2.
The Discourse on Kaḷāra
32.
He was dwelling at Sāvatthī.
Then the monk Kaḷārakhattiyo approached the Venerable Sāriputta;
having approached, he exchanged friendly greetings with the Venerable Sāriputta.
Having concluded the pleasant and memorable talk, he sat down to one side.
Seated to one side, the monk Kaḷārakhattiyo said this to the Venerable Sāriputta -
"Moḷiyaphagguna, friend Sāriputta, the monk, having rejected the training, has returned to the lower life.
Surely that venerable one did not find solace in this Teaching and discipline.
Well then, has the Venerable Sāriputta attained solace in this Teaching and discipline?"
"I am not uncertain about it, friend." "But as to the future, friend?"
"I have no doubt about it, friend."
Then the monk Kaḷārakhattiyo, having risen from his seat, approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the monk Kaḷārakhattiyo said this to the Blessed One - "Venerable sir, the Venerable Sāriputta has declared the final liberating knowledge thus: ‘I understand: "Birth is eliminated, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming back to any state of being."
Then the Blessed One addressed a certain monk - "Come, monk, in my name address Sāriputta - 'The Teacher calls you, friend Sāriputta.'" "Yes, venerable sir," that monk replied to the Blessed One and approached the Venerable Sāriputta; having approached, he said this to the Venerable Sāriputta - "The Teacher calls you, friend Sāriputta." "Yes, friend," the Venerable Sāriputta replied to that monk and approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. The Blessed One then said this to the Venerable Sāriputta who was seated to one side: "Is it true, Sāriputta, that you have declared the final liberating knowledge thus: ‘I understand: "Birth is eliminated, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming back to any state of being'?" “Venerable sir, the matter was not expressed [by me] in these terms and phrases.” “In whatever way, Sāriputta, a son of good family declares the final liberating knowledge, what he has declared should be understood as declared.” “Venerable sir, didn’t I too speak thus: ‘Venerable sir, the matter was not expressed [by me] in these terms and phrases'?"
"If, Sāriputta, they were to ask you: 'But how have you known, friend Sāriputta, and how have you seen, that you have declared the final liberating knowledge thus: "I understand: "Birth is eliminated, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming back to any state of being"?' Thus asked, Sāriputta, how would you answer?"
"If, venerable sir, they were to ask me: 'But how have you known, friend Sāriputta, and how have you seen, that you have declared the final liberating knowledge thus: "I understand: "Birth is eliminated, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming back to any state of being"?' Thus asked, venerable sir, I would answer: 'Friend, with the elimination of the source from which birth originates, I have known: “When [the cause] is eliminated, [the effect] is eliminated.” Having known "It is eliminated", I understand: "Birth is eliminated, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming back to any state of being.' Thus asked, venerable sir, I would answer thus."
"But if, Sāriputta, they were to ask you thus - 'But friend Sāriputta, birth, what is its source, what is its origin, what gives birth to it, what is its production?' Thus asked, Sāriputta, how would you answer?" "If, venerable sir, they were to ask me thus - 'But friend Sāriputta, birth, what is its source, what is its origin, what gives birth to it, what is its production?' Thus asked, venerable sir, I would answer: 'Friend, birth has existence as its source, existence as its origin, existence gives birth to it, existence is its production.' Thus asked, venerable sir, I would answer thus."
"But if, Sāriputta, they were to ask you thus - 'But friend Sāriputta, existence, what is its source, what is its origin, what gives birth to it, what is its production?' Thus asked, Sāriputta, how would you answer?" "If, venerable sir, they were to ask me thus - 'But friend Sāriputta, existence, what is its source, what is its origin, what gives birth to it, what is its production?' Thus asked, venerable sir, I would answer thus - 'Friend, existence has clinging as its source, clinging as its origin, clinging gives birth to it, clinging is its production.' Thus asked, venerable sir, I would answer thus."
"But if, Sāriputta, they were to ask you thus - 'But friend, clinging, etc. But if, Sāriputta, they were to ask you thus - 'But friend Sāriputta, craving, what is its source, what is its origin, what gives birth to it, what is its production?' Thus asked, Sāriputta, how would you answer?" "If, venerable sir, they were to ask me thus - 'But friend Sāriputta, craving, what is its source, what is its origin, what gives birth to it, what is its production?' Thus asked, venerable sir, I would answer thus - 'Friend, craving has feeling as its source, feeling as its origin, feeling gives birth to it, feeling is its production.' Thus asked, venerable sir, I would answer thus."
"But if, Sāriputta, they were to ask you thus - 'How have you known, friend Sāriputta, and how have you seen, that delight in feelings no longer arise in you?’ Thus asked, Sāriputta, how would you answer?" "If, venerable sir, they were to ask me thus - 'How have you known, friend Sāriputta, and how have you seen, that delight in feelings no longer arise in you?' - thus asked, venerable sir, I would answer thus - 'Friend, there are these three feelings. Which three? Pleasant feeling, unpleasant feeling, neither-unpleasant-nor-pleasant feeling. These three feelings, friend, are impermanent. What is impermanent, that is suffering - this being understood, that delight in feelings no longer arise in me.' Thus asked, venerable sir, I would answer thus."
