9.
The Shorter Discourse to Sakuludāyi
269. Thus have I heard - On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrels' Feeding Ground. Now at that time the wandering ascetic Sakuludāyī was dwelling at the Peacocks' Feeding Ground in the wandering ascetics' park together with a great assembly of wandering ascetics. Then the Blessed One, having dressed in the earlier period of the day, taking his bowl and robe, entered Rājagaha for almsfood. Then this occurred to the Blessed One: "It is still very early to walk for almsfood in Rājagaha. What if I were to approach the Peacocks' Feeding Ground, the wandering ascetics' park, where the wandering ascetic Sakuludāyī is?" Then the Blessed One approached the Peacocks' Feeding Ground, the wandering ascetics' park.
Now at that time the wandering ascetic Sakuludāyī was seated together with a great assembly of wandering ascetics, noisy, with loud noise and great noise, engaging in various kinds of pointless talk, as follows - talk about kings, talk about thieves, talk about ministers, talk about armies, talk about perils, talk about battles, talk about food, talk about drink, talk about clothes, talk about beds, talk about garlands, talk about odours, talk about relatives, talk about vehicles, talk about villages, talk about towns, talk about cities, talk about countries, talk about women, talk about heroes, talk about streets, talk about wells, talk about the dead, talk about diversity, speculations about the world, speculations about the sea, talk about existence and non-existence, and so on. The wandering ascetic Sakuludāyī saw the Blessed One coming from afar. Having seen him, he settled his own assembly - "Let the venerable ones be quiet, let the venerable ones not make a sound. This ascetic Gotama is coming; that venerable one desires quietness and speaks in praise of quietness. Perhaps, having noticed that the assembly is quiet, he might think it fit to approach." Then those wandering ascetics became silent.
270. Then the Blessed One approached the wandering ascetic Sakuludāyī. Then the wandering ascetic Sakuludāyī said this to the Blessed One - "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 Sakuludāyī too, having taken a certain low seat, sat down to one side. To the wandering ascetic Sakuludāyī seated to one side, the Blessed One said this - "Udāyī, what discussion were you having as you sat together here? And what was the conversation that was interrupted?" "Let that discussion stand, venerable sir, the discussion for which we were sitting together just now. That discussion, venerable sir, will not be difficult for the Blessed One to hear later. Whenever I, venerable sir, have not approached this assembly, then this assembly sits engaged in various kinds of pointless talk; but whenever I, venerable sir, have approached this assembly, then this assembly sits looking up at my face alone - 'Whatever Teaching the ascetic Udāyī will speak, that we shall hear'; but whenever, venerable sir, the Blessed One has approached this assembly, then both I and this assembly sit looking up at the Blessed One's face - 'Whatever Teaching the Blessed One will speak, that we shall hear.'"
271. "If so, Udāyī, let that occur to you here, whereby you might address me." "Some days ago, venerable sir, earlier than that, one claiming to be omniscient, all-seeing, acknowledging complete knowledge and vision - 'Whether I am walking or standing, sleeping or awake, knowledge and vision is constantly and continuously present.' He, when asked by me a question concerning the past, evaded the issue with another issue, diverted the discussion outside, and manifested irritation, hate, and displeasure. Then, venerable sir, mindfulness arose in me concerning the Blessed One - 'Ah, surely the Blessed One, ah, surely the Fortunate One! Who is well skilled in these things.'" "But who is that, Udāyī, claiming to be omniscient, all-seeing, acknowledging complete knowledge and vision - 'Whether I am walking or standing, sleeping or awake, knowledge and vision is constantly and continuously present' - who, when asked by you a question concerning the past, evaded the issue with another issue, diverted the discussion outside, and manifested irritation, hate, and displeasure?" "Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta, venerable sir."
"Whoever, Udāyī, might recollect manifold past lives, as follows - one birth, two births, etc. thus with aspects and terms might recollect manifold past lives, he might ask me a question concerning the past, or I might ask him a question concerning the past; he might satisfy my mind with the explanation of a question concerning the past, or I might satisfy his mind with the explanation of a question concerning the past.
"Whoever, Udāyī, with the divine eye, which is pure and surpasses the human, might see beings passing away and arising, inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate, might understand beings according to their actions, he might ask me a question concerning the future, or I might ask him a question concerning the future; he might satisfy my mind with the explanation of a question concerning the future, or I might satisfy his mind with the explanation of a question concerning the future.
"But, Udāyī, let the past be, let the future be. I will teach you the Teaching - when this exists, that comes to be; from the arising of this, that arises; when this is absent, that does not exist; from the cessation of this, that ceases."
