12.

Connected Discourses with Vacchagotta

1.

The Discourse on Not Knowing Matter

607. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's park. Then the wandering ascetic Vacchagotta 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, Master Gotama, is the cause, what is the condition, by which these various wrong views arise in the world - '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'?" "Through not knowing matter, Vaccha, through not knowing the origin of matter, through not knowing the cessation of matter, through not knowing the practice leading to the cessation of matter; thus these various wrong views arise in the world - 'The world is eternal' etc. 'The Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death.' This, Vaccha, is the cause, this is the condition, by which these various wrong views arise in the world - 'The world is eternal' or 'the world is non-eternal' etc. 'The Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death.'" The first.

2.

The Discourse on Not Knowing Feeling

608. At Sāvatthī. Seated to one side, the wandering ascetic Vacchagotta said this to the Blessed One - "What, Master Gotama, is the cause, what is the condition, by which these various wrong views arise in the world - 'The world is eternal' or 'the world is non-eternal' etc. 'The Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death'?" "Through not knowing feeling, Vaccha, through not knowing the origin of feeling, through not knowing the cessation of feeling, through not knowing the practice leading to the cessation of feeling; thus these various wrong views arise in the world - 'The world is eternal' or 'the world is non-eternal' etc. 'The Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death.' This, Vaccha, is the cause, this is the condition, by which these various wrong views arise in the world - 'The world is eternal' or 'the world is non-eternal' etc. 'The Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death.'" The second.

3.

The Discourse on Not Knowing Perception

609. At Sāvatthī. Seated to one side, the wandering ascetic Vacchagotta said this to the Blessed One - "What, Master Gotama, is the cause, what is the condition, by which these various wrong views arise in the world - 'The world is eternal' or 'the world is non-eternal' etc. 'The Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death'?" "Through not knowing perception, Vaccha, through not knowing the origin of perception, through not knowing the cessation of perception, through not knowing the practice leading to the cessation of perception; thus these various wrong views arise in the world - 'The world is eternal' or 'the world is non-eternal' etc. 'The Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death.' This, Vaccha, is the cause, this is the condition, by which these various wrong views arise in the world - 'The world is eternal' or 'the world is non-eternal' etc. 'The Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death.'" The third.

4.

The Discourse on Not Knowing Activities

610. At Sāvatthī. Seated to one side, the wandering ascetic Vacchagotta said this to the Blessed One - "What, Master Gotama, is the cause, what is the condition, by which these various wrong views arise in the world - 'The world is eternal' or 'the world is non-eternal' etc. 'The Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death'?" "Through not knowing activities, Vaccha, through not knowing the origin of activities, through not knowing the cessation of activities, through not knowing the practice leading to the cessation of activities; thus these various wrong views arise in the world - 'The world is eternal' or 'the world is non-eternal' etc. 'The Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death.' This, Vaccha, is the cause, this is the condition, by which these various wrong views arise in the world - 'The world is eternal' or 'the world is non-eternal' etc. 'The Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death.'" The fourth.

5.

The Discourse on Not Knowing Consciousness

611. At Sāvatthī. Seated to one side, the wandering ascetic Vacchagotta said this to the Blessed One - "What, Master Gotama, is the cause, what is the condition, by which these various wrong views arise in the world - 'The world is eternal' or 'the world is non-eternal' etc. 'The Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death'?" "Through not knowing consciousness, Vaccha, through not knowing the origin of consciousness, through not knowing the cessation of consciousness, through not knowing the practice leading to the cessation of consciousness; thus these various wrong views arise in the world - 'The world is eternal' or 'the world is non-eternal' etc. 'The Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death.' This, Vaccha, is the cause, this is the condition, by which these various wrong views arise in the world - 'The world is eternal' or 'the world is non-eternal' etc. 'The Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death.'" The fifth.

6-10.

Five Discourses Beginning with Non-Seeing of Matter

612-616. At Sāvatthī. Seated to one side, the wandering ascetic Vacchagotta said this to the Blessed One - "What, Master Gotama, is the cause, what is the condition, by which these various wrong views arise in the world - 'The world is eternal' or 'the world is non-eternal' etc. 'The Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death'?" "Through not seeing matter, Vaccha, etc. through not seeing the practice leading to the cessation of matter, etc. in feeling, etc. in perception, Through not seeing activities, Vaccha, etc. Through not seeing consciousness, Vaccha, etc. through not seeing the practice leading to the cessation of consciousness, etc. The tenth.

