Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tena kho pana samayena sambahulā nānātitthiyasamaṇabrāhmaṇaparibbājakā sāvatthiyaṁ paṭivasanti nānādiṭṭhikā nānākhantikā nānārucikā nānādiṭṭhinissayanissitā.
Thus have I heard—At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthi, in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. Now at that time, a number of ascetics, brahmins, and wanderers of various sects were living in Sāvatthi. They had different views, different beliefs, different preferences, and were attached to a variety of grounds for views.
Santeke samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino: “sassato loko, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan”ti.
There were some ascetics and brahmins who were of this argument, this view: “The world is |eternal::everlasting [sassata]|; only this is true, anything else is wrong.”
Santi paneke samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino: “asassato loko, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan”ti.
And there were some ascetics and brahmins who were of this argument, this view: “The world is |not eternal::not endless [asassata]|; only this is true, anything else is wrong.”
Santeke samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino: “antavā loko, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan”ti.
There were some ascetics and brahmins who were of this argument, this view: “The world is |finite::limited; having an end quality [antavant]|; only this is true, anything else is wrong.”
Santi paneke samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino: “anantavā loko, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan”ti.
And there were some ascetics and brahmins who were of this argument, this view: “The world is |infinite::boundless; without end [anantavant]|; only this is true, anything else is wrong.”
Santeke samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino: “taṁ jīvaṁ taṁ sarīraṁ, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan”ti.
There were some ascetics and brahmins who were of this argument, this view: “The |life force::life, soul [jīva]| and the body are the same; only this is true, anything else is wrong.”
Santi paneke samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino: “aññaṁ jīvaṁ aññaṁ sarīraṁ, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan”ti.
There were some ascetics and brahmins who were of this argument, this view: “The life force is one thing and the body another; only this is true, anything else is wrong.”
Santeke samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino: “hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan”ti.
There were some ascetics and brahmins who were of this argument, this view: “The |Tathāgata::one who has arrived at the truth, an epithet of a perfectly Awakened One [tathāgata]| exists after death; only this is true, anything else is wrong.”
Santi paneke samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino: “na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan”ti.
And there were some ascetics and brahmins who were of this argument, this view: “The Tathāgata does not exist after death; only this is true, anything else is wrong.”
Santeke samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino: “hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan”ti.
There were some ascetics and brahmins who were of this argument, this view: “The Tathāgata both exists and does not exist after death; only this is true, anything else is wrong.”
Santi paneke samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino: “neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan”ti.
And there were some ascetics and brahmins who were of this argument, this view: “The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death; only this is true, anything else is wrong.”
Te bhaṇḍanajātā kalahajātā vivādāpannā aññamaññaṁ mukhasattīhi vitudantā viharanti: “ediso dhammo, nediso dhammo; nediso dhammo, ediso dhammo”ti.
They lived |blaming::accusing, conflicting [bhaṇḍanajāta]|, |quarreling::disputing [kalahajāta]|, and |disputing::arguing [vivādāpanna]| with one another, stabbing each other with pointed words, saying: “The Dhamma is like this, the Dhamma is not like that; the Dhamma is not like this, the Dhamma is like that.”
Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya sāvatthiṁ piṇḍāya pāvisiṁsu. Sāvatthiyaṁ piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkantā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:
Then several bhikkhus, having dressed early in the morning and taking their alms bowls and outer robes, entered Sāvatthi for alms. Then, having wandered for alms in Sāvatthi, those bhikkhus, after their meal and having returned from their alms round, approached the Blessed One. Having drawn near, they paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. As they were seated thus, they said to the Blessed One:
“Idha, bhante, sambahulā nānātitthiyasamaṇabrāhmaṇaparibbājakā sāvatthiyaṁ paṭivasanti nānādiṭṭhikā nānākhantikā nānārucikā nānādiṭṭhinissayanissitā—
“Here, venerable sir, a number of ascetics, brahmins, and wanderers of various sects are living in Sāvatthi. They have different views, different beliefs, different preferences, and are attached to a variety of grounds for views.
Santeke samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino: ‘sassato loko, idameva saccaṁ moghamaññan’ti …pe… te bhaṇḍanajātā kalahajātā vivādāpannā aññamaññaṁ mukhasattīhi vitudantā viharanti: ‘ediso dhammo, nediso dhammo; nediso dhammo, ediso dhammo’”ti.
There are some ascetics and brahmins who are of this argument, this view: ‘The world is eternal; only this is true, anything else is wrong.’ … They live blaming, quarreling, and disputing with one another, stabbing each other with pointed words, saying: ‘The Dhamma is like this, the Dhamma is not like that; the Dhamma is not like this, the Dhamma is like that.’”
“Aññatitthiyā, bhikkhave, paribbājakā andhā acakkhukā; atthaṁ na jānanti, anatthaṁ na jānanti, dhammaṁ na jānanti, adhammaṁ na jānanti. Te atthaṁ ajānantā anatthaṁ ajānantā dhammaṁ ajānantā adhammaṁ ajānantā bhaṇḍanajātā kalahajātā vivādāpannā aññamaññaṁ mukhasattīhi vitudantā viharanti: ‘ediso dhammo, nediso dhammo; nediso dhammo, ediso dhammo’ti.
