7.
The Discourse on the Cosmologist
38.
Then two brahmins who held the view of nature-lore approached the Blessed One;
having approached, they exchanged friendly greetings with the Blessed One.
Having concluded the pleasant and memorable talk, they sat down to one side.
Seated to one side, those brahmins said this to the Blessed One -
"Pūraṇa Kassapa, Master Gotama, is omniscient, all-seeing, and acknowledges complete knowledge and vision - 'Whether I am walking or standing, sleeping or awake, knowledge and vision is constantly and continuously present.' He speaks thus: 'I dwell knowing and seeing the infinite world with infinite knowledge.' This Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta too, Master Gotama, is omniscient, all-seeing, and acknowledges complete knowledge and vision - 'Whether I am walking or standing, sleeping or awake, knowledge and vision is constantly and continuously present.' He speaks thus: 'I dwell knowing and seeing the infinite world with infinite knowledge.' Of these two who claim knowledge, of these two who hold mutually opposing views, who speaks truth, who speaks falsely?"
"Enough, brahmins! Let this be - 'Of these two who claim knowledge, of these two who hold mutually opposing views, who speaks truth, who speaks falsely.' I will expound to you the Teaching, brahmins. Listen to that, pay close attention; I will speak." "Yes, sir," those brahmins assented to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this:
"Just as, brahmins, four men standing in the four directions, endowed with supreme speed and with supreme stride. They might be endowed with such speed, just as a skilled archer with a strong bow, trained, practised, experienced, with a light arrow could with little difficulty shoot across the shadow of a palm tree; and with such a stride, just as from the eastern ocean to the western ocean - then a man standing in the eastern direction might speak thus - 'I shall reach the end of the world by travelling.' He, except for eating, drinking, chewing and tasting, except for defecating and urinating, except for dispelling sleepiness and fatigue, with a lifespan of a hundred years, living for a hundred years, having travelled for a hundred years, without reaching the end of the world, would die along the way. Then from the western direction, etc. then from the northern direction... then a man standing in the southern direction might speak thus - 'I shall reach the end of the world by travelling.' He, except for eating, drinking, chewing and tasting, except for defecating and urinating, except for dispelling sleepiness and fatigue, with a lifespan of a hundred years, living for a hundred years, having travelled for a hundred years, without reaching the end of the world, would die along the way. What is the reason for this? I do not say, brahmins, that by such running back and forth one could know or see or reach the end of the world. But I do not say, brahmins, that without reaching the end of the world there is making an end of suffering.
"Brahmins, these five kinds of sensual pleasure are called 'the world' in the Noble One's discipline. Which five? Forms cognisable by eye that are desirable, lovely, agreeable, enticing, connected with sensuality, arousing; sounds cognisable by ear... etc... odours cognisable by nose... flavours cognisable by tongue... tangible objects cognisable by body that are desirable, lovely, agreeable, enticing, connected with sensuality, arousing; these, brahmins, are the five kinds of sensual pleasure that are called 'the world' in the Noble One's discipline.
"Here, brahmins, a monk, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome mental states, enters and dwells in the first meditative absorption, which is accompanied by applied thought and sustained thought, with rapture and happiness born of seclusion. This is called, brahmins, 'a monk who has come to the end of the world, who dwells at the end of the world.' Others say thus about him - 'This one too is included in the world, this one too has not escaped from the world.' I too, brahmins, say thus - 'This one too is included in the world, this one too has not escaped from the world.'
"Furthermore, brahmins, a monk, with the subsiding of applied and sustained thought... etc... the second meditative absorption... the third meditative absorption... he enters and dwells in the fourth meditative absorption. This is called, brahmins, 'a monk who has come to the end of the world, who dwells at the end of the world.' Others say thus about him - 'This one too is included in the world, this one too has not escaped from the world.' I too, brahmins, say thus - 'This one too is included in the world, this one too has not escaped from the world.'
"Furthermore, brahmins, with the complete transcendence of perceptions of material form, with the passing away of perceptions of sensory impingement, with inattention to perceptions of diversity, aware that 'space is infinite,' a monk enters and dwells in the plane of infinite space. This is called, brahmins, 'a monk who has come to the end of the world, who dwells at the end of the world.' Others say thus about him - 'This one too is included in the world, this one too has not escaped from the world.' I too, brahmins, say thus - 'This one too is included in the world, this one too has not escaped from the world.'
"Furthermore, brahmins, with the complete transcendence of the plane of infinite space, aware that 'consciousness is infinite,' a monk enters and dwells in the plane of infinite consciousness... etc... with the complete transcendence of the plane of infinite consciousness, aware that 'there is nothing,' he enters and dwells in the plane of nothingness... etc... with the complete transcendence of the plane of nothingness, he enters and dwells in the plane of neither-perception-nor-non-perception. This is called, brahmins, 'a monk who has come to the end of the world, who dwells at the end of the world.' Others say thus about him - 'This one too is included in the world, this one too has not escaped from the world.' I too, brahmins, say thus - 'This one too is included in the world, this one too has not escaped from the world.'
"Furthermore, brahmins, with the complete transcendence of the plane of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, a monk enters and dwells in the cessation of perception and feeling, and having seen with wisdom, his mental corruptions are utterly eliminated. This is called, brahmins, 'a monk who, having reached the end of the world, dwells at the end of the world, one who has crossed over attachment in the world.'" The seventh.