"Good, good, Sāriputta. This too, Sāriputta, is a method for the explanation of this very meaning in brief - 'Whatever is felt, that is in suffering.'"
"But if, Sāriputta, they were to ask you thus - 'Through what deliverance, friend Sāriputta, was the final liberating knowledge declared by you - "I understand: 'Birth is eliminated, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming back to any state of being'?" Thus asked, Sāriputta, how would you answer?" "If, venerable sir, they were to ask me thus - 'Through what deliverance, friend Sāriputta, was the final liberating knowledge declared by you - "I understand: 'Birth is eliminated, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming back to any state of being'?" Thus asked, venerable sir, I would answer thus - 'Through internal deliverance, friend, through the elimination of all clinging, I dwell thus mindful in such a way that for one dwelling mindful, the mental corruptions do not flow in, and I do not despise myself.' Thus asked, venerable sir, I would answer thus."
"Good, good, Sāriputta. This too, Sāriputta, is a method for the explanation of this very meaning in brief - 'Those mental corruptions spoken of by the ascetic, regarding those I am not uncertain, that they have been abandoned by me - I do not doubt.'" This is what the Blessed One said. Having said this, the Fortunate One rose from his seat and entered the dwelling.
There the Venerable Sāriputta, not long after the Blessed One had departed, addressed the monks - "Friends, unannounced to me beforehand, the Blessed One asked me the first question, and there was hesitation for me. But when, friends, the Blessed One gave thanks for the first question, this occurred to me - If the Blessed One were to ask me about this matter for a day with various terms and various methods, I would answer the Blessed One about this matter for a day with various terms and various methods. If the Blessed One were to ask me about this matter for a night with various terms and various methods, I would answer the Blessed One about this matter for a night with various terms and various methods. If the Blessed One were to ask me about this matter for a night and day with various terms and various methods, I would answer the Blessed One about this matter for a night and day with various terms and various methods. If the Blessed One were to ask me about this matter for two nights and days, etc. I would answer the Blessed One about this matter for two nights and days, etc. If the Blessed One were to ask me about this matter for three nights and days, etc. I would answer the Blessed One about this matter for three nights and days, etc. If the Blessed One were to ask me about this matter for four nights and days, etc. I would answer the Blessed One about this matter for four nights and days, etc. If the Blessed One were to ask me about this matter for five nights and days, etc. I would answer the Blessed One about this matter for five nights and days, etc. If the Blessed One were to ask me about this matter for six nights and days, etc. I would answer the Blessed One about this matter for six nights and days, etc. If the Blessed One were to ask me about this matter for seven nights and days with various terms and various methods, I would answer the Blessed One about this matter for seven nights and days with various terms and various methods."
Then the monk Kaḷārakhattiyo, having risen from his seat, approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the monk Kaḷārakhattiyo said this to the Blessed One - "Venerable sir, a lion's roar has been roared by the Venerable Sāriputta - 'Friend, the Blessed One asked me the first question unannounced, and there was hesitation on my part. But when, friends, the Blessed One gave thanks for the first question, this occurred to me - If the Blessed One were to ask me about this matter for a day with various terms and various methods of exposition, I would answer the Blessed One about this matter for a day with various terms and various methods of exposition; if for a night... etc. if the Blessed One were to ask me for a night and day... etc. if the Blessed One were to ask me for two nights and days... etc. three... four... five... six... If the Blessed One were to ask me about this matter for seven nights and days with various terms and various methods, I would answer the Blessed One about this matter for seven nights and days with various terms and various methods."
"For, monk, the element of phenomena has been thoroughly penetrated by Sāriputta, and because of the thorough penetration of that element of phenomena, if I were to ask Sāriputta about this matter for a day with various terms and various methods of exposition, Sāriputta would answer me about this matter for a day with various terms and various methods of exposition. If I were to ask Sāriputta about this matter for a night with various terms and various methods of exposition, Sāriputta would answer me about this matter for a night... etc. If I were to ask Sāriputta about this matter for a night and day, Sāriputta would answer me about this matter for a night and day... If I were to ask Sāriputta about this matter for two nights and days, Sāriputta would answer me about this matter for two nights and days... If I were to ask Sāriputta about this matter for three nights and days, Sāriputta would answer me about this matter for three nights and days... If I were to ask Sāriputta about this matter for four nights and days, Sāriputta would answer me about this matter for four nights and days... If I were to ask Sāriputta about this matter for five nights and days, Sāriputta would answer me about this matter for five nights and days... If I were to ask Sāriputta about this matter for six nights and days, Sāriputta would answer me about this matter for six nights and days... If I were to ask Sāriputta about this matter for seven nights and days with various terms and various methods of exposition, Sāriputta would answer me about this matter for seven nights and days with various terms and various methods of exposition." The second.