1.
The Discourse on the Sectarians and So Forth
62.
"There are, monks, these three spheres of sectarian doctrines which, when questioned by the wise, when cross-examined, when admonished, even going to the furthest extent, remain established in non-action.
What three?
There are, monks, some ascetics and brahmins who hold such a doctrine and view as this:
'Whatever this person experiences - whether pleasant or unpleasant or neither-unpleasant-nor-pleasant - all that is caused by what was done in the past.'
There are, monks, some ascetics and brahmins who hold such a doctrine and view as this:
'Whatever this person experiences - whether pleasant or unpleasant or neither-unpleasant-nor-pleasant - all that is caused by the creation of a lord.'
There are, monks, some ascetics and brahmins who hold such a doctrine and view as this:
'Whatever this person experiences - whether pleasant or unpleasant or neither-unpleasant-nor-pleasant - all that is without cause and without condition.'
"Therein, monks, as to those ascetics and brahmins who hold such a doctrine and view as this: 'Whatever this person experiences - whether pleasant or unpleasant or neither-unpleasant-nor-pleasant - all that is caused by what was done in the past' - having approached them, I speak thus - 'Is it true that you venerable ones hold such a doctrine and view: whatever this person experiences - whether pleasant or unpleasant or neither-unpleasant-nor-pleasant - all that is caused by what was done in the past?' And when thus questioned by me, they acknowledge 'yes.' Then I speak thus - 'Then, venerable ones, you will be killers of living beings because of what was done in the past, you will be takers of what is not given because of what was done in the past, you will be non-practitioners of the holy life because of what was done in the past, you will be liars because of what was done in the past, you will be speakers of divisive speech because of what was done in the past, you will be speakers of harsh speech because of what was done in the past, you will be idle chatterers because of what was done in the past, you will be covetous because of what was done in the past, you will have minds of ill-will because of what was done in the past, you will hold wrong views because of what was done in the past.'
"But, monks, for those who return to what was done in the past as having substance, there is no desire or effort, or 'this is to be done' or 'this is not to be done.' Thus, when what is to be done and what is not to be done is not found as true and reliable, for those who dwell unmindful and unguarded, there is no individually valid claim to be ascetics. This, monks, is my first reasonable refutation of those ascetics and brahmins who hold such a doctrine and view.
"Therein, monks, as to those ascetics and brahmins who hold such a doctrine and view as this: 'Whatever this person experiences - whether pleasant or unpleasant or neither-unpleasant-nor-pleasant - all that is caused by the creation of a lord' - having approached them, I speak thus - 'Is it true that you venerable ones hold such a doctrine and view: whatever this person experiences - whether pleasant or unpleasant or neither-unpleasant-nor-pleasant - all that is caused by the creation of a lord?' And when thus questioned by me, they acknowledge 'yes.' Then I speak thus - 'Then, venerable ones, you will be killers of living beings because of the creation of a lord, you will be takers of what is not given because of the creation of a lord, you will be non-practitioners of the holy life because of the creation of a lord, you will be liars because of the creation of a lord, you will be speakers of divisive speech because of the creation of a lord, you will be speakers of harsh speech because of the creation of a lord, you will be idle chatterers because of the creation of a lord, you will be covetous because of the creation of a lord, you will have minds of ill-will because of the creation of a lord, you will hold wrong views because of the creation of a lord.'
"But, monks, for those who return to the creation of a lord as having substance, there is no desire or effort, or 'this is to be done' or 'this is not to be done.' Thus, when what is to be done and what is not to be done is not found as true and reliable, for those who dwell unmindful and unguarded, there is no individually valid claim to be ascetics. This, monks, is my second reasonable refutation of those ascetics and brahmins who hold such a doctrine and view.
"Therein, monks, as to those ascetics and brahmins who hold such a doctrine and view as this: 'Whatever this person experiences - whether pleasant or unpleasant or neither-unpleasant-nor-pleasant - all that is without cause and without condition' - having approached them, I speak thus - 'Is it true that you venerable ones hold such a doctrine and view: whatever this person experiences - whether pleasant or unpleasant or neither-unpleasant-nor-pleasant - all that is without cause and without condition?' And when thus questioned by me, they acknowledge 'yes.' Then I speak thus - 'Then, venerable ones, you will be killers of living beings without cause and without condition, etc. you will hold wrong views without cause and without condition.'
"But, monks, for those who return to causelessness and conditionlessness as having substance, there is no desire or effort or 'this is to be done' or 'this is not to be done'. Thus, when what is to be done and what is not to be done is not found as true and reliable, for those who dwell unmindful and unguarded, there is no individually valid claim to be ascetics. This, monks, is my third reasonable refutation of those ascetics and brahmins who speak thus and hold such views.
"These, monks, are the three spheres of sectarian doctrines which, when questioned by the wise, when pressed, when admonished, even going to the extreme, remain in non-doing.
