English
Fourth Chapter (33) 1. Discourse on whether a householder can be an Arahant Is a householder an Arahant? Yes. Does an Arahant have the fetters of a householder? One should not say so... Does an Arahant not have the fetters of a householder? Yes. If an Arahant does not have the fetters of a householder, then indeed one should not say: "A householder is an Arahant." Is a householder an Arahant? Yes. Has not the Arahant's fetter of a householder been abandoned, uprooted, made like a palm-stump, brought to non-existence, and is it not subject to non-arising in the future? Yes. If the Arahant's fetter of a householder has been abandoned, uprooted, made like a palm-stump, brought to non-existence, and is subject to non-arising in the future, then indeed one should not say: "A householder is an Arahant." Is a householder an Arahant? Yes. Is there any householder who, without abandoning the fetters of a householder, makes an end of suffering in this very life? No. If there is no householder who, without abandoning the fetters of a householder, makes an end of suffering in this very life, then indeed one should not say: "A householder is an Arahant." Is a householder an Arahant? Yes. Did not the wanderer Vacchagotta say this to the Blessed One: "Is there, good Gotama, any householder who, without abandoning the fetters of a householder, makes an end of suffering with the breaking up of the body?" "There is not, Vaccha, any householder who, without abandoning the fetters of a householder, makes an end of suffering with the breaking up of the body." Is there such a Sutta? Yes. Therefore, one should not say: "A householder is an Arahant." Is a householder an Arahant? Yes. Would an Arahant engage in sexual conduct? Produce offspring? Dwell in a bed crowded with children? Enjoy Kasi sandalwood? Wear garlands, perfumes, and ointments? Accept gold and silver? Accept goats and sheep? Accept chickens and pigs? Accept elephants, cattle, horses, and mares? Accept partridges, quails, peacocks, and francolins? Wear a colorful turban/headband? Wear white clothes? Should one wear long fringes, and remain a householder for life? It should not be said thus... (etc.) Should it not be said – "An Arahant is a householder"? Yes. Did not Yasa, the noble son, Uttiya, the householder, Setu, the young man, attain Arahantship while still bearing the marks of a householder? Yes. If Yasa, the noble son, Uttiya, the householder, Setu, the young man, attained Arahantship while still bearing the marks of a householder, then indeed it should be said – "An Arahant is a householder". The discourse on "An Arahant is a householder" is concluded. 4. The Fourth Chapter (34) 2. Discourse on Birth 388. Is one an Arahant at birth? Yes. Is one a Stream-Enterer at birth? It should not be said thus... (etc.) Is one an Arahant at birth? Yes. Is one a Once-Returner at birth? It should not be said thus... (etc.) Is one an Arahant at birth? Yes. Is one a Non-Returner at birth? It should not be said thus... (etc.) Is one not a Stream-Enterer at birth? Yes. If one is not a Stream-Enterer at birth, then indeed it should not be said – "One is an Arahant at birth". Is one not a Once-Returner at birth? Yes. If one is not a Once-Returner at birth, then indeed it should not be said – "One is an Arahant at birth". Is one not a Non-Returner at birth? Yes. If one is not a Non-Returner at birth, then indeed it should not be said – "One is an Arahant at birth". 389. Is one an Arahant at birth? Yes. Was Elder Sāriputta an Arahant at birth? It should not be said thus. Was Elder Mahāmoggallāna... (etc.) Elder Mahākassapa... (etc.) Elder Mahākaccāna... (etc.) Elder Mahākoṭṭhika... (etc.) Elder Mahāpanthaka an Arahant at birth? It should not be said thus... (etc.) Was Elder Sāriputta not an Arahant at birth? Yes. If Elder Sāriputta was not an Arahant at birth, then indeed it should not be said – "One is an Arahant at birth". Elder Mahāmoggallāna... (etc.) Elder Mahākassapa... (etc.) Elder Mahākaccāna... (etc.) Mahākoṭṭhiko Thera... Mahāpanthaka Thera is not an Arahant simultaneously with rebirth? Yes. If Mahāpanthaka Thera is not an Arahant simultaneously with rebirth, then it should not be said: "An Arahant simultaneously with rebirth." 