Udāna 6.4
Translators: sujato
Heartfelt Sayings 6.4
Paṭhamanānātitthiyasutta
Followers of Various Other Religions (1st)
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.
Tena kho pana samayena sambahulā nānātitthiyasamaṇabrāhmaṇaparibbājakā sāvatthiyaṁ paṭivasanti nānādiṭṭhikā nānākhantikā nānārucikā nānādiṭṭhinissayanissitā.
Now at that time several ascetics, brahmins, and wanderers who followed various other religions were residing in Sāvatthī, holding different views, beliefs, and opinions, relying on different views.
Santeke samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino:
There were some ascetics and brahmins who had this doctrine and view:
“sassato loko, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan”ti.
“The cosmos is eternal. This is the only truth, other ideas are silly.”
Santi paneke samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino:
Others held views such as the following, each regarding their own view as true and others as silly.
“asassato loko, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan”ti.
“The cosmos is not eternal.”
Santeke samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino:
“antavā loko, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan”ti.
“The cosmos is finite.”
Santi paneke samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino:
“anantavā loko, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan”ti.
“The cosmos is infinite.”
Santeke samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino:
“taṁ jīvaṁ taṁ sarīraṁ, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan”ti.
“The soul and the body are the same thing.”
Santi paneke samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino:
“aññaṁ jīvaṁ aññaṁ sarīraṁ, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan”ti.
“The soul and the body are different things.”
Santeke samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino:
“hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan”ti.
“A realized one still exists after death.”
Santi paneke samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino:
“na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan”ti.
“A realized one no longer exists after death.”
Santeke samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino:
“hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan”ti.
“A realized one both still exists and no longer exists after death.”
Santi paneke samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino:
“neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan”ti.
“A realized one neither still exists nor no longer exists after death.”
Te bhaṇḍanajātā kalahajātā vivādāpannā aññamaññaṁ mukhasattīhi vitudantā viharanti:
They were arguing, quarreling, and disputing, continually wounding each other with barbed words:
“ediso dhammo, nediso dhammo;
“Such is Truth, such is not Truth!
nediso dhammo, ediso dhammo”ti.
Such is not Truth, such is Truth!”
Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya sāvatthiṁ piṇḍāya pāvisiṁsu.
Then several mendicants robed up in the morning and, taking their bowls and robes, entered Sāvatthī for alms.
Sāvatthiyaṁ piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkantā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu.
Then, after the meal, when they returned from almsround, they went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what was happening. The Buddha said:
Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:
“Idha, bhante, sambahulā nānātitthiyasamaṇabrāhmaṇaparibbājakā sāvatthiyaṁ paṭivasanti nānādiṭṭhikā nānākhantikā nānārucikā nānādiṭṭhinissayanissitā—
Santeke samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino:
‘sassato loko, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan’ti …pe…
te bhaṇḍanajātā kalahajātā vivādāpannā aññamaññaṁ mukhasattīhi vitudantā viharanti:
‘ediso dhammo, nediso dhammo;
nediso dhammo, ediso dhammo’”ti.
“Aññatitthiyā, bhikkhave, paribbājakā andhā acakkhukā;
“The wanderers of other religions are blind and sightless.
atthaṁ na jānanti, anatthaṁ na jānanti, dhammaṁ na jānanti, adhammaṁ na jānanti.
They don't understand what is beneficial or what is not beneficial, nor what is the truth and what is not the truth.
Te atthaṁ ajānantā anatthaṁ ajānantā dhammaṁ ajānantā adhammaṁ ajānantā bhaṇḍanajātā kalahajātā vivādāpannā aññamaññaṁ mukhasattīhi vitudantā viharanti:
That’s why they are arguing, quarreling, and disputing, continually wounding each other with barbed words.
‘ediso dhammo, nediso dhammo;
nediso dhammo, ediso dhammo’ti.
Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, imissāyeva sāvatthiyā aññataro rājā ahosi.
Once upon a time, mendicants, right here in Sāvatthī there was a certain king.
