1.
The Discourse on the Undeclared
54.
Then a certain monk approached the Blessed One;
having approached, he paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side.
Seated to one side, that monk said this to the Blessed One -
"What, venerable sir, is the cause, what is the condition, whereby for an instructed noble disciple sceptical doubt does not arise regarding undeclared matters?"
"Through the cessation of view, monk, for an instructed noble disciple sceptical doubt does not arise regarding undeclared matters. 'The Truth-finder exists after death,' monk, this is a wrong view; 'The Truth-finder does not exist after death,' monk, this is a wrong view; 'The Truth-finder both exists and does not exist after death,' monk, this is a wrong view; 'The Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death,' monk, this is a wrong view. An ignorant worldling, monk, does not understand view, does not understand the origin of view, does not understand the cessation of view, does not understand the practice leading to the cessation of view. That view of his increases; he is not released from birth, from ageing, from death, from sorrows, from lamentations, from sufferings, from displeasures, from anguishes; he is not released from suffering, I say.
"But an instructed noble disciple, monk, understands view, understands the origin of view, understands the cessation of view, understands the practice leading to the cessation of view. That view of his ceases; he is released from birth, from ageing, from death, from sorrows, from lamentations, from sufferings, from displeasures, from anguishes; he is released from suffering, I say. Thus knowing, monk, an instructed noble disciple thus seeing does not declare 'The Truth-finder exists after death'; does not declare 'The Truth-finder does not exist after death'; does not declare 'The Truth-finder both exists and does not exist after death'; does not declare 'The Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death'. Thus knowing, monk, an instructed noble disciple thus seeing is thus one who does not declare regarding undeclared matters. Thus knowing, monk, an instructed noble disciple thus seeing does not tremble, does not shake, does not quiver, does not experience terror regarding undeclared matters.
"'The Truth-finder exists after death,' monk, this pertains to craving, etc. this pertains to perception, etc. this is imagining, etc. this is obsessed, etc. this pertains to clinging, etc. 'The Truth-finder exists after death,' monk, this is regret; 'The Truth-finder does not exist after death,' monk, this is regret; 'The Truth-finder both exists and does not exist after death,' monk, this is regret; 'The Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death,' monk, this is regret. An ignorant worldling, monk, does not understand regret, does not understand the origin of regret, does not understand the cessation of regret, does not understand the practice leading to the cessation of regret. That regret of his increases; he is not released from birth, from ageing, from death, from sorrows, from lamentations, from sufferings, from displeasures, from anguishes; he is not released from suffering, I say.
"But, monk, a learned noble disciple understands remorse, understands the origin of remorse, understands the cessation of remorse, understands the practice leading to the cessation of remorse. That remorse of his ceases, he is released from birth, etc. from suffering, I say. Thus knowing, monk, a learned noble disciple thus seeing does not declare 'the Truth-finder exists after death', etc. does not declare 'The Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death'. Thus knowing, monk, an instructed noble disciple thus seeing is thus one who does not declare regarding undeclared matters. Thus knowing, monk, an instructed noble disciple thus seeing does not tremble, does not shake, does not quiver, does not experience terror regarding undeclared matters. This, monk, is the cause, this is the condition, whereby for a learned noble disciple sceptical doubt does not arise regarding undeclared matters." The first.