Vīmaṁsakasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 47

The Inquirer · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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thusEvaṁ by meme heardsutaṁ—
oneekaṁ timesamayaṁ the Blessed Onebhagavā at Sāvatthīsāvatthiyaṁ was stayingviharati in Jeta's Grovejetavane of Anāthapiṇḍikaanāthapiṇḍikassa in the monastery.ārāme.
thereTatra indeedkho the Blessed Onebhagavā mendicantsbhikkhū addressedāmantesi:
“Mendicants!”“bhikkhavo”ti.
“Venerable sir,”“Bhadante”ti theyte mendicantsbhikkhū to the Blessed Onebhagavato replied.paccassosuṁ.
the Blessed OneBhagavā this·saidetadavoca:

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants, “Mendicants!” “Venerable sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:

by an inquirer“vīmaṁsakena, mendicantsbhikkhave, by a mendicantbhikkhunā of anotherparassa mind·coursecetopariyāyaṁ not·knowingajānantena in the Realized Onetathāgate scrutinysamannesanā should be madekātabbā a fully awakened Buddha‘sammāsambuddho orvā notno orvā’ thusiti in order to understandviññāṇāyā”ti.

“Mendicants, a mendicant who is an inquirer, unable to encompass another’s mind, should scrutinize the Realized One to understand whether he is a fully awakened Buddha or not.”

rooted in the Buddha“Bhagavaṁmūlakā ourno, sirbhante, teachingsdhammā, Buddha·guidedbhagavaṁnettikā with the Buddha as refugebhagavaṁpaṭisaraṇā; goodsādhu indeedvata, sirbhante, Buddha·himselfbhagavantaṁyeva may it appearpaṭibhātu of thisetassa spokenbhāsitassa meaningattho; of the Buddhabhagavato having heardsutvā mendicantsbhikkhū will rememberdhāressantī”ti.
well then“Tena thenhi, mendicantsbhikkhave, listensuṇātha, wellsādhukaṁ in the mindmanasi applykarotha, I will speakbhāsissāmī”ti.
yes“Evaṁ, sirbhante”ti indeedkho thosete mendicantsbhikkhū to the Buddhabhagavato repliedpaccassosuṁ.
the BuddhaBhagavā said thisetadavoca:

“Our teachings are rooted in the Buddha. He is our guide and our refuge. Sir, may the Buddha himself please clarify the meaning of this. The mendicants will listen and remember it.” “Well then, mendicants, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.” “Yes, sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:

by an inquirer“Vīmaṁsakena, mendicantsbhikkhave, by a mendicantbhikkhunā another'sparassa mind·comprehensioncetopariyāyaṁ not·knowingajānantena in twodvīsu thingsdhammesu the Realized Onetathāgato thoroughly·scrutinizedsamannesitabbo eye·ear·cognizablecakkhusotaviññeyyesu thingsdhammesu:
those which‘ye corruptsaṅkiliṭṭhā eye·ear·cognizablecakkhusotaviññeyyā thingsdhammā, together·are foundsaṁvijjanti orvā theyte in the Realized Onetathāgatassa notno or?vā’ti?
him + thisTamenaṁ thoroughly·scrutinizingsamannesamāno thusevaṁ knowsjānāti:
those which‘ye corruptsaṅkiliṭṭhā eye·ear·cognizablecakkhusotaviññeyyā thingsdhammā, notna theyte in the Realized Onetathāgatassa are foundsaṁvijjantī’ti.

“Mendicants, a mendicant who is an inquirer, unable to encompass another’s mind, should scrutinize the Realized One for two things—things that can be seen and heard: ‘Can anything corrupt be seen or heard in the Realized One or not?’ Scrutinizing him they find that nothing corrupt can be seen or heard in the Realized One.

whenYato himnaṁ together·seeksamannesamāno thusevaṁ knows:jānāti:
'which‘ye defiledsaṅkiliṭṭhā eye·ear·cognizablecakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammas,dhammā, notna thosete thus·gonetathāgatassa are found,quotation markersaṁvijjantī’ti, thentato himnaṁ furtheruttariṁ together·seeksamannesati:
'which‘ye mixed·mixedvītimissā eye·ear·cognizablecakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammas,dhammā, together·foundsaṁvijjanti orvā thosete thus·gonetathāgatassa notno or?'vā’ti?
himTamenaṁ together·seeksamannesamāno thusevaṁ knows:jānāti:
'which‘ye mixed·mixedvītimissā eye·ear·cognizablecakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammas,dhammā, notna thosete thus·gonetathāgatassa are found,quotation markersaṁvijjantī’ti.

