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Majjhima Nikāya 47 Middle Discourses 47
Vīmaṁsakasutta The Inquirer
Evaṁ me sutaṁ—Thus I heard:[^1]So I have heard.
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. On one occasion the Blessed One was living at Sāvatthi in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapindika’s Park.At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.
Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: There he addressed the bhikkhus thus:There the Buddha addressed the mendicants,
“bhikkhavo”ti. ‘Bhikkhus.’“Mendicants!”
“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. ‘Venerable sir,’ they replied.“Venerable sir,” they replied.
Bhagavā etadavoca: The Blessed One said this:The Buddha said this:
“vīmaṁsakena, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā parassa cetopariyāyaṁ ajānantena tathāgate samannesanā kātabbā ‘sammāsambuddho vā no vā’ iti viññāṇāyā”ti. ‘Bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu is an inquirer who knows (how to gauge) the state of another’s heart, research should be made by him with respect to a Tathāgata in order to recognize or not he is fully enlightened.’“Mendicants, a mendicant who is an inquirer, unable to encompass another’s mind, should scrutinize the Realized One to understand whether he is a fully awakened Buddha or not.”
“Bhagavaṁmūlakā no, bhante, dhammā, bhagavaṁnettikā bhagavaṁpaṭisaraṇā; sādhu vata, bhante, bhagavantaṁyeva paṭibhātu etassa bhāsitassa attho; bhagavato sutvā bhikkhū dhāressantī”ti. ‘Venerable sir, our dhammas are rooted in the Blessed One, they are guided by the Blessed One, they are centred in the Blessed One. It is good that the meaning of these words should occur to the Blessed One. Having heard it from the Blessed One, the bhikkhus will remember it.’“Our teachings are rooted in the Buddha. He is our guide and our refuge. Sir, may the Buddha himself please clarify the meaning of this. The mendicants will listen and remember it.”
“Tena hi, bhikkhave, suṇātha, sādhukaṁ manasi karotha, bhāsissāmī”ti. ‘Then listen, bhikkhus, and heed well what I shall say.’“Well then, mendicants, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”
“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. ‘Even so, venerable sir,’ they replied.“Yes, sir,” they replied.
Bhagavā etadavoca: The Blessed One said this:The Buddha said this:
“Vīmaṁsakena, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā parassa cetopariyāyaṁ ajānantena dvīsu dhammesu tathāgato samannesitabbo cakkhusotaviññeyyesu dhammesu: ‘Bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu is an inquirer who knows (how to gauge) the state of another’s heart, a Tathāgata should be searched with respect to two kinds of dhammas: with respect to dhammas cognizable through the eye and the ear:“Mendicants, a mendicant who is an inquirer, unable to encompass another’s mind, should scrutinize the Realized One for two things—things that can be seen and heard:
‘ye saṅkiliṭṭhā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, saṁvijjanti vā te tathāgatassa no vā’ti? “Whether in a Tathāgata’s case dhammas cognizable through the eye and ear are found to be defiled, or not?”‘Can anything corrupt be seen or heard in the Realized One or not?’
Tamenaṁ samannesamāno evaṁ jānāti: When he searches, he comes to know:Scrutinizing him they find that
‘ye saṅkiliṭṭhā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, na te tathāgatassa saṁvijjantī’ti. “Dhammas cognizable through the eye and ear that are defiled are not found in a Tathāgata.”nothing corrupt can be seen or heard in the Realized One.
Yato naṁ samannesamāno evaṁ jānāti: When he comes to know:
‘ye saṅkiliṭṭhā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, na te tathāgatassa saṁvijjantī’ti, tato naṁ uttariṁ samannesati: “Dhammas cognizable through the eye and ear that are defiled are not found in a Tathāgata” — with that he makes a further search thus:They scrutinize further:
‘ye vītimissā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, saṁvijjanti vā te tathāgatassa no vā’ti? “Whether in a Tathāgata’s case dhammas cognizable through the eye and ear are found to be mixed,[^2] or not?”‘Can anything mixed be seen or heard in the Realized One or not?’
