English
And how did his comprehension of the Dhamma come about?” Answer: “When this was said, venerable sir, the wanderer Vacchagotta said: ‘If, good Gotama, only the good Gotama himself were an achiever of this Dhamma, but the bhikkhus were not achievers, then this holy life would be incomplete. "by that limb," and so on, delighted in this Dhamma and Discipline, he showed signs of delight. And until Arahantship was his penetration of the Dhamma. Dīghanakha Sutta Question – And friends, the Dīghanakha Sutta, where was it spoken by the Blessed One, concerning whom, on what occasion? Answer – In Rājagaha, venerable sir, it was spoken concerning Dīghanakha the wanderer. Dīghanakha the wanderer, venerable sir, having approached the Blessed One, said this: "Indeed, good Gotama, I am one who speaks thus, holds such a view: 'Nothing is agreeable to me.'" On that occasion, venerable sir, it was spoken. Question – And friends, while this explanation was being spoken, for which persons was there a special attainment? Answer – And venerable sir, while this explanation was being spoken, for Venerable Sāriputta, his mind was liberated from the defilements without clinging. But for Dīghanakha the wanderer, on that very seat, the dustless, stainless Dhamma-eye arose: "Whatever is of the nature to arise, all that is of the nature to cease." Māgaṇḍiya Sutta Question – And friends, the Māgaṇḍiya Sutta, where was it spoken by the Blessed One, concerning whom, on what occasion? Answer – In the Kuru country, venerable sir, in the Kuru town called Kammāsadhamma, in the fire-hut of a brahmin of the Bhāradvāja clan, on a grass mat, it was spoken concerning Māgaṇḍiya the wanderer. Māgaṇḍiya the wanderer, venerable sir, called the Blessed One "Gotama the destroyer of beings." On that occasion, venerable sir, it was spoken. Question – And how, friends, did the Blessed One there, to Māgaṇḍiya the wanderer, questioning him again and again, teach the Dhamma? Answer – "Indeed, Māgaṇḍiya, the eye delights in forms, rejoices in forms. That for the Tathāgata is tamed, guarded, protected, restrained. And for its restraint, he teaches the Dhamma." In this way, venerable sir, and so on, there the Blessed One, to Māgaṇḍiya the wanderer, questioning him again and again, taught the Dhamma. Question – Indeed, friends, thus Friend, when the wanderer Māgaṇḍiya truly assented, saying, "There is nothing, Master Gotama," how did the Blessed One declare that for himself there was nothing at all to be said by anyone? Answer: Thus indeed, venerable sir, when the wanderer Māgaṇḍiya truly assented, saying, "There is nothing, Master Gotama," the Blessed One declared that for himself there was nothing at all to be said by anyone, by saying, "Indeed, Māgaṇḍiya, formerly, when I was a householder, I was endowed and furnished with the five strands of sensual pleasure, and enjoyed them: forms cognizable by the eye, desirable, agreeable, charming, pleasing, associated with sensual desire, and enticing," and so on. Question: In this discourse, I will ask a concluding question. And friend, having heard this teaching, what kind of expression of confidence did the wanderer Māgaṇḍiya make, having become confident in this Dhamma and Discipline? Answer: And venerable sir, having heard this teaching, the wanderer Māgaṇḍiya made an expression of confidence, having become confident in this Dhamma and Discipline, by saying, "Excellent, Master Gotama! Excellent, Master Gotama!" and so on. The Discourse to Sandaka Question: And friend, the Sandaka Sutta, where, concerning whom, on what occasion, and by whom was it spoken? Answer: In Kosambī, venerable sir, concerning the wanderer Sandaka, it was spoken by the Venerable Elder Ānanda, the Treasurer of the Dhamma. The wanderer Sandaka, venerable sir, said this to the Venerable Ānanda: "It would be good, indeed, if Master Ānanda himself would explain the Dhamma talks of his own teacher." On that occasion, venerable sir, it was spoken. Question: And how, friend, were the four unholy ways of life there analyzed and declared by the Venerable Elder Ānanda, the Treasurer of the Dhamma? Answer: Here, Sandaka, some teacher holds such a view, speaks thus: "There is no gift, no sacrifice, no offering, no fruit or result of good and bad deeds, no this world, no other world, no mother, no father, no spontaneously arisen beings." i In this way, venerable sir, there by the venerable Elder Ānanda, the treasurer of the Dhamma, the four unholy ways of life were examined and expounded. Question – And how, friend, were the four uncomforting holy lives there by the venerable Elder Ānanda, the treasurer of the Dhamma, examined and expounded? Answer – Here, Sandaka, some teacher claims to be omniscient and all-seeing, claiming unlimited knowledge and vision, saying: "Whether I am walking or standing, sleeping or awake, knowledge and vision are constantly and continuously present to me." In this way, venerable