1.
Discourse to Vaccha on the Threefold True Knowledge
185. Thus have I heard - On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Vesālī in the Great Wood in the Pinnacled Hall. Now at that time the wandering ascetic Vacchagotta was residing at the Ekapuṇḍarīka wandering ascetics' park. Then the Blessed One, having dressed in the earlier period of the day, taking his bowl and robe, entered Vesālī for almsfood. Then this occurred to the Blessed One: "It is still very early to walk for almsfood in Vesālī; What if I were to approach the Ekapuṇḍarīka wandering ascetics' park, where the wandering ascetic Vacchagotta is?" Then the Blessed One approached the Ekapuṇḍarīka wandering ascetics' park, where the wandering ascetic Vacchagotta was. The wandering ascetic Vacchagotta saw the Blessed One coming from afar. Having seen the Blessed One, he said this - "Come, venerable sir, Blessed One. Welcome, venerable sir, to the Blessed One. It has been a long time, venerable sir, since the Blessed One made this occasion, that is to say, for coming here. Let the Blessed One sit down, venerable sir, this seat is laid down." The Blessed One sat down on the prepared seat. The wandering ascetic Vacchagotta too, having taken a certain low seat, sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the wandering ascetic Vacchagotta said this to the Blessed One - "I have heard this, venerable sir - 'The ascetic Gotama is omniscient, all-seeing, and acknowledges complete knowledge and vision - whether I am walking or standing, sleeping or awake, knowledge and vision is constantly and continuously present.' Those who, venerable sir, say thus - 'The ascetic Gotama is omniscient, all-seeing, and acknowledges complete knowledge and vision - whether I am walking or standing, sleeping or awake, knowledge and vision is constantly and continuously present' - are they, venerable sir, speaking what has been said by the Blessed One, and do they not misrepresent the Blessed One with what is untrue, and do they explain what is in conformity with the Teaching, and does no reasonable counter-argument come to a blameworthy position?" "Those who, Vaccha, say thus - 'The ascetic Gotama is omniscient, all-seeing, and acknowledges complete knowledge and vision - whether I am walking or standing, sleeping or awake, knowledge and vision is constantly and continuously present' - they are not speaking what has been said by me, and they misrepresent me with what is untrue and not factual."
186. "But how, venerable sir, answering would we be ones who speak what has been said by the Blessed One, and would not misrepresent the Blessed One with what is untrue, and would explain what is in conformity with the Teaching, and no reasonable counter-argument would come to a blameworthy position?"
"Vaccha, answering 'The ascetic Gotama is a possessor of the threefold true knowledge,' one would be one who speaks what has been said by me, and would not misrepresent me with what is untrue, and would explain what is in conformity with the Teaching, and no reasonable counter-argument would come to a blameworthy position. For I, Vaccha, whenever I wish, recollect manifold past lives, as follows - one birth, two births, etc. Thus with aspects and terms I recollect manifold past lives. For I, Vaccha, whenever I wish, with the divine eye, which is pure and surpasses the human, see beings passing away and arising, inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate, etc. I understand beings according to their actions. For I, Vaccha, with the elimination of the mental corruptions, in this very life, having realised by direct knowledge myself, having attained, dwell in the liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom that are without mental corruptions.
Vaccha, answering 'The ascetic Gotama is a possessor of the threefold true knowledge,' one would be one who speaks what has been said by me, and would not misrepresent me with what is untrue, and would explain what is in conformity with the Teaching, and no reasonable counter-argument would come to a blameworthy position."
When this was said, the wandering ascetic Vacchagotta said this to the Blessed One - "Is there indeed, Master Gotama, any layman who, without abandoning the fetter of the layman, upon the body's collapse makes an end of suffering?" "There is not, Vaccha, any layman who, without abandoning the fetter of the layman, upon the body's collapse makes an end of suffering."
"But is there, Master Gotama, any layman who, without abandoning the fetter of the layman, upon the body's collapse goes to heaven?" "Not just one hundred, Vaccha, nor two hundred, nor three hundred, nor four hundred, nor five hundred, but far more are the laymen who, without abandoning the fetter of the layman, upon the body's collapse have gone to heaven."
"Is there indeed, Master Gotama, any naked ascetic who upon the body's collapse makes an end of suffering?" "There is not, Vaccha, any naked ascetic who upon the body's collapse makes an end of suffering."
"But is there, Master Gotama, any naked ascetic who upon the body's collapse goes to heaven?" "For ninety-one cosmic cycles from now, Vaccha, that I recollect, I do not know of any naked ascetic who has gone to heaven except for one; and he was one who taught action, one who taught the efficacy of action." "This being so, Master Gotama, that sphere of sectarian doctrines is empty even of one who goes to heaven?" "Thus, Vaccha, that sphere of sectarian doctrines is empty even of one who goes to heaven."
This is what the Blessed One said. Delighted, the wandering ascetic Vacchagotta rejoiced in what the Blessed One had said.
The Discourse to Vacchagotta on the Threefold True Knowledge is concluded as first.