Buddhist Scriptures by E.J. Thomas

Author:E.J. Thomas [Thomas, E.J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2012-02-21T22:35:37+00:00

XIII. The Questions Of Vacchagotta

THE same questions as in the two previous passages occur in the following discourse with the wandering ascetic Vacchagotta. When asked why he refuses to answer them, Buddha gives the following reply.

"VACCHA, the view that the world is eternal is a jungle, a wilderness, a theatrical show, a perversion, a fetter, and is coupled with suffering, destruction, despair, and pain, and does not tend to aversion, absence of passion, cessation, tranquillity, supernatural faculty, perfect knowledge, Nirvana.... Considering it disadvantageous, Vaccha, I have accordingly adopted none of these views." "But has Gotama any view?" "The Tathagata, Vaccha, is free from views, for this is what the Tathagata holds: form, the cause of form, the destruction of form, sensation, the cause of sensation, the destruction of sensation, perception, the aggregates of qualities, consciousness, how they arise and perish. Therefore with the destruction of, and indifference towards, and the ceasing and abandonment of all imaginings, all agitations, all false views of the self or of anything belonging to a self, the Tathagata is liberated, thus I say."

"But where is the monk re-born, sir Gotama, whose mind is thus liberated?" "It does not fit the case, Vaccha, to say he is re-born." "Then, sir Gotama, he is not re-born." "It does not fit the case, Vaccha, to say he is not re-born." "Then, sir Gotama, he is both re-born and not re-born." "It does not fit the case, Vaccha, to say he is both re-born and not re-born." Then, sir Gotama, he is neither re-born nor not re-born." "It does not fit the case, Vaccha, to say he is neither re-born nor not re-born"... "In this matter, sir Gotama, I feel in a state of ignorance and confusion, and the small amount of faith that I had in Gotama through a former conversation has now disappeared." "Enough of your ignorance and confusion, Vaccha, for deep is this doctrine, difficult to be seen and comprehended, good, excellent, beyond the sphere of reasoning, subtle, intelligible only to the wise. It is difficult to be understood by you, who hold other views, another faith, other inclinations, another discipline, and have another teacher. Therefore, Vaccha, I will ask you this, and do you explain it as you may please. Do you think, Vaccha, that if a fire were burning before you, you would know that a fire was burning before you?" "If a fire were burning before me, sir Gotama, I should know that a fire was burning before me." "And if some one asked you on what the fire burning before you depends, how would you explain it?"... "I should say that this fire which is burning before me depends on its clinging to grass and sticks." "If the fire before you were to go out, would you know that the fire before you had gone out?" "If the fire before me were to go out, I should know that the fire had gone out." "And if some one were to ask you,

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