Evaṁ me sutaṁ — ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.
Thus have I heard—At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthi, in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park.
Atha kho vacchagotto paribbājako yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho vacchagotto paribbājako bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
Then, the wanderer Vacchagotta approached the Blessed One. Having drawn near, he exchanged friendly greetings with the Blessed One, and after a courteous and polite conversation, he sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the wanderer Vacchagotta said to the Blessed One:
Speculative Views
“Kiṁ nu kho, bho gotama, ‘sassato loko, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan’ti— evaṁdiṭṭhi bhavaṁ gotamo”ti?
“How is it, sir Gotama, is this your view: ‘The world is eternal; only this is true, anything else is wrong’?”
“Na kho ahaṁ, vaccha, evaṁdiṭṭhi: ‘sassato loko, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan’”ti.
“Vaccha, I do not have such a view: ‘The world is eternal; only this is true, anything else is wrong.’”
“Kiṁ pana, bho gotama, ‘asassato loko, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan’ti— evaṁdiṭṭhi bhavaṁ gotamo”ti?
“How is it then, sir Gotama, is this your view: ‘The world is not eternal; only this is true, anything else is wrong’?”
“Na kho ahaṁ, vaccha, evaṁdiṭṭhi: ‘asassato loko, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan’”ti.
“Vaccha, I do not have such a view: ‘The world is not eternal; only this is true, anything else is wrong.’”
“Kiṁ nu kho, bho gotama, ‘antavā loko, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan’ti— evaṁdiṭṭhi bhavaṁ gotamo”ti?
“How is it, sir Gotama, is this your view: ‘The world is finite; only this is true, anything else is wrong’?”
“Na kho ahaṁ, vaccha, evaṁdiṭṭhi: ‘antavā loko, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan’”ti.
“Vaccha, I do not have such a view: ‘The world is finite; only this is true, anything else is wrong.’”
“Kiṁ pana, bho gotama, ‘anantavā loko, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan’ti— evaṁdiṭṭhi bhavaṁ gotamo”ti?
“How is it then, sir Gotama, is this your view: ‘The world is infinite; only this is true, anything else is wrong’?”
“Na kho ahaṁ, vaccha, evaṁdiṭṭhi: ‘anantavā loko, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan’”ti.
“Vaccha, I do not have such a view: ‘The world is infinite; only this is true, anything else is wrong.’”
“Kiṁ nu kho, bho gotama, ‘taṁ jīvaṁ taṁ sarīraṁ, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan’ti— evaṁdiṭṭhi bhavaṁ gotamo”ti?
“How is it, sir Gotama, is this your view: ‘The life force and the body are the same; only this is true, anything else is wrong’?”
“Na kho ahaṁ, vaccha, evaṁdiṭṭhi: ‘taṁ jīvaṁ taṁ sarīraṁ, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan’”ti.
“Vaccha, I do not have such a view: ‘The life force and the body are the same; only this is true, anything else is wrong.’”
“Kiṁ pana, bho gotama, ‘aññaṁ jīvaṁ aññaṁ sarīraṁ, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan’ti— evaṁdiṭṭhi bhavaṁ gotamo”ti?
“How is it then, sir Gotama, is this your view: ‘The life force is one thing and the body another; only this is true, anything else is wrong’?”
“Na kho ahaṁ, vaccha, evaṁdiṭṭhi: ‘aññaṁ jīvaṁ aññaṁ sarīraṁ, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan’”ti.
“Vaccha, I do not have such a view: ‘The life force is one thing and the body another; only this is true, anything else is wrong.’”
“Kiṁ nu kho, bho gotama, ‘hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan’ti— evaṁdiṭṭhi bhavaṁ gotamo”ti?
“How is it, sir Gotama, is this your view: ‘After death, a Tathāgata exists; this alone is true, anything else is wrong’?”
“Na kho ahaṁ, vaccha, evaṁdiṭṭhi: ‘hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan’”ti.
“Vaccha, I do not have such a view: ‘After death, a Tathāgata exists; this alone is true, anything else is wrong.’”
“Kiṁ pana, bho gotama, ‘na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan’ti— evaṁdiṭṭhi bhavaṁ gotamo”ti?
“How is it then, sir Gotama, is this your view: ‘After death, a Tathāgata does not exist; this alone is true, anything else is wrong’?”
