English
Venerable Vakkali, Venerable Sir, being afflicted, suffering, gravely ill, said to the Blessed One: “For a long time, Venerable Sir, I have wished to come to see the Blessed One, but I do not have enough strength in my body to come to see the Blessed One.” In that context, Venerable Sir, the Blessed One spoke thus: “Enough, Vakkali, what is the use of seeing this putrid body? Whoever, Vakkali, sees the Dhamma, sees me; whoever sees me, sees the Dhamma. For, Vakkali, seeing the Dhamma, one sees me; seeing me, one sees the Dhamma. What do you think, Vakkali, is form permanent or impermanent?” In this way, Venerable Sir, the Blessed One spoke. “I, Vakkali, what is the use of seeing this putrid body?” “What do you think, Vakkali, is form permanent or impermanent?” Impermanent, Venerable Sir. “But that which is impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?” Suffering, Venerable Sir. But that which is impermanent, suffering, subject to change, is it fit to regard it thus: “This is mine, this I am, this is my self”? Question: And how, friend, did the Blessed One again send monks to announce words of encouragement to the Elder, Venerable Vakkali? And how did he report his own situation back to the Blessed One? And how was his passing away? Explanation: Listen, friend, to the words of the Blessed One and of the two deities. This very night, friend, two deities, when the night was far advanced, with resplendent beauty, illuminating the entire Gijjhakūṭa, approached the Blessed One. Having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, they stood to one side. Standing to one side, friend, one deity said to the Blessed One: “Venerable Sir, the monk Vakkali is intent on liberation.” The other deity said to the Blessed One: “Surely, Venerable Sir, he will be well liberated.” will he be freed?" And the Blessed One, friend Vakkali, said to him thus: "Do not fear, Vakkali, do not fear, Vakkali, your death will not be evil, your passing away will not be evil." Thus, indeed, Venerable Sir, the Blessed One, sending monks again, conveyed words of encouragement to the Venerable Elder Vakkali. And that Venerable One, Venerable Sir, then said: "Friends, with my words, bow your heads at the feet of the Blessed One, saying: 'Venerable Sir, the monk Vakkali is afflicted, suffering, gravely ill; he bows his head at the feet of the Blessed One.' And also say this: 'Form is impermanent, Venerable Sir, I have no doubt about that. What is impermanent is suffering, I have no uncertainty about that. What is impermanent, suffering, subject to change, I have no desire, no passion, no affection for it, I have no uncertainty about that.'" Thus, he reported his own state to the Blessed One. Indeed, Venerable Sir, that Venerable One, after those monks had departed not long before, took up a weapon, suppressed the pain, took his original meditation object, and being fully aware, realized arahantship and passed away. Thus, indeed, Venerable Sir, was the passing away of that Venerable One. The Discourse on Assaji Question – And where, friend, concerning whom, on what occasion, and how was the Discourse on Assaji spoken by the Blessed One? Answer – In Rājagaha, Venerable Sir, it was spoken concerning the Venerable Assaji. The Venerable Assaji, Venerable Sir, afflicted, suffering, gravely ill, said this to the Blessed One: "Formerly, Venerable Sir, when ill, I would dwell calming, calming the bodily formations, but I did not attain concentration. For me, Venerable Sir, not attaining that concentration, it occurred thus: 'May I not decline!'" On that occasion, Venerable Sir, the Blessed One spoke thus: "Those ascetics and brahmins, Assaji, who value concentration, who are devoted to concentration, for them, not attaining that concentration, it occurs thus: 'May we not decline!' What do you think, Assaji, is form permanent or impermanent?" Thus, Venerable Sir, the Blessed One spoke, and so on. The Discourse on Khemaka Question – Where, friends, was the Khemaka Sutta spoken, concerning whom, on what occasion, and by whom and how was it spoken? Answer – In Kosambi, venerable sir, it was spoken by the Venerable Elder Khemaka, concerning many elder monks. Many elder monks, venerable sir, having sent Venerable Dasaka, asked Venerable Khemaka four times, who was afflicted, suffering, gravely ill, about the cause of his illness and about the Dhamma. On that occasion, venerable sir, the Venerable Elder Khemaka spoke thus: “These five aggregates of clinging, friends, have been declared by the Blessed One. Namely, the aggregate of clinging to form, the aggregate of clinging to feeling, the aggregate of clinging to perception, the aggregate of clinging to mental formations, the aggregate of clinging to consciousness. In these five aggregates of clinging, friends, I do not perceive any self or anything belonging to a self.” Question – And how, friends, did Venerable Khemaka further elaborate on the Dhamma teaching