VIII. KASSAPA-SÎHANÂDA SUTTA.
Reading tools
[THE NAKED ASCETIC.]
[161] 1. Thus have I heard. The Blessed One was once dwelling at Uguññâ, in the Kannakatthala deer-park{1}. Now Kassapa, a naked ascetic, came to where the Exalted One was, and exchanged with him the greetings and compliments of civility and courtesy, and stood respectfully aside. And, so standing, he said to the Exalted One:
2. 'I have heard it said, O Gotama, thus: "The Samana Gotama disparages all penance; verily he reviles and finds fault with every ascetic, with every one who lives a hard life." Now those, O Gotama, who said this, were they therein repeating Gotama's words, and not reporting him falsely? Are they announcing, as a minor tenet of his, a matter really following from his Dhamma (his system)? Is there nothing in this opinion of his, so put forward as wrapt up with his system, or as a corollary from it, that could meet with objection{2}? For we would fain bring no false accusation against the venerable Gotama.'
3. 'No, Kassapa. Those who said so were not
{1. Miga-dâye. That is, a place set apart for deer to roam in in safety, a public park in which no hunting was allowed.
2. It would, perhaps, be more agreeable to the context if one could render this idiomatic phrase: 'Is there anything in this opinion of theirs as to his system, or as to this corollary they have drawn from it, which amounts to being a matter he would object to?' But I do not see how this could be reconciled with the syntax of the Pâli sentence. And Buddhaghosa takes it as rendered above, summarising it in the words: 'Is your opinion herein altogether free from blame?'}
following my words, On the contrary, they were reporting me falsely. and at variance with the fact,
[162] 'Herein, O Kassapa, I am wont to be aware, with vision bright and purified, seeing beyond what men can see, how some men given to asceticism, living a hard life, are reborn, on the dissolution of the body, after death, into some unhappy, fallen state of misery and woe; while others, living just so, are reborn into some happy state, or into a heavenly world--how some men given to asceticism, but living a life less hard, are equally reborn, on the dissolution of the body, after death into some unhappy, fallen state of misery and woe; while others, living just so, are reborn in some happy state, or into a heavenly world. How then could I, O Kassapa, who am thus aware, as they really are, of the states whence men have come, and whither they will go, as they pass away from one form of existence, and take shape in another,--how could I disparage all penance; or bluntly revile and find fault with every ascetic, with every one who lives a life that is hard?
4. Now there are, O Kassapa, certain recluses and Brahmans who are clever, subtle, experiences in controversy, hair splitters, who go about, one would think, breaking itno pieces by teir wisdom the speculations of their adversaries. And as between them and me there is, as to some points, agreement, and as to some points, not. As to some of those things they approve, we also approve thereof. As to some of those things they disapprove, we also disapprove thereof. As to some of the things they approve, we disapprove thereof. As to some of the things they disapprove, we approve thereof. And some things we approve of, so do they. And some things we disapprove of, so do they [163] And some things we approve, they do not. And some things we disapprove of, they approve of.
5. 'And I went to them, and said: "As for those things, my friends, on which we do not agree, let us leave them alone. As to those things on which we
agree, let the wise put questions about them, ask for reasons as to them, talk them over, with or to their teacher, with or to their fellow disciples; saying: 'Those conditions of heart, Sirs, which are evil or accounted as evil among you, which are blameworthy or accounted as such among you, which are insufficient for the attainment of Arahatship, or accounted as such among you, depraved or accounted as such among you--who is it who conducts himself as one who has more absolutely put them away from him, the Samana Gotama, or the other venerable ones, the teachers of schools?'"
6. 'Then it may well be, O Kassapa, that the wise, so putting questions one to the other, asking for reasons, talking the matter over, should say: "The Samana Gotama conducts himself as one who has absolutely put those conditions away from him; whereas the venerable ones, the other teachers of schools, have done so only partially." Thus is it, O Kassapa, that the wise, so putting questions one to the other, asking for reasons, talking the matter over, would, for the most part, speak in praise of us therein.