390. An Arahant simultaneously with rebirth? Yes. Does one realize Arahantship with a rebirth-generating consciousness, which is worldly, with defilements... and defiling? It should not be said so... An Arahant simultaneously with rebirth? Yes. Is a rebirth-generating consciousness leading to liberation, leading to destruction, leading to enlightenment, leading to decrease, without defilements... and undefiling? It should not be said so... Is not a rebirth-generating consciousness not leading to liberation, not leading to destruction, not leading to enlightenment, not leading to decrease, with defilements... and defiling? Yes. If a rebirth-generating consciousness is not leading to liberation, not leading to destruction, not leading to enlightenment, not leading to decrease, with defilements... and defiling, then it should not be said: "An Arahant simultaneously with rebirth." An Arahant simultaneously with rebirth? Yes. Does one abandon lust, abandon hatred, abandon delusion, abandon shamelessness with a rebirth-generating consciousness? It should not be said so... An Arahant simultaneously with rebirth? Yes. Is a rebirth-generating consciousness the path... mindfulness foundation... right exertion... basis of psychic power... faculty... power... enlightenment factor? It should not be said so... An Arahant simultaneously with rebirth? Yes. Does one fully understand suffering, abandon the origin, realize cessation, develop the path with a rebirth-generating consciousness? It should not be said so... An Arahant simultaneously with rebirth? Yes. Is the dying consciousness, the path consciousness, the rebirth-generating consciousness, the fruition consciousness? It should not be said so... The discourse on Rebirth is concluded. 4. The Fourth Chapter (35) 3. The Discourse on the Undefiled 391. Are all phenomena of an Arahant undefiled? Yes. The path, the fruition, Nibbāna, the stream-entry path, the stream-entry fruition, the once-returner path, the once-returner fruition, the non-returner path, the non-returner fruition, the Arahant path, the Arahant fruition. mindfulness, right effort, bases of psychic power, faculty, power, factor of enlightenment? It should not be said thus... Are all phenomena of an Arahant undefiled? Yes. Is the eye of an Arahant undefiled? It should not be said thus... Is the eye of an Arahant undefiled? Yes. Is the path, the fruit, Nibbana, the stream-entry path, the stream-entry fruit... the factor of enlightenment? It should not be said thus... Is the ear of an Arahant... the nose of an Arahant... the tongue of an Arahant... the body of an Arahant undefiled? It should not be said thus... Is the body of an Arahant undefiled? Yes. Is the path, the fruit, Nibbana, the stream-entry path, the stream-entry fruit... the factor of enlightenment? It should not be said thus... Is the body of an Arahant undefiled? Yes. Is the body of an Arahant subject to stretching and contracting, to cutting and breaking, common to crows, vultures, and kites? Yes. Is an undefiled phenomenon subject to stretching and contracting, to cutting and breaking, common to crows, vultures, and kites? It should not be said thus... Can poison enter the body of an Arahant, can a weapon enter, can fire enter? Yes. Can poison enter an undefiled phenomenon, can a weapon enter, can fire enter? It should not be said thus... Can the body of an Arahant be bound with a rope-binding, with a cord-binding, with a chain-binding, with a village-binding, with a town-binding, with a city-binding, with a country-binding, with the five neck-bindings? Yes. Can an undefiled phenomenon be bound with a rope-binding, with a cord-binding, with a chain-binding, with a village-town-city-country-binding, with the five neck-bindings? It should not be said thus... If an Arahant gives a robe to an ordinary person, does it become defiled after being undefiled? It should not be said thus... Does it become defiled after being undefiled? Yes. Is that same undefiled thing defiled? It should not be said thus. Is it to be said: Is that very same taintless thing tainted? Yes. Does the path, having been taintless, become tainted? It should not be said thus. The fruit, the foundation of mindfulness, the right exertion, the base of psychic power, the faculty, the power, the factor of awakening, having been taintless, does it become tainted? It should not be said thus. If an Arahant gives almsfood to an ordinary person, gives a dwelling, gives requisites for the sick and medicine, does it, having been taintless, become tainted? It should not be said thus. Does it, having been taintless, become tainted? Yes. Is that very same taintless thing tainted? It should not be said thus. Is that very same taintless thing tainted? Yes. Does the path, having been taintless, become tainted? It should not be said thus. The fruit, the foundation of mindfulness, the right exertion, the base of psychic power, the faculty, the power, the factor of awakening, having been taintless, does it become tainted? It should not be said thus. If an ordinary person gives a robe to an Arahant, does it, having been tainted, become taintless? It should not be said thus. Does it, having been tainted, become taintless? Yes. Is that very same tainted thing taintless? It should not be said thus. Is that very same tainted thing taintless? Yes. Does lust, having been tainted, become taintless? It should not be said thus. Hatred, delusion, shamelessness, having been tainted, does it become taintless? It should not be said thus. If an ordinary person gives almsfood to an Arahant, gives a dwelling, gives requisites for the sick and medicine, does it, having been tainted, become taintless?