Tamenaṁ samannesamāno evaṁ jānāti: When he searches, he comes to know:Scrutinizing him they find that
‘ye vītimissā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, na te tathāgatassa saṁvijjantī’ti. “Dhammas cognizable through the eye and ear that are mixed are not found in a Tathāgata.”nothing mixed can be seen or heard in the Realized One.
Yato naṁ samannesamāno evaṁ jānāti: When he comes to know:
‘ye vītimissā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, na te tathāgatassa saṁvijjantī’ti, tato naṁ uttariṁ samannesati: “Dhammas cognizable through the eye and ear that are mixed are not found in a Tathāgata” — with that he makes a further search thus:They scrutinize further:
‘ye vodātā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, saṁvijjanti vā te tathāgatassa no vā’ti? “Whether in a Tathāgata’s case dhammas cognizable through the eye and ear are found to be cleansed, or not?”‘Can anything clean be seen or heard in the Realized One or not?’
Tamenaṁ samannesamāno evaṁ jānāti: When he searches, he comes to know:Scrutinizing him they find that
‘ye vodātā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, saṁvijjanti te tathāgatassā’ti. “Dhammas cognizable through the eye and ear that are cleansed are found in a Tathāgata.”clean things can be seen and heard in the Realized One.
Yato naṁ samannesamāno evaṁ jānāti: When he comes to know:
‘ye vodātā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, saṁvijjanti te tathāgatassā’ti, tato naṁ uttariṁ samannesati: “Dhammas cognizable through the eye and ear that are cleansed are found in a Tathāgata” — with that he makes a further search thus:They scrutinize further:
‘dīgharattaṁ samāpanno ayamāyasmā imaṁ kusalaṁ dhammaṁ, udāhu ittarasamāpanno’ti? “Has this venerable one long perfected this profitable dhamma, or recently perfected it?”‘Did the venerable attain this skillful state a long time ago, or just recently?’
Tamenaṁ samannesamāno evaṁ jānāti: When he searches, he comes to know:Scrutinizing him they find that
‘dīgharattaṁ samāpanno ayamāyasmā imaṁ kusalaṁ dhammaṁ, nāyamāyasmā ittarasamāpanno’ti. “This venerable one has long perfected this profitable dhamma, he has not recently perfected it.”the venerable attained this skillful state a long time ago, not just recently.
Yato naṁ samannesamāno evaṁ jānāti: When he comes to know:
‘dīgharattaṁ samāpanno ayamāyasmā imaṁ kusalaṁ dhammaṁ, nāyamāyasmā ittarasamāpanno’ti, tato naṁ uttariṁ samannesati: “This venerable one has long perfected this profitable dhamma, he has not recently perfected it” — with that he makes a further search thus:They scrutinize further:
‘ñattajjhāpanno ayamāyasmā bhikkhu yasappatto, saṁvijjantassa idhekacce ādīnavā’ti? “Has this venerable one acquired renown, has he reached fame? Are certain dangers in this connexion found in him?”‘Are certain dangers found in that venerable mendicant who has achieved fame and renown?’
Na tāva, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno idhekacce ādīnavā saṁvijjanti yāva na ñattajjhāpanno hoti yasappatto. For, bhikkhus, as long as a bhikkhu has not acquired renown or reached fame, certain dangers in this connexion are not found in him,For, mendicants, so long as a mendicant has not achieved fame and renown, certain dangers are not found in them.
Yato ca kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu ñattajjhāpanno hoti yasappatto, athassa idhekacce ādīnavā saṁvijjanti. but as soon as he has acquired renown and reached fame, they are found.But when they achieve fame and renown, those dangers appear.
Tamenaṁ samannesamāno evaṁ jānāti: When he searches, he comes to know:Scrutinizing him they find that
‘ñattajjhāpanno ayamāyasmā bhikkhu yasappatto, nāssa idhekacce ādīnavā saṁvijjantī’ti. “This venerable one has acquired renown and reached fame, but certain dangers in this connexion are not found in him.”those dangers are not found in that venerable mendicant who has achieved fame and renown.
