sutta » mn » Majjhima Nikāya 47

Vīmaṁsakasutta

The Inquirer

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
So I have heard.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:
There the Buddha addressed the mendicants,

“bhikkhavo”ti.
“Mendicants!”

“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ.
“Venerable sir,” they replied.

Bhagavā etadavoca:
The Buddha said this:

“vīmaṁsakena, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā parassa cetopariyāyaṁ ajānantena tathāgate samannesanā kātabbā ‘sammāsambuddho vā no vā’ iti viññāṇāyā”ti.
“Mendicants, a mendicant who is an inquirer, unable to comprehend another’s mind, should scrutinize the Realized One to see 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.
“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.
“Well then, mendicants, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ.
“Yes, sir,” they replied.

Bhagavā etadavoca:
The Buddha said this:

“Vīmaṁsakena, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā parassa cetopariyāyaṁ ajānantena dvīsu dhammesu tathāgato samannesitabbo cakkhusotaviññeyyesu dhammesu:
“Mendicants, a mendicant who is an inquirer, unable to comprehend 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?
‘Can anything corrupt be seen or heard in the Realized One or not?’

Tamenaṁ samannesamāno evaṁ jānāti:
Scrutinizing him they find that

‘ye saṅkiliṭṭhā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, na te tathāgatassa saṁvijjantī’ti.
nothing corrupt can be seen or heard in the Realized One.

Yato naṁ samannesamāno evaṁ jānāti:

‘ye saṅkiliṭṭhā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, na te tathāgatassa saṁvijjantī’ti, tato naṁ uttariṁ samannesati:
They scrutinize further:

‘ye vītimissā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, saṁvijjanti vā te tathāgatassa no vā’ti?
‘Can anything mixed be seen or heard in the Realized One or not?’

Tamenaṁ samannesamāno evaṁ jānāti:
Scrutinizing him they find that

‘ye vītimissā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, na te tathāgatassa saṁvijjantī’ti.
nothing mixed can be seen or heard in the Realized One.

Yato naṁ samannesamāno evaṁ jānāti:

‘ye vītimissā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, na te tathāgatassa saṁvijjantī’ti, tato naṁ uttariṁ samannesati:
They scrutinize further:

‘ye vodātā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, saṁvijjanti vā te tathāgatassa no vā’ti?
‘Can anything clean be seen or heard in the Realized One or not?’

Tamenaṁ samannesamāno evaṁ jānāti:
Scrutinizing him they find that

‘ye vodātā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, saṁvijjanti te tathāgatassā’ti.
clean things can be seen and heard in the Realized One.

Yato naṁ samannesamāno evaṁ jānāti:

‘ye vodātā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, saṁvijjanti te tathāgatassā’ti, tato naṁ uttariṁ samannesati:
They scrutinize further:

‘dīgharattaṁ samāpanno ayamāyasmā imaṁ kusalaṁ dhammaṁ, udāhu ittarasamāpanno’ti?
‘Did the venerable attain this skillful state a long time ago, or just recently?’

Tamenaṁ samannesamāno evaṁ jānāti:
Scrutinizing him they find that

‘dīgharattaṁ samāpanno ayamāyasmā imaṁ kusalaṁ dhammaṁ, nāyamāyasmā ittarasamāpanno’ti.
the venerable attained this skillful state a long time ago, not just recently.

Yato naṁ samannesamāno evaṁ jānāti:

‘dīgharattaṁ samāpanno ayamāyasmā imaṁ kusalaṁ dhammaṁ, nāyamāyasmā ittarasamāpanno’ti, tato naṁ uttariṁ samannesati:
They scrutinize further:

‘ñattajjhāpanno ayamāyasmā bhikkhu yasappatto, saṁvijjantassa idhekacce ādīnavā’ti?
‘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, 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 when they achieve fame and renown, those dangers appear.

Tamenaṁ samannesamāno evaṁ jānāti:
Scrutinizing him they find that

‘ñattajjhāpanno ayamāyasmā bhikkhu yasappatto, nāssa idhekacce ādīnavā saṁvijjantī’ti.
those dangers are not found in that venerable mendicant who has achieved fame and renown.

