6.
The Greater Discourse on the Analysis of Action
298. 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 Venerable Samiddhi was dwelling in a forest hut. Then Potaliputta the wandering ascetic, walking up and down for leg exercise, wandering about, approached the Venerable Samiddhi; having approached, he exchanged friendly greetings with the Venerable Samiddhi. Having concluded the pleasant and memorable talk, he sat down to one side. Seated to one side, Potaliputta the wandering ascetic said this to the Venerable Samiddhi - "Face to face with the ascetic Gotama I heard this, friend Samiddhi, face to face I received it - 'Bodily action is vain, verbal action is vain, only mental action is truth.' And there is that attainment, having attained which attainment one feels nothing?" "Do not say so, friend Potaliputta; do not misrepresent the Blessed One. For it is not good to slander the Blessed One. For the Blessed One would not say thus - 'Bodily action is vain, verbal action is vain, only mental action is truth.' But there is indeed, friend, that attainment, having attained which attainment one feels nothing." "How long have you been gone forth, friend Samiddhi?" "Not long, friend! Three rains retreats." "What then shall we say to the elder monks, when indeed such a junior monk thinks the Teacher should be protected. Having done an intentional action, friend Samiddhi, by body, speech and mind, what does one feel?" "Having done an intentional action, friend Samiddhi, by body, speech and mind, what does one feel?" "Having done an intentional action, friend Potaliputta, by body, speech and mind, one feels suffering." Then Potaliputta the wandering ascetic neither delighted in nor protested against what the Venerable Samiddhi had said; without delighting in and without protesting against, he rose from his seat and departed.
299. Then the Venerable Samiddhi, soon after Potaliputta the wandering ascetic had departed, approached the Venerable Ānanda; having approached, he exchanged friendly greetings with the Venerable Ānanda. Having concluded the pleasant and memorable talk, he sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the Venerable Samiddhi reported to the Venerable Ānanda all the friendly conversation he had with Potaliputta the wandering ascetic.
When this was said, the Venerable Ānanda said this to the Venerable Samiddhi - "There is indeed, friend Samiddhi, a subject for discussion to see the Blessed One. Come, friend Samiddhi, let us go to where the Blessed One is; having approached, we will report this matter to the Blessed One. As the Blessed One answers us, so we will remember it." "Yes, friend," the Venerable Samiddhi assented to the Venerable Ānanda.
Then the Venerable Ānanda and the Venerable Samiddhi approached the Blessed One; having approached, they paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the Venerable Ānanda reported to the Blessed One all the friendly conversation that the Venerable Samiddhi had with Potaliputta the wandering ascetic. When this was said, the Blessed One said this to the Venerable Ānanda - "I do not even know of seeing Potaliputta the wandering ascetic, Ānanda, so from where such a friendly conversation? And by this Samiddhi, a foolish man, Ānanda, a question that should be answered analytically was answered definitively to Potaliputta the wandering ascetic." When this was said, the Venerable Udāyī said this to the Blessed One - "But if, venerable sir, the Venerable Samiddhi spoke with reference to this - whatever is felt, that is in suffering."
300. Then the Blessed One addressed the Venerable Ānanda - "Do you see, Ānanda, this foolish man Udāyī's way of questioning? I knew, Ānanda - 'Now this foolish man Udāyī, emerging, will emerge unwisely.' From the very beginning, Ānanda, three feelings were asked about by Potaliputta the wandering ascetic. If, Ānanda, this foolish man Samiddhi, thus asked by Potaliputta the wandering ascetic, had answered thus - 'Having done an intentional action, friend Potaliputta, by body, speech and mind, to be experienced as pleasant, he experiences pleasure; having done an intentional action, friend Potaliputta, by body, speech and mind, to be experienced as unpleasant, he experiences suffering; having done an intentional action, friend Potaliputta, by body, speech and mind, to be experienced as neither-unpleasant-nor-pleasant, he experiences neither-unpleasant-nor-pleasant feeling.' Answering thus, Ānanda, the foolish man Samiddhi would have answered Potaliputta the wandering ascetic rightly. But, Ānanda, who are the heterodox wandering ascetics, foolish and inexperienced, who will know the Truth-finder's great analysis of action? If you, Ānanda, were to hear the Truth-finder analysing the great analysis of action."
