English
I would declare to you that ‘the Tathāgata neither exists nor not exists after death.’ But it is not so for me, nor is it thus for me, nor is it otherwise for me, nor is it not for me, nor is it not not for me.” Thus, venerable sir, when asked about the visible fruits of recluseship by King Ajātasattu of Magadha, son of Videhī, Sañcaya Belaṭṭhaputta gave an evasive answer. The Doctrine of the Heretics All these doctrines of the six teachers, friends, are indeed without splendor, indeed despicable, indeed not conducive to welfare. They lead to even greater delusion and harm for the foolish. But today, friends, the time has passed. Tomorrow we shall ask about the excellent, praised, visible fruit spoken of by the Blessed One. Question – On previous days Friends, regarding the Sāmaññaphala Sutta, in the earlier part, up to the conclusion of the six false doctrines, we have conducted questions and answers. But today, as it has come to pass, we will conduct questions and answers concerning the Sāmaññaphala Sutta taught by the Blessed One. And how, friends, did the Blessed One, when questioned by King Ajātasattu of Magadha, son of Vedehī, about the immediate fruits of recluseship, explain it? Answer – The Blessed One, venerable sir, when questioned by King Ajātasattu of Magadha, son of Vedehī, about the immediate fruits of recluseship, explained it by dividing it into three parts. Question – And how, friends, did the Blessed One teach the first immediate fruit of recluseship to King Ajātasattu of Magadha, son of Vedehī? Answer – The Blessed One, venerable sir, taught the first immediate fruit of recluseship to King Ajātasattu of Magadha, son of Vedehī, by illustrating it with the simile of a slave who has gone forth. So I, venerable sir, ask the Blessed One as well: Just as, venerable sir, these various crafts, such as... (etc.) Is it possible, venerable sir, in the same way, to declare an immediate fruit of recluseship visible in this very life? Wonderful, friends, amazing, friends! How great is the power and might of the well-proclaimed Buddha's teaching! Wherein even a slave, of low birth, having gone forth in such a well-proclaimed Buddha's teaching, will attain to being revered and honored even by the king who was his master. This first immediate fruit was well declared by the Blessed One. Question – And how, friends, did the Blessed One teach the second immediate fruit of recluseship to King Ajātasattu of Magadha, son of Vedehī? Answer – The Blessed One, venerable sir, taught the immediate fruit of recluseship to King Ajātasattu of Magadha, son of Vedehī, by showing it with the simile of a farmer who has gone forth. Wonderful, friends, amazing, friends! How well-proclaimed, powerful, and mighty is the Buddha's teaching! Wherein even a farmer... Even one devoid of virtue, having gone forth in such a well-proclaimed Buddha's teaching, will attain respect and veneration even from the king, the ruler of the land, who is like a god among humans. This, friend, is the second visible fruit, well-declared by the Blessed One. Question: And how, friend, did the Blessed One teach the king a visible fruit of recluseship more excellent and more sublime than the former visible fruits of recluseship? Answer: The Blessed One, venerable sir, starting from the appearance of the Buddha, having explained in detail, with various similes, to King Ajātasattu, son of Vedehī, of Magadha, the visible fruit of recluseship, which is more excellent and more sublime than the former visible fruits of recluseship, by describing: the going forth of a son of good family, his accomplishment in virtue, his guardedness of the sense doors, noble mindfulness and clear comprehension, noble contentment, the abandoning of the five hindrances, the four jhānas, and the eight knowledges. Is it possible, venerable sir, to declare a visible fruit of recluseship, in this very life, more excellent and more sublime than the former visible fruits of recluseship? It is possible, great king. Therefore, great king, listen, pay careful attention, I will speak. Question: And how, friend, is a monk accomplished in virtue? And how did the Blessed One teach King Ajātasattu, son of Vedehī, of Magadha, having explained the minor precepts? Answer: "And how, great king, is a monk accomplished in virtue? Here, great king, a monk, having abandoned the taking of life, abstains from the taking of life. He lays aside stick, he lays aside weapon, he is conscientious, he is compassionate, he dwells with compassion for the welfare of all living beings. This is his virtue." In this way, venerable sir, the Blessed One taught King Ajātasattu, son of Vedehī, of Magadha, having explained the minor precepts in twenty-six ways. Excellent, excellent, friend. Excellent, excellent, friend. That a monk, in such a well-proclaimed Buddha's teaching, having gone forth with faith... And thereby, he should live endowed with this minor morality. But now