“Na kho ahaṁ, vaccha, evaṁdiṭṭhi: ‘na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan’”ti.
“Vaccha, I do not have such a view: ‘After death, a Tathāgata does not exist; this alone is true, anything else is wrong.’”
“Kiṁ nu kho, bho gotama, ‘hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan’ti— evaṁdiṭṭhi bhavaṁ gotamo”ti?
“How is it then, sir Gotama, is this your view: ‘After death, a Tathāgata both exists and does not exist; this alone is true, anything else is wrong’?”
“Na kho ahaṁ, vaccha, evaṁdiṭṭhi: ‘hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan’”ti.
“Vaccha, I do not have such a view: ‘After death, a Tathāgata both exists and does not exist; this alone is true, anything else is wrong.’”
“Kiṁ pana, bho gotama, ‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan’ti— evaṁdiṭṭhi bhavaṁ gotamo”ti?
“How is it then, sir Gotama, is this your view: ‘After death, a Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist; this alone is true, anything else is wrong’?”
“Na kho ahaṁ, vaccha, evaṁdiṭṭhi: ‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan’”ti.
“Vaccha, I do not have such a view: ‘After death, a Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist; this alone is true, anything else is wrong.’”
“‘Kiṁ nu kho, bho gotama, sassato loko, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññanti— evaṁdiṭṭhi bhavaṁ gotamo’ti iti puṭṭho samāno ‘na kho ahaṁ, vaccha, evaṁdiṭṭhi— sassato loko, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan’ti vadesi. ‘Kiṁ pana, bho gotama, asassato loko, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññanti— evaṁdiṭṭhi bhavaṁ gotamo’ti iti puṭṭho samāno ‘na kho ahaṁ, vaccha, evaṁdiṭṭhi— asassato loko, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan’ti vadesi. ‘Kiṁ nu kho, bho gotama, antavā loko, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññanti— evaṁdiṭṭhi bhavaṁ gotamo’ti iti puṭṭho samāno ‘na kho ahaṁ, vaccha, evaṁdiṭṭhi— antavā loko, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan’ti vadesi. ‘Kiṁ pana, bho gotama, anantavā loko, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññanti— evaṁdiṭṭhi bhavaṁ gotamo’ti iti puṭṭho samāno ‘na kho ahaṁ, vaccha, evaṁdiṭṭhi— anantavā loko, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan’ti vadesi. ‘Kiṁ nu kho, bho gotama, taṁ jīvaṁ taṁ sarīraṁ, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññanti— evaṁdiṭṭhi bhavaṁ gotamo’ti iti puṭṭho samāno ‘na kho ahaṁ, vaccha, evaṁdiṭṭhi— taṁ jīvaṁ taṁ sarīraṁ, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan’ti vadesi. ‘Kiṁ pana, bho gotama, aññaṁ jīvaṁ aññaṁ sarīraṁ, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññanti— evaṁdiṭṭhi bhavaṁ gotamo’ti iti puṭṭho samāno ‘na kho ahaṁ, vaccha, evaṁdiṭṭhi— aññaṁ jīvaṁ aññaṁ sarīraṁ, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan’ti vadesi. ‘Kiṁ nu kho, bho gotama, hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññanti— evaṁdiṭṭhi bhavaṁ gotamo’ti iti puṭṭho samāno ‘na kho ahaṁ, vaccha, evaṁdiṭṭhi— hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan’ti vadesi. ‘Kiṁ pana, bho gotama, na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññanti— evaṁdiṭṭhi bhavaṁ gotamo’ti iti puṭṭho samāno ‘na kho ahaṁ, vaccha, evaṁdiṭṭhi— na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan’ti vadesi. ‘Kiṁ nu kho, bho gotama, hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññanti— evaṁdiṭṭhi bhavaṁ gotamo’ti iti puṭṭho samāno ‘na kho ahaṁ, vaccha, evaṁdiṭṭhi— hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan’ti vadesi. ‘Kiṁ pana, bho gotama, neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññanti— evaṁdiṭṭhi bhavaṁ gotamo’ti iti puṭṭho samāno ‘na kho ahaṁ, vaccha, evaṁdiṭṭhi— neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan’ti vadesi. Kiṁ pana bho gotamo ādīnavaṁ sampassamāno evaṁ imāni sabbaso diṭṭhigatāni anupagato”ti?