7. 'And again, O Kassapa, let the wise put questions one to another, ask for reasons, talk the matter over, with or to their teacher, with or to their fellow disciples, saying: "Those conditions of heart, Sirs, which are good or accounted as such among you, which are blameless or accounted as such among you, which suffice to lead a man to ArahatShip or are accounted as sufficient among you, which are pure or accounted as such among you--who is it who conducts himself as one who has more completely taken them upon him, the Samana Gotama, or the other venerable ones, the teachers of schools?"
8. 'Then it may wen be, O Kassapa, that the wise, so putting questions one to the other, asking for reasons, talking the matter over, should say: "The Samana Gotama conducts himself as one who has completely taken these conditions upon him, whereas the venerable
ones, the other teachers of schools, have done so only partially." Thus it is, O Kassapa, that the wise, so putting questions one to the other, asking for reasons, talking the matter over, would, for the most part, speak in praise of us therein.
[164] 9-12. '[And further, also, O Kassapa, the wise would, for the most part, acknowledge that the body of my disciples were more addicted to that which is generally acknowledged to be good, refrain themselves more completely from that which is generally acknowledged to be evil, than the venerable ones, the disciples of other teachers{1}.]
[165] 13. 'Now there is, O Kassapa, a way, there is a method which if a man follow he will of himself, both see and know that: "The Samana Gotama is one who speaks in due season, speaks that which is, that which redounds to advantage, that which is the Norm (the Dhamma), that which is the law of self-restraint (the Vinaya)."
'And what, Kassapa, is that way, what that method, which if a man follow, he will, of himself, know that, and see that. Verily it is this Noble Eightfold Path, that is to say: Right Views, Right Aspirations, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Mode of Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Rapture.
'This, Kassapa, is that way, this that method, which if a man follow, he will of himself, both know and see that: "The Samana Gotama is one who speaks in due season, speaks that which is, that which redounds to profit, that which is the Norm, that which is the law of self-restraint."'
14. And when he had spoken thus, Kassapa, the naked ascetic, said to the Exalted One:
'And so also, Gotama, are the following ascetic practices accounted, in the opinion of some Samanas
{1. The four paragraphs 5, 6, 7 and 8 are here repeated in full in the text with the change only of reading 'the body of the disciples of the Samana Gotama' instead of 'the Samana Gotama,' and similarly for the other teachers.}
and Brâhmanas, as Samana-ship and Brâhmana-ship{1}.--[166].
'He goes naked:--
'He is of loose habits (performing his bodily functions, and eating food, in a standing posture, not crouching down, or sitting down, as well-bred people do):--
'He licks his hands clean (after eating, instead of washing them, as others do){2}:--
'(When on his rounds for alms, if politely requested to step nearer, or to wait a moment, in order that food may be put into his bowl), he passes stolidly on (lest he should incur the guilt of following another person's word):--
'He refuses to accept food brought (to him, before he has started on his daily round for alms):--
'He refuses to accept (food) if told that it has been prepared) especially for him:--
'He refuses to accept any invitation (to call on his rounds at any particular house, or to pass along any particular street) or to go to any particular place):--
'He will not accept (food taken direct) from the mouth of the pot or pans (in which it is cooked; lest
{1. The following description of the naked ascetic recurs in the Magghima I, 77, 238, 342; II, 161, and in the Puggala Panññatti IV,
2. It consists of a string of enigmatic phrases which are interpreted in my translation, according to Buddhaghosa here, and the unknown commentator on the Puggala. These two are very nearly word for word the same. The differences are just such as would arise when two authors are drawing upon ope uniform tradition.
It would seem from M. I, 238, if compared with I, 524, that it was the Âgîvakas (see note above on p. 71) who were more especially known for the practice of these forms of asceticism: and from M. I, 167 that it was these forms that had been followed by Gotama himself before his eyes were opened, before he attained to Nirvâna. (M. I, 167.)
2. Hatthâpalekhano. The tradition was in doubt about this word. Both commentators give an alternative rendering: 'He scratched himself clean with his hand after stooling.' And the Puggala Paññatti commentator adds a very curious piece of old folklore as his reason for this explanation.