They scrutinize further: ‘Can anything mixed be seen or heard in the Realized One or not?’ Scrutinizing him they find that nothing mixed can be seen or heard in the Realized One.

whenYato himnaṁ together·along·searchsamannesamāno thusevaṁ knows:jānāti:
‘which‘ye mixed·mingledvītimissā eye·ear·cognizablecakkhusotaviññeyyā thingsdhammā, notna thosete thus·gonetathāgatassa with·are foundsaṁvijjantī’ti, thentato himnaṁ furtheruttariṁ together·along·searchsamannesati:
‘which‘ye cleanvodātā eye·ear·cognizablecakkhusotaviññeyyā thingsdhammā, with·are foundsaṁvijjanti orvā thosete thus·gonetathāgatassa notno or’ti?vā’ti?
him·thenTamenaṁ together·along·searchsamannesamāno thusevaṁ knows:jānāti:
‘which‘ye cleanvodātā eye·ear·cognizablecakkhusotaviññeyyā thingsdhammā, with·are foundsaṁvijjanti thosete thus·gonetathāgatassā’ti.

They scrutinize further: ‘Can anything clean be seen or heard in the Realized One or not?’ Scrutinizing him they find that clean things can be seen and heard in the Realized One.

whenYato himnaṁ scrutinizingsamannesamāno thusevaṁ knows:jānāti:
which‘ye brightvodātā cognizable by eye and earcakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammas,dhammā, are presentsaṁvijjanti thosete in the Tathāgata'tathāgatassā’ti, thentato himnaṁ furtheruttariṁ scrutinizes:samannesati:
for a long time‘dīgharattaṁ attainedsamāpanno this venerableayamāyasmā thisimaṁ skillfulkusalaṁ state,dhammaṁ, orudāhu just recently'?ittarasamāpanno’ti?
himTamenaṁ scrutinizingsamannesamāno thusevaṁ knows:jānāti:
for a long time‘dīgharattaṁ attainedsamāpanno this venerableayamāyasmā thisimaṁ skillfulkusalaṁ state,dhammaṁ, not this venerablenāyamāyasmā just recently'.ittarasamāpanno’ti.

They scrutinize further: ‘Did the venerable attain this skillful state a long time ago, or just recently?’ Scrutinizing him they find that the venerable attained this skillful state a long time ago, not just recently.

whenYato himnaṁ scrutinizingsamannesamāno thusevaṁ knows:jānāti:
for a long time‘dīgharattaṁ entered uponsamāpanno this + venerableayamāyasmā thisimaṁ wholesomekusalaṁ dhamma,dhammaṁ, this venerable one is notnāyamāyasmā one who entered upon brieflyittarasamāpanno’ti, thentato himnaṁ furtheruttariṁ scrutinizes:samannesati:
one who has achieved renown‘ñattajjhāpanno this + venerableayamāyasmā mendicantbhikkhu who has achieved fameyasappatto, for one in whom they are foundsaṁvijjantassa certainidhekacce dangersādīnavā’ti?
notNa so long,tāva, mendicants,bhikkhave, for a mendicantbhikkhuno certainidhekacce dangersādīnavā are foundsaṁvijjanti as long asyāva notna one who has achieved renownñattajjhāpanno ishoti who has achieved fame.yasappatto.
whenYato andca indeed,kho, mendicants,bhikkhave, a mendicantbhikkhu one who has achieved renownñattajjhāpanno ishoti who has achieved fame,yasappatto, then + for himathassa certainidhekacce dangersādīnavā are found.saṁvijjanti.
him + himTamenaṁ scrutinizingsamannesamāno thusevaṁ knows:jānāti:
one who has achieved renown‘ñattajjhāpanno this + venerableayamāyasmā mendicantbhikkhu who has achieved fame,yasappatto, for him are notnāssa certainidhekacce dangersādīnavā are found.saṁvijjantī’ti.