sir, there by the venerable Elder Ānanda, the four uncomforting holy lives were analyzed and expounded. Question – Then, friend, the wanderer Sandaka what did he ask the venerable Elder Ānanda, and how did the venerable Elder Ānanda answer him? Answer – Then, venerable sir, the wanderer Sandaka asked the venerable Elder Ānanda, "But, good Ānanda, what does that teacher proclaim? What does he teach?" and so on, he asked the venerable Elder Ānanda. And the venerable Elder Ānanda, venerable sir, answered the wanderer Sandaka, "Here, Sandaka, a Tathāgata arises in the world, an Arahant, a Fully Self-Awakened One, endowed with knowledge and conduct," and so on, he explained to the wanderer Sandaka, analyzing it in detail. Question – And having heard this Dhamma discourse, friend, the wanderer Sandaka, being pleased with this Dhamma and Discipline, what kind of expression of pleasure did he make? Answer – And having heard this Dhamma discourse, venerable sir, the wanderer Sandaka, said: "Wonderful, good Ānanda! Amazing, good Ānanda! There is no self-praise of one's own Dhamma, no disparagement of others' Dhamma, and the Dhamma is taught in its proper place, and so many will be found to be those who lead out (to liberation)!" In this way, being pleased with this Dhamma and Discipline, he made an expression of pleasure. Mahāsakuludāyī Sutta Question – And the Mahāsakuludāyī Sutta, friend, where was it spoken by the Blessed One, concerning whom, and on what occasion? Answer – In Rājagaha, venerable sir. Spoken concerning the wanderer Sakuludāyī. Venerable Sakuludāyī the wanderer, on former days, even earlier days, in the Hall of Curiosities, whatever discussion there was among various sectarians, ascetics and brahmins, concerning the Blessed One and the six teachers, all that he reported to the Blessed One. Venerable sir, it was spoken on that occasion. The Samaṇamuṇḍika Sutta Question – Friends, where was the Samaṇamuṇḍika Sutta spoken by the Blessed One, concerning whom, and on what occasion? Answer – Venerable sir, in Sāvatthī, it was spoken concerning the wanderer Uggāhamāna, son of Samaṇamuṇḍikā. Venerable Uggāhamāna the wanderer, son of Samaṇamuṇḍikā, said this to Pañcakaṅga the householder: "Householder, I declare a person endowed with four qualities to be perfectly skilled, supremely skilled, one who has attained the highest attainment, an unconquerable ascetic." Venerable sir, it was spoken on that occasion. The Lesser Sakuludāyī Sutta Question – Friends, where was the Lesser Sakuludāyī Sutta spoken by the Blessed One, concerning whom, and on what occasion? Answer – Venerable sir, in Rājagaha, it was spoken concerning the wanderer Sakuludāyī. Venerable Sakuludāyī the wanderer said this to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, when I do not approach this assembly, then this assembly sits engaging in various kinds of trivial talk. But when, venerable sir, I approach this assembly, then this assembly sits looking only at my face, thinking: 'Whatever Dhamma the ascetic Udāyī will speak to us, that we shall hear.' But when, venerable sir, the Blessed One approaches this assembly, then both I and this assembly sit looking at the Blessed One's face, thinking: 'Whatever Dhamma the Blessed One will speak to us, that we shall hear.'" Venerable sir, it was spoken on that occasion. The Vekhanasa Sutta Question – Friends, where was the Vekhanasa Sutta spoken by the Blessed One, concerning whom, and on what occasion? . Answer – In Sāvatthī, venerable sir, it was spoken concerning the wanderer Vekhanasa. The wanderer Vekhanasa, venerable sir, uttered an inspired utterance in the presence of the Blessed One: “This is the highest beauty, this is the highest beauty!” It was spoken, venerable sir, concerning that matter. Ghaṭikāra Sutta Question – And where, friends, was the Ghaṭikāra Sutta spoken by the Blessed One, concerning whom, and on what occasion? Answer – In Kosala, venerable sir, it was spoken concerning Venerable Ānanda, at the dwelling place of Ghaṭikāra the potter. The Blessed One, venerable sir, revealed a smile in that place. And Venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One: “What, venerable sir, is the reason, what is the cause for the Blessed One’s smile to appear? Tathāgatas do not reveal a smile without a reason.” It was spoken, venerable sir, concerning that matter. Raṭṭhapāla Sutta Question – And where, friends, was the Raṭṭhapāla Sutta spoken, concerning whom, on what occasion, and by whom? Answer – In the Kuru country, venerable sir, it was spoken by Venerable Raṭṭhapāla Thera, concerning King Korabya. King Korabya, venerable sir, said to Venerable Raṭṭhapāla: “There are these four kinds of decline, good Raṭṭhapāla, being endowed with which some people here shave off their hair and beard, put on saffron robes, and go forth from home to homelessness.” He spoke such words as these. It was spoken, venerable sir, concerning that matter.