Cūḷamālukyasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 63

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

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thusEvaṁ by meme heardsutaṁ—
oneekaṁ timesamayaṁ the Buddhabhagavā near Sāvatthīsāvatthiyaṁ was stayingviharati in Jeta's Grovejetavane of Anāthapiṇḍikaanāthapiṇḍikassa monasteryārāme.

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

thenAtha indeedkho of venerableāyasmato of Māluṅkyaputtamālukyaputtassa private·gonerahogatassa back·retiredpaṭisallīnassa thusevaṁ of mindcetaso thoughtparivitakko aroseudapādi:
these which“yānimāni view·gonediṭṭhigatāni by the Buddhabhagavatā not·explain·madeabyākatāni set asideṭhapitāni rejectedpaṭikkhittāni:
eternal‘sassato cosmosloko’tipi, not eternal‘asassato cosmosloko’tipi, finite‘antavā cosmosloko’tipi, infinite‘anantavā cosmosloko’tipi, that‘taṁ souljīvaṁ thattaṁ bodysarīran’tipi, one‘aññaṁ souljīvaṁ anotheraññaṁ bodysarīran’tipi, exists‘hoti thus·gonetathāgato afterparaṁ deathmaraṇā’tipi, not‘na existshoti thus·gonetathāgato afterparaṁ deathmaraṇā’tipi, exists‘hoti andca notna andca existshoti thus·gonetathāgato afterparaṁ deathmaraṇā’tipi, neither‘neva existshoti notna notna existshoti thus·gonetathāgato afterparaṁ deathmaraṇā’tipi—
thesetāni for meme Buddhabhagavā notna explainsbyākaroti.
whichYāni for meme Buddhabhagavā notna explain·makebyākaroti thattaṁ for meme notna pleasesruccati, thattaṁ for meme does not acceptnakkhamati.
I thatSohaṁ to Buddhabhagavantaṁ near·approachupasaṅkamitvā this + matteretamatthaṁ will askpucchissāmi.
ifSace for meme Buddhabhagavā will explainbyākarissati:
eternal‘sassato cosmosloko’ti orvā not eternal‘asassato cosmosloko’ti orvā …pe……pe…
neither‘neva existshoti notna notna existshoti thus·gonetathāgato afterparaṁ deathmaraṇā’ti orvā—

Then as Venerable Māluṅkyaputta was in private retreat this thought came to his mind: “There are several convictions that the Buddha has left undeclared; he has set them aside and turned them down. For example: the cosmos is eternal, or not eternal, or finite, or infinite; the soul and the body are one and the same, or the soul is one thing, the body another; after death, a realized one still exists, or no longer exists, or both still exists and no longer exists, or neither still exists nor no longer exists. The Buddha does not explain these points to me. I don’t endorse that, and do not accept it. I’ll go to him and ask him about this. If he gives me a straight answer on any of these points,

thus Ievāhaṁ in the Blessed Onebhagavati holy·lifebrahmacariyaṁ I will leadcarissāmi;
notno ifce to meme the Blessed Onebhagavā explain·makebyākarissati:
'eternal‘sassato is the world'loko’ti orvā 'not eternal‘asassato is the world'loko’ti orvā …pe……pe…
'neither‘neva ishoti notna notna ishoti thus·gonetathāgato after death'paraṁ after death,'maraṇā’ti or—vā—
thus Ievāhaṁ the trainingsikkhaṁ having renouncedpaccakkhāya will return to a lesser life'hīnāyāvattissāmī”ti.

