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 in private retreatrahogatassa secludedpaṭisallīnassa thusevaṁ of mindcetaso thoughtparivitakko aroseudapādi:
these which“yānimāni convictionsdiṭṭhigatāni by the Buddhabhagavatā undeclaredabyākatāni 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 realized onetathāgato afterparaṁ deathmaraṇā’tipi, not‘na existshoti realized onetathāgato afterparaṁ deathmaraṇā’tipi, exists‘hoti andca notna andca existshoti realized onetathāgato afterparaṁ deathmaraṇā’tipi, neither‘neva existshoti notna notna existshoti realized onetathāgato afterparaṁ deathmaraṇā’tipi—
thesetāni for meme Buddhabhagavā notna explainsbyākaroti.
whichYāni for meme Buddhabhagavā notna explainsbyākaroti thattaṁ for meme notna pleasesruccati, thattaṁ for meme does not acceptnakkhamati.
I thatSohaṁ to Buddhabhagavantaṁ having approachedupasaṅkamitvā 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 realized onetathāgato 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 the spiritual lifebrahmacariyaṁ I will leadcarissāmi;
notno ifce to meme the Blessed Onebhagavā will explainbyākarissati:
'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 the Tathāgatatathāgato 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.”

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;

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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