"This is the time, Blessed One, this is the time, Fortunate One, that the Blessed One would analyse the great analysis of action. Having heard from the Blessed One, the monks will remember it." "If so, Ānanda, listen, pay close attention; I will speak." "Yes, venerable sir," the Venerable Ānanda assented to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this -
"There are these four persons, Ānanda, existing and found in the world. Which four? Here, Ānanda, a certain person here is one who kills living beings, takes what is not given, engages in sexual misconduct, is a liar, speaks divisive speech, speaks harsh speech, engages in idle chatter, is covetous, has a mind of ill-will, and holds wrong view. He, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in a realm of misery, an unfortunate realm, a nether world, in hell.
"But here, Ānanda, a certain person here is one who kills living beings, takes what is not given, engages in sexual misconduct, is a liar, speaks divisive speech, speaks harsh speech, engages in idle chatter, is covetous, has a mind of ill-will, and holds wrong view. Upon the body's collapse at death, he is reborn in a fortunate realm, in a heavenly world.
"Here, Ānanda, a certain person here abstains from killing living beings, abstains from taking what is not given, abstains from sexual misconduct, abstains from lying, abstains from divisive speech, abstains from harsh speech, abstains from idle chatter, is non-covetous, has a mind without ill-will, and holds right view. Upon the body's collapse at death, he is reborn in a fortunate realm, in a heavenly world.
"But here, Ānanda, a certain person here abstains from killing living beings, abstains from taking what is not given, abstains from sexual misconduct, abstains from lying, abstains from divisive speech, abstains from harsh speech, abstains from idle chatter, is non-covetous, has a mind without ill-will, and holds right view. He, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in a realm of misery, an unfortunate realm, a nether world, in hell.
301. "Here, Ānanda, some ascetic or brahmin, through ardour, striving, pursuit, diligence, and right attention, attains such a concentration of mind that when the mind is concentrated, with the divine eye, which is pure and surpasses the human, he sees such and such a person - here one who kills living beings, takes what is not given, engages in sexual misconduct, is a liar, speaks divisive speech, speaks harsh speech, engages in idle chatter, is covetous, has a mind of ill-will, and holds wrong view, upon the body's collapse at death, he sees arisen in a realm of misery, an unfortunate realm, a nether world, in hell. He speaks thus: 'There are indeed, friend, evil actions, there is result of misconduct. I saw that person here who kills living beings, takes what is not given, etc. with wrong view, upon the body's collapse at death, I see arisen in a realm of misery, an unfortunate realm, a nether world, in hell.' He speaks thus: 'Whoever indeed, friend, kills living beings, takes what is not given, etc. has wrong view, every such one, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in a realm of misery, an unfortunate realm, a nether world, in hell. Those who know thus, they know rightly; those who know otherwise, their knowledge is wrong.' Thus he, regarding just what he himself has known, himself has seen, himself has understood, declares that very thing there with tenacity and adherence, having clung to it: 'Only this is the truth, anything else is vain.'"
"But here, Ānanda, some ascetic or brahmin, through ardour, striving, pursuit, diligence, and right attention, attains such a concentration of mind that when the mind is concentrated, with the divine eye, which is pure and surpasses the human, he sees such and such a person - here one who kills living beings, takes what is not given, etc. with wrong view, upon the body's collapse at death, he sees arisen in a fortunate realm, in a heavenly world. He speaks thus: 'There are not indeed, friend, evil actions, there is no result of misconduct. I saw that person - here one who kills living beings, takes what is not given, etc. with wrong view, upon the body's collapse at death, I see arisen in a fortunate realm, in a heavenly world.' He speaks thus: 'Whoever indeed, friend, kills living beings, takes what is not given, etc. has wrong view, every such one, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in a fortunate realm, in a heavenly world. Those who know thus, they know rightly; those who know otherwise, their knowledge is wrong.' Thus he, regarding just what he himself has known, himself has seen, himself has understood, declares that very thing there with tenacity and adherence, having clung to it: 'Only this is the truth, anything else is vain.'"
