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MAJJHIMA NIKAAYA II
II. 3.2.Aggi-vacchagottasutta.m
(72) To Vacchagotta The simile of the fire.
I heard thus.
At one time the Blessed One was living in the monastery offered by Anathapindika in
Jetas grove in Savatthi. Then the wandering ascetic Vacchagotta approached the
Blessed One exchanged friendly greetings, sat on a side and said to the Blessed One.
Good Gotama, the world is eternal this only is the truth and all else is false.
Does good Gotama hold this view? No, Vaccha, Im not of that view, the
world is eternal, this only is the truth all else is false. Good Gotama, the
world is not eternal, this only is the truth and all else is false Does good Gotama hold
this view? No, Vaccha, Im not of that view, the world is not eternal,
this only is the truth all else is false. Good Gotama, the world is limited,
this only is the truth and all else is false. Does good Gotama hold this view?
No, Vaccha, Im not of that view, the world is limited, this only is the truth
all else is false. Good Gotama, the world is not-limited, this only is the
truth and all else is false. Does good Gotama hold this view? No, Vaccha,
Im not of that view, the world is not limited, this only is the truth all else is
false.Good Gotama, the soul is the body, this only is the truth and all else
is false. Does good Gotama hold this view? No, Vaccha, Im not of that
view, the soul is the body, this only is the truth all else is false. Good
Gotama, the soul is different from the body, this only is the truth and all else is false.
Does good Gotama hold this view? No, Vaccha, Im not of that view, the
soul is different from the body, this only is the truth all else is false.
Good Gotama, the Thus Gone One is after death- this only is the truth all else is
false. Does good Gotama hold this view? No, Vaccha, Im not of that view,
the Thus Gone One is after death, this only is the truth all else is false.
Good Gotama, the Thus Gone One is not after death, this only is the truth and all
else is false. Does good Gotama hold this view? No, Vaccha, Im not of
that view, the Thus Gone One is not after death, this only is the truth all else is
false.Good Gotama, the Thus Gone One is, and is not, after death, this only is
the truth, all else is false. Does good Gotama hold this view. No, Vaccha,
Im not of that view, the Thus Gone One is, and is not after death, this only is the
truth all else is false. Good Gotama, the Thus Gone One neither is, nor is not
after death, this only is the truth and all else is false. Does good Gotama hold this
view? No, Vaccha, Im not of that view, the Thus Gone One neither is, nor
is not after death, this only is the truth all else is false.
Good Gotama, when asked, is good Gotama of the view, the world is eternal, this
only is the truth, all else is false, it was said you were not of that view. When asked,
is good Gotama of the view, the world is not eternal, this only is the truth, all else is
false, it was said, you were not of that view. When asked, is good Gotama of the view, the
world is limited, this only is the truth, all else is false, it was said you were not of
that view. When asked, is good Gotama of the view, the world is not limited, this only is
the truth, all else is false, it was said you were not of that view. When asked, is good
Gotama of the view, the Thus Gone One is and is not after death, this only is the truth,
all else is false, it was said you were not of that view. When asked, is good Gotama of
the view, the Thus Gone One neither is, nor is not after death, this only is the truth,
all else is false, it was said you were not of that view. Good Gotama, seeing what danger
has thrown out all these views?
Vaccha, the view, the world is eternal, is a bond of views, is a speculation in
views, it is with unpleasantness, with trouble, with burning, not leading to giving up, to
detachment, to appeasement, to knowledge, to enlightenment, to cessation and to
extinction. The view the world is not eternal,--re - The world is limited,-re- the world
is not limited ..re..the soul is the body..re..the soul is different from the body, ..re..
the Thus Gone One is, after death, ..re..the Thus Gone One is not, after death,-re -the
Thus Gone One is and is not after death
re.. the Thus Gone One neither is, nor is not
after death is a bond of views, is a speculation in views, it is with unpleasantness, with
trouble, with burning, not leading to giving up, to detachment, to appesement, to
knowledge, to enlightenment, to cessation and to extinction.Vaccha, seeing these dangers I
have thrown out all these views.. Does good Gotama hold any other view?
Vaccha, The Thus Gone One has overcome views. This is the view of the Thus Gone
One. This is matter, this is the arising of matter, and this is the fading of matter. This
is feeling, this is the arising of feelings and this is the fading of feelings. This is
perception, this is the arising of perceptions and this is the fading of perceptions.
These are determinations, this is the arising of determinations and this, the fading of
determinations. This is consciousness, this is the arising of consciousness and this is
fading of consciousness. Therefore, I say the Thus Gone One has destroyed, is detached,
has given up and is released, from all imaginings, recollections, and all latent
tendencies of me and mine.