“When asked: ‘How is it, sir Gotama, is this your view: “The world is eternal; only this is true, anything else is wrong”?’ you said: ‘Vaccha, I do not have such a view: “The world is eternal; only this is true, anything else is wrong.”’ When asked: ‘How is it then, sir Gotama, is this your view: “The world is not eternal; only this is true, anything else is wrong”?’ you said: ‘Vaccha, I do not have such a view: “The world is not eternal; only this is true, anything else is wrong.”’ When asked: ‘How is it, sir Gotama, is this your view: “The world is finite; only this is true, anything else is wrong”?’ you said: ‘Vaccha, I do not have such a view: “The world is finite; only this is true, anything else is wrong.”’ When asked: ‘How is it then, sir Gotama, is this your view: “The world is infinite; only this is true, anything else is wrong”?’ you said: ‘Vaccha, I do not have such a view: “The world is infinite; only this is true, anything else is wrong.”’ When asked: ‘How is it, sir Gotama, is this your view: “The life force and the body are the same; only this is true, anything else is wrong”?’ you said: ‘Vaccha, I do not have such a view: “The life force and the body are the same; only this is true, anything else is wrong.”’ When asked: ‘How is it then, sir Gotama, is this your view: “The life force is one thing and the body another; only this is true, anything else is wrong”?’ you said: ‘Vaccha, I do not have such a view: “The life force is one thing and the body another; only this is true, anything else is wrong.”’ When asked: ‘How is it, sir Gotama, is this your view: “After death, a Tathāgata exists; this alone is true, anything else is wrong”?’ you said: ‘Vaccha, I do not have such a view: “After death, a Tathāgata exists; this alone is true, anything else is wrong.”’ When asked: ‘How is it then, sir Gotama, is this your view: “After death, a Tathāgata does not exist; this alone is true, anything else is wrong”?’ you said: ‘Vaccha, I do not have such a view: “After death, a Tathāgata does not exist; this alone is true, anything else is wrong.”’ When asked: ‘How is it then, sir Gotama, is this your view: “After death, a Tathāgata both exists and does not exist; this alone is true, anything else is wrong”?’ you said: ‘Vaccha, I do not have such a view: “After death, a Tathāgata both exists and does not exist; this alone is true, anything else is wrong.”’ When asked: ‘How is it then, sir Gotama, is this your view: “After death, a Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist; this alone is true, anything else is wrong”?’ you said: ‘Vaccha, I do not have such a view: “After death, a Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist; this alone is true, anything else is wrong.”’ Seeing what drawback, sir Gotama, do you entirely avoid these speculative views?”
“‘Sassato loko’ti kho, vaccha, diṭṭhigatametaṁ diṭṭhigahanaṁ diṭṭhikantāro diṭṭhivisūkaṁ diṭṭhivipphanditaṁ diṭṭhisaṁyojanaṁ sadukkhaṁ savighātaṁ saupāyāsaṁ sapariḷāhaṁ, na nibbidāya na virāgāya na nirodhāya na upasamāya na abhiññāya na sambodhāya na nibbānāya saṁvattati. ‘Asassato loko’ti kho, vaccha …pe… ‘antavā loko’ti kho, vaccha …pe… ‘anantavā loko’ti kho, vaccha …pe… ‘taṁ jīvaṁ taṁ sarīran’ti kho, vaccha …pe… ‘aññaṁ jīvaṁ aññaṁ sarīran’ti kho, vaccha …pe… ‘hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti kho, vaccha …pe… ‘na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti kho, vaccha …pe… ‘hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti kho, vaccha …pe… ‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti kho, vaccha, diṭṭhigatametaṁ diṭṭhigahanaṁ diṭṭhikantāro diṭṭhivisūkaṁ diṭṭhivipphanditaṁ diṭṭhisaṁyojanaṁ sadukkhaṁ savighātaṁ saupāyāsaṁ sapariḷāhaṁ, na nibbidāya na virāgāya na nirodhāya na upasamāya na abhiññāya na sambodhāya na nibbānāya saṁvattati. Imaṁ kho ahaṁ, vaccha, ādīnavaṁ sampassamāno evaṁ imāni sabbaso diṭṭhigatāni anupagato”ti.
“Vaccha, the view ‘The world is eternal’ is a speculative view, a thicket of views, a wilderness of views, a distortion of views, a vacillation of views, and a fetter of views. It is accompanied by suffering, distress, despair, and fever. It does not lead to disenchantment, to fading of desire, to cessation, to tranquility, to direct knowledge, to full awakening, or to Nibbāna. The view ‘The world is not eternal’ ․․․ ‘The world is finite’ ․․․ ‘The world is infinite’ ․․․ ‘The life force and the body are the same’ ․․․ ‘The life force is one thing and the body another’ ․․․ ‘After death, a Tathāgata exists’ ․․․ ‘After death, a Tathāgata does not exist’ ․․․ ‘After death, a Tathāgata both exists and does not exist’ ․․․ ‘After death, a Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist’ is a speculative view, a thicket of views, a wilderness of views, a distortion of views, a vacillation of views, and a fetter of views. It is accompanied by suffering, distress, despair, and fever. It does not lead to disenchantment, to fading of desire, to cessation, to tranquility, to direct knowledge, to full awakening, or to Nibbāna. Seeing this drawback, Vaccha, I entirely avoid these speculative views.”
Going Beyond Speculative Views
“Atthi pana bhoto gotamassa kiñci diṭṭhigatan”ti?
“Then does sir Gotama hold any speculative view at all?”
“Diṭṭhigatanti kho, vaccha, apanītametaṁ tathāgatassa. Diṭṭhañhetaṁ, vaccha, tathāgatena: ‘iti rūpaṁ, iti rūpassa samudayo, iti rūpassa atthaṅgamo; iti vedanā, iti vedanāya samudayo, iti vedanāya atthaṅgamo; iti saññā, iti saññāya samudayo, iti saññāya atthaṅgamo; iti saṅkhārā, iti saṅkhārānaṁ samudayo, iti saṅkhārānaṁ atthaṅgamo; iti viññāṇaṁ, iti viññāṇassa samudayo, iti viññāṇassa atthaṅgamo’ti. Tasmā tathāgato sabbamaññitānaṁ sabbamathitānaṁ sabbaahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānusayānaṁ khayā virāgā nirodhā cāgā paṭinissaggā anupādā vimuttoti vadāmī”ti.
“Vaccha, ‘speculative view’ is something the Tathāgata has put away. For the Tathāgata, Vaccha, has seen this: ‘Such is form, such is the arising of form, such is the passing away of form; such is feeling, such is the arising of feeling, such is the passing away of feeling; such is perception, such is the arising of perception, such is the passing away of perception; such are intentional constructs, such is the arising of intentional constructs, such is the passing away of intentional constructs; such is consciousness, such is the arising of consciousness, such is the passing away of consciousness.’ Therefore, I say, the Tathāgata, through the giving up of all conceptions, all mental disturbances, all I-making, mine-making, and the underlying tendency to self-comparison and through the wearing away, fading of desire, ending, giving up, and relinquishing of it, is liberated through not clinging.”
“Evaṁ vimuttacitto pana, bho gotama, bhikkhu kuhiṁ upapajjatī”ti?
“When a bhikkhu’s mind is liberated thus, sir Gotama, where does he reappear [after death]?”
“Upapajjatīti kho, vaccha, na upeti”.
“Vaccha, the term ‘reappear’ does not apply.”
“Tena hi, bho gotama, na upapajjatī”ti?
“Then, sir Gotama, does he not reappear?”
“Na upapajjatīti kho, vaccha, na upeti”.
“Vaccha, the term ‘does not reappear’ does not apply.”
“Tena hi, bho gotama, upapajjati ca na ca upapajjatī”ti?
“Then, sir Gotama, does he both reappear and not reappear?”
“Upapajjati ca na ca upapajjatīti kho, vaccha, na upeti”.
“Vaccha, the term ‘both reappear and does not reappear’ does not apply.”
“Tena hi, bho gotama, neva upapajjati na na upapajjatī”ti?
“Then, sir Gotama, does he neither reappear nor not reappear?”
“Neva upapajjati na na upapajjatīti kho, vaccha, na upeti”.
“Vaccha, the term ‘neither reappear nor does not reappear’ does not apply.”
“‘Evaṁ vimuttacitto pana, bho gotama, bhikkhu kuhiṁ upapajjatī’ti iti puṭṭho samāno ‘upapajjatīti kho, vaccha, na upetī’ti vadesi. ‘Tena hi, bho gotama, na upapajjatī’ti iti puṭṭho samāno ‘na upapajjatīti kho, vaccha, na upetī’ti vadesi. ‘Tena hi, bho gotama, upapajjati ca na ca upapajjatī’ti iti puṭṭho samāno ‘upapajjati ca na ca upapajjatīti kho, vaccha, na upetī’ti vadesi. ‘Tena hi, bho gotama, neva upapajjati na na upapajjatī’ti iti puṭṭho samāno ‘neva upapajjati na na upapajjatīti kho, vaccha, na upetī’ti vadesi. Etthāhaṁ, bho gotama, aññāṇamāpādiṁ, ettha sammohamāpādiṁ. Yāpi me esā bhoto gotamassa purimena kathāsallāpena ahu pasādamattā sāpi me etarahi antarahitā”ti.
“When asked: ‘Sir Gotama, where does a bhikkhu whose mind is thus liberated reappear?’ you said: ‘Vaccha, the term “reappear” does not apply.’ When asked: ‘Then, sir Gotama, does he not reappear?’ you said: ‘Vaccha, the term “does not reappear” does not apply.’ When asked: ‘Then, sir Gotama, does he both reappear and not reappear?’ you said: ‘Vaccha, the term “both reappear and does not reappear” does not apply.’ When asked: ‘Then, sir Gotama, does he neither reappear nor not reappear?’ you said: ‘Vaccha, the term “neither reappear nor does not reappear” does not apply.’ At this point, I have fallen into bewilderment, sir Gotama; at this point, I have fallen into confusion. Even that measure of confidence I had gained from our earlier conversation has now disappeared.”
“Alañhi te, vaccha, aññāṇāya, alaṁ sammohāya. Gambhīro hāyaṁ, vaccha, dhammo duddaso duranubodho santo paṇīto atakkāvacaro nipuṇo paṇḍitavedanīyo. So tayā dujjāno aññadiṭṭhikena aññakhantikena aññarucikena aññatrayogena aññatrācariyakena.
“It is fitting for you to be bewildered, Vaccha, it is fitting for you to be confused. For this Dhamma, Vaccha, is profound, hard to see and hard to understand, peaceful, sublime, beyond the realm of conjecture, subtle, to be experienced by the wise. It is difficult for you to understand this when you hold another view, approve of another teaching, practice another discipline, and follow another teacher.
Tena hi, vaccha, taññevettha paṭipucchissāmi; yathā te khameyya tathā naṁ byākareyyāsi.
Here, Vaccha, I will ask you a question in this regard. Answer as you see fit.
Simile of Fire
Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, vaccha, sace te purato aggi jaleyya, jāneyyāsi tvaṁ: ‘ayaṁ me purato aggi jalatī’”ti?
What do you think, Vaccha, if a fire were burning in front of you, would you know: ‘This fire is burning in front of me’?”
“Sace me, bho gotama, purato aggi jaleyya, jāneyyāhaṁ: ‘ayaṁ me purato aggi jalatī’”ti.
“If a fire were burning in front of me, sir Gotama, I would know: ‘This fire is burning in front of me.’”
“Sace pana taṁ, vaccha, evaṁ puccheyya: ‘yo te ayaṁ purato aggi jalati ayaṁ aggi kiṁ paṭicca jalatī’ti, evaṁ puṭṭho tvaṁ, vaccha, kinti byākareyyāsī”ti?
“And if someone were to ask you, Vaccha: ‘This fire burning in front of you, dependent on what does it burn?’ Being asked thus, Vaccha, how would you answer?”
“Sace maṁ, bho gotama, evaṁ puccheyya:
“If someone were to ask me, sir Gotama:
‘yo te ayaṁ purato aggi jalati ayaṁ aggi kiṁ paṭicca jalatī’ti, evaṁ puṭṭho ahaṁ, bho gotama, evaṁ byākareyyaṁ: ‘yo me ayaṁ purato aggi jalati ayaṁ aggi tiṇakaṭṭhupādānaṁ paṭicca jalatī’”ti.
‘This fire burning in front of you, dependent on what does it burn?’ I would answer thus: ‘This fire burning in front of me burns dependent on the fuel of grass and sticks.’”
“Sace te, vaccha, purato so aggi nibbāyeyya, jāneyyāsi tvaṁ: ‘ayaṁ me purato aggi nibbuto’”ti?
“If that fire in front of you were to be extinguished, Vaccha, would you know: ‘This fire in front of me has been extinguished’?”
“Sace me, bho gotama, purato so aggi nibbāyeyya, jāneyyāhaṁ: ‘ayaṁ me purato aggi nibbuto’”ti.
“If that fire in front of me were to be extinguished, sir Gotama, I would know: ‘This fire in front of me has been extinguished.’”
“Sace pana taṁ, vaccha, evaṁ puccheyya: ‘yo te ayaṁ purato aggi nibbuto so aggi ito katamaṁ disaṁ gato— puratthimaṁ vā dakkhiṇaṁ vā pacchimaṁ vā uttaraṁ vā’ti, evaṁ puṭṭho tvaṁ, vaccha, kinti byākareyyāsī”ti?
“But if someone were to ask you, Vaccha: ‘That fire in front of you that has been extinguished, to which direction has it gone from here, to the east, the south, the west, or the north?’ Being asked thus, Vaccha, how would you answer?”
“Na upeti, bho gotama, yañhi so, bho gotama, aggi tiṇakaṭṭhupādānaṁ paṭicca ajali tassa ca pariyādānā aññassa ca anupahārā anāhāro nibbutotveva saṅkhyaṁ gacchatī”ti.
“It does not apply, sir Gotama. Because that fire burned dependent on the fuel of grass and sticks. With the exhaustion of that, and with no other fuel being provided, being without fuel, it is simply reckoned as extinguished.”
Liberated from Reckoning
“Evameva kho, vaccha, yena rūpena tathāgataṁ paññāpayamāno paññāpeyya taṁ rūpaṁ tathāgatassa pahīnaṁ ucchinnamūlaṁ tālāvatthukataṁ anabhāvaṅkataṁ āyatiṁ anuppādadhammaṁ. Rūpasaṅkhayavimutto kho, vaccha, tathāgato gambhīro appameyyo duppariyogāḷho— seyyathāpi mahāsamuddo. Upapajjatīti na upeti, na upapajjatīti na upeti, upapajjati ca na ca upapajjatīti na upeti, neva upapajjati na na upapajjatīti na upeti.
“In the same way, Vaccha, that [material] form by which one describing the Tathāgata might describe him, that form has been abandoned by the Tathāgata, cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, utterly obliterated, and rendered incapable of arising in the future. Liberated from reckoning in terms of form, Vaccha, the Tathāgata is profound, immeasurable, and hard to fathom, like the great ocean. ‘Reappear’ does not apply, ‘does not reappear’ does not apply, ‘both reappear and does not reappear’ does not apply, ‘neither reappear nor does not reappear’ does not apply.
Yāya vedanāya tathāgataṁ paññāpayamāno paññāpeyya sā vedanā tathāgatassa pahīnā ucchinnamūlā tālāvatthukatā anabhāvaṅkatā āyatiṁ anuppādadhammā. Vedanāsaṅkhayavimutto kho, vaccha, tathāgato gambhīro appameyyo duppariyogāḷho— seyyathāpi mahāsamuddo. Upapajjatīti na upeti, na upapajjatīti na upeti, upapajjati ca na ca upapajjatīti na upeti, neva upapajjati na na upapajjatīti na upeti.
That feeling by which one describing the Tathāgata might describe him, that feeling has been abandoned by the Tathāgata, cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, utterly obliterated, and rendered incapable of arising in the future. Liberated from reckoning in terms of feeling, Vaccha, the Tathāgata is profound, immeasurable, and hard to fathom, like the great ocean. ‘Reappear’ does not apply, ‘does not reappear’ does not apply, ‘both reappear and does not reappear’ does not apply, ‘neither reappear nor does not reappear’ does not apply.
Yāya saññāya tathāgataṁ paññāpayamāno paññāpeyya sā saññā tathāgatassa pahīnā ucchinnamūlā tālāvatthukatā anabhāvaṅkatā āyatiṁ anuppādadhammā. Saññāsaṅkhayavimutto kho, vaccha, tathāgato gambhīro appameyyo duppariyogāḷho— seyyathāpi mahāsamuddo. Upapajjatīti na upeti, na upapajjatīti na upeti, upapajjati ca na ca upapajjatīti na upeti, neva upapajjati na na upapajjatīti na upeti.
