Aṅguttara Nikāya 7.54

Translators: sujato

Numbered Discourses 7.54

6. Abyākatavagga
6. The Undeclared Points

Abyākatasutta

The Undeclared Points

Atha kho aññataro bhikkhu yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
Then a mendicant went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:

“ko nu kho, bhante, hetu ko paccayo yena sutavato ariyasāvakassa vicikicchā nuppajjati abyākatavatthūsū”ti?
“Sir, what is the cause, what is the reason why a learned noble disciple has no doubts regarding the undeclared points?”

“Diṭṭhinirodhā kho, bhikkhu, sutavato ariyasāvakassa vicikicchā nuppajjati abyākatavatthūsu.
“Mendicant, it’s due to the cessation of views that a learned noble disciple has no doubts regarding the undeclared points.

‘Hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti kho, bhikkhu, diṭṭhigatametaṁ;
‘A realized one still exists after death’: this is a misconception.

‘na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti kho, bhikkhu, diṭṭhigatametaṁ;
‘A realized one no longer exists after death’: this is a misconception.

‘hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti kho, bhikkhu, diṭṭhigatametaṁ;
‘A realized one both still exists and no longer exists after death’: this is a misconception.

‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti kho, bhikkhu, diṭṭhigatametaṁ.
‘A realized one neither still exists nor no longer exists after death’: this is a misconception.

Assutavā, bhikkhu, puthujjano diṭṭhiṁ nappajānāti, diṭṭhisamudayaṁ nappajānāti, diṭṭhinirodhaṁ nappajānāti, diṭṭhinirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ nappajānāti.
An unlearned ordinary person doesn’t understand views, their origin, their cessation, or the practice that leads to their cessation.

Tassa sā diṭṭhi pavaḍḍhati, so na parimuccati jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi, na parimuccati dukkhasmāti vadāmi.
And so their views grow. They’re not freed from rebirth, old age, and death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. They’re not freed from suffering, I say.

Sutavā ca kho, bhikkhu, ariyasāvako diṭṭhiṁ pajānāti, diṭṭhisamudayaṁ pajānāti, diṭṭhinirodhaṁ pajānāti, diṭṭhinirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ pajānāti.
A learned noble disciple does understand views, their origin, their cessation, and the practice that leads to their cessation.

Tassa sā diṭṭhi nirujjhati, so parimuccati jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi, parimuccati dukkhasmāti vadāmi.
And so their views cease. They’re freed from rebirth, old age, and death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. They’re freed from suffering, I say.

Evaṁ jānaṁ kho, bhikkhu, sutavā ariyasāvako evaṁ passaṁ ‘hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipi na byākaroti;
Knowing and seeing this, a learned noble disciple does not answer: ‘A realized one still exists after death’,

‘na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipi na byākaroti;
‘A realized one no longer exists after death’,

‘hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipi na byākaroti;
‘a realized one both still exists and no longer exists after death’,

‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipi na byākaroti.
‘a realized one neither still exists nor no longer exists after death.’

Evaṁ jānaṁ kho, bhikkhu, sutavā ariyasāvako evaṁ passaṁ evaṁ abyākaraṇadhammo hoti abyākatavatthūsu.
Knowing and seeing this, a learned noble disciple does not declare the undeclared points.

Evaṁ jānaṁ kho, bhikkhu, sutavā ariyasāvako evaṁ passaṁ na chambhati, na kampati, na vedhati, na santāsaṁ āpajjati abyākatavatthūsu.
Knowing and seeing this, a learned noble disciple doesn’t shake, tremble, quake, or get nervous regarding the undeclared points.

‘Hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti kho, bhikkhu, taṇhāgatametaṁ …pe…
‘A realized one still exists after death’: this is just about craving. …

saññāgatametaṁ …pe…
it’s just about perception …

maññitametaṁ …pe…
it’s a conceiving …

papañcitametaṁ …pe…
it’s a proliferation …

upādānagatametaṁ …pe…
it’s just about grasping …

‘hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti kho, bhikkhu, vippaṭisāro eso;
‘A realized one still exists after death’: this is a regret.

‘na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti kho, bhikkhu, vippaṭisāro eso;
‘A realized one no longer exists after death’: this is a regret.

‘hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti kho, bhikkhu, vippaṭisāro eso;
‘A realized one both still exists and no longer exists after death’: this is a regret.

‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti kho, bhikkhu, vippaṭisāro eso.
‘A realized one neither still exists nor no longer exists after death’: this is a regret.

Assutavā, bhikkhu, puthujjano vippaṭisāraṁ nappajānāti, vippaṭisārasamudayaṁ nappajānāti, vippaṭisāranirodhaṁ nappajānāti, vippaṭisāranirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ nappajānāti.
An unlearned ordinary person doesn’t understand regrets, their origin, their cessation, or the practice that leads to their cessation.

Tassa so vippaṭisāro pavaḍḍhati, so na parimuccati jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi, na parimuccati dukkhasmāti vadāmi.
And so their regrets grow. They’re not freed from rebirth, old age, and death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. They’re not freed from suffering, I say.

Sutavā ca kho, bhikkhu, ariyasāvako vippaṭisāraṁ pajānāti, vippaṭisārasamudayaṁ pajānāti, vippaṭisāranirodhaṁ pajānāti, vippaṭisāranirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ pajānāti.
A learned noble disciple does understand regrets, their origin, their cessation, and the practice that leads to their cessation.

Tassa so vippaṭisāro nirujjhati, so parimuccati jātiyā …pe… dukkhasmāti vadāmi.
And so their regrets cease. They’re freed from rebirth, old age, and death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. They’re freed from suffering, I say.

Evaṁ jānaṁ kho, bhikkhu, sutavā ariyasāvako evaṁ passaṁ ‘hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipi na byākaroti …pe…
Knowing and seeing this, a learned noble disciple does not answer: ‘A realized one still exists after death’ …

‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipi na byākaroti.
‘a realized one neither still exists nor no longer exists after death.’

Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhu, hetu ayaṁ paccayo yena sutavato ariyasāvakassa vicikicchā nuppajjati abyākatavatthūsū”ti.
This is the cause, this is the reason why a learned noble disciple has no doubts regarding the undeclared points.”

Paṭhamaṁ.