Yato naṁ samannesamāno evaṁ jānāti: When he comes to know:
‘ñattajjhāpanno ayamāyasmā bhikkhu yasappatto, nāssa idhekacce ādīnavā saṁvijjantī’ti, tato naṁ uttariṁ samannesati: “This venerable one has acquired renown and reached fame, but certain dangers in this connexion are not found in him” — with that he makes a further search thus:They scrutinize further:
‘abhayūparato ayamāyasmā, nāyamāyasmā bhayūparato; “Is this venerable one fearlessly restrained, and not restrained out of fear,‘Is this venerable securely stilled or insecurely stilled?
vītarāgattā kāme na sevati khayā rāgassā’ti? and when he does not indulge in sensual desires is it because he is without lust, because of the exhaustion of lust?”Is the reason they don’t indulge in sensual pleasures that they’re free of greed because greed has ended?’
Tamenaṁ samannesamāno evaṁ jānāti: When he searches, he comes to know:Scrutinizing him they find that
‘abhayūparato ayamāyasmā, nāyamāyasmā bhayūparato; “This venerable one is fearlessly restrained, and not restrained out of fear,that venerable is securely stilled, not insecurely stilled.
vītarāgattā kāme na sevati khayā rāgassā’ti. and his non-indulgence in sensual desires is because he is without lust, because of the exhaustion of lust.”The reason they don’t indulge in sensual pleasures is that they’re free of greed because greed has ended.
Tañce, bhikkhave, bhikkhuṁ pare evaṁ puccheyyuṁ: ‘Now if others should ask that bhikkhu:If others should ask that mendicant,
‘ke panāyasmato ākārā, ke anvayā, yenāyasmā evaṁ vadesi—“What is his evidence and what is his inference whereby the venerable one speaks as he does—‘But what reason and evidence does the venerable have for saying this?’
abhayūparato ayamāyasmā, nāyamāyasmā bhayūparato; ‘this venerable one is fearlessly restrained, and not restrained out of fear,
vītarāgattā kāme na sevati khayā rāgassā’ti. and his non-indulgence in sensual desires is because he is without lust, because of the exhaustion of lust’?”
Sammā byākaramāno, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ byākareyya: Then, answering rightly, the bhikkhu would answer thus:Answering rightly, the mendicant should say,
‘tathā hi pana ayamāyasmā saṅghe vā viharanto eko vā viharanto, ye ca tattha sugatā ye ca tattha duggatā, ye ca tattha gaṇamanusāsanti, ye ca idhekacce āmisesu sandissanti, ye ca idhekacce āmisena anupalittā, nāyamāyasmā taṁ tena avajānāti. ‘Whether that venerable one dwells in a sangha or alone, while there may be some who are well behaved there and some who are ill behaved there and some who teach a group there and some who show themselves (concerned about) material things and some who are unsullied by material things, still that venerable one belittles no one for that.‘Because, whether that venerable is staying in a community or alone, some people there are in a good state or a sorry state, some instruct a group, and some are seen among pleasures of the flesh while others remain unsullied. Yet that venerable doesn’t look down on them for that.
Sammukhā kho pana metaṁ bhagavato sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ—And I have heard and learnt this in that Blessed One’s own presence, received in his own presence:Also, I have heard and learned this in the presence of the Buddha:
abhayūparatohamasmi, nāhamasmi bhayūparato, vītarāgattā kāme na sevāmi khayā rāgassā’ti. ‘I am fearlessly restrained and not restrained out of fear, and that I do not indulge in sensual desires is because I am without lust, because of the exhaustion of lust.’”“I am securely stilled, not insecurely stilled. The reason I don’t indulge in sensual pleasures is that I’m free of greed because greed has ended.”’