the time is past. Tomorrow, starting from where we left off, we will engage in question and answer. Question: How, friend, did he explain and teach, analyzing the middle morality and the great morality, to King Ajātasattu of Magadha, son of Vedehī? Answer: "Just as some venerable ascetics and brahmins, having eaten food given out of faith, live devoted to such destruction of seeds and plants. That is to say: root seeds, stem seeds, joint seeds, shoot seeds, and seed seeds as the fifth. From such destruction of seeds and plants, he abstains. This too is part of his morality." In this way, venerable sir, the Blessed One explained and taught in detail, analyzing the middle morality and the great morality, to King Ajātasattu of Magadha, son of Vedehī. Excellent, excellent, friend. It is indeed excellent, friend, that a monk, having gone forth out of faith in such a well-proclaimed teaching of the Buddha, should live endowed with such noble morality. Question: How, friend, did the Blessed One explain and teach, analyzing the noble restraint of the senses, the noble mindfulness and clear comprehension, and the noble contentment, to King Ajātasattu of Magadha? Answer: Here, great king, a monk, having seen a form with the eye, does not grasp at its general appearance or its details. Because if he were to dwell with the eye-faculty unrestrained, evil unwholesome states of covetousness and distress might flow in upon him. For its restraint, he practices. He guards the eye-faculty. He undertakes restraint of the eye-faculty. And so on. Here, great king, a monk is endowed with mindfulness and clear comprehension. In going forward and returning, he acts with clear comprehension. In looking ahead and looking around, he acts with clear comprehension. In bending and stretching, he acts with clear comprehension. In wearing his outer robe, inner robe, and bowl, he acts with clear comprehension. In eating, drinking, chewing, and tasting, he acts with clear comprehension. In defecating and urinating, he acts with clear comprehension. When going, standing, sitting, sleeping, waking, speaking, being silent, he acts with full awareness. Thus, O great king, a bhikkhu is endowed with mindfulness and full awareness. And how, O great king, is a bhikkhu content? Here, O great king, a bhikkhu is content with robes that protect the body, and almsfood that fills the belly. In this way, venerable sir, the Blessed One to Ajātasattu, the son of Videhi, king of Magadha, explained and taught the noble guarding of the sense doors, the noble mindfulness and full awareness, and the noble contentment. Excellent, excellent, friend! It is excellent, friend, that a bhikkhu, having gone forth with faith in this well-proclaimed Buddha's teaching, is endowed with this noble restraint of the senses, and with this noble mindfulness and full awareness, is endowed, and is endowed with this noble contentment, and would dwell. Question: And how, friend, did the Blessed One explain and teach the abandoning of the hindrances to Ajātasattu, the son of Videhi, king of Magadha? Answer: He, thus endowed with the noble aggregate of virtue, endowed with the noble restraint of the senses, endowed with the noble mindfulness and full awareness, endowed with the noble contentment, resorts to a secluded dwelling: a forest, the root of a tree, a mountain, a ravine, a mountain cave, a charnel ground, a jungle thicket, an open space, a heap of straw. Having returned from his alms round after his meal, he sits down, folding his legs crosswise, setting his body erect, and establishing mindfulness in front of him. Having abandoned covetousness for the world, he dwells with a mind free from covetousness... As he sees these five hindrances abandoned in himself, joy arises. To one who is joyful, rapture arises. To one with a rapturous mind, the body becomes tranquil. One whose body is tranquil experiences happiness. The mind of one who is happy becomes concentrated. In this way, venerable sir, the Blessed One explained and taught in detail the abandoning of the hindrances to Ajātasattu, the son of Videhi, king of Magadha. Excellent, excellent, friend! It is excellent, friend, that a bhikkhu... who, having gone forth in this well-proclaimed Buddha's teaching with faith, would dwell having abandoned these five hindrances, having purified his mind from them. Question – How, friend, did the Blessed One teach to King Ajātasattu of Magadha, son of Videhī, the first visible fruit of recluseship, more excellent and more sublime than the previous visible fruits of recluseship? Answer – He, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, enters and abides in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by initial application and sustained application, born of seclusion, filled with rapture and happiness… …and this, great king, is a visible fruit of recluseship, more excellent than the previous visible fruits of recluseship, and more sublime.