3. Kalopi; not in Childers. It no doubt means some cooking vessel of a particular shape, but the exact signification, and the derivation of it are both unknown. It may possibly be a Kolarian on Dravidian word. Many centuries afterwards karota and karoti were included in the Vyutpatti, and the Amara Kosa, as meaning 'vessel.' It is of course out of the question that a word of the fifth century B. C. can be derived from either of them; but they are evidently the descendants of allied forms. Childers gives another form khalopî on the authority of the Abhidhâna Padîpikâ (twelfth century), verse 456, where it occurs in a list of names of pots. Another--khalopi--is put in his text by Trenckner at Milinda, p. 107, from one MS., but the other two differ. Both commentators paraphrase it here by ukkhali pakkhi vaâ.}
those vessels should be struck or scraped, on his account, with the spoon):--
'(He will) not (accept food placed) within the threshold (lest it should have been placed there specially for him):--
'(He will) not (accept food placed) among the sticks{1} (lest it should have been placed there specially for him):--
'(He will) not (accept food place) among the pestles (lest it should have been placed there specially for him):--
'When two persons are eating together he wil not accept (food, taken from what they are eating, if offered to him by only one of the two):--
'He will not accept food from a woman with child (lest the child should suffer want):--
'He will not accept food from a woman giving suck (lest the milk should grow less):--
'He will not accept food from a woman in intercourse with a man{2} (lest their intercourse be hindered):--
{1. Na Danda-m-antaram. That is, perhaps, among the firewood; but the expression is not clear. The Commentaries only give the reason. Dr. Neumann (on Magghima I, 77) has, 'he does not spy beyond the lattice' or perhaps 'beyond the bars of the grate' (spähte nicht über das Gitter), but this seems putting a great deal of meaning into the sticks, and not sufficiently reproducing the force of antaram. And how can patiganhâti mean 'spy'? We have, no doubt, to fill out an elliptical phrase. But it is just such cases as those in this paragraph where we are more likely to go right if we follow the ancient tradition.
2. Na purisantara-gatâya. The commentators only give the reason. On the meaning, of the word compare Gât. I, 290.}
'He will not accept food collected (by the faithful in time of drought){1}:--
'He will not accept food where a dog is standing by (lest the dog should lose a meal):--
'He will not accept food where flies are swarming round (lest the flies should suffer):--
'He will not accept fish, nor meat, nor strong drink, nor intoxicants, nor gruel{2}:--
'He is a "One-houser" (turning back from his round as soon as he has received an alms at any one house), a "One-mouthful-man":--
'Or he is a "Two-houser," a "Two-mouthful-man":--
'Or he is a "Seven-houser," a "Seven-mouthful-man":--
'He keeps himself going on only one alms{3}, or only two, or so on up to only seven:--
'He takes food only once a day, or once every two days, or so on up to once every seven days. Thus does he dwell addicted to the practice of taking food according to rule, at regular intervals, up to even half a month.
'And so also, Gotama, are the following ascetic practices accounted, in the opinion of some Samanas and Brâhmanas, as Samanaship and Brâhmanaship:--
{1. Na samkhittisu. Both meaning and derivation are uncertain. Dr. Neumann has 'not from the dirty.'
2. Thusodaka. It is not fermented. The traditional interpretation here is: 'a drink called Suvîrakam (after the country Suvîra) made of the constituents, especially the husk, of all cereals.' The use of salt Sovîraka as a cure for wind in the stomach is mentioned at Mahâ Vagga VI, 16. 3; and it was allowed, as a beverage, if mixed with water, to the Buddhist Bhikkhus. In Vimâna Vatthu XIX, 8 it is mentioned in a list of drinks given to them. Childers calls it 'sour gruel' following Subhûti in the first edition (1865) of the Abhidhâna Padîpikâ (verse 460), but in the Abh. Pad. Sûkî (published in 1893) Subhûti renders it 'kongey'; something of the same sort as barley water. Buddhaghosa adds: 'Everyone agrees that it is wrong to drink intoxicants. These ascetics see sin even in this.' The corresponding Sanskrit word, tusodaka, is found only in Susruta.