"But this, monks, is the Teaching expounded by me that is unrefuted, undefiled, blameless, not rejected by ascetics, brahmins, and the wise. And what, monks, is the Teaching expounded by me that is unrefuted, undefiled, blameless, not rejected by ascetics, brahmins, and the wise? 'These six elements' - monks, this is the Teaching expounded by me that is unrefuted, undefiled, blameless, not rejected by ascetics, brahmins, and the wise. 'These six sense bases of contact' - monks, this is the Teaching expounded by me that is unrefuted, undefiled, blameless, not rejected by ascetics, brahmins, and the wise. 'These eighteen mental explorations' - monks, this is the Teaching expounded by me that is unrefuted, undefiled, blameless, not rejected by ascetics, brahmins, and the wise. 'These four noble truths' - monks, this is the Teaching expounded by me that is unrefuted, undefiled, blameless, not rejected by ascetics, brahmins, and the wise.
"'These six elements' - monks, this is the Teaching expounded by me that is unrefuted, undefiled, blameless, not rejected by ascetics, brahmins, and the wise. Thus indeed this was said. Dependent on what was this said? There are these six elements, monks - the solid element, the liquid element, the heat element, the air element, the space element, the consciousness element. 'These six elements' - monks, this is the Teaching expounded by me that is unrefuted, undefiled, blameless, not rejected by ascetics, brahmins, and the wise. Thus what was said, this was said dependent on that.
"'These six sense bases of contact' - monks, this is the Teaching expounded by me that is unrefuted, undefiled, blameless, not rejected by ascetics, brahmins, and the wise. Thus indeed this was said. Dependent on what was this said? There are these six sense bases of contact, monks - the eye as a sense base of contact, the ear as a sense base of contact, the nose as a sense base of contact, the tongue as a sense base of contact, the body as a sense base of contact, the mind as a sense base of contact. 'These six sense bases of contact' - monks, this is the Teaching expounded by me that is unrefuted, undefiled, blameless, not rejected by ascetics, brahmins, and the wise. Thus what was said, this was said dependent on that.
"'These eighteen mental explorations' - monks, this is the Teaching expounded by me that is unrefuted, undefiled, blameless, not rejected by ascetics, brahmins, and the wise. Thus indeed this was said. Dependent on what was this said? Having seen a form with the eye, one explores a form that is a basis for pleasure, one explores a form that is a basis for displeasure, one explores a form that is a basis for equanimity; having heard a sound with the ear... Having smelled an odour with the nose. Having tasted a flavour with the tongue. having touched a tangible object with the body... having cognised a mental object with the mind, one explores a mental object that is a basis for pleasure, one explores a mental object that is a basis for displeasure, one explores a mental object that is a basis for equanimity. 'These eighteen mental explorations' - monks, this is the Teaching expounded by me that is unrefuted, undefiled, blameless, not rejected by ascetics, brahmins, and the wise. Thus what was said, this was said dependent on that.
"'These are the four noble truths' - monks, this Teaching has been expounded by me, unrefuted, undefiled, blameless, not rejected by ascetics, brahmins, and the wise. Thus indeed this was said. Dependent on what was this said? Dependent on the six elements, monks, there is conception in a womb; when there is conception, there is mentality-materiality; with mentality-materiality as condition, the six sense bases; with the six sense bases as condition, contact; with contact as condition, feeling. For one who is experiencing, monks, I declare: 'This is suffering'; I declare: 'This is the origin of suffering'; I declare: 'This is the cessation of suffering'; I declare: 'This is the practice leading to the cessation of suffering'.
"And what, monks, is the noble truth of suffering? Birth is suffering, ageing is suffering, death is suffering, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and anguish are suffering, not getting what one wishes for is also suffering. In brief, the five aggregates of clinging are suffering. This is called, monks, the noble truth of suffering.
"And what, monks, is the noble truth of the origin of suffering? With ignorance as condition, activities; with activities as condition, consciousness; with consciousness as condition, mentality-materiality; with mentality-materiality as condition, the six sense bases; with the six sense bases as condition, contact; with contact as condition, feeling; with feeling as condition, craving; with craving as condition, clinging; with clinging as condition, existence; with existence as condition, birth; with birth as condition, ageing and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and anguish come to be. Thus is the origin of this whole mass of suffering. This is called, monks, the noble truth of the origin of suffering.
"And what, monks, is the noble truth of the cessation of suffering? But from the complete fading away and cessation of ignorance comes the cessation of activities; from the cessation of activities comes the cessation of consciousness; from the cessation of consciousness comes the cessation of mentality-materiality; from the cessation of mentality-materiality comes the cessation of the six sense bases; from the cessation of the six sense bases comes the cessation of contact; from the cessation of contact comes the cessation of feeling; from the cessation of feeling comes the cessation of craving; from the cessation of craving comes the cessation of clinging; from the cessation of clinging comes the cessation of existence; from the cessation of existence comes the cessation of birth; from the cessation of birth, ageing and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and anguish cease. Thus is the cessation of this whole mass of suffering. This is called, monks, the noble truth of the cessation of suffering.
