5.
The Brahmin Uṇṇābha Discourse
827.
Thus have I heard -
On one occasion the Venerable Ānanda was dwelling at Kosambī in Ghosita's park.
Then the brahmin Uṇṇābha approached the Venerable Ānanda;
having approached, he exchanged friendly greetings with the Venerable Ānanda.
Having concluded the pleasant and memorable talk, he sat down to one side.
Seated to one side, the brahmin Uṇṇābha said this to the Venerable Ānanda -
"For what purpose indeed, dear Ānanda, is the holy life lived under the ascetic Gotama?"
"For the purpose of abandoning desire, brahmin, the holy life is lived under the Blessed One."
"But is there, dear Ānanda, a path, is there a practice for the abandoning of this desire?" "There is indeed, brahmin, a path, there is a practice for the abandoning of this desire."
"But what, dear Ānanda, is the path, what is the practice for the abandoning of this desire?" "Here, brahmin, a monk develops the basis for spiritual power that possesses concentration due to desire and volitional activities of striving, concentration due to energy, etc. concentration due to mind, etc. he develops the basis for spiritual power that possesses concentration due to investigation and volitional activities of striving - this, brahmin, is the path, this is the practice for the abandoning of this desire."
"This being so, dear Ānanda, it is limited, not unlimited. That one will abandon desire by means of desire - this is impossible." "Well then, brahmin, I will ask you a question about this very matter. As it pleases you, so you should answer it. What do you think, brahmin, was there formerly in you the desire 'I will go to the park'? When you had gone to the park, was that corresponding desire calmed?" "Yes, sir." "Was there formerly in you the energy 'I will go to the park'? When you had gone to the park, was that corresponding energy calmed?" "Yes, sir." "Was there formerly in you the thought 'I will go to the park'? When you had gone to the park, was that corresponding thought calmed?" "Yes, sir." "Was there formerly in you the investigation 'I will go to the park'? When you had gone to the park, was that corresponding investigation calmed?" "Yes, sir."
"So too, brahmin, that monk who is a Worthy One, one who has eliminated the mental corruptions, one who has lived the holy life, one who has done what had to be done, one who has laid down the burden, one who has attained his own welfare, one who has utterly eliminated the fetters of existence, one completely liberated through final knowledge - whatever desire he formerly had for the attainment of arahantship, upon attaining arahantship, whatever desire arising from that has been calmed; whatever energy he formerly had for the attainment of arahantship, upon attaining arahantship, whatever energy arising from that has been calmed; whatever mind he formerly had for the attainment of arahantship, upon attaining arahantship, whatever mind arising from that has been calmed; whatever investigation he formerly had for the attainment of arahantship, upon attaining arahantship, whatever investigation arising from that has been calmed. What do you think, brahmin, this being so, is it limited or unlimited?"
"Surely, dear Ānanda, this being so, it is limited, not unlimited. Excellent, dear Ānanda, excellent, dear Ānanda! Just as, dear Ānanda, one might set upright what had been overturned, or reveal what had been concealed, or point out the path to one who was lost, or hold up an oil lamp in the darkness - so that those with good eyesight might see forms; so too, the Teaching has been made clear by the Venerable Ānanda in many ways. I, dear Ānanda, go for refuge to that Master Gotama, to the Teaching, and to the Community of monks. May the Venerable Ānanda remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge from this day forth for life." The fifth.