“Wanderers of other sects, bhikkhus, are blind and without vision. They do not know what is beneficial, they do not know what is harmful; they do not know the Dhamma, they do not know what is not the Dhamma. Not knowing what is beneficial, not knowing what is harmful, not knowing the Dhamma, not knowing what is not the Dhamma, they live blaming, quarreling, and disputing with one another, stabbing each other with pointed words, saying: ‘The Dhamma is like this, the Dhamma is not like that; the Dhamma is not like this, the Dhamma is like that.’
Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, imissāyeva sāvatthiyā aññataro rājā ahosi. Atha kho, bhikkhave, so rājā aññataraṁ purisaṁ āmantesi: ‘ehi tvaṁ, ambho purisa, yāvatakā sāvatthiyā jaccandhā te sabbe ekajjhaṁ sannipātehī’ti. ‘Evaṁ, devā’ti kho, bhikkhave, so puriso tassa rañño paṭissutvā yāvatakā sāvatthiyā jaccandhā te sabbe gahetvā yena so rājā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ rājānaṁ etadavoca: ‘sannipātitā kho te, deva, yāvatakā sāvatthiyā jaccandhā’ti. ‘Tena hi, bhaṇe, jaccandhānaṁ hatthiṁ dassehī’ti. ‘Evaṁ, devā’ti kho, bhikkhave, so puriso tassa rañño paṭissutvā jaccandhānaṁ hatthiṁ dassesi—
Once in the past, bhikkhus, there was a certain king right here in Sāvatthi. Then, bhikkhus, that king addressed a certain man: ‘Come, my good man, gather together in one place all those in Sāvatthi who are blind from birth.’ ‘Yes, your majesty,’ that man replied to the king. Having gathered all those in Sāvatthi who were blind from birth, he approached the king. Having approached, he said to the king: ‘Those in Sāvatthi who are blind from birth have been gathered, your majesty.’ ‘In that case, my good man, show the blind people an elephant.’ ‘Yes, your majesty,’ that man replied to the king, and he showed an elephant to the blind people—
Ekaccānaṁ jaccandhānaṁ hatthissa sīsaṁ dassesi: ‘ediso, jaccandhā, hatthī’ti. Ekaccānaṁ jaccandhānaṁ hatthissa kaṇṇaṁ dassesi: ‘ediso, jaccandhā, hatthī’ti. Ekaccānaṁ jaccandhānaṁ hatthissa dantaṁ dassesi: ‘ediso, jaccandhā, hatthī’ti. Ekaccānaṁ jaccandhānaṁ hatthissa soṇḍaṁ dassesi: ‘ediso, jaccandhā, hatthī’ti. Ekaccānaṁ jaccandhānaṁ hatthissa kāyaṁ dassesi: ‘ediso, jaccandhā, hatthī’ti. Ekaccānaṁ jaccandhānaṁ hatthissa pādaṁ dassesi: ‘ediso, jaccandhā, hatthī’ti. Ekaccānaṁ jaccandhānaṁ hatthissa satthiṁ dassesi: ‘ediso, jaccandhā, hatthī’ti. Ekaccānaṁ jaccandhānaṁ hatthissa naṅguṭṭhaṁ dassesi: ‘ediso, jaccandhā, hatthī’ti. Ekaccānaṁ jaccandhānaṁ hatthissa vāladhiṁ dassesi: ‘ediso, jaccandhā, hatthī’ti.
He showed the head of the elephant to some blind people: ‘This, blind people, is an elephant.’ He showed the ear of the elephant to some blind people: ‘This, blind people, is an elephant.’ He showed the tusk of the elephant to some blind people: ‘This, blind people, is an elephant.’ He showed the trunk of the elephant to some blind people: ‘This, blind people, is an elephant.’ He showed the body of the elephant to some blind people: ‘This, blind people, is an elephant.’ He showed the foot of the elephant to some blind people: ‘This, blind people, is an elephant.’ He showed the thigh of the elephant to some blind people: ‘This, blind people, is an elephant.’ He showed the tail of the elephant to some blind people: ‘This, blind people, is an elephant.’ He showed the tuft of the tail of the elephant to some blind people: ‘This, blind people, is an elephant.’
Atha kho, bhikkhave, so puriso jaccandhānaṁ hatthiṁ dassetvā yena so rājā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ rājānaṁ etadavoca: ‘diṭṭho kho tehi, deva, jaccandhehi hatthī; yassadāni kālaṁ maññasī’ti.
Then, bhikkhus, having shown the elephant to the blind people, that man approached the king. Having approached, he said to the king: ‘The elephant has been seen by the blind people, your majesty; now is the time to do as you see fit.’
Atha kho, bhikkhave, so rājā yena te jaccandhā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā te jaccandhe etadavoca: ‘diṭṭho vo, jaccandhā, hatthī’ti? ‘Evaṁ, deva, diṭṭho no hatthī’ti. ‘Vadetha, jaccandhā, kīdiso hatthī’ti?
