Cūḷasaccakasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 35

The Shorter Discourse With Saccaka · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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whatKiṁ thenpana of a kingrañño of a khattiyakhattiyassa of an anointed one,muddhāvasittassa, such asseyyathāpi of kingrañño of Pasenadipasenadissa of Kosala,kosalassa, such asseyyathāpi orvā thenpana of kingrañño of Magadhamāgadhassa of Ajātasattuajātasattussa son of the Videhan lady?vedehiputtassa?
would wieldVatteyya, sirbho Gotama,gotama, and to wieldvattituñca he is fit."marahatī”ti.

So of course an anointed king such as Pasenadi or Ajātasattu would wield such power, as is their right.”

that“Taṁ whatkiṁ you thinkmaññasi, Aggivessanaaggivessana,
whichyaṁ youtvaṁ thusevaṁ you sayvadesi:
form‘rūpaṁ myme is selfattā’ti, existsvattati for youte in thattasmiṁ formrūpe powervaso—
thusevaṁ myme formrūpaṁ may it behotu, thusevaṁ myme formrūpaṁ notmā may it beahosī”ti?
thusEvaṁ when saidvutte, Saccakasaccako the Nigaṇṭha's sonnigaṇṭhaputto silenttuṇhī wasahosi.
second·alsoDutiyampi indeedkho the Blessed Onebhagavā Saccakasaccakaṁ nigaṇṭha·sonnigaṇṭhaputtaṁ said thisetadavoca:
that“taṁ whatkiṁ you thinkmaññasi, Aggivessanaaggivessana, whichyaṁ youtvaṁ thusevaṁ you sayvadesi:
form‘rūpaṁ myme is selfattā’ti, existsvattati for youte in thattasmiṁ formrūpe powervaso—
thusevaṁ myme formrūpaṁ may it behotu, thusevaṁ myme formrūpaṁ notmā may it beahosī”ti?
second·alsoDutiyampi indeedkho Saccakasaccako the Nigaṇṭha's sonnigaṇṭhaputto silenttuṇhī wasahosi.
thenAtha indeedkho the Blessed Onebhagavā Saccakasaccakaṁ nigaṇṭha·sonnigaṇṭhaputtaṁ said thisetadavoca:
answer“byākarohi nowdāni, Aggivessanaaggivessana, notna nowdāni for youte silent·statetuṇhībhāvassa timekālo.
whoeverYo anyonekoci, Aggivessanaaggivessana by the Tathāgatatathāgatena as far as·thirdyāvatatiyaṁ with·dhammasahadhammikaṁ questionpañhaṁ askedpuṭṭho notna answersbyākaroti, right here·hisetthevassa seven·wayssattadhā headmuddhā burstsphalatī”ti.

“What do you think, Aggivessana? When you say, ‘Form is my self,’ do you have power over that form to say: ‘May my form be like this! May it not be like that’?” When he said this, Saccaka kept silent. The Buddha asked the question a second time, but Saccaka still kept silent. So the Buddha said to Saccaka, “Answer now, Aggivessana. Now is not the time for silence. If someone fails to answer a legitimate question when asked three times by the Buddha, their head explodes into seven pieces there and then.”

by thatTena indeedkho thenpana at the timesamayena thunderbolt·handedvajirapāṇi spirityakkho ironāyasaṁ thunderboltvajiraṁ having takenādāya burningādittaṁ blazingsampajjalitaṁ glow·becomesajotibhūtaṁ of Saccakasaccakassa Nigaṇṭha·sonnigaṇṭhaputtassa above·airuparivehāsaṁ stoodṭhito washoti:
if this“sacāyaṁ Saccakasaccako Nigaṇṭha's sonnigaṇṭhaputto by the Blessed Onebhagavatā up to the third timeyāvatatiyaṁ with·legitimatesahadhammikaṁ questionpañhaṁ askedpuṭṭho notna will answerbyākarissati right there for himetthevassa into seven piecessattadhā headmuddhaṁ I will blowphālessāmī”ti.
thatTaṁ indeedkho thenpana Vajirapāṇivajirapāṇiṁ spirityakkhaṁ the Blessed Onebhagavā andceva seespassati Saccakasaccako andca Nigaṇṭha's sonnigaṇṭhaputto.
thenAtha indeedkho Saccakasaccako Nigaṇṭha's sonnigaṇṭhaputto terrifiedbhīto shockedsaṁviggo awestrucklomahaṭṭhajāto the Blessed One himselfbhagavantaṁyeva sheltertāṇaṁ soughtgavesī the Blessed One himselfbhagavantaṁyeva asylumleṇaṁ soughtgavesī the Blessed One himselfbhagavantaṁyeva refugesaraṇaṁ soughtgavesī the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ this·saidetadavoca:
let ask“pucchatu memaṁ worthybhavaṁ Gotamagotamo, I will answerbyākarissāmī”ti.