Good Gotama, where is the thus released mind born?Vaccha, is born
does not applyThen good Gotama, is he not born?Vaccha, is not born
does not apply. Gotama, is he born and not born?Vaccha, is born
and is not born does not apply.Then Gotama, is he neither born, nor not
born?Vaccha, is neither born, nor is not born, is notapplicable...
When asked where is the thus released mind born, it was said, is born does not
apply. When asked is it not born, it was said not born does not apply. When asked is it
born and not born, it was said, born and not born does not apply. When asked, is it
neither born, nor is not born, it was said neither born nor not born, does not apply. Good
Gotama, in this I am completely ignorant and deluded. Whatever little understanding I had
with the earlier conversation, has now vanished.
Vaccha, your ignorance and delusion is nothing strange. This is deep, difficult
to understand peaceful and exalted, not for logical thinking. Is clever and shoud be
experienced by the wise. By one of another sect like you, with some other liking, without
being yoked in it and living in it, it cannot be understood. So then Vaccha, I will
question you, on this and you may reply as it pleases you. There is a fire burning in
front of you, would you know, there is a fire burning in front of me? Good
Gotama, if a fire burns in front of me, I would know, theres a fire burning in front
of me. Vaccha, if you were asked, this fire burning in front of you, on
account of what is it burning, how would you reply?Good Gotama, if I was
asked, this fire burning in front of you, on account of what is it burning, I would reply,
this fire burning in front of me is burning on account of grass and sticks.
Vaccha, if the fire in front of you extinguishes, would you know, this fire in front
of me has extinguished?Good Gotama, if the fire in front of me extinguishes, I
would know, this fire has extinguishedVaccha, if you were asked, this fire
that has extinguished in which direction did it go, to the east, west, north or
south? Good, Gotama, it does not apply. That fire burnt on account of grass
and sticks, those supports finished, no other supports were supplied, without supports the
fire, went out..
Vaccha, in that same manner, the matter with which the Thus Gone One is pointed
out, is dispelled, uprooted, made a palm stump, made a thing not to grow again: Vaccha,
the Thus Gone One is released from the reckonings of matter. It is deep, difficult to
fathom, like the great ocean. Is born, does not apply, is not born does not apply. Is born
and is not born does not apply, neither is born, nor is not born does not apply. The
feelings, with which the Thus Gone One is pointed, are dispelled, uprooted, made palm
stumps made things not to grow again: Vaccha, the Thus Gone One is released from the
reckonings of feelings. It is deep, difficult to fathom, like the great ocean. Is born
does not apply, is not born does not apply. Is born and is not born does not apply.
Neither is born nor is not born does not apply. The perceptions, with which the Thus Gone
One is pointed are dispelled, uprooted, made palm stumps, made things not to grow again.
Vaccha, the Thus Gone One is released from the reckonings of perceptions. It is deep,
difficult to fathom, like the great ocean. Is born does not apply, is not born does not
apply, is born and is not born does not apply. Neither is born nor is not born does not
apply. The determinations with which the Thus Gone One is pointed out, are dispelled,
uprooted, made palm stumps, made things not to grow again: Vaccha, the Thus Gone One is
released from the reckonings of deterninations. It is deep, difficult to fathom like the
great ocean. Is born does not apply, is not born does not apply Is born and is not born
does not apply. Neither is born nor is not born does not apply. The consciousness with
which the Thus Gone One is pointed out, is dispelled, uprooted, made a palm stump, made a
thing not to grow again. Vaccha, the Thus Gone One is released from the reckonings of
consciousness. It is deep, difficult to fathom like the great ocean. Is born does not
apply, is not born does not apply. Is born and is not born does not apply. Neither is born
nor is not born does not apply.
When this was said the wandering ascetic Vacchagotta said thus to the Blessed One,
close to the village or hamlet, there is a huge Sala tree, because of impermanence, its
leaves, branches, bark, shoots and sapwood fall off and is left with only the heartwood.
In the same manner, on account of the words of good Gotama, with myleaves and branches
pulled out, shoots pulled out, the bark removed, the sap removed, I stand as the pure
heartwood. I understand good Gotama, it is as though something over turned is reinstalled,
something covered is made manifest. As though the path is shown to someone who had lost
his way. As though an oil lamp is lighted, for those who have sight to see forms in the
dark. Now, I take refuge in good Gotama, in the Teaching, in the Community of bhikkhus.
May the Blessed One bear me as a lay disciple who has taken refuge from today until life
lasts.
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