Aṅguttara Nikāya 9.38
Translators: sujato
Numbered Discourses 9.38
4. Mahāvagga
4. The Great Chapter
Lokāyatikasutta
Brahmin Cosmologists
Atha kho dve lokāyatikā brāhmaṇā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodiṁsu.
Then two brahmin cosmologists went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him.
Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te brāhmaṇā bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:
When the greetings and polite conversation were over, they sat down to one side and said to the Buddha:
“Pūraṇo, bho gotama, kassapo sabbaññū sabbadassāvī aparisesaṁ ñāṇadassanaṁ paṭijānāti:
“Mister Gotama, Pūraṇa Kassapa claims to be all-knowing and all-seeing, to know and see everything without exception, thus:
‘carato ca me tiṭṭhato ca suttassa ca jāgarassa ca satataṁ samitaṁ ñāṇadassanaṁ paccupaṭṭhitan’ti.
‘Knowledge and vision are constantly and continually present to me, while walking, standing, sleeping, and waking.’
So evamāha:
He says:
‘ahaṁ anantena ñāṇena anantaṁ lokaṁ jānaṁ passaṁ viharāmī’ti.
‘With infinite knowledge I know and see that the cosmos is infinite.’
Ayampi, bho gotama, nigaṇṭho nāṭaputto sabbaññū sabbadassāvī aparisesaṁ ñāṇadassanaṁ paṭijānāti:
And the Jain ascetic of the Ñātika clan also claims to be all-knowing and all-seeing, to know and see everything without exception, thus:
‘carato ca me tiṭṭhato ca suttassa ca jāgarassa ca satataṁ samitaṁ ñāṇadassanaṁ paccupaṭṭhitan’ti.
‘Knowledge and vision are constantly and continually present to me, while walking, standing, sleeping, and waking.’
So evamāha:
He says:
‘ahaṁ anantena ñāṇena anantaṁ lokaṁ jānaṁ passaṁ viharāmī’ti.
‘With infinite knowledge I know and see that the cosmos is finite.’
Imesaṁ, bho gotama, ubhinnaṁ ñāṇavādānaṁ ubhinnaṁ aññamaññaṁ vipaccanīkavādānaṁ ko saccaṁ āha ko musā”ti?
These two claim to speak from knowledge, but they directly contradict each other. Which one of them speaks the truth, and which falsehood?”
“Alaṁ, brāhmaṇā.
“Enough, brahmins, let that be.
Tiṭṭhatetaṁ:
‘imesaṁ ubhinnaṁ ñāṇavādānaṁ ubhinnaṁ aññamaññaṁ vipaccanīkavādānaṁ ko saccaṁ āha ko musā’ti.
Dhammaṁ vo, brāhmaṇā, desessāmi,
I will teach you the Dhamma.
taṁ suṇātha, sādhukaṁ manasi karotha, bhāsissāmī”ti.
Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”
“Evaṁ, bho”ti kho te brāhmaṇā bhagavato paccassosuṁ.
“Yes sir,” those brahmins replied.
Bhagavā etadavoca:
The Buddha said this:
“Seyyathāpi, brāhmaṇā, cattāro purisā catuddisā ṭhitā paramena javena ca samannāgatā paramena ca padavītihārena.
“Suppose there were four men standing in the four quarters. Each of them was extremely fast, with an extremely mighty stride.
Te evarūpena javena samannāgatā assu, seyyathāpi nāma daḷhadhammā dhanuggaho sikkhito katahattho katūpāsano lahukena asanena appakasirena tiriyaṁ tālacchāyaṁ atipāteyya;
They’re as fast as a light arrow easily shot across the shadow of a palm tree by a well-trained expert archer with a strong bow.
evarūpena ca padavītihārena, seyyathāpi nāma puratthimā samuddā pacchimo samuddo
Their stride was such that it spanned from the eastern ocean to the western ocean.
atha puratthimāya disāya ṭhito puriso evaṁ vadeyya:
Then the man standing in the east would say:
‘ahaṁ gamanena lokassa antaṁ pāpuṇissāmī’ti.
‘I will reach the end of the world by traveling.’
So aññatreva asitapītakhāyitasāyitā aññatra uccārapassāvakammā aññatra niddākilamathapaṭivinodanā vassasatāyuko vassasatajīvī vassasataṁ gantvā appatvāva lokassa antaṁ antarā kālaṁ kareyya.
Though he’d travel for his whole lifespan of a hundred years—pausing only to eat and drink, go to the toilet, and sleep to dispel weariness—he’d die along the way, never reaching the end of the world.
Atha pacchimāya disāya …pe…
Then the man standing in the west …
atha uttarāya disāya …
Then the man standing in the north …
atha dakkhiṇāya disāya ṭhito puriso evaṁ vadeyya:
Then the man standing in the south would say:
‘ahaṁ gamanena lokassa antaṁ pāpuṇissāmī’ti.
‘I will reach the end of the world by traveling.’
So aññatreva asitapītakhāyitasāyitā aññatra uccārapassāvakammā aññatra niddākilamathapaṭivinodanā vassasatāyuko vassasatajīvī vassasataṁ gantvā appatvāva lokassa antaṁ antarā kālaṁ kareyya.
Though he’d travel for his whole lifespan of a hundred years—pausing only to eat and drink, go to the toilet, and sleep to dispel weariness—he’d die along the way, never reaching the end of the world.
Taṁ kissa hetu?
Why is that?
Nāhaṁ, brāhmaṇā, evarūpāya sandhāvanikāya lokassa antaṁ ñāteyyaṁ daṭṭheyyaṁ patteyyanti vadāmi.
