Paṭhamanānātitthiyasuttaṃ [Ud 6.4, PTS 67–69]

4.

The First Discourse on Those of Various Religions

54. Thus have I heard - On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's park. Now at that time many ascetics, brahmins and wandering ascetics of various sects were dwelling at Sāvatthī, of different views, of different beliefs, of different preferences, dependent on different views as their support.

There are some ascetics and brahmins who hold such a doctrine and view as this: "The world is eternal, only this is the truth, anything else is vain." But there are some ascetics and brahmins who hold such a doctrine and view as this: "The world is non-eternal, only this is the truth, anything else is vain." There are some ascetics and brahmins who hold such a doctrine and view as this: "The world is finite, only this is the truth, anything else is vain." But there are some ascetics and brahmins who hold such a doctrine and view as this: "The world is infinite, only this is the truth, anything else is vain." There are some ascetics and brahmins who hold such a doctrine and view as this: "The soul is the same as the body, only this is the truth, anything else is vain." But there are some ascetics and brahmins who hold such a doctrine and view as this: "The soul is one thing and the body another, only this is the truth, anything else is vain." There are some ascetics and brahmins who hold such a doctrine and view as this: "The Truth-finder exists after death, only this is the truth, anything else is vain." But there are some ascetics and brahmins who hold such a doctrine and view as this: "The Truth-finder does not exist after death, only this is the truth, anything else is vain." There are some ascetics and brahmins who hold such a doctrine and view as this: "The Truth-finder both exists and does not exist after death, only this is the truth, anything else is vain." But there are some ascetics and brahmins who hold such a doctrine and view as this: "The Truth-finder neither exists nor does not exist after death, only this is the truth, anything else is vain."

They dwell quarrelling, disputing, engaging in contention, wounding each other with verbal daggers - "The teaching is like this, the teaching is not like that; the teaching is not like that, the teaching is like this."

Then several monks, having dressed in the earlier period of the day, taking their bowls and robes, entered Sāvatthī for almsfood. Having walked for almsfood in Sāvatthī, after the meal, having returned from their alms round, they approached the Blessed One; having approached, they paid respect to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, those monks said this to the Blessed One -

"Here, venerable sir, many ascetics, brahmins, and wandering ascetics of various sects are dwelling at Sāvatthī, of different views, of different beliefs, of different preferences, dependent on different views as their support.

"There are some ascetics and brahmins who hold such a doctrine and view as this: 'The world is eternal, only this is the truth, anything else is vain,' etc. They are quarrelling, disputing, engaging in contention, wounding each other with verbal daggers, they dwell thus - 'The teaching is such, the teaching is not such; the teaching is not such, the teaching is such.'"

"Heterodox wandering ascetics, monks, are blind, without eyes; they do not know benefit, they do not know harm, they do not know the teaching, they do not know what is not the teaching. They, not knowing benefit, not knowing harm, not knowing the teaching, not knowing what is not the teaching, are quarrelling, disputing, engaging in contention, wounding each other with verbal daggers, they dwell thus - 'The teaching is such, the teaching is not such; the teaching is not such, the teaching is such.'"

"Once in the past, monks, in this very Sāvatthī there was a certain king. Then, monks, that king addressed a certain man - 'Come, my good man, assemble together all those who are blind from birth in Sāvatthī.' 'Yes, Sire,' monks, that man, having assented to that king, having taken all those who were blind from birth in Sāvatthī, approached that king; having approached, he said this to that king - 'They have been assembled for you, Sire, all those who are blind from birth in Sāvatthī.' 'Then, my good man, show an elephant to those blind from birth.' 'Yes, Sire,' monks, that man, having assented to that king, showed an elephant to those blind from birth.

To some of those blind from birth he showed the elephant's head - 'This, blind ones, is an elephant.' To some of those blind from birth he showed the elephant's ear - 'This, blind ones, is an elephant.' To some of those blind from birth he showed the elephant's tusk - 'This, blind ones, is an elephant.' To some of those blind from birth he showed the elephant's trunk - 'This, blind ones, is an elephant.' To some of those blind from birth he showed the elephant's body - 'This, blind ones, is an elephant.' To some of those blind from birth he showed the elephant's foot - 'This, blind ones, is an elephant.' To some of those blind from birth he showed the elephant's thigh - 'This, blind ones, is an elephant.' To some of those blind from birth he showed the elephant's tail - 'This, blind ones, is an elephant.' To some of those blind from birth he showed the elephant's tuft of the tail - 'This, blind ones, is an elephant.'"

Then, monks, that man, having shown the elephant to those blind from birth, approached that king; having approached, he said this to that king - "The elephant has been seen by those blind from birth, Sire; now do as you think fit."

Then, monks, that king approached those blind from birth; having approached, he said this to those blind from birth - "Has the elephant been seen by you, blind ones?" "Yes, Sire, the elephant has been seen by us." "Tell me, blind ones, what is the elephant like?"

Those blind from birth, monks, by whom the elephant's head had been seen, they said thus - "Such, Sire, is an elephant, just as a water-pot."

Those blind from birth, monks, by whom the elephant's ear had been seen, they said thus - "Such, Sire, is an elephant, just as a winnowing basket."

Those blind from birth, monks, by whom the elephant's tusk had been seen, they said thus - "Such, Sire, is an elephant, just as a post."

Those blind from birth, monks, by whom the elephant's trunk had been seen, they said thus - "Such, Sire, is an elephant, just as a plough-beam."

Those blind from birth, monks, by whom the elephant's body had been seen, they said thus - "Such, Sire, is an elephant, just as a granary."

Those blind from birth, monks, by whom the elephant's foot had been seen, they said thus - "Such, Sire, is an elephant, just as a pillar."

Those blind from birth, monks, by whom the elephant's thigh had been seen, they said thus - "Such, Sire, is an elephant, just as a mortar."

Those blind from birth, monks, by whom the elephant's tail had been seen, they said thus - "Such, Sire, is an elephant, just as a pestle."

Those blind from birth, monks, by whom the elephant's tail-tuft had been seen, they said thus - "Such, Sire, is an elephant, just as a broom."

They, saying "Such is an elephant, not such is an elephant; not such is an elephant, such is an elephant," struck each other with their fists. And by that, monks, that king was delighted.

"So too, monks, heterodox wandering ascetics are blind, without eyes. They do not know benefit, they do not know harm, they do not know the Teaching, they do not know what is not the Teaching. They, not knowing benefit, not knowing harm, not knowing the Teaching, not knowing what is not the Teaching, are quarrelling, disputing, engaging in contention, wounding each other with verbal daggers, they dwell thus - 'The teaching is such, the teaching is not such; the teaching is not such, the teaching is such.'"

Then the Blessed One, having understood this matter, at that time uttered this inspired utterance -