there, and extensively teach it to the elder monks? And what benefit was attained by those who taught and received the Dhamma from that teaching? Answer – On the fourth occasion, venerable sir, Venerable Khemaka said: “Enough, friend Dasaka, what is the point of this running around? Bring a staff, friend, I myself will go to the elders.” Leaning on a staff, Venerable Khemaka approached the elder monks. Having approached, and being questioned by the elder monks, Venerable Khemaka further elaborated on the Dhamma teaching extensively, venerable sir, saying: “I do not say, friends, that I am form, nor do I say that I am apart from form. I do not say, friends, that I am feeling, nor do I say that I am apart from feeling,” and so on. And while this exposition, venerable sir, was being spoken, the minds of sixty elder monks were liberated from the defilements without clinging, and so was the mind of Venerable Khemaka. Thus, venerable sir, was the Dhamma for those elders, both teachers and receivers of the Dhamma. The occasion was. Channa Sutta Question – Now, friend, where was the Channa Sutta spoken, concerning whom, on what occasion, by whom, and how? Answer – In Kosambi, venerable sir, it was spoken concerning the venerable Elder Channa. The venerable Elder Channa, venerable sir, said this to the venerable Ananda: "Let the venerable Ananda advise me, let the venerable Ananda instruct me, let the venerable Ananda give me a discourse on the Dhamma, so that I may see the Dhamma." On that occasion, venerable sir, it was spoken by the venerable Elder Ananda, the Treasurer of the Dhamma, beginning with: "That, friend Channa, I heard directly from the Blessed One, directly received, when he was advising the bhikkhu of Kaccana's clan: 'This world, Kaccana, is for the most part dependent on two things: existence and non-existence. When one sees the origin of the world as it really is with right wisdom, Kaccana, the non-existence in the world does not occur.'" Let the venerable Ananda advise me, let the venerable Ananda instruct me. Flower Sutta Question – By that friend... (ellipsis) ...the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, where was the Flower Sutta spoken, concerning whom, and how, in the Flower Chapter of the Connected Discourses on the Aggregates? Answer – In Savatthi, venerable sir, it was spoken by the Blessed One, concerning many bhikkhus, beginning with: "I, bhikkhus, do not dispute with the world; the world disputes with me. A speaker of Dhamma, bhikkhus, does not dispute with anyone in the world. That, bhikkhus, which is not agreed upon by the wise in the world, that I also say 'is not'. That, bhikkhus, which is agreed upon by the wise in the world, that I also say 'is'." I, bhikkhus, do not dispute with the world. A speaker of Dhamma, bhikkhus, does not dispute with anyone in the world. Foam-Lump Simile Sutta Question – Right there, friend, where was the Foam-Lump Simile Sutta spoken by the Blessed One, concerning whom, and how? Answer – In Ayojjha, venerable sir, on the bank of the river Ganges, it was spoken concerning many bhikkhus, beginning with: "Just as, bhikkhus, this The Gangā river might carry a great mass of foam. A man with eyes might see it, might examine it, might investigate it wisely. As he sees it, examines it, investigates it wisely, it would appear empty, it would appear hollow, it would appear without substance. What substance, monks, could there be in a mass of foam? In the same way, monks, whatever form there is— past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near— a monk sees it, examines it, investigates it wisely. As he sees it, examines it, investigates it wisely, it appears empty, it appears hollow, it appears without substance. What substance, monks, could there be in form? Thus, and so on, was spoken by the Blessed One. Form is like a mass of foam, Feeling is like a bubble; Perception is like a mirage, Volitional formations are like a plantain trunk; And consciousness is like a magic trick, Thus taught by the Kinsman of the Sun. However one examines it, investigates it wisely, It becomes empty, hollow, for one who sees it wisely. Concerning this body, taught by the greatly wise one; Abandoning the three qualities, see form cast aside. Life, heat, and consciousness, when they abandon this body; Then it lies cast away, food for others, unconscious. Such is this continuity, this illusion, babbling to fools; This is called a killer, no substance is found in it. Thus should a monk contemplate the aggregates, one who has aroused effort; By day or by night, mindful and clearly comprehending. He should abandon all fetters, make a refuge for himself; He should wander like one whose head is aflame, desiring the deathless state. The Second Discourse on the Dhamma Speaker Question: Friends, where, concerning whom, in what context, and how was the Second Discourse on the Dhamma Speaker in the section on Dhamma Speakers spoken by the Blessed One?