I say it’s not possible to know or see or reach the end of the world by running like this.
Na cāhaṁ, brāhmaṇā, appatvāva lokassa antaṁ dukkhassa antakiriyaṁ vadāmi.
But I also say there’s no making an end of suffering without reaching the end of the world.
Pañcime, brāhmaṇā, kāmaguṇā ariyassa vinaye lokoti vuccati.
These five kinds of sensual stimulation are called the world in the training of the Noble One.
Katame pañca?
What five?
Cakkhuviññeyyā rūpā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā;
Sights known by the eye, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing.
sotaviññeyyā saddā …pe…
Sounds known by the ear …
ghānaviññeyyā gandhā …
Smells known by the nose …
jivhāviññeyyā rasā …
Tastes known by the tongue …
kāyaviññeyyā phoṭṭhabbā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā;
Touches known by the body, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing.
ime kho, brāhmaṇā, pañca kāmaguṇā ariyassa vinaye lokoti vuccati.
These five kinds of sensual stimulation are called the world in the training of the Noble One.
Idha, brāhmaṇā, bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.
Take a mendicant who, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, enters and remains in the first absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, while placing the mind and keeping it connected.
Ayaṁ vuccati, brāhmaṇā, ‘bhikkhu lokassa antamāgamma, lokassa ante viharati’.
This is called a mendicant who, having gone to the end of the world, meditates at the end of the world.
Tamaññe evamāhaṁsu:
Others say of them:
‘ayampi lokapariyāpanno, ayampi anissaṭo lokamhā’ti.
‘They’re included in the world, and haven’t yet left the world.’
Ahampi hi, brāhmaṇā, evaṁ vadāmi:
And I also say this:
‘ayampi lokapariyāpanno, ayampi anissaṭo lokamhā’ti.
‘They’re included in the world, and haven’t yet left the world.’
Puna caparaṁ, brāhmaṇā, bhikkhu vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā …pe… dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ …
Furthermore, take a mendicant who, as the placing of the mind and keeping it connected are stilled, enters and remains in the second absorption …
tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ …
third absorption …
catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.
fourth absorption.
Ayaṁ vuccati, brāhmaṇā, ‘bhikkhu lokassa antamāgamma lokassa ante viharati’.
This is called a mendicant who, having gone to the end of the world, meditates at the end of the world.
Tamaññe evamāhaṁsu:
Others say of them:
‘ayampi lokapariyāpanno, ayampi anissaṭo lokamhā’ti.
‘They’re included in the world, and haven’t yet left the world.’
Ahampi hi, brāhmaṇā, evaṁ vadāmi:
And I also say this:
‘ayampi lokapariyāpanno, ayampi anissaṭo lokamhā’ti.
‘They’re included in the world, and haven’t yet left the world.’
Puna caparaṁ, brāhmaṇā, bhikkhu sabbaso rūpasaññānaṁ samatikkamā paṭighasaññānaṁ atthaṅgamā nānattasaññānaṁ amanasikārā ‘ananto ākāso’ti ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati.
Furthermore, take a mendicant who, going totally beyond perceptions of form, with the ending of perceptions of impingement, not focusing on perceptions of diversity, aware that ‘space is infinite’, enters and remains in the dimension of infinite space.
Ayaṁ vuccati, brāhmaṇā, ‘bhikkhu lokassa antamāgamma lokassa ante viharati’.
This is called a mendicant who, having gone to the end of the world, meditates at the end of the world.
Tamaññe evamāhaṁsu:
Others say of them:
‘ayampi lokapariyāpanno, ayampi anissaṭo lokamhā’ti.
‘They’re included in the world, and haven’t yet left the world.’
Ahampi hi, brāhmaṇā, evaṁ vadāmi:
And I also say this:
‘ayampi lokapariyāpanno, ayampi anissaṭo lokamhā’ti.
‘They’re included in the world, and haven’t yet left the world.’
Puna caparaṁ, brāhmaṇā, bhikkhu sabbaso ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma ‘anantaṁ viññāṇan’ti viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati …pe…
Furthermore, take a mendicant who enters and remains in the dimension of infinite consciousness. …
sabbaso viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma ‘natthi kiñcī’ti ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati …pe…
the dimension of nothingness …
sabbaso ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ samatikkamma nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati.
the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.
Ayaṁ vuccati, brāhmaṇā, ‘bhikkhu lokassa antamāgamma lokassa ante viharati’.
This is called a mendicant who, having gone to the end of the world, meditates at the end of the world.
Tamaññe evamāhaṁsu:
Others say of them:
‘ayampi lokapariyāpanno, ayampi anissaṭo lokamhā’ti.
‘They’re included in the world, and haven’t yet left the world.’
Ahampi hi, brāhmaṇā, evaṁ vadāmi:
And I also say this:
‘ayampi lokapariyāpanno, ayampi anissaṭo lokamhā’ti.
‘They’re included in the world, and haven’t yet left the world.’
Puna caparaṁ, brāhmaṇā, bhikkhu sabbaso nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ samatikkamma saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ upasampajja viharati, paññāya cassa disvā āsavā parikkhīṇā honti.
Furthermore, take a mendicant who, going totally beyond the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, enters and remains in the cessation of perception and feeling. And, having seen with wisdom, their defilements come to an end.
Ayaṁ vuccati, brāhmaṇā, ‘bhikkhu lokassa antamāgamma lokassa ante viharati tiṇṇo loke visattikan’”ti.
This is called a mendicant who, having gone to the end of the world, meditates at the end of the world. And they’ve crossed over clinging to the world.”
Sattamaṁ.