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3. Explanation of the Duṭṭhaṭṭhaka Sutta Now, the explanation of the Duṭṭhaṭṭhaka Sutta will be given – 15. Some speak with a corrupted mind, Others speak with a truthful mind; The Sage does not approach the arisen dispute, Therefore, the Sage is nowhere barren. "Some speak with a corrupted mind" means: those sectarians, with corrupted minds, hostile minds, opposing minds, afflicted minds, struck minds, enraged minds, greatly enraged minds, speak and revile the Buddha and the community of monks with what is not true – "some speak with a corrupted mind." "Others speak with a truthful mind" means: those who believe, accept, and are convinced by those sectarians, with truthful minds, truthful perceptions, real minds, real perceptions, actual minds, actual perceptions, factual minds, factual perceptions, unperverted minds, unperverted perceptions, speak and revile the Buddha and the community of monks with what is not true – "others speak with a truthful mind." "The Sage does not approach the arisen dispute." That dispute is arisen, produced, come into being, manifested, a loud noise, an insult, a reviling of the Buddha and the community of monks with what is not true – "the arisen dispute." "The Sage does not approach." "Sage" means wisdom. That wisdom, understanding, non-delusion, investigation of phenomena, right view; endowed with that wisdom, the Sage has attained silence... having gone beyond the net of attachment, that Sage. One who approaches a dispute approaches it for two reasons: either one is the doer, and approaches the dispute because of being the doer; or, being spoken to, being reviled, one becomes angry, agitated, established in anger, and manifests anger, hatred, and displeasure. One who approaches a dispute saying "I am not the doer" approaches it for these two reasons. The Sage does not approach a dispute for two reasons: the Sage is not the doer, and does not approach the dispute because of not being the doer; or, being spoken to, being reviled, one does not become angry, does not become agitated, does not become established in anger, and does not manifest anger, hatred, and displeasure. The Sage does not approach a dispute saying "I am not the doer" for these two reasons. he does not approach, he does not grasp, he does not cling, he does not adhere— a dispute that has arisen, the sage does not approach. Therefore, the sage has no barrenness anywhere. Therefore, for that reason, for that cause, for that condition, for that origin, the sage has no barrenness, no state of a barren mind. The five mental barrennesses do not exist, the three barrennesses do not exist. The barrenness of lust, the barrenness of hatred, the barrenness of delusion do not exist, are not present, are not found, are not perceived; they are abandoned, uprooted, pacified, tranquilized, incapable of future arising, burnt by the fire of knowledge. Anywhere means in anything, in any place, internally or externally, or both internally and externally. Therefore, the sage has no barrenness anywhere. Thus said the Blessed One: “Some speak with a defiled mind, and some speak with a truthful mind; a dispute that has arisen, the sage does not approach, therefore, the sage has no barrenness anywhere.” 16. How could he overcome his own view, led by desire, immersed in his preference? Making things complete by himself, he would speak as he would know. How could he overcome his own view? Those sectarians, having killed Sundarī the wandering ascetic, and having spread disparagement of the Sakyan recluses, thinking, “Thus we will recover gain, fame, honor, and respect,” they, being of such a view, such an acceptance, such a preference, such a doctrine, such an intention, such a purpose, were unable to overcome their own view, their own acceptance, their own preference, their own doctrine, their own intention, their own purpose; instead, that very disgrace returned to them. Thus also, how could he overcome his own view? Or, “The world is eternal, this alone is true, anything else is foolish”— he who holds such a view, how could he overcome, transcend, surpass, go beyond his own view, his own acceptance, his own preference, his own doctrine, his own intention, his own purpose? For what reason? Because that view of his is thus completed, grasped, taken, clung to, adhered to, settled upon, determined. is convinced. Even so – How indeed could one overcome one's own view? "The world is not eternal... (and so on)... the world is finite... the world is infinite... the soul is the same as the body... the soul is different from the body... the Tathāgata exists after death... the Tathāgata does not exist after death... the Tathāgata both exists and does not exist after death... the Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death, this alone is truth, all else is folly" – whoever holds such a view, how could he overcome his own view, his own acceptance, his own preference, his own