11-15.

Five Discourses Beginning with Non-Full realisation of Matter

617-621. At Sāvatthī. "Through not fully realising matter, Vaccha, etc. through not fully realising the practice leading to the cessation of matter, etc.

At Sāvatthī. "Through not fully realising feeling, Vaccha, etc.

At Sāvatthī. "Through not fully realising perception, Vaccha, etc.

At Sāvatthī. "Through not fully realising activities, Vaccha, etc.

At Sāvatthī. "Through not fully realising consciousness, Vaccha, etc. The fifteenth.

16-20.

Five Discourses Beginning with Non-Understanding of Matter

622-626. At Sāvatthī. Seated to one side, the wandering ascetic Vacchagotta said this to the Blessed One - "What, Master Gotama, is the cause, what is the condition, etc. "Through not understanding matter, Vaccha, etc. through not understanding the practice leading to the cessation of matter, etc.

At Sāvatthī. "Through not understanding feeling, Vaccha, etc.

At Sāvatthī. "Through not understanding perception, Vaccha, etc.

At Sāvatthī. "Through not understanding activities, Vaccha, etc.

At Sāvatthī. "Through not understanding consciousness, Vaccha, etc. through not understanding the practice leading to the cessation of consciousness. The twentieth.

21-25.

Five Discourses Beginning with Non-Penetration of Matter

627-631. At Sāvatthī. "What, Master Gotama, is the cause, what is the condition, etc. "Through not penetrating matter, Vaccha, etc. Through not penetrating consciousness, Vaccha, etc. The twenty-fifth.

26-30.

Five Discourses Beginning with Non-Discernment of Matter

632-636. At Sāvatthī. "Through not discerning matter, Vaccha, etc. through not discerning consciousness, Vaccha, etc. The thirtieth.

31-35.

Five Discourses Beginning with Non-Discrimination of Matter

637-641. At Sāvatthī. Through not discriminating matter, Vaccha, etc. Through not discriminating consciousness, Vaccha, etc. The thirty-fifth.

36-40.

Five Discourses Beginning with Non-Discrimination of Matter

642-646. At Sāvatthī. "Through not discerning matter, Vaccha, etc. through not discerning consciousness, Vaccha, etc. The fortieth.

41-45.

Five Discourses Beginning with Non-Examination of Matter

647-651. At Sāvatthī. Through uneven regard for matter, Vaccha, etc. Through uneven regard for consciousness, Vaccha, etc. The forty-fifth.

46-50.

Five Discourses Beginning with Non-Equanimous Examination of Matter

652-656. At Sāvatthī. "Through not looking upon matter, Vaccha, etc. through not looking upon consciousness, Vaccha, etc. The fiftieth.

51-54.

Four Discourses Beginning with Non-realisation of Matter

657-660. At Sāvatthī. Then the wandering ascetic Vacchagotta 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, Master Gotama, is the cause, what is the condition, by which these various wrong views arise in the world - 'The world is eternal' etc. 'The Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death'?" "Through not realising matter, Vaccha, through not realising the origin of matter, through not realising the cessation of matter, through not realising the practice leading to the cessation of matter, etc.

At Sāvatthī. "Through not realising feeling, Vaccha, etc. through not realising the practice leading to the cessation of feeling, etc.

At Sāvatthī. "Through not realising perception, Vaccha, etc. through not realising the practice leading to the cessation of perception, etc.

At Sāvatthī. "Through not realising activities, Vaccha, etc. through not realising the practice leading to the cessation of activities, etc. The fifty-fourth.

55.

Discourse on Non-realisation of Consciousness

661. At Sāvatthī. "Through not realising consciousness, Vaccha, through not realising the origin of consciousness, through not realising the cessation of consciousness, through not realising the practice leading to the cessation of consciousness; thus these various wrong views arise in the world - 'The world is eternal' or 'the world is non-eternal' etc. 'The Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death.' This, Vaccha, is the cause, this is the condition, by which these various wrong views arise in the world - '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.'" The fifty-fifth.

The Connected Discourses on Vacchagotta is complete.

Its summary: