SN 44.4 With Sāriputta and Koṭṭhita (2nd)

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

At one time Venerable Sāriputta and Venerable Mahākoṭṭhita were staying near Varanasi, in the deer park at Isipatana. …

(The same down as far as:)

“What’s the cause, reverend, what’s the reason why this has not been declared by the Buddha?”

“Reverend, not truly knowing and seeing form, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation, one thinks ‘a realized one still exists after death’ or

‘A realized one no longer exists after death’ or

‘a realized one both still exists and no longer exists after death’ or

‘a realized one neither still exists nor no longer exists after death.’

Not truly knowing or seeing feeling …

perception …

choices …

consciousness, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation, one thinks ‘a realized one still exists after death’ or

‘A realized one no longer exists after death’ or

‘a realized one both still exists and no longer exists after death’ or

‘A realized one neither still exists nor no longer exists after death.’

Truly knowing and seeing form …

​

feeling …

perception …

choices …

consciousness, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation, one doesn’t think ‘a realized one still exists after death’ or

‘A realized one no longer exists after death’ or

‘a realized one both still exists and no longer exists after death’ or

‘a realized one neither still exists nor no longer exists after death.’

This is the cause, this is the reason why this has not been declared by the Buddha.”

​

Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā ca sāriputto, āyasmā ca mahākoṭṭhiko bārāṇasiyaṁ viharanti isipatane migadāye …pe…

(sāyeva pucchā.)

“Ko nu kho, āvuso, hetu, ko paccayo, yenetaṁ abyākataṁ bhagavatā”ti?

“Rūpaṁ kho, āvuso, ajānato apassato yathābhūtaṁ, rūpasamudayaṁ ajānato apassato yathābhūtaṁ, rūpanirodhaṁ ajānato apassato yathābhūtaṁ, rūpanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ ajānato apassato yathābhūtaṁ, ‘hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipissa hoti;

‘na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipissa hoti;

‘hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipissa hoti;

‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipissa hoti.

Vedanaṁ …pe…

saññaṁ …pe…

saṅkhāre …pe…

viññāṇaṁ ajānato apassato yathābhūtaṁ, viññāṇasamudayaṁ ajānato apassato yathābhūtaṁ, viññāṇanirodhaṁ ajānato apassato yathābhūtaṁ, viññāṇanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ ajānato apassato yathābhūtaṁ, ‘hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipissa hoti;

‘na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipissa hoti;

‘hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipissa hoti;

‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’”tipissa hoti.

Rūpañca kho, āvuso, jānato passato yathābhūtaṁ, rūpasamudayaṁ jānato passato yathābhūtaṁ, rūpanirodhaṁ jānato passato yathābhūtaṁ, rūpanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ jānato passato yathābhūtaṁ, ‘hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipissa na hoti …pe…

‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipissa na hoti.

Vedanaṁ …pe…

saññaṁ …pe…

saṅkhāre …pe…

viññāṇaṁ jānato passato yathābhūtaṁ, viññāṇasamudayaṁ jānato passato yathābhūtaṁ, viññāṇanirodhaṁ jānato passato yathābhūtaṁ, viññāṇanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ jānato passato yathābhūtaṁ, ‘hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipissa na hoti;

‘na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipissa na hoti;

‘hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipissa na hoti;

‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipissa na hoti.

Ayaṁ kho, āvuso, hetu ayaṁ paccayo, yenetaṁ abyākataṁ bhagavatā”ti.

Catutthaṁ.