"Here, Ānanda, some ascetic or brahmin, through ardour, striving, pursuit, diligence, and right attention, attains such a concentration of mind that when the mind is concentrated, with the divine eye, which is pure and surpasses the human, he sees such and such a person - here one who abstains from killing living beings, abstains from taking what is not given, abstains from sexual misconduct, abstains from lying, abstains from divisive speech, abstains from harsh speech, abstains from idle chatter, is non-covetous, has a mind without ill-will, and holds right view, upon the body's collapse at death, he sees arisen in a fortunate realm, in a heavenly world. He speaks thus: 'There are indeed, friend, good actions, there is result of good conduct. I saw that person - here one who abstains from killing living beings, abstains from taking what is not given, etc. with right view, upon the body's collapse at death, I see arisen in a fortunate realm, in a heavenly world.' He speaks thus: 'Whoever indeed, friend, abstains from killing living beings, abstains from taking what is not given, etc. has right view, every such one, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in a fortunate realm, in a heavenly world. Those who know thus, they know rightly; those who know otherwise, their knowledge is wrong.' Thus he, regarding just what he himself has known, himself has seen, himself has understood, declares that very thing there with tenacity and adherence, having clung to it: 'Only this is the truth, anything else is vain.'"
"But here, Ānanda, some ascetic or brahmin, through ardour, striving, pursuit, diligence, and right attention, attains such a concentration of mind that when the mind is concentrated, with the divine eye, which is pure and surpasses the human, he sees such and such a person - here one who abstains from killing living beings, etc. one of right view, upon the body's collapse at death, he sees arisen in a realm of misery, an unfortunate realm, a nether world, in hell. He speaks thus: 'There are indeed, friend, no good actions, there is no result of good conduct. I saw that person - here one who abstains from killing living beings, abstains from taking what is not given, etc. one of right view, upon the body's collapse at death, I see arisen in a realm of misery, an unfortunate realm, a nether world, in hell.' He speaks thus: 'Whoever indeed, friend, abstains from killing living beings, abstains from taking what is not given, etc. one of right view, every such one, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in a realm of misery, an unfortunate realm, a nether world, in hell. Those who know thus, they know rightly; those who know otherwise, their knowledge is wrong.' Thus he, regarding just what he himself has known, himself has seen, himself has understood, declares that very thing there with tenacity and adherence, having clung to it: 'Only this is the truth, anything else is vain.'"
302. "Therein, Ānanda, whatever ascetic or brahmin speaks thus - 'There are indeed, friend, evil actions, there is result of misconduct' - that I allow of his; Since he says thus - 'I saw such and such a person - here one who kills living beings, takes what is not given, etc. with wrong view, upon the body's collapse at death, I see arisen in a realm of misery, an unfortunate realm, a nether world, in hell' - that too I allow of his; But since he says thus - 'Whoever indeed, friend, kills living beings, takes what is not given, etc. has wrong view, every such one, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in a realm of misery, an unfortunate realm, a nether world, in hell' - that I do not allow of his; Since he says thus - 'Those who know thus, they know rightly; those who know otherwise, their knowledge is wrong' - that too I do not allow of his; Since he, regarding just what he himself has known, himself has seen, himself has understood, declares that very thing there with tenacity and adherence, having clung to it - 'Only this is the truth, anything else is vain' - that too I do not allow of his. What is the reason for this? For otherwise, Ānanda, is the Truth-finder's knowledge regarding the great analysis of action.
"Therein, Ānanda, whatever ascetic or brahmin speaks thus - 'There are not indeed, friend, evil actions, there is no result of misconduct' - that I do not allow of his; But since he says thus - 'I saw such and such a person - here one who kills living beings, takes what is not given, etc. with wrong view, upon the body's collapse at death, I see arisen in a fortunate realm, in a heavenly world' - that I allow of his; But since he says thus - 'Whoever indeed, friend, kills living beings, takes what is not given, etc. has wrong view, every such one, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in a fortunate realm, in a heavenly world' - that I do not allow of his; Since he says thus - 'Those who know thus, they know rightly; those who know otherwise, their knowledge is wrong' - that too I do not allow of his; Since he, regarding just what he himself has known, himself has seen, himself has understood, declares that very thing there with tenacity and adherence, having clung to it - 'Only this is the truth, anything else is vain' - that too I do not allow of his. What is the reason for this? For otherwise, Ānanda, is the Truth-finder's knowledge regarding the great analysis of action.