That perception by which one describing the Tathāgata might describe him, that perception has been abandoned by the Tathāgata, cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, utterly obliterated, and rendered incapable of arising in the future. Liberated from reckoning in terms of perception, Vaccha, the Tathāgata is profound, immeasurable, and hard to fathom, like the great ocean. ‘Reappear’ does not apply, ‘does not reappear’ does not apply, ‘both reappear and does not reappear’ does not apply, ‘neither reappear nor does not reappear’ does not apply.
Yehi saṅkhārehi tathāgataṁ paññāpayamāno paññāpeyya te saṅkhārā tathāgatassa pahīnā ucchinnamūlā tālāvatthukatā anabhāvaṅkatā āyatiṁ anuppādadhammā. Saṅkhārasaṅkhayavimutto kho, vaccha, tathāgato gambhīro appameyyo duppariyogāḷho— seyyathāpi mahāsamuddo. Upapajjatīti na upeti, na upapajjatīti na upeti, upapajjati ca na ca upapajjatīti na upeti, neva upapajjati na na upapajjatīti na upeti.
Those intentional constructs by which one describing the Tathāgata might describe him, those intentional constructs have been abandoned by the Tathāgata, cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, utterly obliterated, and rendered incapable of arising in the future. Liberated from reckoning in terms of intentional constructs, Vaccha, the Tathāgata is profound, immeasurable, and hard to fathom, like the great ocean. ‘Reappear’ does not apply, ‘does not reappear’ does not apply, ‘both reappear and does not reappear’ does not apply, ‘neither reappear nor does not reappear’ does not apply.
Yena viññāṇena tathāgataṁ paññāpayamāno paññāpeyya taṁ viññāṇaṁ tathāgatassa pahīnaṁ ucchinnamūlaṁ tālāvatthukataṁ anabhāvaṅkataṁ āyatiṁ anuppādadhammaṁ. Viññāṇasaṅkhayavimutto kho, vaccha, tathāgato gambhīro appameyyo duppariyogāḷho— seyyathāpi mahāsamuddo. Upapajjatīti na upeti, na upapajjatīti na upeti, upapajjati ca na ca upapajjatīti na upeti, neva upapajjati na na upapajjatīti na upetī”ti.
That consciousness by which one describing the Tathāgata might describe him, that consciousness has been abandoned by the Tathāgata, cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, utterly obliterated, and rendered incapable of arising in the future. Liberated from reckoning in terms of consciousness, Vaccha, the Tathāgata is profound, immeasurable, and hard to fathom, like the great ocean. ‘Reappear’ does not apply, ‘does not reappear’ does not apply, ‘both reappear and does not reappear’ does not apply, ‘neither reappear nor does not reappear’ does not apply.”
Evaṁ vutte, vacchagotto paribbājako bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
When this was said, the wanderer Vacchagotta said to the Blessed One:
“seyyathāpi, bho gotama, gāmassa vā nigamassa vā avidūre mahāsālarukkho. Tassa aniccatā sākhāpalāsā palujjeyyuṁ, tacapapaṭikā palujjeyyuṁ, pheggū palujjeyyuṁ; so aparena samayena apagatasākhāpalāso apagatatacapapaṭiko apagataphegguko suddho assa, sāre patiṭṭhito; evameva bhoto gotamassa pāvacanaṁ apagatasākhāpalāsaṁ apagatatacapapaṭikaṁ apagatapheggukaṁ suddhaṁ, sāre patiṭṭhitaṁ.
“Suppose, sir Gotama, there was a great sal tree not far from a village or a town. Due to impermanence, its branches and leaves would fall off, its bark and shoots would break off, and its sapwood would come apart. At a later time, devoid of branches and leaves, devoid of bark and shoots, and devoid of sapwood, it would stand pure, established in the heartwood. In the exact same way, sir Gotama’s teaching is devoid of branches and leaves, devoid of bark and shoots, and devoid of sapwood; it is pure, established in the heartwood.
Abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama …pe… upāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.
Excellent, sir Gotama! Excellent, sir Gotama! ․․․ May sir Gotama remember me as a lay disciple who, from this day forward, has gone for refuge from today onward for life.”