Tatra, bhikkhave, tathāgatova uttariṁ paṭipucchitabbo: ‘About that, bhikkhus, a Tathāgata should be questioned further thus:Next, they should ask the Realized One himself about this,
‘ye saṅkiliṭṭhā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, saṁvijjanti vā te tathāgatassa no vā’ti? “Whether in a Tathāgata’s case dhammas cognizable through the eye and ear are found to be defiled, or not?”‘Can anything corrupt be seen or heard in the Realized One or not?’
Byākaramāno, bhikkhave, tathāgato evaṁ byākareyya: Answering, a Tathāgata would answer thus:The Realized One would answer,
‘ye saṅkiliṭṭhā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, na te tathāgatassa saṁvijjantī’ti. “Dhammas cognizable through the eye and ear that are defiled are not found in a Tathāgata.”‘Nothing corrupt can be seen or heard in the Realized One.’
‘Ye vītimissā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, saṁvijjanti vā te tathāgatassa no vā’ti? “Whether in a Tathāgata’s case dhammas cognizable through the eye and ear are found to be mixed, or not?”‘Can anything mixed be seen or heard in the Realized One or not?’
Byākaramāno, bhikkhave, tathāgato evaṁ byākareyya: Answering, a Tathāgata would answer thus:The Realized One would answer,
‘ye vītimissā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, na te tathāgatassa saṁvijjantī’ti. “Dhammas cognizable through the eye and ear that are mixed are not found in a Tathāgata.”‘Nothing mixed can be seen or heard in the Realized One.’
‘Ye vodātā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, saṁvijjanti vā te tathāgatassa no vā’ti? “Whether in a Tathāgata’s case dhammas cognizable through the eye and ear are found to be cleansed, or not?”‘Can anything clean be seen or heard in the Realized One or not?’
Byākaramāno, bhikkhave, tathāgato evaṁ byākareyya: Answering, a Tathāgata would answer thus:The Realized One would answer,
‘ye vodātā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, saṁvijjanti te tathāgatassa; “Dhammas cognizable through the eye and ear that are cleansed are found in a Tathāgata;‘Clean things can be seen and heard in the Realized One.
etaṁ pathohamasmi, etaṁ gocaro, no ca tena tammayo’ti. while I have that for my sphere and that for my range, I remain aloof from it.”I am the scope and the range of that, but I am not determined by that.’
Evaṁvādiṁ kho, bhikkhave, satthāraṁ arahati sāvako upasaṅkamituṁ dhammassavanāya. ‘The teacher who speaks thus is fit for a disciple to approach for the sake of hearing the Dhamma.A disciple ought to approach a teacher who has such a doctrine in order to listen to the teaching.
Tassa satthā dhammaṁ deseti uttaruttariṁ paṇītapaṇītaṁ kaṇhasukkasappaṭibhāgaṁ. The teacher shows him the Dhamma at each higher (level), at each superior (stage), with the dark and bright counterparts.The teacher explains Dhamma with its higher and higher stages, with its better and better stages, with its dark and bright sides.
Yathā yathā kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno satthā dhammaṁ deseti uttaruttariṁ paṇītapaṇītaṁ kaṇhasukkasappaṭibhāgaṁ tathā tathā so tasmiṁ dhamme abhiññāya idhekaccaṁ dhammaṁ dhammesu niṭṭhaṁ gacchati, satthari pasīdati: According as the teacher shows the Dhamma to a bhikkhu in this way, so he, by directly-knowing some dhamma among the dhammas in that Dhamma, reaches (his) goal, and he has confidence in the Teacher thus:When they directly know a certain principle of those teachings, in accordance with how they were taught, the mendicant comes to a conclusion about the teachings. They have confidence in the Teacher:
‘sammāsambuddho bhagavā, svākkhāto bhagavatā dhammo, suppaṭipanno saṅgho’ti. ‘The Blessed One is fully enlightened, the Dhamma is well proclaimed, the Sangha has entered on the good way.’‘The Blessed One is a fully awakened Buddha! The teaching is well explained! The Saṅgha is practicing well!’
