Back to the library

B040202Majjhimanikāya (pu vi)(middle collection q and a)

English

And friend, where, concerning whom, on what occasion, was the Shorter Discourse on the Simile of the Heartwood spoken by the Blessed One? Answer: In Sāvatthī, Venerable Sir, concerning Piṅg spoken concerning the brahmin Alakoccha. Venerable sir, the brahmin Piṅgalakoccha approached the Blessed One and asked a question. Venerable sir, it was spoken concerning that matter. Cūḷagosiṅgasutta Question – Now, friends, where and with whom was the Cūḷagosiṅgasutta spoken by the Blessed One? Answer – Venerable sir, it was spoken in the Gosiṅga Sāla-wood at Nābhika, with the venerable Elder Anuruddha. Mahāgosiṅgasutta Question – Now, friends, where and with whom was the Mahāgosiṅgasutta spoken by the Blessed One? Answer – Venerable sir, it was spoken in the Gosiṅga Sāla-wood, with the venerable Elder Sāriputta, the General of the Dhamma, and the venerable Elder Mahāmoggallāna. Mahāgopālakasutta Question – Now, friends, where and concerning whom was the Mahāgopālakasutta spoken by the Blessed One? Answer – Venerable sir, it was spoken at Sāvatthī, concerning many bhikkhus. Cūḷagopālakasutta Question – Now, friends, where and concerning whom was the Cūḷagopālakasutta spoken by the Blessed One? Answer – Venerable sir, it was spoken in the Vajji country, at Ukkacelā, on the bank of the river Gaṅgā, concerning many bhikkhus. Cūḷasaccakasutta Question – Now, friends, by that knowing one… and so on… by the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, where, concerning whom, and on what occasion was the Cūḷasaccakasutta spoken? Answer – Venerable sir, it was spoken at Vesālī, concerning Saccaka the Nigaṇṭha’s son. Saccaka the Nigaṇṭha’s son, with a large assembly of Licchavis, approached the Blessed One. Having approached, he said this to the Blessed One: “How, indeed, does Master Gotama discipline his disciples? And what kind of instruction is frequently given by Master Gotama to his disciples?” Then, venerable sir, when the Blessed One had expounded the doctrine of impermanence and the doctrine of non-self, Saccaka the Nigaṇṭha’s son, showing the simile of the earth, expounded his own doctrine of self. Venerable sir, it was spoken concerning that matter. Question – Thus, friends, by Saccaka the Nigaṇṭha’s son, the simile of the great earth having shown, when the doctrine of self was declared, how the Blessed One re-established that doctrine of self and questioned, examined, and discussed it. Answer – "Didn't you, Aggivessana, say this: 'Form is my self, feeling is my self, perception is my self, mental formations are my self, consciousness is my self'?" Thus, venerable sir, the Blessed One re-established that doctrine of self for Saccaka the Nigaṇṭha's son. And having re-established it, venerable sir, the Blessed One, with words like "Well then, Aggivessana, I will question you on this very point; answer as you see fit," thus, venerable sir, the Blessed One questioned, examined, and discussed with Saccaka the Nigaṇṭha's son. Question – Thus, friend, when Saccaka the Nigaṇṭha's son was silent, downcast, pondering, and speechless, what words did Dummukha, the Licchavi prince, speak to the Blessed One? Answer – Thus, venerable sir, when Saccaka the Nigaṇṭha's son was silent, abashed, with slumped shoulders, downcast, pondering, and speechless, Dummukha the Licchavi prince said this to the Blessed One: "An analogy, Blessed One, occurs to me." Question – Then, friend, what kind of question did Saccaka the Nigaṇṭha's son ask the Blessed One, and how did the Blessed One answer it? Answer – Then, venerable sir, Saccaka the Nigaṇṭha's son, having dismissed Dummukha the Licchavi, asked the Blessed One a question about the learner and the perfected one. And the Blessed One, venerable sir, by dividing the learner and the perfected person, answered thus: "Here, Aggivessana, my disciple, whatever form, past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near..." thus he explained the learner and the perfected one. That Blessed One is enlightened, he teaches the Dhamma for enlightenment. That Blessed One is tamed, he teaches the Dhamma for taming. That Blessed One is peaceful, he teaches the Dhamma for peace. That Blessed One has crossed over, he teaches the Dhamma for crossing over. That Blessed One is fully extinguished, he teaches the Dhamma for full extinguishment. teaches. The Greater Discourse to Saccaka Question – Where, friend, was the Greater Discourse to Saccaka spoken by the Blessed One, concerning whom, and on what occasion? Answer – In Vesālī, venerable sir, it was spoken concerning Saccaka, the Nigaṇṭha’s son. Saccaka, venerable sir, the Nigaṇṭha’s son, on a later day approached the Blessed One and, assailing the Blessed One’s disciples, spoke words connected with two kinds of development. On that occasion, venerable sir, it was spoken. Question – And how, friend, did the Blessed One, questioning Saccaka, the Nigaṇṭha’s