7.
The Discourse on the Naked Ascetic Kassapa
17.
Thus have I heard -
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrels' Feeding Ground.
Then the Blessed One, having dressed in the earlier period of the day, taking his bowl and robe, entered Rājagaha for almsfood.
The naked ascetic Kassapa saw the Blessed One coming from afar.
Having seen him, he approached the Blessed One;
having approached, he exchanged friendly greetings with the Blessed One.
Having concluded the pleasant and memorable talk, he stood to one side.
Standing to one side, the naked ascetic Kassapa said this to the Blessed One -
"We would ask Master Gotama a certain point, if Master Gotama gives us permission for the answering of a question."
"It is not the right time yet, Kassapa, for a question; we have entered an inhabited area." For the second time the naked ascetic Kassapa said this to the Blessed One: "We would ask Master Gotama a certain point, if Master Gotama gives us permission for the answering of a question." "It is not the right time yet, Kassapa, for a question; we have entered an inhabited area." For the third time the naked ascetic Kassapa... etc. we have entered an inhabited area. When this was said, the naked ascetic Kassapa said this to the Blessed One - "But we do not wish to ask Master Gotama very much." "Ask, Kassapa, whatever you wish."
"What then, Master Gotama, is suffering self-made?" "Do not say so, Kassapa," the Blessed One said. "What then, Master Gotama, is suffering made by another?" "Do not say so, Kassapa," the Blessed One said. "What then, Master Gotama, is suffering both self-made and made by another?" "Do not say so, Kassapa," the Blessed One said. "What then, Master Gotama, is suffering neither self-made nor made by another but fortuitously arisen?" "Do not say so, Kassapa," the Blessed One said. "What then, Master Gotama, is there no suffering?" "It is not, Kassapa, that there is no suffering. There is indeed, Kassapa, suffering." "Then Master Gotama does not know suffering, does not see it." "It is not, Kassapa, that I do not know suffering, that I do not see it. I do know, Kassapa, suffering; I do see, Kassapa, suffering."
"Why is it, Master Gotama, that when asked 'Is suffering self-made?' you say 'Not so, Kassapa'? Why then, Master Gotama, when asked 'Is suffering made by another?' you say 'Not so, Kassapa'? Why is it, Master Gotama, that when asked 'Is suffering both self-made and made by another?' you say 'Not so, Kassapa'? Why then, Master Gotama, when asked 'Is suffering neither self-made nor made by another but fortuitously arisen?' you say 'Not so, Kassapa'? Why is it, Master Gotama, that when asked 'Is there no suffering?' you say 'It is not, Kassapa, that there is no suffering; there is indeed, Kassapa, suffering'? When asked 'Then Master Gotama does not know, does not see suffering,' you say 'It is not that I, Kassapa, do not know, do not see suffering. I do know, Kassapa, suffering; I do see, Kassapa, suffering.' Let the Blessed One explain suffering to me, venerable sir. Let the Blessed One teach suffering to me, venerable sir."
"'The one who acts is the one who experiences,' Kassapa - saying thus 'suffering is self-made' from the very beginning, this amounts to eternalism. 'One acts, another experiences,' Kassapa - for one overwhelmed by feeling, saying thus 'suffering is made by another,' this amounts to annihilationism. Not approaching these two extremes, Kassapa, the Truth-finder expounds the Teaching by the middle - 'With ignorance as condition, activities; with activities as condition, consciousness; etc. Thus is the origin of this whole mass of suffering. But from the complete fading away and cessation of ignorance comes the cessation of activities; from the cessation of activities comes the cessation of consciousness; etc. Thus is the cessation of this whole mass of suffering.'"
When this was said, the naked ascetic Kassapa said this to the Blessed One - "Excellent, venerable sir, excellent, venerable sir! Just as, venerable sir, one might set upright what had been overturned, etc. so that those with good eyesight might see forms; so too, the Teaching has been made clear by the Blessed One in many ways. I, venerable sir, go for refuge to the Blessed One, to the Teaching, and to the Community of monks. May I, venerable sir, receive the going forth under the Blessed One, may I receive the full ordination."
"Kassapa, whoever was formerly of another sect and wishes for the going forth in this Teaching and discipline, wishes for full ordination, he undergoes probation for four months. After the elapse of four months, monks having won the favour give the going forth and give full ordination for monkhood. But here the difference among individuals is known to me."
"If, venerable sir, one who was formerly of another sect wishes for the going forth in this Teaching and discipline, wishes for full ordination, he undergoes probation for four months. After the elapse of four months, monks having won the favour give the going forth and give full ordination for monkhood. I will undergo probation for four years. After the elapse of four years, let monks having won the favour give the going forth and give full ordination for monkhood."
Then the naked ascetic Kassapa received the going forth under the Blessed One, he received the full ordination. And not long after being fully ordained, dwelling alone, withdrawn, diligent, ardent, and resolute, the Venerable Kassapa soon realised for himself, with direct knowledge, in this very life, that unsurpassed consummation of the holy life for the sake of which sons of good family rightly go forth from home into homelessness; and, having entered upon it, he dwelt in it. He directly knew: "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." And the Venerable Kassapa became one of the Worthy Ones. The seventh.