1.
The Discourse on Khemā
410.
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's park.
Now at that time the nun Khemā, wandering on a journey among the Kosalans, between Sāvatthī and Sāketa, had taken up residence at Toraṇavatthu.
Then King Pasenadi of Kosala, going from Sāketa to Sāvatthī, between Sāketa and Sāvatthī, went to spend one night at Toraṇavatthu.
Then King Pasenadi of Kosala addressed a certain man -
"Come, my good man, find out if there is in Toraṇavatthu such an ascetic or brahmin whom I might attend upon today."
"Yes, Sire," that man, having replied to King Pasenadi of Kosala, wandering about almost the entire Toraṇavatthu, did not see such an ascetic or brahmin whom King Pasenadi of Kosala might attend upon. That man saw the nun Khemā who had taken up residence at Toraṇavatthu. Having seen her, he approached King Pasenadi of Kosala; having approached, she said this to King Pasenadi of Kosala -
"There is not, Sire, in Toraṇavatthu such an ascetic or brahmin whom Your Majesty might attend upon. But there is, Sire, a nun named Khemā, a female disciple of that Blessed One, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One. Now such a good reputation has arisen concerning that mistress - 'Wise, learned, intelligent, very learned, of varied discourse, of good discernment.' May Your Majesty attend upon her."
Then King Pasenadi of Kosala approached the nun Khemā; having approached, he paid respect to the nun Khemā and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, King Pasenadi of Kosala said this to the nun Khemā - "Now what, mistress, does the Truth-finder exist after death?" "This, great king, has been left undeclared by the Blessed One - 'The Truth-finder exists after death.'" "But what, mistress, does the Truth-finder not exist after death?" "This too, great king, has been left undeclared by the Blessed One - 'The Truth-finder does not exist after death.'" "Now what, mistress, does the Truth-finder both exist and not exist after death?" "This, great king, has been left undeclared by the Blessed One - 'The Truth-finder both exists and does not exist after death.'" "But what, mistress, does the Truth-finder neither exist nor not exist after death?" "This too, great king, has been left undeclared by the Blessed One - 'The Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death.'"
"'What now, lady, does the Truth-finder exist after death?' - thus being asked - 'This, great king, has been left undeclared by the Blessed One - the Truth-finder exists after death' - you say. 'But what, lady, does the Truth-finder not exist after death?' - thus being asked - 'This too, great king, has been left undeclared by the Blessed One - the Truth-finder does not exist after death' - you say. 'What now, lady, does the Truth-finder both exist and not exist after death?' - thus being asked - 'This, great king, has been left undeclared by the Blessed One - the Truth-finder both exists and does not exist after death' - you say. 'But what, lady, does the Truth-finder neither exist nor not exist after death?' - thus being asked - 'This too, great king, has been left undeclared by the Blessed One - the Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death' - you say. 'What now, lady, is the cause, what is the condition, why this has been left undeclared by the Blessed One?'"
"Well then, great king, I will ask you a question about this very matter. As it pleases you, so you should answer it. What do you think, great king, do you have any accountant or calculator or reckoner who is able to count the sand in the Ganges - 'so many grains of sand' or 'so many hundreds of grains of sand' or 'so many thousands of grains of sand' or 'so many hundreds of thousands of grains of sand'?" "No indeed, lady." "But do you have any accountant or calculator or reckoner who is able to count the water in the great ocean - 'so many measures of water' or 'so many hundreds of measures of water' or 'so many thousands of measures of water' or 'so many hundreds of thousands of measures of water'?" "No indeed, lady." "What is the reason for this?" "Great, lady, is the ocean - deep, immeasurable, hard to fathom." "So too, great king, that matter by which one describing the Truth-finder might describe him - that matter has been abandoned by the Truth-finder, its root cut off, made like a palm stump, brought to obliteration, subject to non-arising in the future. Liberated through the extinction of matter, great king, the Truth-finder is deep, immeasurable, hard to fathom - just as the ocean. 'The Truth-finder exists after death' does not apply, 'the Truth-finder does not exist after death' does not apply, 'the Truth-finder both exists and does not exist after death' does not apply, 'the Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death' does not apply.
"That feeling by which one describing the Truth-finder might describe him - that feeling has been abandoned by the Truth-finder, its root cut off, made like a palm stump, brought to obliteration, subject to non-arising in the future. Liberated through the extinction of feeling, great king, the Truth-finder is deep, immeasurable, hard to fathom - just as the ocean. 'The Truth-finder exists after death' does not apply, 'the Truth-finder does not exist after death' does not apply, 'the Truth-finder both exists and does not exist after death' does not apply, 'the Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death' does not apply.