3. Datti. 'A small pot,' says Buddhaghosa, 'in which special titbits are put aside, and kept.'}
'He feeds on potherbs, on wild rice{1}, on Nivâra seeds, on leather parings{2}, on the water-plant called Hata, on the fine powder which adheres to the grains of rice beneath the husk, on the discarded scum of boiling rice, on the flour of oil-seeds{3}, on grasses, on cow-dung, on fruits and roots from the woods, on fruits that have fallen of themselves.
'And so also, Gotama, are the following ascetic practices accounted, in the opinion of some Samanas and Brâhmanas, as Samanaship and Brâhmanaship:--
'He wears coarse hempen cloth:--
'He wears coarse cloth of interwoven hemp and other materials:--
'He wears cloths taken from corpses and thrown away{4}:--
'He wears clothing made of rags picked up from a dust heap:--
'He wears clothing made of the bark of the Tiritaka tree{6}:--
[167] 'He wears the natural hide of a black antelope:--
'He wears a dress made of a network of strips of a black antelope's hide{6}:--
'He wears a dress made of Kusa grass fibre:--
'He wears a garment of bark:--
{1. Samaka, not in Childers. See M. I, 156. Gât. II, 365; III, 144.
2. Daddula, not in Childers. See M. I, 78, 156, 188.
3. Piññaka, not in Childers. See Vin. IV, 341. The commentators here merely say: 'This is plain.'
4. Khava-dussâni pi dhâreti. The commentators give an alternative explanation: 'Clothing made of Eraka grass tied together.' Was such clothing then used to wrap dead bodies in?
5. Tirîtâni pi dhâreti. This custom is referred to at Mahâ Vagga VIII, 29, as having been there followed by ascetics. The use of such garments is there forbidden to the Bhikkhus.
6. Aginakkhipam pi dhâreti. Buddhaghosa gives here an explanation different from that given by him on Vin. III, 34 (quoted 'Vinaya Texts,' II, 247), where the word also occurs. The Puggala Paññatti gives both explanations as possible. Khipa at A. I, 33 means some sort of net. Aginakkhipa is referred to at S. I, 117 as the characteristic dress of an old Brahman.}
'He wears a garment made of small slips or slabs of wood (shingle) pieced together{1}:--
'He wears, as a garment, a blanket of human hair{2}:--
'He wears, as a garment, a blanket made of horses' tails{3}:--
'He wears, as a garment, a blanket made of the feathers of owls:--
'He is a "plucker-out-of-hair-and-beard," addicted to the practice of plucking out both hair and beard:--
'He is a "stander-up," rejecting the use of a seat:--
'He is a "croucher-down-on-the-heels," addicted to exerting himself when crouching down on his heels{4}:--
'He is a "bed-of-thorns-man," putting iron spikes or natural thorns under the skin on which he sleeps{5}:--
'He uses a plank bed:--
'He sleeps on the bare ground{6}:--
'He sleeps always on one side:--
'He is a "dust-and-dirt-wearer," (smearing his body with oil he stands where dust clouds blow, and lets the dust adhere to his body):--
'He lives and sleeps in the open air{7}:--
'Whatsoever seat is offered to him, that he accepts
{1. Phalaka-kîram pi dhâreti. See Mahâ Vagga VIII, 28. 2; Kulla Vagga V, 29. 3.
2. So of Agita of the garment of hair, above, p. 73. Both commentators say the hair is human hair.
3. Vala-kâmbalam pi dhâreti. So the commentators here. The alternative rendering given by us at 'Vinaya Texts,' II, 247, 'skin of a wild beast,' should be corrected accordingly. That would be vâla, and all the passages where our word occurs read vâla. Comp. A. I, 240.
4. Ukkutikappadhâna. Compare Dhp. 141, 2 = Divy. 339. The commentator says he progressed in this posture by a series of hops. The posture is impossible to Europeans, who, if they crouch down on their heels, cannot keep their balance when the heels touch the ground. But natives of India will sit so for hours without fatigue.
5. Both commentators add: 'or stands, or walks up and down.'
6. Thandila-seyyam pi kappeti. The Burmese MSS. and Buddhaghosa, but not the Siamese edition, read tandila. So does my MS. at Dhp. 141. The Puggala omits the word. S. IV, 118, and Mil. 351 have the th.
