5.
The Discourse on "There is Nothing Given"
210.
At Sāvatthī.
"When what exists, monks, clinging to what, having clung to what, does such a view arise:
'There is not what is given, there is not what is sacrificed, there is not what is offered, there is no fruit and result of good and bad actions;
there is not this world, there is not the other world, there is not mother, there is not father, there are no spontaneously reborn beings;
there are not in the world ascetics and brahmins who have gone the right way, who have rightly practised, who proclaim this world and the other world, having realised them by direct knowledge themselves.
This person is made of the four primary elements; when he dies, earth goes to and merges with the body of earth, water goes to and merges with the body of water, fire goes to and merges with the body of fire, air goes to and merges with the body of air.
The faculties pass into space.
Four men with the bier as fifth carry away the dead.
The funeral orations last as far as the cremation ground.
The bones become dove-coloured.
The offerings end in ashes.
Giving is a doctrine of fools.
It is hollow, false, idle talk of those who speak the doctrine of existence.
Both the fool and the wise are destroyed and perish with the breaking up of the body; they do not exist after death'?"
"The teachings have the Blessed One as their root, venerable sir, etc.
"When matter exists, monks, clinging to matter, having clung to matter, such a view arises:
'There is not what is given, there is not what is sacrificed... etc.
they are destroyed and perish with the breaking up of the body; they do not exist after death.'
When feeling exists, etc.
when perception exists...
when activities exist...
when consciousness exists, clinging to consciousness, having clung to consciousness, such a view arises:
'There is not what is given, there is not what is sacrificed... etc.
they are destroyed and perish with the breaking up of the body; they do not exist after death.'"
"What do you think, monks, is materiality permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir. Etc. would such a view arise by non-clinging to that: 'There is not what is given, there is not what is sacrificed... etc. they are destroyed and perish with the breaking up of the body; they do not exist after death'?" "No, Venerable Sir." "Feeling... perception... activities... consciousness permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir. Etc. would such a view arise by non-clinging to that: 'There is not what is given, there is not what is sacrificed... etc. they are destroyed and perish with the breaking up of the body; they do not exist after death'?" "No, Venerable Sir." "Whatever is seen, heard, sensed, cognised, attained, sought after, pondered over by the mind, is that too permanent or impermanent?" "Impermanent, venerable sir. Etc. would such a view arise by non-clinging to that: 'There is not what is given, there is not what is sacrificed... etc. those who speak the doctrine of existence; both the fool and the wise are destroyed and perish with the breaking up of the body; they do not exist after death'?" "No, Venerable Sir."
"When, monks, for a noble disciple uncertainty regarding these states has been abandoned, and his uncertainty regarding suffering has been abandoned, etc. and his uncertainty regarding the practice leading to the cessation of suffering has been abandoned - this is called, monks, a noble disciple who is a stream-enterer, no longer subject to fall into lower realms, fixed in destiny, heading for the highest enlightenment." The fifth.