"That perception by which one might describe the Truth-finder, etc. Those activities by which one describing the Truth-finder might describe him - those activities have been abandoned by the Truth-finder, their root cut off, made like a palm stump, brought to obliteration, subject to non-arising in the future. Liberated through the extinction of activities, great king, the Truth-finder is deep, immeasurable, hard to fathom - just as the ocean. 'The Truth-finder exists after death' does not apply, 'the Truth-finder does not exist after death' does not apply, 'the Truth-finder both exists and does not exist after death' does not apply, 'the Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death' does not apply.
"That consciousness by which one describing the Truth-finder might describe him - that consciousness has been abandoned by the Truth-finder, its root cut off, made like a palm stump, brought to obliteration, subject to non-arising in the future. Liberated through the extinction of consciousness, great king, the Truth-finder is deep, immeasurable, hard to fathom - just as the ocean. 'The Truth-finder exists after death' is not befitting, 'the Truth-finder does not exist after death' is not befitting, 'the Truth-finder both exists and does not exist after death' is not befitting, 'the Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death' is not befitting." Then King Pasenadi of Kosala, having delighted in and given thanks for what the nun Khemā had said, rose from his seat, paid respect to the nun Khemā, circumambulated her keeping her on his right, and departed.
Then King Pasenadi of Kosala, at a later time, approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, King Pasenadi of Kosala said this to the Blessed One - "What indeed, venerable sir, does the Truth-finder exist after death?" "This, great king, has been left undeclared by me - 'The Truth-finder exists after death.'" "But what, venerable sir, does the Truth-finder not exist after death?" "This too, great king, has been left undeclared by me - 'The Truth-finder does not exist after death.'" "What indeed, venerable sir, does the Truth-finder both exist and not exist after death?" "This, great king, has been left undeclared by me - 'The Truth-finder both exists and does not exist after death.'" "But what, venerable sir, does the Truth-finder neither exist nor not exist after death?" "This too, great king, has been left undeclared by me - 'The Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death.'" "When asked 'What indeed, venerable sir, does the Truth-finder exist after death?' - 'This, great king, has been left undeclared by me - the Truth-finder exists after death' you say, etc. "'But what, venerable sir, does the Truth-finder neither exist nor not exist after death?' - thus asked - "'This too, great king, has been left undeclared by me - the Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death' - you say. What indeed, venerable sir, is the cause, what is the condition, by which this has been left undeclared by the Blessed One?"
"Well then, great king, I will ask you a question about this very matter. As it pleases you, so you should answer it. What do you think, great king, do you have any accountant or calculator or reckoner who is able to count the sand in the Ganges - 'so much sand,' or etc. 'so many hundreds of thousands of grains of sand'?" "No, Venerable Sir." "But do you have any accountant or calculator or reckoner who is able to count the water in the great ocean - 'so many measures of water,' or etc. 'so many hundreds of thousands of measures of water'?" "No, Venerable Sir." "What is the reason for this?" "Great, venerable sir, is the ocean, deep, immeasurable, hard to fathom. Even so, great king, that matter by which one describing the Truth-finder might describe him - that matter has been abandoned by the Truth-finder, its root cut off, made like a palm stump, brought to obliteration, subject to non-arising in the future. Liberated through the extinction of matter, great king, the Truth-finder is deep, immeasurable, hard to fathom - just as the ocean. 'The Truth-finder exists after death' is not befitting, etc. 'The Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death' is not befitting. By whatever feeling, etc. by whatever perception, etc. by whatever activities, etc."
"That consciousness by which one describing the Truth-finder might describe him - that consciousness has been abandoned by the Truth-finder, its root cut off, made like a palm stump, brought to obliteration, subject to non-arising in the future. Liberated through the extinction of consciousness, great king, the Truth-finder is deep, immeasurable, hard to fathom - just as the ocean. 'The Truth-finder exists after death' is not befitting, 'the Truth-finder does not exist after death' is not befitting, 'the Truth-finder both exists and does not exist after death' is not befitting, 'the Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death' is not befitting."
"Wonderful, venerable sir, marvellous, venerable sir! That indeed the meaning with meaning, the phrasing with phrasing of both the Teacher and the female disciple will fit together, will agree, will not conflict, that is to say, regarding the highest teaching. On one occasion, venerable sir, I approached the nun Khemā and asked her about this matter. That lady too explained this matter to me with these very terms, with these very phrases, just as the Blessed One. Wonderful, venerable sir, marvellous, venerable sir! That indeed the meaning with meaning, the phrasing with phrasing of both the Teacher and the female disciple will fit together, will agree, will not conflict, that is to say, regarding the highest teaching. Well then, venerable sir, we will now go. We have much to do, we have many duties." "Now do as you think fit, great king." Then King Pasenadi of Kosala, having delighted in and given thanks for what the Blessed One had said, rose from his seat, paid respect to the Blessed One, circumambulated him keeping him on his right, and departed. The first.