7. Abbhokâsiko ka hoti. There is no comment on this. But compare Gât. IV, 8; Mil. 342.}
(without being offended at its being not dignified enough):--
'He is a "filth-eater," addicted to the practice of feeding on the four kinds of filth (cow-dung, cow's urine, ashes, and clay){1}:--
'He is a "non-drinker," addicted to the practice of never drinking cold water (lest he should injure the souls in it){2}:--
'He is an "evening-third-man," addicted to the practice of going down into water thrice a day (to wash away his sins).
15. 'If a man, O Kassapa, should go naked, and be of loose habits, and lick his hands clean with his tongue, and do and be all those other things you gave in detail, down to his being addicted to the practice of taking food, according to rule, at regular intervals up to even half a month--if he does all this, and the state of blissful attainment in conduct, in heart, in intellect, have not been practised by him, realised by him, then is he far from Samanaship, far from Brâhmanaship. But from the time, O Kassapa, when a Bhikkhu has cultivated the heart of love that knows no anger, that knows no illwill--from the time when, by the destruction of the deadly intoxications (the lusts of the flesh, the lust after future life, and the defilements of delusion and ignorance), he dwells in that emancipation of heart, that emancipation of mind, that is free from those intoxications, and that he, while yet in this visible world, has come to realise and know-from that time, O Kassapa, is it that the Bhikkhu is called a Samana, is called a Brâhmana!'
{1. Vekatiko. So of an Âgîvaka at Gât. I, 390, and compare 'Vinaya Texts,' II, 59. My rendering of the word at Mil. 259 ought, I think, to be corrected accordingly. But why was not this entered among the foods above, where one of them was already mentioned? It looks like an afterthought, or a gloss.
2. Apânako. Compare my Milinda II, 85 foll. on this curious belief.
3. That is, of course, a true recluse, an actual Arahat. Throughout these sections Gotama is purposely at cross purposes with his questioner. Kassapa uses the word Brâhmana in his own sense; that is, not in the ordinary sense, but of the ideal religieux. Gotama, in his answer, keeps the word; but he means. something quite different, he means an Arahat. On the persistent way in which the Pitaka texts try to put this new meaning into the word, see above, in the Introduction to the Kûtadanta.}
'And if a man, O Kassapa, feed on potherbs, on wild rice, on Nivâra seeds, or on any of those other things you gave in detail down to fruits that have fallen of themselves, and the state of blissful attainment in conduct, in heart, in intellect, have not been practised by him, realised by him, then is he far from Samanaship, far from Brâhmanaship. But from the time, O Kassapa, when a Bhikkhu has cultivated the heart of love that knows no anger, that knows no illwill--from the time when, by the destruction of the deadly intoxications (the lusts of the flesh, the lust after future life, and the defilements of delusion and ignorance), he dwells in that emancipation of heart, that emancipation of mind, that is free from those intoxications, and that he, while yet in this visible world, has come to realise and know--from that time, O Kassapa, is it that the Bhikkhu is called a Samana, is called a Brâhmana!
[168] 'And if a man, O Kassapa, wear coarse hempen cloth, or carry out all or any of those other practices you gave in detail down to bathing in water three times a day, and the state of blissful attainment in conduct, in heart, in intellect, have not been practised by him, realised by him, then is he far from Samanaship, far from Brâhmanaship. But from the time, O Kassapa, when a Bhikkhu has cultivated the heart of love that knows no anger, that knows no illwill--from the time when, by the destruction of the deadly intoxications (the lusts of the flesh, the lust after future life, and the defilements of delusion and ignorance), he dwells in that emancipation of heart, that emancipation of mind, that is free from those intoxications, and that he, while yet in this visible world, has come to realise and know--from that time, O Kassapa, is it that the Bhikkhu is called a Samana, is called a Brâhmana!'
[169] 16. And when he had thus spoken, Kassapa, the naked ascetic, said to the Blessed One: 'How hard then, Gotama, must Samanaship be to gain, how hard must Brâhmanaship be!'
