5.
The Discourse to Vappa
195.
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling among the Sakyans at Kapilavatthu in the Nigrodha Monastery.
Then Vappa the Sakyan, a disciple of the Jains, approached the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna;
having approached, he paid respect to the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna and sat down to one side.
To Vappa the Sakyan, a disciple of the Jains, seated to one side, the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna said this -
"Suppose here, Vappa, one were restrained in body, restrained in speech, restrained in mind, through the fading away of ignorance and the arising of true knowledge. Do you see, Vappa, that possibility on account of which mental corruptions experienced as unpleasant would flow in upon a person in a future life?" "I see, venerable sir, that possibility. Suppose here, venerable sir, an evil deed was done in the past with unripened result. On account of that, mental corruptions experienced as unpleasant would flow in upon a person in a future life." Now this discussion of the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna with Vappa the Sakyan, a disciple of the Jains, was not finished.
Then the Blessed One, in the evening, having emerged from seclusion, went to the assembly hall; having approached, he sat down on the prepared seat. Having sat down, the Blessed One said this to the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna -
"What discussion were you having as you sat together here, Moggallāna? And what was the conversation that was interrupted?" "Here I, venerable sir, said this to Vappa the Sakyan, a disciple of the Jains - 'Suppose here, Vappa, one were restrained in body, restrained in speech, restrained in mind, through the fading away of ignorance and the arising of true knowledge. Do you see, Vappa, that possibility on account of which mental corruptions experienced as unpleasant would flow in upon a person in a future life?' When this was said, venerable sir, Vappa the Sakyan, a disciple of the Jains, said this to me - 'I see, venerable sir, that possibility. Suppose here, venerable sir, an evil deed was done in the past with unripened result. On account of that, mental corruptions experienced as unpleasant would flow in upon a person in a future life.' This, venerable sir, was our discussion with Vappa the Sakyan, a disciple of the Jains, that was not finished; then the Blessed One arrived."
Then the Blessed One said this to Vappa the Sakyan, a disciple of the Jains - "If you, Vappa, would approve what should be approved of me, and would protest what should be protested, and if you do not understand the meaning of any statement of mine, you would ask me further about that here - 'How is this, venerable sir? What is the meaning of this?' - there could be friendly conversation between us here." "I will approve what should be approved of the Blessed One, venerable sir, and I will protest what should be protested, and if I do not understand the meaning of any statement of the Blessed One, I will ask the Blessed One himself further about that here - 'How is this, venerable sir? What is the meaning of this?' Let there be friendly conversation between us here."
"What do you think, Vappa, whatever mental corruptions, vexations, and fevers arise conditioned by bodily activity, for one who abstains from bodily activity, those mental corruptions, vexations, and fevers do not exist. He does not perform new action, and by repeatedly touching old action he puts an end to it. This is a wearing away visible here and now, immediate, inviting one to come and see, leading onward, to be individually experienced by the intelligent. Do you see, Vappa, that possibility on account of which mental corruptions experienced as unpleasant would flow in upon a person in a future life?" "No, Venerable Sir."
"What do you think, Vappa, whatever mental corruptions, vexations, and fevers arise conditioned by verbal activity, for one who abstains from verbal activity, those mental corruptions, vexations, and fevers do not exist. He does not perform new action, and by repeatedly touching old action he puts an end to it. This is a wearing away visible here and now, immediate, inviting one to come and see, leading onward, to be individually experienced by the intelligent. Do you see, Vappa, that possibility on account of which mental corruptions experienced as unpleasant would flow in upon a person in a future life?" "No, Venerable Sir."
"What do you think, Vappa, whatever mental corruptions, vexations, and fevers arise conditioned by mental activity, for one who abstains from mental activity, those mental corruptions, vexations, and fevers do not exist. He does not perform new action, and by repeatedly touching old action he puts an end to it. This is a wearing away visible here and now, immediate, inviting one to come and see, leading onward, to be individually experienced by the intelligent. Do you see, Vappa, that possibility on account of which mental corruptions experienced as unpleasant would flow in upon a person in a future life?" "No, Venerable Sir."
"What do you think, Vappa, whatever mental corruptions, vexations, and fevers arise with ignorance as condition, through the fading away of ignorance and the arising of true knowledge, those mental corruptions, vexations, and fevers do not exist. He does not perform new action, and by repeatedly touching old action he puts an end to it. This is a wearing away visible here and now, immediate, inviting one to come and see, leading onward, to be individually experienced by the intelligent. Do you see, Vappa, that possibility on account of which mental corruptions experienced as unpleasant would flow in upon a person in a future life?" "No, Venerable Sir."
"For a monk with mind thus rightly liberated, Vappa, six constant abidings are attained. Having seen a form with the eye, he is neither glad nor unhappy; he dwells equanimous, mindful and fully aware. Having heard a sound with the ear. Etc. Having smelled an odour with the nose... etc... Having tasted a flavour with the tongue... etc. Having touched a tangible object with the body... etc... Having cognised a mental object with the mind, he is neither glad nor unhappy; he dwells equanimous, mindful and fully aware. Feeling a feeling bounded by the body, he understands: 'I feel a feeling bounded by the body'; feeling a feeling bounded by life, he understands: 'I feel a feeling bounded by life'; he understands: 'Upon the body's collapse, beyond the exhaustion of life, right here all that is felt, not delighted in, will become cool.'"
"Just as, Vappa, dependent on a post a shadow appears. Then a man might come along having taken a spade and basket. He might cut that post at the root; having cut at the root he might dig around it; having dug around it he might pull out the roots, even those as small as a usīra grass stalk. He might cut that post into fragments. Having cut it into fragments he might split it. Having split it he might make it into splinters. Having made it into splinters he might dry it in wind and heat. Having dried it in wind and heat he might burn it with fire. Having burnt it with fire he might make it into ashes. Having made them into ashes, he might winnow them in a strong wind or let them be carried away by a swift-flowing river. Thus indeed, Vappa, whatever shadow was dependent on the post, that has its root cut off, made like a palm stump, brought to obliteration, subject to non-arising in the future.
"So too, Vappa, for a monk whose mind is thus rightly liberated, six constant abidings are attained. Having seen a form with the eye, he is neither glad nor unhappy; he dwells equanimous, mindful and fully aware. Having heard a sound with the ear. Etc. Having smelled an odour with the nose... etc... Having tasted a flavour with the tongue... etc. Having touched a tangible object with the body... etc... Having cognised a mental object with the mind, he is neither glad nor unhappy; he dwells equanimous, mindful and fully aware. Feeling a feeling bounded by the body, he understands: 'I feel a feeling bounded by the body'; feeling a feeling bounded by life, he understands: 'I feel a feeling bounded by life'; he understands: 'Upon the body's collapse, beyond the exhaustion of life, right here all that is felt, not delighted in, will become cool.'"
When this was said, Vappa the Sakyan, a disciple of the Jains, said this to the Blessed One - "Just as, venerable sir, a man seeking profit might rear horses for trade, he might not obtain profit, and furthermore he would become a partaker of weariness and vexation, so too, venerable sir, seeking profit, I attended on the foolish Jains. I did not obtain profit, and furthermore I became a partaker of weariness and vexation. I, venerable sir, from this day forth, whatever confidence I had in the foolish Jains, that I winnow in a strong wind or let it be carried away by a swift-flowing river. Excellent, venerable sir... etc... May the Blessed One remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge from this day forth for life." The fifth.