I will lead the spiritual life under him. If he does not explain these points to me, I shall resign the training and return to a lesser life.”

thenAtha indeedkho Venerableāyasmā Māluṅkyaputtamālukyaputto evening·timesāyanhasamayaṁ from seclusionpaṭisallānā emergedvuṭṭhito whereyena the Blessed Onebhagavā to him approachedtenupasaṅkami; having approachedupasaṅkamitvā the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ having bowedabhivādetvā to one sideekamantaṁ sat downnisīdi. to one sideEkamantaṁ seatednisinno indeedkho Venerableāyasmā Māluṅkyaputtamālukyaputto to the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ this saidetadavoca:
here“Idha to memayhaṁ, sirbhante, solitude·gonerahogatassa secludedpaṭisallīnassa thusevaṁ in the mindcetaso reflectionparivitakko aroseudapādi—
these viewsyānimāni viewsdiṭṭhigatāni by the Blessed Onebhagavatā not·declaredabyākatāni set asideṭhapitāni rejectedpaṭikkhittāni:
eternal‘sassato the world alsoloko’tipi, not eternal‘asassato the world alsoloko’tipi and so on…pe…
neither‘neva ishoti notna notna ishoti the Tathāgatatathāgato afterparaṁ death alsomaraṇā’tipi—
thosetāni to meme the Blessed Onebhagavā notna declaresbyākaroti.
whichYāni to meme the Blessed Onebhagavā notna declaresbyākaroti thattaṁ to meme notna pleasesruccati, thattaṁ to meme does not satisfynakkhamati.
ISohaṁ to the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ having approachedupasaṅkamitvā this·matteretamatthaṁ will askpucchissāmi.
ifSace to meme the Blessed Onebhagavā will declarebyākarissati:
eternal‘sassato the worldloko’ti orvā, not eternal‘asassato the worldloko’ti orvā and so on…pe…
neither‘neva ishoti notna notna ishoti the Tathāgatatathāgato afterparaṁ deathmaraṇā’ti orvā—
thus Ievāhaṁ in the Blessed Onebhagavati, the holy lifebrahmacariyaṁ will livecarissāmi.

Then in the late afternoon, Māluṅkyaputta came out of retreat and went to the Buddha. He bowed, sat down to one side, and told the Buddha of his thoughts. He then continued:

“If the Buddha knows that the cosmos is eternal, please tell me. If you know that the cosmos is not eternal, tell me. If you don’t know whether the cosmos is eternal or not, then it is straightforward to simply say: ‘I neither know nor see.’ If you know that the cosmos is finite, or infinite;

finite is‘antavā world + quotation markerloko’ti orvā, not·end‘anantavā world + quotation markerloko’ti orvā, not·knowajānato indeedkho thenpana not·seeapassato this + that·justetadeva uprightujukaṁ ishoti that namelyyadidaṁ:
not‘na I knowjānāmi, notna I seepassāmī’ti.
ifSace the Blessed Onebhagavā knowsjānāti:
that‘taṁ souljīvaṁ thattaṁ bodysarīran’ti, that‘taṁ souljīvaṁ thattaṁ body + quotation markersarīran’ti to meme the Blessed Onebhagavā let declarebyākarotu;
ifsace the Blessed Onebhagavā knowsjānāti:
different‘aññaṁ souljīvaṁ differentaññaṁ bodysarīran’ti, different‘aññaṁ souljīvaṁ differentaññaṁ body + quotation markersarīran’ti to meme the Blessed Onebhagavā let declarebyākarotu.
ifNo notce the Blessed Onebhagavā knowsjānāti:
that‘taṁ souljīvaṁ thattaṁ body + quotation markersarīran’ti orvā, different‘aññaṁ souljīvaṁ differentaññaṁ body + quotation markersarīran’ti orvā, not·knowajānato indeedkho thenpana not·seeapassato this + that·justetadeva uprightujukaṁ ishoti that namelyyadidaṁ:
not‘na I knowjānāmi, notna I seepassāmī’ti.
ifSace the Blessed Onebhagavā knowsjānāti:
exists‘hoti a realized onetathāgato afterparaṁ deathmaraṇā’ti, exists‘hoti a realized onetathāgato afterparaṁ death + quotation markermaraṇā’ti to meme the Blessed Onebhagavā let declarebyākarotu;
ifsace the Blessed Onebhagavā knowsjānāti:

that the soul and the body are one and the same, or is the soul one thing, the body another; that after death, a realized one still exists,

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