Now at that time the spirit Vajirapāṇī, taking up a burning iron thunderbolt, blazing and glowing, stood in the air above Saccaka, thinking, “If this Saccaka doesn’t answer when asked a third time, I’ll blow his head into seven pieces there and then!” And both the Buddha and Saccaka could see Vajirapāṇī. Saccaka was terrified, shocked, and awestruck. Looking to the Buddha for shelter, asylum, and refuge, he said, “Ask me, worthy Gotama. I will answer.”

that“Taṁ what?kiṁ you thinkmaññasi, Aggivessanaaggivessana,
whenyaṁ youtvaṁ thusevaṁ you sayvadesi:
form‘rūpaṁ myme selfattā’ti, there isvattati for youte in thattasmiṁ formrūpe powervaso—
thusevaṁ myme formrūpaṁ let it behotu, thusevaṁ myme formrūpaṁ notmā may it not beahosī”ti?
no“No indeed thishidaṁ, worthybho Gotamagotama”.

“What do you think, Aggivessana? When you say, ‘Form is my self,’ do you have power over that form to say: ‘May my form be like this! May it not be like that’?” “No, worthy Gotama.”

in the mind“Manasi makekarohi, Aggivessanaaggivessana;
in the mindmanasi having madekaritvā indeedkho, Aggivessanaaggivessana, you should answerbyākarohi.
notNa indeedkho of youte it fits togethersandhiyati with the earlierpurimena orvā the laterpacchimaṁ with the laterpacchimena orvā the earlierpurimaṁ.
thatTaṁ whatkiṁ you thinkmaññasi, Aggivessanaaggivessana,
thatyaṁ youtvaṁ thusevaṁ you sayvadesi:
feeling‘vedanā myme selfattā’ti, it existsvattati of youte over thattissaṁ over feelingvedanāyaṁ powervaso—
thusevaṁ myme feelingvedanā may it behotu, thusevaṁ myme feelingvedanā may it not bemā wasahosī”ti?
no“No indeed thishidaṁ, worthybho Gotamagotama”.

“Think about it, Aggivessana! You should think before answering. What you said before and what you said after don’t match up. What do you think, Aggivessana? When you say, ‘Feeling is my self,’ do you have power over that feeling to say: ‘May my feeling be like this! May it not be like that’?” “No, worthy Gotama.”

mind“Manasi makekarohi, Aggivessanaaggivessana;
mindmanasi having madekaritvā thenkho, Aggivessanaaggivessana, you should answerbyākarohi.
notNa indeedkho yourte agreessandhiyati with the earlierpurimena orvā the laterpacchimaṁ, with the laterpacchimena orvā the earlierpurimaṁ.
thatTaṁ whatkiṁ do you thinkmaññasi, Aggivessanaaggivessana,
whichyaṁ youtvaṁ thusevaṁ you sayvadesi:
perception‘saññā myme selfattā’ti, is therevattati yourte over thistissaṁ perceptionsaññāyaṁ powervaso—
thusevaṁ myme perceptionsaññā may it behotu, thusevaṁ myme perceptionsaññā notmā not·beahosī”ti?
no“No herehidaṁ, worthybho Gotamagotama”.

“Think about it, Aggivessana! You should think before answering. What you said before and what you said after don’t match up. What do you think, Aggivessana? When you say, ‘Perception is my self,’ do you have power over that perception to say: ‘May my perception be like this! May it not be like that’?” “No, worthy Gotama.”

attention“Manasi makekarohi, Aggivessanaaggivessana;
attentionmanasi having madekaritvā indeedkho, Aggivessanaaggivessana, you should answerbyākarohi.
notNa indeedkho yourte it agreessandhiyati with the formerpurimena orvā the latterpacchimaṁ, with the latterpacchimena orvā the formerpurimaṁ.
thatTaṁ whatkiṁ you thinkmaññasi, Aggivessanaaggivessana,
that whichyaṁ youtvaṁ thusevaṁ you sayvadesi:
choices‘saṅkhārā myme selfattā’ti, it existsvattati to youte over thosetesu choicessaṅkhāresu powervaso—
thusevaṁ myme choicessaṅkhārā let them behontu, thusevaṁ myme choicessaṅkhārā let them not bemā they wereahesun”ti?
no“No thishidaṁ, worthybho Gotamagotama”.

