Mahāsaccakasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 36

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

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Tassa me evaṁ jānato evaṁ passato kāmāsavāpi cittaṁ vimuccittha, bhavāsavāpi cittaṁ vimuccittha, avijjāsavāpi cittaṁ vimuccittha.
Vimuttasmiṁ vimuttamiti ñāṇaṁ ahosi.
‘Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti abbhaññāsiṁ.

Knowing and seeing like this, my mind was freed from the defilements of sensuality, desire to be reborn, and ignorance. When it was freed, I knew it was freed. I understood: ‘Rebirth is ended; the spiritual journey has been completed; what had to be done has been done; there is nothing further for this place.’

Ayaṁ kho me, aggivessana, rattiyā pacchime yāme tatiyā vijjā adhigatā;
avijjā vihatā, vijjā uppannā; tamo vihato, āloko uppanno; yathā taṁ appamattassa ātāpino pahitattassa viharato.
Evarūpāpi kho me, aggivessana, uppannā sukhā vedanā cittaṁ na pariyādāya tiṭṭhati.

This was the third knowledge, which I achieved in the last watch of the night. Ignorance was banished and knowledge arose; darkness was banished and light arose, as happens for a meditator who is diligent, keen, and resolute. But even such pleasant feeling did not occupy my mind.

Abhijānāmi kho panāhaṁ, aggivessana, anekasatāya parisāya dhammaṁ desetā.
Apissu maṁ ekameko evaṁ maññati:
‘mamevārabbha samaṇo gotamo dhammaṁ desetī’ti.
Na kho panetaṁ, aggivessana, evaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ;
yāvadeva viññāpanatthāya tathāgato paresaṁ dhammaṁ deseti.
So kho ahaṁ, aggivessana, tassāyeva kathāya pariyosāne, tasmiṁyeva purimasmiṁ samādhinimitte ajjhattameva cittaṁ saṇṭhapemi sannisādemi ekodiṁ karomi samādahāmi, yena sudaṁ niccakappaṁ viharāmī”ti.
“Okappaniyametaṁ bhoto gotamassa yathā taṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassa.
Abhijānāti kho pana bhavaṁ gotamo divā supitā”ti?

Aggivessana, I recall teaching the Dhamma to an assembly of many hundreds, and each person thought that I was teaching the Dhamma especially for them. But it should not be seen like this. The Realized One teaches others only so that they can understand. When that talk was finished, I stilled, settled, unified, and immersed my mind in samādhi internally in the same meditation subject as a basis of immersion as before, in which I regularly meditate.” “I’d believe that of the worthy Gotama, just like a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha. But do you ever recall sleeping during the day?”

“Abhijānāmahaṁ, aggivessana, gimhānaṁ pacchime māse pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto catugguṇaṁ saṅghāṭiṁ paññapetvā dakkhiṇena passena sato sampajāno niddaṁ okkamitā”ti.
“Etaṁ kho, bho gotama, eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā sammohavihārasmiṁ vadantī”ti?
“Na kho, aggivessana, ettāvatā sammūḷho vā hoti asammūḷho vā.
Api ca, aggivessana, yathā sammūḷho ca hoti asammūḷho ca,
taṁ suṇāhi, sādhukaṁ manasi karohi, bhāsissāmī”ti.
“Evaṁ, bho”ti kho saccako nigaṇṭhaputto bhagavato paccassosi.
Bhagavā etadavoca:

“I do recall that in the last month of the summer, I have spread out my outer robe folded in four and lain down in the lion’s posture—on the right side, placing one foot on top of the other—mindful and aware.” “Some ascetics and brahmins call that a deluded abiding.” “That’s not how to define whether someone is deluded or not. But as to how to define whether someone is deluded or not, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.” “Yes, worthy sir,” replied Saccaka. The Buddha said this:

“Yassa kassaci, aggivessana, ye āsavā saṅkilesikā ponobbhavikā sadarā dukkhavipākā āyatiṁ jātijarāmaraṇiyā appahīnā, tamahaṁ ‘sammūḷho’ti vadāmi.
Āsavānañhi, aggivessana, appahānā sammūḷho hoti.
Yassa kassaci, aggivessana, ye āsavā saṅkilesikā ponobbhavikā sadarā dukkhavipākā āyatiṁ jātijarāmaraṇiyā pahīnā, tamahaṁ ‘asammūḷho’ti vadāmi.
Āsavānañhi, aggivessana, pahānā asammūḷho hoti.
Tathāgatassa kho, aggivessana, ye āsavā saṅkilesikā ponobbhavikā sadarā dukkhavipākā āyatiṁ jātijarāmaraṇiyā pahīnā ucchinnamūlā tālāvatthukatā anabhāvaṅkatā āyatiṁ anuppādadhammā.
Seyyathāpi, aggivessana, tālo matthakacchinno abhabbo puna virūḷhiyā;
evameva kho, aggivessana, tathāgatassa ye āsavā saṅkilesikā ponobbhavikā sadarā dukkhavipākā āyatiṁ jātijarāmaraṇiyā pahīnā ucchinnamūlā tālāvatthukatā anabhāvaṅkatā āyatiṁ anuppādadhammā”ti.