son, explain the two kinds of development? Answer – Then, venerable sir, the Blessed One, questioning Saccaka, the Nigaṇṭha’s son, with "How, Aggivessana, have you heard about bodily development?" and so on, and explaining the two kinds of development with "And how, Aggivessana, is one undeveloped in body and undeveloped in mind?" and so on, expounded it. Question – Then, friend, what words did Saccaka, the Nigaṇṭha’s son, speak to the Blessed One? And how did the Blessed One reveal the extremely intense feelings of pleasure and pain that he had experienced in the past during his striving, which did not overwhelm his mind? Answer – Then, venerable sir, Saccaka, the Nigaṇṭha’s son, said to the Blessed One, "Surely, no such pleasant feeling arises for Master Gotama as, having arisen, would overwhelm the mind. Surely, no such painful feeling arises for Master Gotama as, having arisen, would overwhelm the mind." Then the Blessed One said, "What would it be, Aggivessana? Here, Aggivessana, before my enlightenment, while I was still an unenlightened Bodhisatta, it occurred to me," and so on. In this way, venerable sir, the Blessed One extensively revealed the extremely intense feelings of pleasure and pain that he had experienced in the past during his striving, which did not overwhelm his mind. The Shorter Discourse on the Destruction of Craving Question – Therefore, friend, by the Blessed One who knows… (rest omitted) Where, concerning whom, and on what occasion was the Cūḷataṇhāsaṅkhaya Sutta spoken by the Fully Awakened One? Reply – In Sāvatthī, venerable sir, it was spoken concerning Sakka, lord of devas. Sakka, venerable sir, lord of devas, approached the Blessed One and said, “To what extent, venerable sir, is a monk, in brief, liberated by the destruction of craving, utterly finished, utterly secure from bondage, utterly a pure liver, utterly complete, supreme among devas and humans?” It was spoken, venerable sir, on that occasion. To what extent, venerable sir, is a monk, in brief, liberated by the destruction of craving, utterly finished, utterly secure from bondage, utterly a pure liver, utterly complete, supreme among devas and humans? Mahātaṇhāsaṅkhaya Sutta Question – And where, friends, concerning whom, and on what occasion was the Mahātaṇhāsaṅkhaya Sutta spoken by the Blessed One? Reply – In Sāvatthī, venerable sir, it was spoken concerning the monk Sāti, son of a fisherman. To the monk Sāti, venerable sir, son of a fisherman, such a wicked wrong view had arisen: “As I understand the Dhamma taught by the Blessed One, it is this same consciousness that runs on and wanders through rebirths, not another.” It was spoken, venerable sir, on that occasion. Question – Then, friends, how did the Blessed One address the monks, question them, and deliver a Dhamma talk illustrating non-self? Reply – Then, venerable sir, the Blessed One, addressing the monks, “What do you think, monks, is this monk Sāti, son of a fisherman, even a little bit warm in this Dhamma and Discipline?” and questioning the monks with, “Do you also, monks, understand the Dhamma taught by me in this way?” and so on, delivered a Dhamma talk illustrating non-self, venerable sir, with, “Whatever, monks, is the condition for the arising of consciousness, by that very thing is consciousness reckoned. Consciousness arises dependent on eye and forms, it is reckoned as eye-consciousness,” and so on. He spoke. The Greater Discourse at Assapura Question – Now friends, where, concerning whom, and on what occasion was the Greater Assapura Sutta spoken by the Blessed One? Answer – In Anga, venerable sir, in the market town of Anga named Assapura, it was spoken concerning many faithful and confident people. Many people, venerable sir, faithful and confident, respectfully attended to the community of bhikkhus, and at all times spoke only words of praise connected with the Triple Gem. On that occasion, venerable sir, it was spoken. Question – Which, friends, were the teachings taught there by the Blessed One, making one a recluse and making one a brahmin, increasingly excellent and refined? Answer – Shame and fear of wrongdoing, purified bodily conduct, purified verbal conduct, purified mental conduct, purified livelihood, guardedness of the sense doors, moderation in eating, devotion to wakefulness, mindfulness and clear comprehension, abandonment of the hindrances, and the four jhanas, and the three knowledges – these, venerable sir, were the teachings taught there by the Blessed One, making one a recluse and making one a brahmin, increasingly excellent and refined. The Shorter Discourse at Assapura Question – Now friends, where and concerning whom was the Shorter Assapura Sutta spoken by the Blessed One? Answer – In that very market town of Assapura, venerable sir, it was spoken concerning those very faithful and confident people. On that very occasion, venerable sir, it was spoken. Question – And how, friends, were the proper practice of a recluse