Atha kho, bhikkhave, so rājā aññataraṁ purisaṁ āmantesi:
Then the king addressed a man,
‘ehi tvaṁ, ambho purisa, yāvatakā sāvatthiyā jaccandhā te sabbe ekajjhaṁ sannipātehī’ti.
‘Please, mister, gather all those blind from birth throughout Sāvatthī and bring them together in one place.’
‘Evaṁ, devā’ti kho, bhikkhave, so puriso tassa rañño paṭissutvā yāvatakā sāvatthiyā jaccandhā te sabbe gahetvā yena so rājā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ rājānaṁ etadavoca:
‘Yes, Your Majesty,’ that man replied. He did as the king asked, then said to him,
‘sannipātitā kho te, deva, yāvatakā sāvatthiyā jaccandhā’ti.
‘Your Majesty, the blind people throughout Sāvatthī have been gathered.’
‘Tena hi, bhaṇe, jaccandhānaṁ hatthiṁ dassehī’ti.
‘Well then, my man, show them an elephant.’
‘Evaṁ, devā’ti kho, bhikkhave, so puriso tassa rañño paṭissutvā jaccandhānaṁ hatthiṁ dassesi—
‘Yes, Your Majesty,’ that man replied. He did as the king asked.
Ekaccānaṁ jaccandhānaṁ hatthissa sīsaṁ dassesi:
To some of the blind people he showed the elephant’s head, saying,
‘ediso, jaccandhā, hatthī’ti.
‘Here is the elephant.’
Ekaccānaṁ jaccandhānaṁ hatthissa kaṇṇaṁ dassesi:
To some of them he showed the elephant’s ear, saying,
‘ediso, jaccandhā, hatthī’ti.
‘Here is the elephant.’
Ekaccānaṁ jaccandhānaṁ hatthissa dantaṁ dassesi:
To some of them he showed the elephant’s tusk, saying,
‘ediso, jaccandhā, hatthī’ti.
‘Here is the elephant.’
Ekaccānaṁ jaccandhānaṁ hatthissa soṇḍaṁ dassesi:
To some of them he showed the elephant’s trunk, saying,
‘ediso, jaccandhā, hatthī’ti.
‘Here is the elephant.’
Ekaccānaṁ jaccandhānaṁ hatthissa kāyaṁ dassesi:
To some of them he showed the elephant’s flank, saying,
‘ediso, jaccandhā, hatthī’ti.
‘Here is the elephant.’
Ekaccānaṁ jaccandhānaṁ hatthissa pādaṁ dassesi:
To some of them he showed the elephant’s leg, saying,
‘ediso, jaccandhā, hatthī’ti.
‘Here is the elephant.’
Ekaccānaṁ jaccandhānaṁ hatthissa satthiṁ dassesi:
To some of them he showed the elephant’s thigh, saying,
‘ediso, jaccandhā, hatthī’ti.
‘Here is the elephant.’
Ekaccānaṁ jaccandhānaṁ hatthissa naṅguṭṭhaṁ dassesi:
To some of them he showed the elephant’s tail, saying,
‘ediso, jaccandhā, hatthī’ti.
‘Here is the elephant.’
Ekaccānaṁ jaccandhānaṁ hatthissa vāladhiṁ dassesi:
To some of them he showed the tip of the elephant’s tail, saying,
‘ediso, jaccandhā, hatthī’ti.
‘Here is the elephant.’
Atha kho, bhikkhave, so puriso jaccandhānaṁ hatthiṁ dassetvā yena so rājā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ rājānaṁ etadavoca:
Then he approached the king and said,
‘diṭṭho kho tehi, deva, jaccandhehi hatthī;
‘Your Majesty, the blind people have been shown the elephant.
yassadāni kālaṁ maññasī’ti.
Please go at your convenience.’
Atha kho, bhikkhave, so rājā yena te jaccandhā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā te jaccandhe etadavoca:
Then the king went up to the blind people and said,
‘diṭṭho vo, jaccandhā, hatthī’ti?
‘Have you seen the elephant?’
‘Evaṁ, deva, diṭṭho no hatthī’ti.
‘Yes, Your Majesty, we have been shown the elephant.’
‘Vadetha, jaccandhā, kīdiso hatthī’ti?
‘Then tell us, what kind of thing is an elephant?’
