the Blessed One: 'The Tathāgata exists after death.'" "Then, good Moggallāna, does the Tathāgata not exist after death?" "This too, Vaccha, has been undeclared by the Blessed One: 'The Tathāgata does not exist after death.'" "Does the Tathāgata both exist and not exist after death, good Moggallāna?" "This, Vaccha, has been undeclared by the Blessed One: 'The Tathāgata both exists and not exists after death.'" "Then, good Moggallāna, does the Tathāgata neither exist nor not exist after death?" "This too, Vaccha, has been undeclared by the Blessed One: 'The Tathāgata neither exists nor not exists after death.'" "What, good Moggallāna, is the reason, what is the cause, that when wanderers of other sects are asked thus, they declare..." there is an explanation: 'The world is eternal,' or 'The world is not eternal,' or 'The world is finite,' or 'The world is infinite,' or 'The soul and the body are the same,' or 'The soul is one thing and the body is 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'? But what, good Moggallāna, is the reason, what is the cause, that when the recluse Gotama is asked thus, he does not give such an explanation: 'The world is eternal,' or 'The world is not eternal,' or 'The world is finite,' or 'The world is infinite,' or 'The soul and the body are the same,' or 'The soul is one thing and the body is 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'?" "Other wanderers, Vaccha, regard the eye as 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self.' ... They regard the tongue as 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self.' ... They regard the mind as 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self.' Therefore, when other wanderers are asked thus, they give such an explanation: 'The world is eternal,' or ... 'The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death.' But the Tathāgata, Vaccha, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Enlightened One, regards the eye as 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.' ... He regards the tongue as 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.' ... He regards the mind as 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.' Therefore, when the Tathāgata is asked thus, he does not give such an explanation: 'The world is eternal,' or ... 'The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death.'" Then the wanderer Vacchagotta, rising from his seat, approached the Blessed One; having approached, he exchanged greetings with the Blessed One. He rejoiced. Having exchanged courteous and memorable talk, he sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the wanderer Vacchagotta said to the Blessed One: "Is the world eternal, good Gotama?" "This, Vaccha, has been undeclared by me: 'The world is eternal' ...and so on..." "But then, good Gotama, does the Tathāgata neither exist nor not exist after death?" "This too, Vaccha, has been undeclared by me: 'The Tathāgata neither exists nor not exists after death.'" "What now, good Gotama, is the reason, what is the cause, by which other sectarians, when asked thus, declare thus: 'The world is eternal' ...and so on... or 'The Tathāgata neither exists nor not exists after death'? What then, good Gotama, is the reason, what is the cause, by which, when you, good Gotama, are asked thus, you do not declare thus: 'The world is eternal' ...and so on... or 'The Tathāgata neither exists nor not exists after death'?" "Other sectarians, Vaccha, regard the eye thus: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self.' ...and so on... ...the tongue thus: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self.' ...and so on... ...the mind thus: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self.' Therefore, when other sectarians are asked thus, they declare thus: 'The world is eternal' ...and so on... or 'The Tathāgata neither exists nor not exists after death.' But the Tathāgata, Vaccha, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, regards the eye thus: 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.' ...and so on... ...the tongue thus: 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.' ...and so on... ...the mind thus: 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.' Therefore, when the Tathāgata is asked thus, he does not declare thus: 'The world is eternal,' 'The world is not eternal,' 'The world is finite,' 'The world is infinite,' 'The soul and the body are the same,' 'The soul is one thing, the body another,' the body, 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.’” “Wonderful, good Gotama! Amazing, good Gotama! That the meaning of the Teacher and the disciple, the expression of the Teacher and the disciple, should agree, should meet, and not conflict, in this highest matter. Now, good Gotama,