4.
The Discourse on Anurādha
86.
Thus have I heard -
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Vesālī in the Great Wood in the Pinnacled Hall.
Now at that time the Venerable Anurādha was dwelling in a forest hut not far from the Blessed One.
Then several heterodox wandering ascetics approached the Venerable Anurādha;
having approached, they exchanged friendly greetings with the Venerable Anurādha.
Having concluded the pleasant and memorable talk, they sat down to one side.
Seated to one side, those heterodox wandering ascetics said this to the Venerable Anurādha -
"That Truth-finder, friend Anurādha, the highest person, the supreme person, one who has attained the supreme attainment - when describing him, does the Truth-finder describe him in these four ways:
'The Truth-finder exists after death,' or 'the Truth-finder does not exist after death,' or 'the Truth-finder both exists and does not exist after death,' or 'the Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death'?"
When this was said, the Venerable Anurādha said this to those heterodox wandering ascetics - "That Truth-finder, friends, the highest person, the supreme person, one who has attained the supreme attainment - when describing him, the Truth-finder describes him apart from these four ways: 'The Truth-finder exists after death,' or 'the Truth-finder does not exist after death,' or 'the Truth-finder both exists and does not exist after death,' or 'the Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death.'" When this was said, the heterodox wandering ascetics said this to the Venerable Anurādha - "This monk must be new, recently gone forth, or else an elder who is foolish and inexperienced." Then the heterodox wandering ascetics, having disparaged the Venerable Anurādha with the charge of being new and the charge of being foolish, rose from their seats and departed.
Then, not long after those heterodox wandering ascetics had departed, this occurred to the Venerable Anurādha - "If those heterodox wandering ascetics were to ask me a further question, how answering would I be one who speaks what has been said by the Blessed One, and would not misrepresent the Blessed One with what is untrue, and would explain what is in conformity with the Teaching, and no reasonable counter-argument would come to a blameworthy position?"
Then the Venerable Anurādha approached the Blessed One; having approached, etc. Seated to one side, the Venerable Anurādha said this to the Blessed One - "Here I, venerable sir, was dwelling in a forest hut not far from the Blessed One. Then, venerable sir, several heterodox wandering ascetics approached me, etc. They said this to me - 'That Truth-finder, friend Anurādha, the highest person, the supreme person, one who has attained the supreme attainment - when describing him, does the Truth-finder describe him in these four ways: "The Truth-finder exists after death," or "does not exist... both exists and does not exist, neither exists nor does not exist after death"?'
When this was said, venerable sir, I said this to those heterodox wandering ascetics - "That Truth-finder, friends, the highest person, the supreme person, one who has attained the supreme attainment - when describing him, the Truth-finder describes him apart from these four ways: 'The Truth-finder exists after death,' etc. 'The Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death.'" When this was said, venerable sir, those heterodox wandering ascetics said this to me - 'This monk must be new, recently gone forth, or else an elder who is foolish and inexperienced.' Then, venerable sir, those heterodox wandering ascetics, having disparaged me with the charge of being new and the charge of being foolish, rose from their seats and departed."
"This occurred to me, venerable sir, when those heterodox wandering ascetics had recently departed - 'If those heterodox wandering ascetics were to ask me a further question, how answering would I be one who speaks what has been said by the Blessed One, and would not misrepresent the Blessed One with what is untrue, and would explain what is in conformity with the Teaching, and no reasonable counter-argument would come to a blameworthy position?'"
"What do you think, Anurādha, is materiality permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." "But what is impermanent, is that suffering or happiness?" "Suffering, venerable sir." "But what is impermanent, suffering, subject to change, is it proper to regard that: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'?" "No, Venerable Sir." "Feeling... perception... activities... consciousness permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir." Etc. Therefore here... etc. Seeing thus... etc. He understands: ... there is no more coming back to any state of being.'"
"What do you think, Anurādha, do you regard materiality as the Truth-finder?" "No, Venerable Sir." "Feeling... perception... activities... do you regard consciousness as the Truth-finder?" "No, Venerable Sir."
"What do you think, Anurādha, do you regard the Truth-finder as in materiality?" "No, Venerable Sir." "Do you regard the Truth-finder as apart from materiality?" "No, Venerable Sir." "In feeling... etc. apart from feeling... etc. in perception, apart from perception... in activities, apart from activities... in consciousness... do you regard the Truth-finder as apart from consciousness?" "No, Venerable Sir."
"What do you think, Anurādha, do you regard matter... feeling... perception... activities... do you regard consciousness as the Truth-finder?" "No, Venerable Sir."
"What do you think, Anurādha, do you regard this one who is without matter, without feeling, without perception, without activities, without consciousness as the Truth-finder?" "No, Venerable Sir."
"Here, Anurādha, when the Truth-finder is not found as true and reliable in this very life, is it proper for you to make this declaration - 'That Truth-finder, friend, the highest person, the supreme person, the one who has attained the supreme attainment, the Truth-finder declares him by declaring apart from these four states - "The Truth-finder exists after death," or... "The Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death"'?" "No, Venerable Sir."
"Good, good, Anurādha! Both formerly and now, Anurādha, I declare only suffering and the cessation of suffering." The fourth.