1.
The Discourse on Speculation about the World
1111.
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrels' Feeding Ground.
There the Blessed One addressed the monks thus:
"Once in the past, monks, a certain man, having gone out from Rājagaha, thinking 'I will speculate about the world,' approached the Sumāgadhā pond;
having approached, he sat down on the bank of the Sumāgadhā pond, speculating about the world.
Then, monks, that man saw on the bank of the Sumāgadhā pond a fourfold army entering into a lotus root.
Having seen him, this occurred to him:
'I am indeed mad, I am indeed out of my mind!
What does not exist in the world, that has been seen by me.'
"Then, monks, that man, having entered the city, reported to a great multitude of people - 'I am indeed mad, venerable sirs, I am indeed out of my mind, venerable sirs! What does not exist in the world, that has been seen by me.' "'But how are you, hey man, mad? How are you out of your mind? And what does not exist in the world that has been seen by you?' "'Here I, venerable sirs, having gone out from Rājagaha, thinking "I will speculate about the world," approached the Sumāgadhā pond; having approached, I sat down on the bank of the Sumāgadhā pond, speculating about the world. I saw, venerable sirs, on the bank of the Sumāgadhā pond a fourfold army entering into a lotus root. Thus, venerable sirs, I am mad, thus I am out of my mind. And this does not exist in the world, which has been seen by me.' "'Truly you, hey man, are mad, truly you are out of your mind. And this does not exist in the world, which has been seen by you.'
"But, monks, that man saw what was factual, not what was not factual. Once in the past, monks, there was a battle between the gods and the titans that was fully engaged. Now in that battle, monks, the gods won, the titans were defeated. And defeated, monks, the titans, frightened, entered the titan city through a lotus root, confusing the gods.
"Therefore, monks, do not speculate about 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.' What is the reason for this? This thought, monks, is not connected with benefit, is not fundamental to the holy life, does not lead to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to peace, to direct knowledge, to highest enlightenment, to Nibbāna.
"But when thinking, monks, you should think 'This is suffering,' etc. you should think 'This is the practice leading to the cessation of suffering.' What is the reason for this? This thought, monks, is connected with benefit, this is fundamental to the holy life, this leads to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to peace, to direct knowledge, to highest enlightenment, to Nibbāna.
"Therefore, monks, exertion is to be done regarding 'This is suffering', etc. exertion is to be done regarding 'This is the practice leading to the cessation of suffering.'" The first.