"For I, venerable sir, am not even able to recollect with aspects and terms what has been experienced by me in this individual existence, how then shall I recollect manifold past lives, as follows - one birth, two births, etc. thus with aspects and terms shall I recollect manifold past lives, as the Blessed One does? For I, venerable sir, do not even now see a dust-goblin, how then shall I 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, shall I understand beings according to their actions, as the Blessed One does? But that which, venerable sir, the Blessed One said thus to me - 'But, Udāyī, let the past be, let the future be; I will teach you the Teaching - when this exists, that comes to be; from the arising of this, that arises; when this is absent, that does not exist; from the cessation of this, that ceases' - that indeed is not clear to me even more so. Perhaps, venerable sir, I might satisfy the Blessed One's mind with the explanation of a question in my own teacher's doctrine."
272. "But what is it, Udāyī, that you hold in your own teacher's doctrine?" "For us, venerable sir, in our own teacher's doctrine it is thus - 'This is the supreme beauty, this is the supreme beauty.'"
"But that which you, Udāyī, hold thus in your own teacher's doctrine - 'This is the supreme beauty, this is the supreme beauty' - which is that supreme beauty?" "That beauty, venerable sir, than which there is no other beauty more superior or more sublime, that is the supreme beauty."
"But which is that supreme beauty than which there is no other beauty more superior or more sublime?" "That beauty, venerable sir, than which there is no other beauty more superior or more sublime, that is the supreme beauty."
"This could go on for a long time, Udāyī - 'That beauty, venerable sir, than which there is no other beauty more superior or more sublime, that is the supreme beauty' - thus you say, yet you do not declare that beauty. Just as, Udāyī, a man might speak thus - 'I desire and long for whoever is the most beautiful woman in this country.' They might say to him thus - 'Hey man, this most beautiful woman in the country whom you desire and long for, do you know whether that most beautiful woman is a noble woman or a brahmin woman or a merchant woman or a worker woman?' Thus questioned, he would say 'no.' They might say to him thus - 'Hey man, this most beautiful woman in the country whom you desire and long for, do you know whether that most beautiful woman is of such a name and such a clan, or etc. whether she is tall or short or of medium height, or whether she is dark or brown or of golden complexion, or in which village or town or city she lives?' Thus questioned, he would say 'no.' They might say to him thus - 'Hey man, that which you neither know nor see, that you desire and long for?'" Thus questioned, he would say 'yes.'
"What do you think, Udāyī - this being so, does not the speech of that man turn out to be worthless?" "Certainly, venerable sir, this being so, the speech of that man turns out to be worthless."
"Just so you, Udāyī, 'That beauty, venerable sir, than which there is no other beauty more superior or more sublime, that is the supreme beauty' - thus you say, yet you do not declare that beauty."
"Just as, venerable sir, a lapis lazuli gem, beautiful, of pure origin, octagonal, well polished, placed on a pale-yellow blanket, shines and burns and is brilliant, so the self is of such beauty, healthy after death."
273. "What do you think, Udāyī, a lapis lazuli gem that is beautiful, of pure origin, octagonal, well polished, placed on a pale-yellow blanket, shines and burns and is brilliant, or a fire-fly worm in the dark of the night - of these two colours, which colour is more brilliant and more sublime?" "That, venerable sir, which is a fire-fly worm in the dark of the night - this of these two colours is more brilliant and more sublime."
"What do you think, Udāyī, a fire-fly worm in the dark of the night, or an oil lamp in the dark of the night - of these two colours, which colour is more brilliant and more sublime?" "That, venerable sir, which is an oil lamp in the dark of the night - this of these two colours is more brilliant and more sublime."
"What do you think, Udāyī, an oil lamp in the dark of the night, or a great mass of fire in the dark of the night - of these two colours, which colour is more brilliant and more sublime?" "That, venerable sir, which is a great mass of fire in the dark of the night - this of these two colours is more brilliant and more sublime."
"What do you think, Udāyī, a great mass of fire in the dark of the night, or the morning star at the time towards break of dawn when the sky is clear and free from clouds - of these two colours, which colour is more brilliant and more sublime?" "That, venerable sir, which is the morning star at the time towards break of dawn when the sky is clear and free from clouds - this of these two colours is more brilliant and more sublime."
"What do you think, Udāyī, the morning star at the time towards break of dawn when the sky is clear and free from clouds, or the moon on the uposatha day, the fifteenth, when the sky is clear and free from clouds, at the time of midnight - of these two colours, which colour is more brilliant and more sublime?" "That, venerable sir, which is the moon on the uposatha day, the fifteenth, when the sky is clear and free from clouds, at the time of midnight - this of these two colours is more brilliant and more sublime."
"What do you think, Udāyī, the moon on the uposatha day, the fifteenth, when the sky is clear and free from clouds, at the time of midnight, or the sun in the last month of the rains, in the autumn season, when the sky is clear and free from clouds, at the noon period of the day - of these two colours, which colour is more brilliant and more sublime?" "That, venerable sir, which is the sun in the last month of the rains, in the autumn season, when the sky is clear and free from clouds, at the noon period of the day - this of these two colours is more brilliant and more sublime."