"And what, monks, is the noble truth of the practice leading to the cessation of suffering? It is just this noble eightfold path, as follows - right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration. This is called, monks, the noble truth of the practice leading to the cessation of suffering. 'These are the four noble truths' - monks, this Teaching has been expounded by me, unrefuted, undefiled, blameless, not rejected by ascetics, brahmins, and the wise. Thus what was said, this was said dependent on that." The first.
63.
"There are, monks, these three dangers where mother and son cannot help each other," the ignorant worldling speaks.
What three?
There comes a time, monks, when a great conflagration emerges.
Now, monks, when a great conflagration has emerged, by that villages are burnt, market towns are burnt, cities are burnt.
When villages are burning, when market towns are burning, when cities are burning, there a mother does not obtain her son, and a son does not obtain his mother.
This, monks, is the first danger where mother and son cannot help each other, the ignorant worldling speaks.
"Furthermore, monks, there comes a time when a great rain cloud emerges. Now, monks, when a great rain cloud has emerged, a great flood arises. Now, monks, when a great flood has arisen, by that villages are swept away, market towns are swept away, cities are swept away. When villages are being swept away, when market towns are being swept away, when cities are being swept away, there a mother does not obtain her son, and a son does not obtain his mother. This, monks, is the second danger where mother and son cannot help each other, the ignorant worldling speaks.
"Furthermore, monks, there comes a time when there is danger, a forest uprising, and the country-folk, having mounted their vehicles, wander about. Now, monks, when there is danger, a forest uprising, when the country-folk, having mounted their vehicles, are wandering about, there a mother does not obtain her son, and a son does not obtain his mother. This, monks, is the third danger where mother and son cannot help each other, the ignorant worldling speaks. These, monks, are the three dangers where mother and son cannot help each other, the ignorant worldling speaks.
"But these three, monks, are indeed dangers where mother and son can help each other, yet the ignorant worldling speaks of them as dangers where mother and son cannot help each other. What three? There comes a time, monks, when a great conflagration emerges. Now, monks, when a great conflagration has emerged, by that villages are burnt, market towns are burnt, cities are burnt. When villages are burning, when market towns are burning, when cities are burning, there comes a time when at some time a mother obtains her son, and a son obtains his mother. This, monks, is the first danger where mother and son can indeed help each other, yet the ignorant worldling speaks of it as a danger where mother and son cannot help each other.
"Furthermore, monks, there comes a time when a great rain cloud emerges. Now, monks, when a great rain cloud has emerged, a great flood arises. Now, monks, when a great flood has arisen, by that villages are swept away, market towns are swept away, cities are swept away. When villages are being swept away, when market towns are being swept away, when cities are being swept away, there comes a time when at some time a mother obtains her son, and a son obtains his mother. This, monks, is the second danger where mother and son can indeed help each other, yet the ignorant worldling speaks of it as a danger where mother and son cannot help each other.
"Furthermore, monks, there comes a time when there is danger, a forest uprising, and the country-folk, having mounted their vehicles, wander about. Now, monks, when there is danger, a forest uprising, when the country-folk, having mounted their vehicles, are wandering about, there comes a time when at some time a mother obtains her son, and a son obtains his mother. This, monks, is the third danger where mother and son can indeed help each other, yet the ignorant worldling speaks of it as a danger where mother and son cannot help each other. "These, monks, are the three dangers where mother and son can indeed help each other, yet the ignorant worldling speaks of them as dangers where mother and son cannot help each other."
"There are, monks, these three fears where mother and son cannot help each other. What three? The fear of ageing, the fear of illness, the fear of death. Monks, a mother cannot obtain this for her son who is ageing - 'I am ageing, may my son not age'; or else a son cannot obtain this for his mother who is ageing - 'I am ageing, may my mother not age.'
Monks, a mother cannot obtain this for her son who is falling ill - 'I am falling ill, may my son not fall ill'; or else a son cannot obtain this for his mother who is falling ill - 'I am falling ill, may my mother not fall ill.'
Monks, a mother cannot obtain this for her son who is dying - 'I am dying, may my son not die'; or else a son cannot obtain this for his mother who is dying - 'I am dying, may my mother not die.' These, monks, are the three fears where mother and son cannot help each other.
There is, monks, a path, there is a practice that leads to the abandoning and transcendence of these three fears where mother and son can help each other and these three fears where mother and son cannot help each other. And what, monks, is the path, what is the practice that leads to the abandoning and transcendence of these three fears where mother and son can help each other and these three fears where mother and son cannot help each other? It is just this noble eightfold path, as follows - right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration. This, monks, is the path, this is the practice that leads to the abandoning and transcendence of these three fears where mother and son can help each other and these three fears where mother and son cannot help each other. The second.