5.
The Discourse on Uttiya
95.
Then the wandering ascetic Uttiyo approached the Blessed One;
having approached, he exchanged friendly greetings with the Blessed One.
Having concluded the pleasant and memorable talk, he sat down to one side.
Seated to one side, the wandering ascetic Uttiyo said this to the Blessed One -
"What now, Master Gotama, is the world eternal, only this is the truth, anything else is vain?"
"This, Uttiyo, has been left undeclared by me -
'the world is eternal, only this is the truth, anything else is vain.'"
"What then, Master Gotama, is the world non-eternal, only this is the truth, anything else is vain?" "This too, Uttiyo, has been left undeclared by me - 'the world is non-eternal, only this is the truth, anything else is vain.'"
"What now, Master Gotama, is the world finite, etc. the world is infinite... the soul is the same as the body... the soul is one thing and the body another... the Truth-finder exists after death... the Truth-finder does not exist after death... the Truth-finder both exists and does not exist after death... the Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death, only this is the truth, anything else is vain?" "This too, Uttiyo, has been left undeclared by me - 'the Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death, only this is the truth, anything else is vain.'"
"When asked 'What now, Master Gotama, is the world eternal, only this is the truth, anything else is vain?' you say 'This, Uttiyo, has been left undeclared by me - the world is eternal, only this is the truth, anything else is vain.'
When asked 'What then, Master Gotama, is the world non-eternal, only this is the truth, anything else is vain?' - you say 'This too, Uttiyo, has been left undeclared by me - the world is non-eternal, only this is the truth, anything else is vain.'
When asked 'What now, Master Gotama, is the world finite, etc. the world is infinite... the soul is the same as the body... the soul is one thing and the body another... the Truth-finder exists after death... the Truth-finder does not exist after death... the Truth-finder both exists and does not exist after death... the Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death, only this is the truth, anything else is vain?' - you say 'This too, Uttiyo, has been left undeclared by me - the Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death, only this is the truth, anything else is vain.' Then what has been declared by the Venerable Gotama?"
"Having directly known, Uttiya, I expound the Teaching to disciples for the purification of beings, for the transcendence of sorrow and lamentation, for the passing away of pain and displeasure, for the achievement of the true method, for the realisation of Nibbāna."
"But this that Master Gotama, having directly known, expounds the Teaching to disciples for the purification of beings, for the transcendence of sorrow and lamentation, for the passing away of pain and displeasure, for the achievement of the true method, for the realisation of Nibbāna - is the whole world led by that, or a half, or a third?" When this was said, the Blessed One remained silent.
Then this occurred to the Venerable Ānanda: "May the wandering ascetic Uttiya not acquire such an evil wrong view: 'When asked a question of the highest importance, the ascetic Gotama surely evades and does not answer; surely he is not able.' That would be for the wandering ascetic Uttiya's harm and suffering for a long time."
Then the Venerable Ānanda said this to the wandering ascetic Uttiya: "Well then, friend Uttiya, I will make a simile for you. By means of a simile some wise men here understand the meaning of what is said. Just as, friend Uttiya, there might be a king's border city with strong foundations, strong walls and gateways, with a single door. There might be a doorkeeper who is wise, experienced, and intelligent, one who keeps out strangers and admits those who are known. He follows the path going all around that city. Following the path going all around, he would not see any gap in the wall or opening in the wall, even one large enough for a cat to slip through. But he does not have such knowledge - 'This many living beings enter or leave this city.' But this occurs to him here: 'Whatever gross living beings enter or leave this city, all of them enter or leave by this door.'
"So too, friend Uttiya, the Truth-finder does not have such concern: 'Is the whole world led by that, or a half, or a third?' But this occurs here to the Truth-finder: 'Whatever beings have been led forth from the world, are being led forth, or will be led forth, all of them, having abandoned the five mental hindrances, impurities of the mind that weaken wisdom, with minds well established in the four establishments of mindfulness, having developed the seven factors of enlightenment as they really are - thus they have been led forth from the world, are being led forth, or will be led forth.' The very question you asked the Blessed One, friend Uttiya, that very question you asked the Blessed One by another method of exposition. Therefore the Blessed One did not answer that to you." The fifth.