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 said this:etadavoca:

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 the state of mindcetopariyāyaṁ 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, guided by the Buddhabhagavaṁnettikā with the Buddha as refugebhagavaṁpaṭisaraṇā; goodsādhu indeedvata, sirbhante, the 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 comprehension of mindcetopariyāyaṁ not knowingajānantena in twodvīsu thingsdhammesu the Realized Onetathāgato should be scrutinizedsamannesitabbo cognizable by eye and earcakkhusotaviññeyyesu thingsdhammesu:
those which‘ye corruptsaṅkiliṭṭhā cognizable by eye and earcakkhusotaviññeyyā thingsdhammā, are foundsaṁvijjanti orvā theyte in the Realized Onetathāgatassa notno or?vā’ti?
him thisTamenaṁ scrutinizingsamannesamāno thusevaṁ knowsjānāti:
those which‘ye corruptsaṅkiliṭṭhā cognizable by eye and earcakkhusotaviññeyyā 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 scrutinizingsamannesamāno thusevaṁ knows:jānāti:
'which‘ye defiledsaṅkiliṭṭhā cognizable by eye and earcakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammas,dhammā, notna thosete in the Realized Onetathāgatassa are found,quotation markersaṁvijjantī’ti, thentato himnaṁ furtheruttariṁ scrutinizes:samannesati:
'which‘ye mixedvītimissā cognizable by eye and earcakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammas,dhammā, are foundsaṁvijjanti orvā thosete in the Realized Onetathāgatassa notno or?'vā’ti?
himTamenaṁ scrutinizingsamannesamāno thusevaṁ knows:jānāti:
'which‘ye mixedvītimissā cognizable by eye and earcakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammas,dhammā, notna thosete in the Realized Onetathāgatassa 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 scrutinizingsamannesamāno thusevaṁ knows:jānāti:
‘which‘ye mixedvītimissā cognizable by eye and earcakkhusotaviññeyyā thingsdhammā, notna thosete in the Realized Onetathāgatassa are found’ti,saṁvijjantī’ti, thentato himnaṁ furtheruttariṁ scrutinizes:samannesati:
‘which‘ye cleanvodātā cognizable by eye and earcakkhusotaviññeyyā thingsdhammā, are foundsaṁvijjanti orvā thosete in the Realized Onetathāgatassa notno or’ti?vā’ti?
Him thenTamenaṁ scrutinizingsamannesamāno thusevaṁ knows:jānāti:
‘which‘ye cleanvodātā cognizable by eye and earcakkhusotaviññeyyā thingsdhammā, are foundsaṁvijjanti thosete in the Realized One’ti.tathāgatassā’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 venerable oneayamāyasmā 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 venerable oneayamāyasmā 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.
himTamenaṁ scrutinizingsamannesamāno thusevaṁ knows:jānāti:
one who has achieved renown‘ñattajjhāpanno this venerable oneayamāyasmā 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 scrutinizingsamannesamāno thusevaṁ he knowsjānāti:
has fallen into misconduct‘ñattajjhāpanno this venerableayamāyasmā monkbhikkhu attained fameyasappatto, for himnāssa here anyidhekacce dangersādīnavā are foundsaṁvijjantī’ti, thentato himnaṁ furtheruttariṁ he scrutinizessamannesati:
securely stilled‘abhayūparato this venerableayamāyasmā, not this venerablenāyamāyasmā insecurely stilledbhayūparato;
because free of greedvītarāgattā sensual pleasureskāme notna they indulge insevati because of endingkhayā of greedrāgassā’ti?
him thatTamenaṁ scrutinizingsamannesamāno thusevaṁ he knowsjānāti:
securely stilled‘abhayūparato this venerableayamāyasmā, not this venerablenāyamāyasmā insecurely stilledbhayūparato;
because free of 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.

if thatTañce, monksbhikkhave, that mendicantbhikkhuṁ otherspare thusevaṁ should askpuccheyyuṁ:
what‘ke but the venerable'spanāyasmato reasonsākārā, whatke evidenceanvayā, because of which the 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 instruct a groupgaṇamanusāsanti, whoye andca some hereidhekacce among pleasures of the fleshāmisesu are seensandissanti, whoye andca some hereidhekacce by pleasures of the fleshāmisena are unsulliedanupalittā, not this venerablenāyamāyasmā themtaṁ for thattena he looks down onavajānāti.
in the presenceSammukhā indeedkho butpana 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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