Then, bhikkhus, the king approached the blind people. Having approached, he said to the blind people: ‘Have you seen the elephant, blind people?’ ‘Yes, your majesty, we have seen the elephant.’ ‘Tell me, blind people, what is an elephant like?’
Yehi, bhikkhave, jaccandhehi hatthissa sīsaṁ diṭṭhaṁ ahosi, te evamāhaṁsu: ‘ediso, deva, hatthī seyyathāpi kumbho’ti.
Those blind people who had been shown the head of the elephant said: ‘An elephant, your majesty, is just like a pot.’
Yehi, bhikkhave, jaccandhehi hatthissa kaṇṇo diṭṭho ahosi, te evamāhaṁsu: ‘ediso, deva, hatthī seyyathāpi suppo’ti.
Those blind people who had been shown the ear of the elephant said: ‘An elephant, your majesty, is just like a winnowing basket.’
Yehi, bhikkhave, jaccandhehi hatthissa danto diṭṭho ahosi, te evamāhaṁsu: ‘ediso, deva, hatthī seyyathāpi khīlo’ti.
Those blind people who had been shown the tusk of the elephant said: ‘An elephant, your majesty, is just like a peg.’
Yehi, bhikkhave, jaccandhehi hatthissa soṇḍo diṭṭho ahosi, te evamāhaṁsu: ‘ediso, deva, hatthī seyyathāpi naṅgalīsā’ti.
Those blind people who had been shown the trunk of the elephant said: ‘An elephant, your majesty, is just like a plow pole.’
Yehi, bhikkhave, jaccandhehi hatthissa kāyo diṭṭho ahosi, te evamāhaṁsu: ‘ediso, deva, hatthī seyyathāpi koṭṭho’ti.
Those blind people who had been shown the body of the elephant said: ‘An elephant, your majesty, is just like a granary.’
Yehi, bhikkhave, jaccandhehi hatthissa pādo diṭṭho ahosi, te evamāhaṁsu: ‘ediso, deva, hatthī seyyathāpi thūṇo’ti.
Those blind people who had been shown the foot of the elephant said: ‘An elephant, your majesty, is just like a pillar.’
Yehi, bhikkhave, jaccandhehi hatthissa satthi diṭṭho ahosi, te evamāhaṁsu: ‘ediso, deva, hatthī seyyathāpi udukkhalo’ti.
Those blind people who had been shown the thigh of the elephant said: ‘An elephant, your majesty, is just like a mortar.’
Yehi, bhikkhave, jaccandhehi hatthissa naṅguṭṭhaṁ diṭṭhaṁ ahosi, te evamāhaṁsu: ‘ediso, deva, hatthī seyyathāpi musalo’ti.
Those blind people who had been shown the tail of the elephant said: ‘An elephant, your majesty, is just like a |pestle::grinder, mace, club [musala]|.’
Yehi, bhikkhave, jaccandhehi hatthissa vāladhi diṭṭho ahosi, te evamāhaṁsu: ‘ediso, deva, hatthī seyyathāpi sammajjanī’ti.
Those blind people who had been shown the tuft of the tail of the elephant said: ‘An elephant, your majesty, is just like a broom.’
Te ‘ediso hatthī, nediso hatthī; nediso hatthī, ediso hatthī’ti aññamaññaṁ muṭṭhīhi saṁsumbhiṁsu. Tena ca pana, bhikkhave, so rājā attamano ahosi.
They struck each other with their fists, saying: ‘An elephant is like this, an elephant is not like that; an elephant is not like this, an elephant is like that.’ And with that, bhikkhus, the king was amused.
Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, aññatitthiyā paribbājakā andhā acakkhukā. Te atthaṁ na jānanti anatthaṁ na jānanti, dhammaṁ na jānanti adhammaṁ na jānanti. Te atthaṁ ajānantā anatthaṁ ajānantā, dhammaṁ ajānantā adhammaṁ ajānantā bhaṇḍanajātā kalahajātā vivādāpannā aññamaññaṁ mukhasattīhi vitudantā viharanti: ‘ediso dhammo, nediso dhammo; nediso dhammo, ediso dhammo’”ti.
In exactly the same way, bhikkhus, wanderers of other sects are blind and without vision. They do not know what is beneficial, they do not know what is harmful; they do not know the Dhamma, they do not know what is not the Dhamma. Not knowing what is beneficial, not knowing what is harmful, not knowing the Dhamma, not knowing what is not the Dhamma, they live blaming, quarreling, and disputing with one another, stabbing each other with pointed words, saying: ‘The Dhamma is like this, the Dhamma is not like that; the Dhamma is not like this, the Dhamma is like that.’
Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:
Then, understanding the significance of this, the Blessed One at that time expressed this inspired utterance:
“Imesu kira sajjanti,
eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā;
Viggayha naṁ vivadanti,
janā ekaṅgadassino”ti.
“Some ascetics and brahmins, it seems,
are attached to these views;
They quarrel and dispute,
like people seeing only one aspect.”