“Anyone who has not given up the defilements that are corrupting, leading to future lives, hurtful, resulting in suffering and future rebirth, old age, and death is deluded, I say. For it’s not giving up the defilements that makes you deluded. Anyone who has given up the defilements that are corrupting, leading to future lives, hurtful, resulting in suffering and future rebirth, old age, and death—is not deluded, I say. For it’s giving up the defilements that makes you not deluded. The Realized One has given up the defilements that are corrupting, leading to future lives, hurtful, resulting in suffering and future rebirth, old age, and death. He has cut them off at the root, made them like a palm stump, obliterated them so they are unable to arise in the future. Just as a palm tree with its crown cut off is incapable of further growth, in the same way, the Realized One has given up the defilements so they are unable to arise in the future.”

Evaṁ vutte, saccako nigaṇṭhaputto bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
“acchariyaṁ, bho gotama, abbhutaṁ, bho gotama.
Yāvañcidaṁ bhoto gotamassa evaṁ āsajja āsajja vuccamānassa, upanītehi vacanappathehi samudācariyamānassa, chavivaṇṇo ceva pariyodāyati, mukhavaṇṇo ca vippasīdati, yathā taṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassa.
Abhijānāmahaṁ, bho gotama, pūraṇaṁ kassapaṁ vādena vādaṁ samārabhitā.
Sopi mayā vādena vādaṁ samāraddho aññenaññaṁ paṭicari, bahiddhā kathaṁ apanāmesi, kopañca dosañca appaccayañca pātvākāsi.
Bhoto pana gotamassa evaṁ āsajja āsajja vuccamānassa, upanītehi vacanappathehi samudācariyamānassa, chavivaṇṇo ceva pariyodāyati, mukhavaṇṇo ca vippasīdati, yathā taṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassa.
Abhijānāmahaṁ, bho gotama, makkhaliṁ gosālaṁ …pe…
ajitaṁ kesakambalaṁ …
pakudhaṁ kaccāyanaṁ …
sañjayaṁ belaṭṭhaputtaṁ …
nigaṇṭhaṁ nāṭaputtaṁ vādena vādaṁ samārabhitā.

When he had spoken, Saccaka said to him, “It’s incredible, worthy Gotama, it’s amazing! How when the worthy Gotama is repeatedly attacked with inappropriate and intrusive criticism, the complexion of his skin brightens and the color of his face becomes clear, just like a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha! I recall taking on Pūraṇa Kassapa in debate. He dodged the issue, distracting the discussion with irrelevant points, and displaying annoyance, hate, and bitterness. But when the worthy Gotama is repeatedly attacked with inappropriate and intrusive criticism, the complexion of his skin brightens and the color of his face becomes clear, just like a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha. I recall taking on the bamboo-staffed ascetic Gosāla, Ajita of the hair blanket, Pakudha Kaccāyana, Sañjaya Belaṭṭhiputta, and the Jain ascetic of the Ñātika clan in debate.

Sopi mayā vādena vādaṁ samāraddho aññenaññaṁ paṭicari, bahiddhā kathaṁ apanāmesi, kopañca dosañca appaccayañca pātvākāsi.
Bhoto pana gotamassa evaṁ āsajja āsajja vuccamānassa, upanītehi vacanappathehi samudācariyamānassa, chavivaṇṇo ceva pariyodāyati, mukhavaṇṇo ca vippasīdati, yathā taṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassa.
Handa ca dāni mayaṁ, bho gotama, gacchāma.
Bahukiccā mayaṁ, bahukaraṇīyā”ti.
“Yassadāni tvaṁ, aggivessana, kālaṁ maññasī”ti.
Atha kho saccako nigaṇṭhaputto bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkāmīti.
Mahāsaccakasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ chaṭṭhaṁ.

They all dodged the issue, distracting the discussion with irrelevant points, and displaying annoyance, hate, and bitterness. But when the worthy Gotama is repeatedly attacked with inappropriate and intrusive criticism, the complexion of his skin brightens and the color of his face becomes clear, just like a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha. Well, now, worthy Gotama, I must go. I have many duties, and much to do.” “Please, Aggivessana, go at your convenience.” Then Saccaka, the son of Jain parents, having approved and agreed with what the Buddha said, rose from his seat and left.

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