'That, Kassapa, is a common saying in the world that the life of a Samana and of a Brâhmana is hard to lead. But if the hardness, the very great hardness, of that life depended merely on this ascetism, on the carrying out of any or all of those practices you have detailed, then it would not be fitting to say that the life of the Samana, of the Brâhmana, was hard to lead. It would be quite possible for a householder, or for the son of a householder, or for any one, down to the slave girl who carries the water-jar, to say: "Let me now go naked, let me become of low habits," and so on through all the items of those three lists of yours. But since, Kassapa, quite apart from these matters, quite apart from all kinds of penance, the life is hard, very hard to lead; therefore is it that it is fitting to say: "How hard must Samanaship be to gain, how hard must Brâhmanaship be!" For from the time, O Kassapa, when a Bhikkhu has cultivated the heart of love that knows no anger, that knows no illwill--from the time when, by the destruction of the deadly intoxications (the lusts of the flesh, the lust after future life, and the defilements of delusion and ignorance), he dwells in that emancipation of heart, in that emancipation of mind, that is free from those intoxications, and that he, while yet in this visible world, has come to realise and know--from that time, O Kassapa, is it that the Bhikkhu is called a Samana, is called a Brâhmana{1}!'
[170] 17. And when he had thus spoken, Kassapa, the naked ascetic, said to the Blessed One: 'Hard is it, Gotama, to know when a man is a Samana, hard to know when a man is a Brâhmana!'
'That, Kassapa, is a common saying in the world
{1. This paragraph, like the last and like the next, is, in the Pâli, broken up into three sections, one for each of the three lists or penances.}
that it is hard to know a Samana, hard to know a Brâhmana. But if being a Samana, if being a Brâhmana, depended merely on this asceticism, on the carrying out of any or each of those practices you have detailed, then it would not be fitting to say that a Samana is hard to recognise, a Brâhmana is hard to recognise. It would be quite possible for a householder, or for the son of a householder, or for any one down to the slave girl who carries the water-jar, to know: "This man goes naked, or is of loose habits, or licks his fingers with his tongue," and so on through all the items of those three lists of yours. But since, Kassapa, quite apart from these matters, quite apart from all kinds of penance, it is hard to recognise a Samana, hard to recognise a Brâhmana, therefore is it fitting to say: "Hard is it to know when a man is a Samana, to know when a man is a Brâhmana!" For from the time, O Kassapa, when a Bhikkhu has cultivated the heart of love that knows no anger, that knows no illwill--from the time when, by the destruction of the deadly intoxications (the lusts of the flesh, the lust after future life, and the defilements of delusion and ignorance), he dwells in that emancipation of heart, in that emancipation of mind, that is free from those intoxications, and that he, while yet in this visible world, has come to realise and know--from that time, O Kassapa, is it that the Bhikkhu is called a Samana, is called a Brâhmana!'
[171] 18. And when he had thus spoken, Kassapa, the naked ascetic, said to the Blessed One: 'What then, Gotama, is that blissful attainment in conduct, in heart, and in mind?'
[The answer [171-173] is all the paragraphs in the Sâmanna-phala translated above, and here divided as follows:--
Under Conduct (Sila).
1. The paragraphs on the appearance of a Buddha, the conversion of a layman, his entry into the Order (§§ 40-42 above, pp. 78-79).
2. The Sîlas, as in the Brahma-gâla, §§ 8-27. See above, pp. 57, 58.
3. The paragraph on Confidence (§ 63 above, p. 79).
Under the heart (Kitta).
4. The paragraph on 'Guarded is the door of his senses' (§ 64 above, pp. 79, 80).
5. The paragraph on 'Mindful and Self-possessed' (§ 65 above, pp. 80, 81).
6. The paragraph on Simplicity of Life, being content with little (§ 66 above, p. 81).
7. The paragraphs on Emancipation from the Five Hindrances--covetousness, ill-temper, laziness, worry, and perplexity (§§ 67-74 above, pp. 82-84).
8. The paragraph on the Joy and Peace, that, as a result of this emancipation, fills his whole being (§ 75 above, p. 84).