Tañce, bhikkhave, bhikkhuṁ pare evaṁ puccheyyuṁ: ‘Now if others should ask that bhikkhu:If others should ask that mendicant,
‘ke panāyasmato ākārā, ke anvayā, yenāyasmā evaṁ vadesi—“What is his evidence and what is his inference that the venerable one speaks as he does—‘But what reason and evidence does the venerable have for saying this?’
sammāsambuddho bhagavā, svākkhāto bhagavatā dhammo, suppaṭipanno saṅgho’ti? ‘the Blessed One is fully enlightened, the Dhamma is well proclaimed, the Sangha has entered on the good way’?”
Sammā byākaramāno, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ byākareyya: Then, answering rightly, the bhikkhu would answer thus:Answering rightly, the mendicant should say,
‘idhāhaṁ, āvuso, yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁ dhammassavanāya. ‘Here, friends, I approached that Blessed One for the sake of hearing the Dhamma.‘Reverends, I approached the Buddha to listen to the teaching.
Tassa me bhagavā dhammaṁ deseti uttaruttariṁ paṇītapaṇītaṁ kaṇhasukkasappaṭibhāgaṁ. The Teacher showed me the Dhamma at each higher (level), at each superior (stage), with the dark and bright counterparts.He explained Dhamma with its higher and higher stages, with its better and better stages, with its dark and bright sides.
Yathā yathā me, āvuso, bhagavā dhammaṁ deseti uttaruttariṁ paṇītapaṇītaṁ kaṇhasukkasappaṭibhāgaṁ tathā tathāhaṁ tasmiṁ dhamme abhiññāya idhekaccaṁ dhammaṁ dhammesu niṭṭhamagamaṁ, satthari pasīdiṁ—According as he did so, I came to direct-knowledge here and now of a certain dhamma among the dhammas in that Dhamma, and I reached (my) goal, and I had confidence in the Teacher thus:When I directly knew a certain principle of those teachings, in accordance with how I was taught, I came to a conclusion about the teachings. I had confidence in the Teacher:
sammāsambuddho bhagavā, svākkhāto bhagavatā, dhammo, suppaṭipanno saṅgho’ti. ‘The Blessed One is fully enlightened, the Dhamma is well proclaimed, the Sangha has entered on the good way.’”“The Blessed One is a fully awakened Buddha! The teaching is well explained! The Saṅgha is practicing well!”’
Yassa kassaci, bhikkhave, imehi ākārehi imehi padehi imehi byañjanehi tathāgate saddhā niviṭṭhā hoti mūlajātā patiṭṭhitā, ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, ākāravatī saddhā dassanamūlikā; ‘Bhikkhus, when someone’s faith in a Tathāgata has by these evidences, these terms and phrases been planted, made to take root and established, then his faith is called supported by evidence, rooted in vision,When someone’s faith is settled, rooted, and planted in the Realized One in this manner, with these words and phrases, it’s said to be grounded faith that’s based on evidence.
daḷhā asaṁhāriyā samaṇena vā brāhmaṇena vā devena vā mārena vā brahmunā vā kenaci vā lokasmiṁ. sound, and invincible by monk or divine or Māra or Divinity or anyone in the world.It is strong, and cannot be shifted by any ascetic or brahmin or god or Māra or divinity or by anyone in the world.
Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tathāgate dhammasamannesanā hoti. That is how research with respect to a Tathāgata is according to the Dhamma,That is how there is legitimate scrutiny of the Realized One,
Evañca pana tathāgato dhammatāsusamanniṭṭho hotī”ti. and that is how a Tathāgata is well sought in accordance with the Dhamma.’and that is how the Realized One is legitimately well-scrutinized.”
Idamavoca bhagavā. This is what the Blessed One said.That is what the Buddha said.
Attamanā te bhikkhū bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandunti. The bhikkhus were satisfied, and they delighted in the Blessed One’s words.Satisfied, the mendicants approved what the Buddha said.
Vīmaṁsakasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ sattamaṁ.