6.
The Discourse on Kokanuda
96.
On one occasion the Venerable Ānanda was dwelling at Rājagaha in the Tapoda Monastery.
Then the Venerable Ānanda, having risen towards the break of dawn, approached the hot springs to bathe his limbs.
Having bathed his limbs in the hot springs, having come out, he stood wearing a single robe, drying his limbs.
The wandering ascetic Kokanuda too, having risen towards the break of dawn, approached the hot springs to bathe his limbs.
The wandering ascetic Kokanuda saw the Venerable Ānanda coming from afar. Having seen them, he said this to the Venerable Ānanda - "Who is here, friend?" "I am a monk, friend."
"Of which monks, friend?" "Of the ascetics, disciples of the Sakyan, friend."
"We would ask the venerable one a certain point, if the venerable one gives permission for the answering of a question." "Ask, friend, having heard I will know."
"What now, dear sir, 'the world is eternal, only this is the truth, anything else is vain' - do you hold such a view?" "No indeed, friend, I do not hold such a view: 'the world is eternal, only this is the truth, anything else is vain.'"
"What then, dear sir, 'the world is non-eternal, only this is the truth, anything else is vain' - do you hold such a view?" "No indeed, friend, I do not hold such a view: 'the world is non-eternal, only this is the truth, anything else is vain.'"
"What now, dear sir, the world is finite... etc. 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, only this is the truth, anything else is vain - do you hold such a view?" "No indeed, friend, I do not hold such a view: 'the Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death, only this is the truth, anything else is vain.'"
"Then the venerable one does not know, does not see?" "It is not that I, friend, do not know, do not see. I know, friend, I see."
"'What now, sir, the world is eternal, only this is the truth, anything else is vain' - do you hold such a view?" thus asked, 'I do not indeed, friend, hold such a view: the world is eternal, only this is the truth, anything else is vain.'
"'What then, sir, the world is non-eternal, only this is the truth, anything else is vain' - do you hold such a view?" thus asked, 'I do not indeed, friend, hold such a view: 'the world is non-eternal, only this is the truth, anything else is vain,'" you say.
"What now, dear sir, the world is finite... etc. 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, only this is the truth, anything else is vain - do you hold such a view?" thus asked, 'I do not indeed, friend, hold such a view: 'the Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death, only this is the truth, anything else is vain,'" you say.
"'Then the venerable one does not know, does not see,' thus asked, 'It is not that I, friend, do not know, do not see. I know, friend, I see,' you say. But in what way, friend, is the meaning of this statement to be seen?"
"'The world is eternal, only this is the truth, anything else is vain,' friend, this is a wrong view. 'The world is non-eternal, only this is the truth, anything else is vain,' friend, this is a wrong view. The world is finite... etc. 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, only this is the truth, anything else is vain,' friend, this is a wrong view.
"Friend, as far as view extends, as far as the standpoint for views, the foundation for views, the prepossession by views, the origin of views, and the uprooting of views - that I know, that I see. Knowing that, seeing that, why should I say - 'I do not know, I do not see'? I know, friend, I see."
"What is the venerable one's name, and how do the fellows in the holy life know the venerable one?" "'Ānanda' is my name, friend. And the fellows in the holy life know me as 'Ānanda'." "Indeed, friend, we were conversing with a great teacher, and we did not know - 'the Venerable Ānanda.' For if we had known - 'this is the Venerable Ānanda,' even this much would not have occurred to us. May the Venerable Ānanda forgive me." The sixth.