Yato naṁ samannesamāno evaṁ jānāti:

‘ñattajjhāpanno ayamāyasmā bhikkhu yasappatto, nāssa idhekacce ādīnavā saṁvijjantī’ti, tato naṁ uttariṁ samannesati:
They scrutinize further:

‘abhayūparato ayamāyasmā, nāyamāyasmā bhayūparato;
‘Is this venerable securely stilled or insecurely stilled?

vītarāgattā kāme na sevati khayā rāgassā’ti?
Is the reason they don’t indulge in sensual pleasures that they’re free of greed because greed has ended?’

Tamenaṁ samannesamāno evaṁ jānāti:
Scrutinizing him they find that

‘abhayūparato ayamāyasmā, nāyamāyasmā bhayūparato;
that venerable is securely stilled, not insecurely stilled.

vītarāgattā kāme na sevati khayā rāgassā’ti.
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:
If others should ask that mendicant,

‘ke panāyasmato ākārā, ke anvayā, yenāyasmā evaṁ vadesi—
‘But what reason and evidence does the venerable have for saying this?’

abhayūparato ayamāyasmā, nāyamāyasmā bhayūparato;

vītarāgattā kāme na sevati khayā rāgassā’ti.

Sammā byākaramāno, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ byākareyya:
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.
‘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—
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 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:
Next, they should ask the Realized One himself about this,

‘ye saṅkiliṭṭhā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, saṁvijjanti vā te tathāgatassa no vā’ti?
‘Can anything corrupt be seen or heard in the Realized One or not?’

Byākaramāno, bhikkhave, tathāgato evaṁ byākareyya:
The Realized One would answer,

‘ye saṅkiliṭṭhā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, na te tathāgatassa saṁvijjantī’ti.
‘Nothing corrupt can be seen or heard in the Realized One.’

‘Ye vītimissā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, saṁvijjanti vā te tathāgatassa no vā’ti?
‘Can anything mixed be seen or heard in the Realized One or not?’

Byākaramāno, bhikkhave, tathāgato evaṁ byākareyya:
The Realized One would answer,

‘ye vītimissā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, na te tathāgatassa saṁvijjantī’ti.
‘Nothing mixed can be seen or heard in the Realized One.’

‘Ye vodātā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, saṁvijjanti vā te tathāgatassa no vā’ti?
‘Can anything clean be seen or heard in the Realized One or not?’

Byākaramāno, bhikkhave, tathāgato evaṁ byākareyya:
The Realized One would answer,

‘ye vodātā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, saṁvijjanti te tathāgatassa;
‘Clean things can be seen and heard in the Realized One.

etaṁ pathohamasmi, etaṁ gocaro, no ca tena tammayo’ti.
I am the range and the territory of that, but I am not determined by that.’

Evaṁvādiṁ kho, bhikkhave, satthāraṁ arahati sāvako upasaṅkamituṁ dhammassavanāya.
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 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:
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 a fully awakened Buddha! The teaching is well explained! The Saṅgha is practicing well!’

Tañce, bhikkhave, bhikkhuṁ pare evaṁ puccheyyuṁ:
If others should ask that mendicant,

‘ke panāyasmato ākārā, ke anvayā, yenāyasmā evaṁ vadesi—
‘But what reason and evidence does the venerable have for saying this?’

sammāsambuddho bhagavā, svākkhāto bhagavatā dhammo, suppaṭipanno saṅgho’ti?

Sammā byākaramāno, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ byākareyya:
Answering rightly, the mendicant should say,

‘idhāhaṁ, āvuso, yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁ dhammassavanāya.
‘Reverends, I approached the Buddha to listen to the teaching.

Tassa me bhagavā dhammaṁ deseti uttaruttariṁ paṇītapaṇītaṁ kaṇhasukkasappaṭibhāgaṁ.
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—
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 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;
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.
It is strong, and cannot be shifted by any ascetic or brahmin or god or Māra or Brahmā or by anyone in the world.

Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tathāgate dhammasamannesanā hoti.
That is how there is legitimate scrutiny of the Realized One,

Evañca pana tathāgato dhammatāsusamanniṭṭho hotī”ti.
and that is how the Realized One is legitimately well-scrutinized.”

Idamavoca bhagavā.
That is what the Buddha said.

Attamanā te bhikkhū bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandunti.
Satisfied, the mendicants approved what the Buddha said.

Vīmaṁsakasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ sattamaṁ.