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3. Dukkhappahānavāyamapañha

3. Question on Striving for the Removal of Past Suffering

Rājā āha—
The king asked:

“bhante nāgasena, kiṁ tumhe atītassa dukkhassa pahānāya vāyamathā”ti?
“Venerable Nāgasena, are you striving for the abandonment of past suffering?”

“Na hi, mahārājā”ti.
“Certainly not, your majesty.”

“Kiṁ pana, bhante, anāgatassa dukkhassa pahānāya vāyamathā”ti?
“Then, venerable sir, are you striving for the abandonment of future suffering?”

“Na hi, mahārājā”ti.
“Certainly not, your majesty.”

“Kiṁ pana paccuppannassa dukkhassa pahānāya vāyamathā”ti?
“Then, venerable sir, are you striving for the abandonment of present suffering?”

“Na hi, mahārājā”ti.
“Certainly not, your majesty.”

“Yadi tumhe na atītassa dukkhassa pahānāya vāyamatha, na anāgatassa dukkhassa pahānāya vāyamatha, na paccuppannassa dukkhassa pahānāya vāyamatha, atha kimatthāya vāyamathā”ti.
“If you are not striving for the abandonment of past suffering, nor for the abandonment of future suffering, nor for the abandonment of present suffering, then what are you striving for?”

Thero āha—
The elder said,

“‘kinti, mahārāja, idañca dukkhaṁ nirujjheyya, aññañca dukkhaṁ nuppajjeyyā’ti etadatthāya vāyamāmā”ti.
“Your majesty, I am striving so that this suffering would cease and that no other suffering would arise.”

“Atthi pana te, bhante nāgasena, anāgataṁ dukkhan”ti?
“Is there now, venerable Nāgasena, future suffering for you?”

“Natthi, mahārājā”ti.
“There is not, your majesty.”

“Tumhe kho, bhante nāgasena, atipaṇḍitā, ye tumhe asantānaṁ anāgatānaṁ dukkhānaṁ pahānāya vāyamathā”ti?
“Indeed, venerable Nāgasena, you are very wise that you strive for abandoning future suffering that is not existing.”

“Atthi pana te, mahārāja, keci paṭirājāno paccatthikā paccāmittā paccupaṭṭhitā hontī”ti?
“Are there, your majesty, any opposing kings, that are adversaries, that have risen up against you?”

“Āma, bhante, atthī”ti.
“Yes, venerable sir, there are.”

“Kiṁ nu kho, mahārāja, tadā tumhe parikhaṁ khaṇāpeyyātha, pākāraṁ cināpeyyātha gopuraṁ kārāpeyyātha, aṭṭālakaṁ kārāpeyyātha, dhaññaṁ atiharāpeyyāthā”ti?
“Is it then, your majesty, that you had a moat dug, a rampart put up, and a gateway and watchtower constructed?”

“Na hi, bhante, paṭikacceva taṁ paṭiyattaṁ hotī”ti.
“Certainly not, venerable sir, these were prepared previously.”

“Kiṁ tumhe, mahārāja, tadā hatthismiṁ sikkheyyātha, assasmiṁ sikkheyyātha, rathasmiṁ sikkheyyātha, dhanusmiṁ sikkheyyātha, tharusmiṁ sikkheyyāthā”ti?
“Is it then, your majesty, that you would train in elephant warfare, in horse warfare, in chariot warfare, in archery, and in swordsmanship?”

“Na hi, bhante, paṭikacceva taṁ sikkhitaṁ hotī”ti.
“Certainly not, venerable sir, I had trained in these previously.”

“Kissatthāyā”ti?
“For what reason?”

“Anāgatānaṁ, bhante, bhayānaṁ paṭibāhanatthāyā”ti.
“In order to prevent future perils, venerable sir.”

“Kiṁ nu kho, mahārāja, atthi anāgataṁ bhayan”ti?
“Is there a future peril now, your majesty?”

“Natthi, bhante”ti.
“There is not, venerable sir.”

“Tumhe ca kho, mahārāja, atipaṇḍitā, ye tumhe asantānaṁ anāgatānaṁ bhayānaṁ paṭibāhanatthāya paṭiyādethā”ti.
“Indeed, your majesty, you are very wise that you would prepare for the prevention of a future peril that is not existing.”

“Bhiyyo opammaṁ karohī”ti.
“Give me another analogy.”

“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, mahārāja, yadā tvaṁ pipāsito bhaveyyāsi, tadā tvaṁ udapānaṁ khaṇāpeyyāsi, pokkharaṇiṁ khaṇāpeyyāsi, taḷākaṁ khaṇāpeyyāsi ‘pānīyaṁ pivissāmī’”ti?
“What do you think, your majesty, when you might become thirsty is it then that you would have a well, a pond, or a reservoir dug, thinking, ‘I will drink water’?”

“Na hi, bhante, paṭikacceva taṁ paṭiyattaṁ hotī”ti.
“Certainly not, venerable sir, this has been arranged for previously.”

“Kissatthāyā”ti?
“For what reason?”

“Anāgatānaṁ, bhante, pipāsānaṁ paṭibāhanatthāya paṭiyattaṁ hotī”ti.
“It has been arranged, venerable sir, in order to prevent future thirst.”

“Atthi pana, mahārāja, anāgatā pipāsā”ti?
“Is there a future thirst now, your majesty?”

“Natthi, bhante”ti.
“There is not, venerable sir.”

“Tumhe kho, mahārāja, atipaṇḍitā, ye tumhe asantānaṁ anāgatānaṁ pipāsānaṁ paṭibāhanatthāya taṁ paṭiyādethā”ti.
“Indeed, your majesty, you are very wise that you would prepare for the prevention of a future thirst that is not existing.”

“Bhiyyo opammaṁ karohī”ti.
“Give me another analogy.”

“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, mahārāja, yadā tvaṁ bubhukkhito bhaveyyāsi, tadā tvaṁ khettaṁ kasāpeyyāsi, sāliṁ vapāpeyyāsi ‘bhattaṁ bhuñjissāmī’”ti?
“What do you think, your majesty, when you might become hungry is it then that you would have a field ploughed, and rice sowed, thinking, ‘I will eat food?”

“Na hi, bhante, paṭikacceva taṁ paṭiyattaṁ hotī”ti.
“Certainly not, venerable sir, this has been arranged for previously.”

“Kissatthāyā”ti.
“For what reason?”

“Anāgatānaṁ, bhante, bubhukkhānaṁ paṭibāhanatthāyā”ti.
“In order, venerable sir, to prevent future hunger.”

“Atthi pana, mahārāja, anāgatā bubhukkhā”ti?
“Is there a future hunger now, your majesty?”

“Natthi, bhante”ti.
“There is not, venerable sir.”

“Tumhe kho, mahārāja, atipaṇḍitā, ye tumhe asantānaṁ anāgatānaṁ bubhukkhānaṁ paṭibāhanatthāya paṭiyādethā”ti.
“Indeed, your majesty, you are very wise that you would prepare for the prevention of a future hunger that is not existing.”

“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti.
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.”

Dukkhappahānavāyamapañho tatiyo.
Question on Striving for the Abandonment of Suffering third