9. The paragraphs on the Four Ecstasies (Ghânas,--§§ 75-82 above, pp. 84-86).
Under Intelligence (Paññâ).
10. The paragraphs on the Insight arising from Knowledge (Ñâna-dassana,--§§ 83, 84 above, pp. 86, 87.)
11. The paragraphs on the power of projecting mental images (§§ 85, 86 above, p. 87).
12. The paragraphs on the five modes of special intuition (abhiññâ):--
| a. | The practice of Iddhi. |
| b. | Hearing heavenly sounds. |
| c. | Knowledge of other people's thoughts. |
| d. | Knowledge of one's own previous births. |
| e. | Knowledge of other people's previous births. |
13. The realisation of the Four Noble Truths, the destruction of the Intoxications, and the attainment of Arahatship.]
'And there is no other state of blissful attainment
in conduct and heart and mind which is, Kassapa, higher and sweeter than this{1}.
[174] 21. 'Now there are some recluses and Brahmans, Kassapa, who lay emphasis on conduct. They speak, in various ways, in praise of morality. But so far as regards the really noble, the highest conduct, I am aware of no one who is equal to myself, much less superior. And it is I who have gone the furthest therein; that is, in the highest conduct (of the Path).
'There are some recluses and Brahmans, Kassapa, who lay emphasis on self-mortification, and scrupulous care of others. They speak in various ways in praise of self-torture and of austere scrupulousness. But so far as regards the really noblest, the highest sort of self-mortification and scrupulous regard for others, I am aware of no one else who is equal to myself, much less superior. And it is I who have gone the furthest therein; that is, in the highest sort of scrupulous regard for others{2}.
'There are some recluses and Brahmans, Kassapa, who lay emphasis on intelligence. They speak, in various ways, in praise of intelligence. But so far as regards the really noblest, the highest intelligence, I am aware of no one else who is equal to myself, much less superior. And it is I who have gone the furthest therein; that is, in the highest Wisdom{3} (of the Path).
{1. 'And by this,' says Buddhaghosa, 'he means Arahatship. For the doctrine of the Exalted One has Arahatship as its end.'
2. At Anguttara II, 200 (compare M. I, 240-242) it is said that those addicted to tapo-gigukkhâ are incapable of Arahatship. Gotama must either, therefore, be here referring to his years of penance before he attained Nirvâna under the Tree of Wisdom; or he must be putting a new meaning into the expression, and taking 'the higher scrupulousness' in the sense of the self-control of the Path. Probably both are implied.
Gigukkhâ. is translated by Childers as 'disgust, loathing,' following the Sanskrit dictionaries. The example of it given at M. I, 78 is 'being so mindful, in going out or coming in, that pity is stirred up in one even towards a drop of water, to the effect that: "may I not bring injury on the minute creatures therein."' It comes therefore to very nearly the same thing as ahimsâ.
3. Adhipaññâ. From Anguttara II, 93 it is clear that this is the wisdom of the higher stages only of the Path, not of Arahatship. For the man who has adhipaññâ has then to strive on till he attains to Arahatship. Puggala paññatti IV, 26 is not really inconsistent with this.}
'There are some recluses and Brahmans, Kassapa, who lay emphasis on emancipation. They speak, in various ways, in praise of emancipation. But so far as regards the really noblest, the highest emancipation, I am aware of no one else who is equal to myself, much less superior. And it is I who have gone the furthest therein; that is, in the most complete emancipation (of the Path).
[175] 22. 'Now it may well be, Kassapa, that the recluses of adverse schools may say: "The Samana Gotama utters forth a lion's roar; but it is in solitude that he roars, not where men are assembled." Then should they be answered: "Say not so. The Samana Gotama utters his lion's roar, and that too in the assemblies where men congregate."