"Therefore, Udāyī, there are many, indeed more, gods who do not partake of the radiance of this moon and sun - that I understand. And yet I do not say: 'There is no other colour more superior or more sublime than that colour.' And yet you, Udāyī, say 'that colour which is more inferior and more despised than a fire-fly worm, that is the supreme colour,' yet you do not declare that colour." "The Blessed One has cut off the discussion, the Fortunate One has cut off the discussion!"
"But why do you, Udāyī, speak thus - 'The Blessed One has cut off the discussion, the Fortunate One has cut off the discussion'?" "For us, venerable sir, in our own teacher's doctrine it is thus - 'This is the supreme beauty, this is the supreme beauty.' We, venerable sir, being cross-questioned by the Blessed One, being asked for reasons, being admonished regarding our own teacher's doctrine, are empty, hollow, and have failed."
274. "But Udāyī, is there an exclusively happy world, is there a practice with reason for the realisation of an exclusively happy world?" "For us, venerable sir, in our own teacher's doctrine it is thus - 'There is an exclusively happy world, there is a practice with reason for the realisation of an exclusively happy world.'"
"But which, Udāyī, is that practice with reason for the realisation of an exclusively happy world?" "Here, venerable sir, a certain one, having abandoned the killing of living beings, abstains from killing living beings, having abandoned taking what is not given, abstains from taking what is not given, having abandoned sexual misconduct, abstains from sexual misconduct, having abandoned false speech, abstains from false speech, or else he lives having accepted a certain austere ascetic practice. This, venerable sir, is that practice with reason for the realisation of an exclusively happy world."
"What do you think, Udāyī, at the time when one, having abandoned the killing of living beings, abstains from killing living beings, is the self at that time exclusively happy or does it experience both happiness and suffering?" "It experiences both happiness and suffering, venerable sir."
"What do you think, Udāyī, at the time when one, having abandoned taking what is not given, abstains from taking what is not given, is the self at that time exclusively happy or does it experience both happiness and suffering?" "It experiences both happiness and suffering, venerable sir."
"What do you think, Udāyī, at the time when one, having abandoned sexual misconduct, abstains from sexual misconduct, is the self at that time exclusively happy or does it experience both happiness and suffering?" "It experiences both happiness and suffering, venerable sir."
"What do you think, Udāyī, at the time when one, having abandoned false speech, abstains from false speech, is the self at that time exclusively happy or does it experience both happiness and suffering?" "It experiences both happiness and suffering, venerable sir."
"What do you think, Udāyī, at the time when one lives having accepted a certain austere ascetic practice, is the self at that time exclusively happy or does it experience both happiness and suffering?" "It experiences both happiness and suffering, venerable sir."
"What do you think, Udāyī, is there realisation of an exclusively happy world by following a practice mingled with happiness and suffering?" "The Blessed One has cut off the discussion, the Fortunate One has cut off the discussion!"
"But why do you, Udāyī, speak thus - 'The Blessed One has cut off the discussion, the Fortunate One has cut off the discussion'?" "For us, venerable sir, in our own teacher's doctrine it is thus - 'There is an exclusively happy world, there is a practice with reason for the realisation of an exclusively happy world.' We, venerable sir, being cross-questioned by the Blessed One, being asked for reasons, being admonished regarding our own teacher's doctrine, are empty, hollow, and have failed."
275. "But, venerable sir, is there an exclusively happy world, is there a practice with reason for the realisation of an exclusively happy world?" "There is indeed, Udāyī, an exclusively happy world, there is a practice with reason for the realisation of an exclusively happy world."
"But which, venerable sir, is that practice with reason for the realisation of an exclusively happy world?" "Here, Udāyī, a monk, quite secluded from sensual pleasures... etc. enters and dwells in the first meditative absorption; with the subsiding of applied and sustained thought... he enters and dwells in the second meditative absorption; with the fading away of rapture... he enters and dwells in the third meditative absorption - this, Udāyī, is that practice with reason for the realisation of an exclusively happy world."
"That, venerable sir, is not the practice with reason for the realisation of an exclusively happy world; for to this extent, venerable sir, the exclusively happy world would be realised." "Indeed, Udāyī, to this extent the exclusively happy world is not realised; that is just the practice with reason for the realisation of an exclusively happy world."
When this was said, the assembly of the wandering ascetic Sakuludāyī became noisy, making loud sounds and great sounds - "Here we are lost together with our teachers, here we are lost together with our teachers! We do not understand anything further beyond this."