doctrine, his own inclination, his own intention? How could he transcend, surpass, go beyond, relinquish? For what reason? Because that view of his is thus fully grasped, taken up, held, clung to, settled upon, determined, convinced. Even so – how indeed could one overcome one's own view? Led by desire, settled in preference. "Led by desire" means by one's own view, by one's own acceptance, by one's own preference, by one's own doctrine, one is carried, led, borne, conveyed. Just as by an elephant-vehicle, or a horse-vehicle, or a chariot-vehicle, or an ox-vehicle, or a goat-vehicle, or a sheep-vehicle, or a camel-vehicle, or a donkey-vehicle, one is carried, led, borne, conveyed, even so by one's own view, by one's own acceptance, by one's own preference, by one's own doctrine, one is carried, led, borne, conveyed – that is "led by desire." "Settled in preference" means by one's own view, by one's own preference, by one's own doctrine, one is settled, established, attached, approached, determined, convinced – that is "led by desire, settled in preference." Making things perfect for oneself. One makes it perfect for oneself, makes it complete, makes it excellent, makes it foremost, best, distinguished, chief, supreme, pre-eminent. "This teacher is omniscient" – one makes it perfect for oneself, makes it complete, makes it excellent, makes it foremost, best, distinguished, chief, supreme, pre-eminent. "This Dhamma is well-expounded... (and so on)... this community is well-practiced... this view is good... this path is well due to difference... "this path is leading out" he makes it complete himself, he makes it full, he makes it faultless, he makes it foremost, excellent, distinguished, principal, supreme, pre-eminent, he generates, produces, brings forth, causes to arise – making them complete himself. As indeed he might know, so he might speak. As he might know, so he might speak, relate, declare, explain, express. "The world is eternal, this alone is true, other is vain" – as he might know, so he might speak, relate, declare, explain, express. "The world is not eternal… …the Tathāgata neither is nor is not after death, this alone is true, other is vain" – as he might know, so he might speak, relate, declare, explain, express. As indeed he might know, so he might speak. Therefore the Blessed One said – "How indeed could he transcend his own view, led by desire, settled in preference; making them complete himself, as indeed he might know, so he might speak." 17. Whatever being, his own virtues and vows, without being asked by others, proclaims; the skilled call that ignoble conduct, who himself proclaims himself. "Whatever being, his own virtues and vows" – "Whatever" means whoever, of whatever kind, however engaged, however abiding, of whatever sort, having attained whatever state, endowed with whatever qualities – whether a noble, or a brahmin, or a merchant, or a worker, or a householder, or a renunciant, or a deity, or a human being. "Virtues and vows" means there is both virtue and vow, there is vow but not virtue. What is both virtue and vow? Here, a monk is virtuous, he dwells restrained by the Pātimokkha restraint, endowed with good conduct and resort, seeing danger in the slightest faults, undertaking and training in the training rules. Whatever self-restraint, restraint, non-transgression is there, this is virtue. Whatever undertaking, that is a vow. In the sense of restraint, it is virtue; in the sense of undertaking, it is a vow – this is called both virtue and vow. What is a vow, but not virtue? What is a vow? Eight ascetic practices: the forest-dweller's practice, the alms-gatherer's practice, the rag-robe wearer's practice, the three-robe wearer's practice, the house-to-house alms-gatherer's practice, the one-meal-a-day practice, the sitter's practice, the any-bed-any-seat practice – this is called a vow, not virtue. Also the undertaking of energy is called a vow, not virtue. "Let skin and sinews and bones remain. Let flesh and blood dry up in the body. That which is to be attained by human strength, human power, human energy, human exertion, there will be no cessation of energy until that is attained." He sets his mind, he exerts himself. Such an undertaking of energy – this is called a vow, not virtue. "I will not eat, I will not drink, I will not leave the monastery; Nor will I lie down, until the dart of craving is uprooted." He sets his mind, he exerts himself. Such an undertaking of energy is also called a vow, not virtue. "I will not break this cross-legged posture until my mind is liberated from the defilements without clinging." He sets his mind, he exerts himself. Such an undertaking of energy is also called a vow, not virtue. "I will not rise from this seat, I will not descend from the walking path, I will not leave the monastery, I will not leave the half-roofed dwelling, I will not leave the palace, I will not leave the mansion, I will not leave the cave, I will not leave the rock-shelter,