"Therein, Ānanda, whatever ascetic or brahmin speaks thus - 'There are indeed, friend, good actions, there is result of good conduct' - that I allow of his; Since he says thus - 'I saw such and such a person - here one who abstains from killing living beings, abstains from taking what is not given, etc. one of right view, upon the body's collapse at death, I see arisen in a fortunate realm, in a heavenly world' - that too I allow of his; But since he says thus - 'Whoever indeed, friend, abstains from killing living beings, abstains from taking what is not given, etc. has right view, every such one, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in a fortunate realm, in a heavenly world' - that I do not allow of his; Since he says thus - 'Those who know thus, they know rightly; those who know otherwise, their knowledge is wrong' - that too I do not allow of his; Since he, regarding just what he himself has known, himself has seen, himself has understood, declares that very thing there with tenacity and adherence, having clung to it - 'Only this is the truth, anything else is vain' - that too I do not allow of his. What is the reason for this? For otherwise, Ānanda, is the Truth-finder's knowledge regarding the great analysis of action.
"Therein, Ānanda, whatever ascetic or brahmin speaks thus - 'There are indeed, friend, no good actions, there is no result of good conduct' - that I do not allow of his; But since he says thus - 'I saw such and such a person - here one who abstains from killing living beings, abstains from taking what is not given, etc. one of right view, upon the body's collapse at death, I see arisen in a realm of misery, an unfortunate realm, a nether world, in hell' - that I allow of his; But since he says thus - 'Whoever indeed, friend, abstains from killing living beings, abstains from taking what is not given, etc. has right view, every such one, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in a realm of misery, an unfortunate realm, a nether world, in hell' - that I do not allow of his; But since he says thus - 'Those who know thus, they know rightly; those who know otherwise, their knowledge is wrong' - that too I do not allow of his; Since he, regarding just what he himself has known, himself has seen, himself has understood, declares that very thing there with tenacity and adherence, having clung to it - 'Only this is the truth, anything else is vain' - that too I do not allow of his. What is the reason for this? For otherwise, Ānanda, is the Truth-finder's knowledge regarding the great analysis of action.
303. "Therein, Ānanda, that person who here is one who kills living beings, takes what is not given, etc. holds wrong view, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in a realm of misery, an unfortunate realm, a nether world, in hell - either formerly he had done an evil deed to be experienced as unpleasant, or afterwards he had done an evil deed to be experienced as unpleasant, or at the time of death he had wrong view complete and taken upon himself. Because of that, upon the body's collapse at death, he is reborn in a realm of misery, an unfortunate realm, a nether world, in hell. But since he here is one who kills living beings, takes what is not given, etc. holds wrong view, he experiences the result of that in this very life, or upon rebirth, or in some other subsequent existence.
"Therein, Ānanda, that person who here is one who kills living beings, takes what is not given, etc. holds wrong view, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in a fortunate realm, in a heavenly world - either formerly he had done a good deed to be experienced as pleasant, or afterwards he had done a good deed to be experienced as pleasant, or at the time of death he had right view complete and taken upon himself. Because of that, upon the body's collapse at death, he is reborn in a fortunate realm, in a heavenly world. But since he here is one who kills living beings, takes what is not given, etc. holds wrong view, he experiences the result of that in this very life, or upon rebirth, or in some other subsequent existence.
"Therein, Ānanda, that person who here abstains from killing living beings, abstains from taking what is not given, etc. holds right view, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in a fortunate realm, in a heavenly world - either formerly he had done a good deed to be experienced as pleasant, or afterwards he had done a good deed to be experienced as pleasant, or at the time of death he had right view complete and taken upon himself. Because of that, upon the body's collapse at death, he is reborn in a fortunate realm, in a heavenly world. But since he here abstains from killing living beings, abstains from taking what is not given, etc. holds right view, he experiences the result of that in this very life, or upon rebirth, or in some other subsequent existence.
"Therein, Ānanda, that person who here abstains from killing living beings, abstains from taking what is not given, etc. holds right view, upon the body's collapse at death, is reborn in a realm of misery, an unfortunate realm, a nether world, in hell - either formerly he had done an evil deed to be experienced as unpleasant, or afterwards he had done an evil deed to be experienced as unpleasant, or at the time of death he had wrong view complete and taken upon himself. Because of that, upon the body's collapse at death, he is reborn in a realm of misery, an unfortunate realm, a nether world, in hell. But since he here abstains from killing living beings, abstains from taking what is not given, etc. holds right view, he experiences the result of that in this very life, or upon rebirth, or in some other subsequent existence.
"Thus indeed, Ānanda, there is action that is incapable and appears incapable, there is action that is incapable but appears capable, there is action that is capable and also appears capable, there is action that is capable but appears incapable."
This is what the Blessed One said. Delighted, the Venerable Ānanda rejoiced in what the Blessed One had said.
The Greater Discourse on the Analysis of Action is concluded as sixth.