7.
The Discourse on Moggallāna
416.
Then the wandering ascetic Vacchagotta approached the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna;
having approached, he exchanged friendly greetings with the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna.
Having concluded the pleasant and memorable talk, he sat down to one side.
Seated to one side, the wandering ascetic Vacchagotta said this to the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna -
"Now what, dear Moggallāna, is the world eternal?" "This, Vaccha, has been left undeclared by the Blessed One - 'The world is eternal.'" "But what, dear Moggallāna, is the world non-eternal?" "This too, Vaccha, has been left undeclared by the Blessed One - 'The world is non-eternal.'" "Now what, dear Moggallāna, is the world finite?" "This, Vaccha, has been left undeclared by the Blessed One - 'The world is finite.'" "But what, dear Moggallāna, is the world infinite?" "This too, Vaccha, has been left undeclared by the Blessed One - 'The world is infinite.'" "Now what, dear Moggallāna, is the soul the same as the body?" "This, Vaccha, has been left undeclared by the Blessed One - 'The soul is the same as the body.'" "But what, dear Moggallāna, is the soul one thing and the body another?" "This too, Vaccha, has been left undeclared by the Blessed One - 'The soul is one thing and the body another.'" "Now what, dear Moggallāna, does the Truth-finder exist after death?" "This, Vaccha, has been left undeclared by the Blessed One - 'The Truth-finder exists after death.'" "But what, dear Moggallāna, does the Truth-finder not exist after death?" "This too, Vaccha, has been left undeclared by the Blessed One - 'The Truth-finder does not exist after death.'" "Now what, dear Moggallāna, does the Truth-finder both exist and not exist after death?" "This, Vaccha, has been left undeclared by the Blessed One - 'The Truth-finder both exists and does not exist after death.'" "But what, dear Moggallāna, does the Truth-finder neither exist nor not exist after death?" "This too, Vaccha, has been left undeclared by the Blessed One - 'The Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death.'"
"What now, Master Moggallāna, is the cause, what is the condition, by which when heterodox wandering ascetics are thus questioned, they give such an explanation - 'The world is eternal' or 'the world is non-eternal' or 'the world is finite' or 'the world is infinite' or 'the soul is the same as the body' or 'the soul is one thing and the body another' or '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'? But what, Master Moggallāna, is the cause, what is the condition, by which when the ascetic Gotama is thus questioned, he does not give such an explanation - 'The world is eternal,' 'the world is non-eternal,' 'the world is finite,' 'the world is infinite,' 'the soul is the same as the body,' 'the soul is one thing and the body another,' 'the Truth-finder exists after death,' 'the Truth-finder does not exist after death,' 'the Truth-finder both exists and does not exist after death,' 'the Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death'?"
"Heterodox wandering ascetics, Vaccha, regard the eye thus: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'... etc... they regard the tongue thus: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'... etc... they regard the mind thus: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'. Therefore, when heterodox wandering ascetics are thus questioned, they give such an explanation - 'The world is eternal' etc. 'The Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death.' But the Truth-finder, Vaccha, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, regards the eye thus: 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self'... etc... he regards the tongue thus: 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self'... etc... he regards the mind thus: 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self'. Therefore, when the Truth-finder is thus questioned, he does not give such an explanation - 'The world is eternal'... etc... 'The Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death.'"
Then the wandering ascetic Vacchagotta, having risen from his seat, approached the Blessed One; having approached, he exchanged friendly greetings with the Blessed One. Having concluded the pleasant and memorable talk, he sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the wandering ascetic Vacchagotta said this to the Blessed One - "What now, Master Gotama, is the world eternal?" "This, Vaccha, has been left undeclared by me - 'The world is eternal'... etc... "But what, Master Gotama, does the Truth-finder neither exist nor not exist after death?" "This too, Vaccha, has been left undeclared by me - 'The Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death.'"
"What now, Master Gotama, is the cause, what is the condition, by which when heterodox wandering ascetics are thus questioned, they give such an explanation - 'The world is eternal' etc. 'The Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death'? But what, Master Gotama, is the cause, what is the condition, by which when Master Gotama is thus questioned, he does not give such an explanation - 'The world is eternal'... etc... 'The Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death'?"
"Heterodox wandering ascetics, Vaccha, regard the eye thus: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'... etc... they regard the tongue thus: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'... etc... they regard the mind thus: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'. Therefore, when heterodox wandering ascetics are thus questioned, they give such an explanation - 'The world is eternal' etc. 'The Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death' or. But the Truth-finder, Vaccha, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, regards the eye thus: 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self'... etc... he regards the tongue thus: 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self'... etc... he regards the mind thus: 'This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self'. Therefore, when the Truth-finder is thus questioned, he does not give such an explanation - 'The world is eternal,' 'the world is non-eternal,' 'the world is finite,' 'the world is infinite,' 'the soul is the same as the body,' 'the soul is one thing and the body another,' 'the Truth-finder exists after death,' 'the Truth-finder does not exist after death,' 'the Truth-finder both exists and does not exist after death,' 'the Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death.'"
"It is wonderful, Master Gotama, it is marvellous, Master Gotama! That indeed the meaning with meaning, the phrasing with phrasing of both the Teacher and the disciple will fit together, will agree, will not conflict, that is to say, regarding the highest teaching. Just now, Master Gotama, I approached the ascetic Mahāmoggallāna and asked him about this matter. The ascetic Moggallāna too explained that matter to me with these very terms, with these very phrases, just as Master Gotama. It is wonderful, Master Gotama, it is marvellous, Master Gotama! That indeed the meaning with meaning, the phrasing with phrasing of both the Teacher and the disciple will fit together, will agree, will not conflict, that is to say, regarding the highest teaching." The seventh.