Then the wandering ascetic Sakuludāyī, having made those wandering ascetics quiet, said this to the Blessed One - "But to what extent, venerable sir, is the exclusively happy world realised?" "Here, Udāyī, with the abandoning of pleasure, a monk... etc. the fourth meditative absorption... enters and dwells. Those deities who have been reborn in an exclusively happy world - with those deities he stands together, converses, and engages in discussion. To this extent indeed, Udāyī, the exclusively happy world is realised."
276. "Surely, venerable sir, it is for the sake of realising this exclusively happy world that monks live the holy life under the Blessed One?" "No indeed, Udāyī, it is not for the sake of realising an exclusively happy world that monks live the holy life under me. There are indeed, Udāyī, other things that are more superior and more sublime, for the sake of realising which monks live the holy life under me."
"But what, venerable sir, are those things that are more superior and more sublime, for the sake of realising which monks live the holy life under the Blessed One?" "Here, Udāyī, a Truth-finder arises in the world, a Worthy One, a One Enlightened by himself, accomplished in true knowledge and conduct, the Fortunate One, knower of the world, unsurpassed trainer of persons to be tamed, Teacher of gods and humans, the Enlightened One, the Blessed One. Etc. He, having abandoned these five mental hindrances, impurities of the mind that weaken wisdom, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, etc. he enters and dwells in the first meditative absorption. This too, Udāyī, is a thing that is more superior and more sublime, for the sake of realising which monks live the holy life under me."
"Furthermore, Udāyī, with the subsiding of applied and sustained thought, a monk... etc. the second meditative absorption... the third meditative absorption... he enters and dwells in the fourth meditative absorption. This too, Udāyī, is a thing that is more superior and more sublime, for the sake of realising which monks live the holy life under me.
"When the mind is thus concentrated, pure, bright, without blemish, free from impurities, supple, wieldy, stable, and having attained imperturbability, he inclines the mind towards the knowledge of recollecting past lives. He recollects manifold past lives, as follows - one birth, two births, etc. thus with aspects and terms he recollects manifold past lives. This too, Udāyī, is a thing that is more superior and more sublime, for the sake of realising which monks live the holy life under me.
"When the mind is thus concentrated, pure, bright, without blemish, free from impurities, supple, wieldy, stable, and having attained imperturbability, he inclines the mind towards the knowledge of the passing away and rebirth of beings. With the divine eye, which is pure and surpasses the human, he sees beings passing away and arising, inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate, etc. he understands beings according to their actions. This too, Udāyī, is a thing that is more superior and more sublime, for the sake of realising which monks live the holy life under me.
"When the mind is thus concentrated, pure, bright, without blemish, free from impurities, supple, wieldy, stable, and having attained imperturbability, he directs and inclines the mind towards the knowledge of the elimination of mental corruptions. He understands as it really is: 'This is suffering'; 'This is the origin of suffering', etc. 'This is the cessation of suffering'... 'This is the practice leading to the cessation of suffering'... He understands as it really is: 'These are the mental corruptions'; 'This is the origin of mental corruptions'... 'This is the cessation of mental corruptions'... He understands as it really is: 'This is the practice leading to the cessation of mental corruptions.' For one knowing thus, seeing thus, the mind becomes liberated from the mental corruption of sensuality, the mind becomes liberated from the mental corruption of existence, the mind becomes liberated from the mental corruption of ignorance. When liberated, there is the knowledge: 'Liberated.' He understands: 'Birth is eliminated, the holy life has been lived, what was to be done has been done, there is no more of this state of being.' This too, Udāyī, is a thing that is more superior and more sublime, for the sake of realising which monks live the holy life under me. These, Udāyī, are the things that are more superior and more sublime, for the sake of realising which monks live the holy life under me."
277. When this was said, the wandering ascetic Sakuludāyī said this to the Blessed One - "Excellent, venerable sir, excellent, venerable sir! Just as, venerable sir, one might set upright what had been overturned, or reveal what had been concealed, or point out the path to one who was lost, or hold up an oil lamp in the darkness - 'so that those with eyes might see forms'; just so, the Teaching has been made clear by the Blessed One in many ways. I, venerable sir, go for refuge to the Blessed One, to the Teaching, and to the Community of monks. May I, venerable sir, receive the going forth in the presence of the Blessed One, may I receive the full ordination."
When this was said, the assembly of the wandering ascetic Sakuludāyī said this to the wandering ascetic Sakuludāyī - "Let not the venerable Udāyī live the holy life under the ascetic Gotama; let not the venerable Udāyī, having been a teacher, dwell as a disciple. Just as a water jar might become a water bucket, so will this accomplishment be for the venerable Udāyī. Let not the venerable Udāyī live the holy life under the ascetic Gotama; let not the venerable Udāyī, having been a teacher, dwell as a disciple." Thus indeed the assembly of the wandering ascetic Sakuludāyī created an obstacle for the wandering ascetic Sakuludāyī to the holy life under the Blessed One.
The Discourse on the Shorter Sakuludāyin is concluded as ninth.