“Think about it, Aggivessana! You should think before answering. What you said before and what you said after don’t match up. What do you think, Aggivessana? When you say, ‘Choices are my self,’ do you have power over those choices to say: ‘May my choices be like this! May they not be like that’?” “No, worthy Gotama.”

attention“Manasi make!karohi, Aggivessanaaggivessana;
attentionmanasi having madekaritvā indeedkho, Aggivessanaaggivessana, answer!byākarohi.
notNa indeedkho yourte fits togethersandhiyati with the earlierpurimena orvā the laterpacchimaṁ, with the laterpacchimena orvā the earlierpurimaṁ.
thatTaṁ what?kiṁ do you thinkmaññasi, Aggivessanaaggivessana,
that whichyaṁ youtvaṁ thusevaṁ you sayvadesi:
consciousness‘viññāṇaṁ myme selfattā’ti, is therevattati yourte in thattasmiṁ in consciousnessviññāṇe powervaso—
thusevaṁ myme consciousnessviññāṇaṁ let it be!hotu, thusevaṁ myme consciousnessviññāṇaṁ notmā let it be!ahosī”ti?
no“No certainly herehidaṁ, worthybho Gotamagotama”.

“Think about it, Aggivessana! You should think before answering. What you said before and what you said after don’t match up. What do you think, Aggivessana? When you say, ‘Consciousness is my self,’ do you have power over that consciousness to say: ‘May my consciousness be like this! May it not be like that’?” “No, worthy Gotama.”

“attention“Manasi makekarohi, Aggivessanaaggivessana;
attentionmanasi having madekaritvā indeedkho, Aggivessanaaggivessana, answerbyākarohi.
notNa indeedkho yourte agreessandhiyati with the earlierpurimena orvā the laterpacchimaṁ, with the laterpacchimena orvā the earlierpurimaṁ.
thatTaṁ whatkiṁ do you thinkmaññasi, Aggivessanaaggivessana,
formrūpaṁ permanentniccaṁ orvā not·permanentaniccaṁ or?”vā”ti?
not·permanent“Aniccaṁ, worthybho Gotama”.gotama”.
“What“Yaṁ is impermanentpanāniccaṁ sufferingdukkhaṁ orvā thattaṁ happinesssukhaṁ or?”vā”ti?
“Suffering,“Dukkhaṁ, worthybho Gotama”.gotama”.
“What“Yaṁ is impermanentpanāniccaṁ sufferingdukkhaṁ perishablevipariṇāmadhammaṁ, fitkallaṁ thennu thattaṁ to be regardedsamanupassituṁ:
this‘etaṁ minemama, I am thisesohamasmi, thiseso myme self’?”attā’”ti?
“No,“No indeedhidaṁ, worthybho Gotama”.gotama”.
“What“Taṁ whatkiṁ do you thinkmaññasi, Aggivessanaaggivessana,
feelingvedanā …pe……pe…
perceptionsaññā …pe……pe…
choicessaṅkhārā …pe……pe…
thattaṁ whatkiṁ do you thinkmaññasi, Aggivessanaaggivessana, consciousnessviññāṇaṁ permanentniccaṁ orvā not·permanentaniccaṁ or?”vā”ti?
not·permanent“Aniccaṁ, worthybho Gotama”.gotama”.
“What“Yaṁ is impermanentpanāniccaṁ sufferingdukkhaṁ orvā thattaṁ happinesssukhaṁ or?”vā”ti?
“Suffering,“Dukkhaṁ, worthybho Gotama”.gotama”.
“What“Yaṁ is impermanentpanāniccaṁ sufferingdukkhaṁ perishablevipariṇāmadhammaṁ, fitkallaṁ thennu thattaṁ to be regardedsamanupassituṁ:

“Think about it, Aggivessana! You should think before answering. What you said before and what you said after don’t match up. What do you think, Aggivessana? Is form permanent or impermanent?” “Impermanent.” “But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?” “Suffering.” “But if it’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?” “No, worthy Gotama.” “What do you think, Aggivessana? Is feeling … perception … choices … consciousness permanent or impermanent?” “Impermanent.” “But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?” “Suffering.” “But if it’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus:

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