They scrutinize further: ‘Are certain dangers found in that venerable mendicant who has achieved fame and renown?’ For, mendicants, so long as a mendicant has not achieved fame and renown, certain dangers are not found in them. But when they achieve fame and renown, those dangers appear. Scrutinizing him they find that those dangers are not found in that venerable mendicant who has achieved fame and renown.

whenYato himnaṁ together·along·seeksamannesamāno thusevaṁ he knowsjānāti:
has fallen into misconduct‘ñattajjhāpanno this·venerableayamāyasmā monkbhikkhu fame·attainedyasappatto, him·to himnāssa here·someidhekacce dangersādīnavā are foundsaṁvijjantī’ti, thentato himnaṁ furtheruttariṁ together·seeksamannesati:
securely stilled‘abhayūparato this·venerableayamāyasmā, not·this·venerablenāyamāyasmā fear·stilledbhayūparato;
free·greedvītarāgattā sensual pleasureskāme notna they indulge insevati because of endingkhayā of greedrāgassā’ti?
him + thisTamenaṁ together·along·seeksamannesamāno thusevaṁ he knowsjānāti:
securely stilled‘abhayūparato this·venerableayamāyasmā, not·this·venerablenāyamāyasmā fear·stilledbhayūparato;
free·greedvītarāgattā sensual pleasureskāme notna they indulge insevati because of endingkhayā of greedrāgassā’ti.

They scrutinize further: ‘Is this venerable securely stilled or insecurely stilled? Is the reason they don’t indulge in sensual pleasures that they’re free of greed because greed has ended?’ Scrutinizing him they find that that venerable is securely stilled, not insecurely stilled. The reason they don’t indulge in sensual pleasures is that they’re free of greed because greed has ended.

that + ifTañce, monksbhikkhave, that mendicantbhikkhuṁ otherspare thusevaṁ should askpuccheyyuṁ:
what‘ke but·venerablepanāyasmato reasonsākārā, whatke evidenceanvayā, because of which + venerableyenāyasmā thusevaṁ you sayvadesi—
securely stilledabhayūparato this + venerableayamāyasmā, not this venerablenāyamāyasmā insecurely stilledbhayūparato;
because of being free of greedvītarāgattā sensual pleasureskāme notna he indulges insevati because of the endingkhayā of greedrāgassā’ti.
rightlySammā answeringbyākaramāno, monksbhikkhave, a mendicantbhikkhu thusevaṁ should answerbyākareyya:
because‘tathā indeedhi butpana this + venerableayamāyasmā in a communitysaṅghe orvā stayingviharanto aloneeko orvā stayingviharanto, whoye andca theretattha are in a good statesugatā whoye andca theretattha are in a sorry stateduggatā, whoye andca theretattha group + instructgaṇamanusāsanti, whoye andca here + someidhekacce among pleasures of the fleshāmisesu are seensandissanti, whoye andca here + someidhekacce by pleasures of the fleshāmisena un-·sulliedanupalittā, not + this + venerablenāyamāyasmā themtaṁ for thattena down·knowavajānāti.
in the presenceSammukhā indeedkho butpana this + thismetaṁ of the Blessed Onebhagavato heardsutaṁ in the presencesammukhā learnedpaṭiggahitaṁ—
I am securely stilledabhayūparatohamasmi, not + I + amnāhamasmi insecurely stilledbhayūparato, because of being free of greedvītarāgattā sensual pleasureskāme notna I indulge insevāmi because of the endingkhayā of greedrāgassā’ti.

If others should ask that mendicant, ‘But what reason and evidence does the venerable have for saying this?’ Answering rightly, the mendicant should say, ‘Because, whether that venerable is staying in a community or alone, some people there are in a good state or a sorry state, some instruct a group, and some are seen among pleasures of the flesh while others remain unsullied. Yet that venerable doesn’t look down on them for that. Also, I have heard and learned this in the presence of the Buddha: “I am securely stilled, not insecurely stilled. The reason I don’t indulge in sensual pleasures is that I’m free of greed because greed has ended.”’

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