Yehi, bhikkhave, jaccandhehi hatthissa sīsaṁ diṭṭhaṁ ahosi, te evamāhaṁsu:
The blind people who had been shown the elephant’s head said,
‘ediso, deva, hatthī seyyathāpi kumbho’ti.
‘Your Majesty, an elephant is like a pot.’
Yehi, bhikkhave, jaccandhehi hatthissa kaṇṇo diṭṭho ahosi, te evamāhaṁsu:
Those who had been shown the ear said,
‘ediso, deva, hatthī seyyathāpi suppo’ti.
‘An elephant is like a winnowing fan.’
Yehi, bhikkhave, jaccandhehi hatthissa danto diṭṭho ahosi, te evamāhaṁsu:
Those who had been shown the tusk said,
‘ediso, deva, hatthī seyyathāpi khīlo’ti.
‘An elephant is like a ploughshare.’
Yehi, bhikkhave, jaccandhehi hatthissa soṇḍo diṭṭho ahosi, te evamāhaṁsu:
Those who had been shown the trunk said,
‘ediso, deva, hatthī seyyathāpi naṅgalīsā’ti.
‘An elephant is like a plough-pole.’
Yehi, bhikkhave, jaccandhehi hatthissa kāyo diṭṭho ahosi, te evamāhaṁsu:
Those who had been shown the flank said,
‘ediso, deva, hatthī seyyathāpi koṭṭho’ti.
‘An elephant is like a storehouse.’
Yehi, bhikkhave, jaccandhehi hatthissa pādo diṭṭho ahosi, te evamāhaṁsu:
Those who had been shown the leg said,
‘ediso, deva, hatthī seyyathāpi thūṇo’ti.
‘An elephant is like a pillar.’
Yehi, bhikkhave, jaccandhehi hatthissa satthi diṭṭho ahosi, te evamāhaṁsu:
Those who had been shown the thigh said,
‘ediso, deva, hatthī seyyathāpi udukkhalo’ti.
‘An elephant is like a mortar.’
Yehi, bhikkhave, jaccandhehi hatthissa naṅguṭṭhaṁ diṭṭhaṁ ahosi, te evamāhaṁsu:
Those who had been shown the tail said,
‘ediso, deva, hatthī seyyathāpi musalo’ti.
‘An elephant is like a pestle.’
Yehi, bhikkhave, jaccandhehi hatthissa vāladhi diṭṭho ahosi, te evamāhaṁsu:
Those who had been shown the tip of the tail said,
‘ediso, deva, hatthī seyyathāpi sammajjanī’ti.
‘An elephant is like a broom.’
Te ‘ediso hatthī, nediso hatthī;
Saying, ‘Such is an elephant, not such!
nediso hatthī, ediso hatthī’ti aññamaññaṁ muṭṭhīhi saṁsumbhiṁsu.
Such is not an elephant, such is!’ they punched each other with their fists.
Tena ca pana, bhikkhave, so rājā attamano ahosi.
At that, the king was pleased.
Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, aññatitthiyā paribbājakā andhā acakkhukā.
In the same way, mendicants, the wanderers of other religions are blind and sightless.
Te atthaṁ na jānanti anatthaṁ na jānanti, dhammaṁ na jānanti adhammaṁ na jānanti.
They don't understand what is beneficial or what is not beneficial, nor what is the truth and what is not the truth.
Te atthaṁ ajānantā anatthaṁ ajānantā, dhammaṁ ajānantā adhammaṁ ajānantā bhaṇḍanajātā kalahajātā vivādāpannā aññamaññaṁ mukhasattīhi vitudantā viharanti:
That’s why they are arguing, quarreling, and disputing, continually wounding each other with barbed words.
‘ediso dhammo, nediso dhammo;
‘Such is Truth, such is not!
nediso dhammo, ediso dhammo’”ti.
Such is not Truth, such is!’”
Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:
Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:
“Imesu kira sajjanti,
“Some ascetics and brahmins, it seems,
eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā;
cling to these things.
Viggayha naṁ vivadanti,
Arguing, they quarrel,
janā ekaṅgadassino”ti.
the folk who see just one part.”
Catutthaṁ.