'And it may well be, Kassapa, that the recluses of adverse schools should thus, in succession, raise each of the following objections:--
"But it is not in full confidence that he roars:--
"But men put no questions to him:--
"But even when questioned, he cannot answer:--
"But even when he answers, he gives no satisfaction by his exposition of the problem put:--
"But men do not hold his opinion worthy to be listened to:--
"But even when men listen to his word, they experience no conviction therefrom:--
"But even when convinced, men give no outward sign of their faith:--
"But even when they give such outward sign, they arrive not at the truth:--
"But even when they arrive at the truth they cannot carry it out:"--
'Then in each such case, Kassapa, they should be answered as before, until the answer runs:--"Say not so. For the Samana Gotama both utters forth his
lion's roar, and that too in assemblies where men congregate, and in full confidence in the justice of his claim, and men put their questions to him on that, and on being questioned he expounds the problem put, and by his exposition thereof satisfaction arises in their hearts, and they hold it worthy to listen to his word, and in listening to it they experience conviction, and being convinced they give outward signs thereof, and they penetrate even to the truth, and having grasped it they are able also to carry the truth out!
23. 'I was staying once, Kassapa, at Râgagaha, on the hill called the Vulture's Peak. And there a follower of the same mode of life as yours, by name [176] Nigrodha, asked me a question about the higher forms of austere scrupulousness of life. And having been thus questioned I expounded the problem put. And when I had thus answered what he asked, he was well pleased, as if with a great joy{1}:
'And who, Sir, on hearing the doctrine of the Exalted One, would not be well pleased, as if with a great joy. I also, who have now heard the doctrine of the Exalted One, am thus well pleased, even as if with a great joy. Most excellent, Lord, are the words of thy mouth, most excellent, just as if a man were to set up what has been thrown down, or were to reveal that which has been hidden away, or were to point out the right road to him who has gone astray, or were to bring a lamp into the darkness, so that those who have eyes could see external forms--just even so, Lord, has the truth been made known to me, in many a figure, by the Exalted One. And I, even I, betake myself as my guide to the Exalted One, and to the Doctrine, and to the Brotherhood. I would fain, Lord, renounce the world under the Exalted One; I would fain be admitted to his Order.'
24. 'Whosoever, Kassapa, having formerly been a member of another school, wishes to renounce the world and receive initiation in this doctrine and
{1. The whole conversation will be translated below. It forms the subject of the Udumbarika Sîhanâda Suttanta, No. 25 in the Dîgha.}
discipline, he temains in probation for four months{1}. And at the end of the four months the brethren, exalted in spirit, give him initiation, and receive him into the Order, raising him up into the state of a Bhikkhu. But nevertheless I recognise, in such cases, the distinction there may be between individuals.'
'Since, Lord, the four months' probation is the regular custom, I too, then, will remain on probation for that time. Then let the brethren, exalted in spirit, give me initiation and raise me up into the state of a Bhikkhu.' [177]
So Kassapa, the naked ascetic, received initiation, and was admitted to membership of the Order under the Exalted One. And from immediately after his initiation the venerable Kassapa remained alone and separate, earnest, zealous, and master of himself. And e'er long he attained to that supreme goal{2} for the sake of which clansmen go forth from the household life into the homeless state: yea, that supreme goal did he, by himself, and while yet in this visible world, bring himself to the knowledge of, and continue to realise, and to see face to face. And he became sure that rebirth was at an end for him, that the higher life had been fulfilled, that everything that should be done had been accomplished, and that after this present life there would be no beyond!
And so the venerable Kassapa became yet another among the Arahats.
Here ends the Kassapa-Sihanada Suttanta{3}.
{1. According to the rule laid down in Vinaya I, 69.
2. That is, Arahatship, Nirvâna.
3. The Burmese MSS. call it the Mahâ Sihanâda Sutta, which is also the name given in the MSS. to the Twelfth Sutta in the Magghima-called there in the text (p. 83), and in the Milinda (p. 396), the Lomahamsana Pariyâya. We have had an instance above (p. 55) or several different names being given, in the text itself, to the same Sutta. And I had already, in 1880, called attention in my 'Buddhist Birth Stories' (pp. lx, lxi) to the numerous instances in the Gâtaka Book of the same Gâtaka being known, in the collection itself, by different names. It is evident that the titles were considered a very secondary matter.}
Ask PRATIBHA about this text
Answers quote this scripture directly and show their sources.
Reflect on this passage
Only you can see these notes. They stay on this device.