AN 7.54

Abyākatasutta

Atha kho aññataro bhikkhu yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so bhikkhu bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “ko nu kho, bhante, hetu ko paccayo yena sutavato ariyasāvakassa vicikicchā nuppajjati abyākatavatthūsū”ti?

The Undeclared Points

Then a mendicant went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him: “Sir, what is the cause, what is the reason why a learned noble disciple has no doubts regarding the undeclared points?”

“Diṭṭhinirodhā kho, bhikkhu, sutavato ariyasāvakassa vicikicchā nuppajjati abyākatavatthūsu. ‘Hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti kho, bhikkhu, diṭṭhigatametaṁ; ‘na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti kho, bhikkhu, diṭṭhigatametaṁ; ‘hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti kho, bhikkhu, diṭṭhigatametaṁ; ‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti kho, bhikkhu, diṭṭhigatametaṁ. Assutavā, bhikkhu, puthujjano diṭṭhiṁ nappajānāti, diṭṭhisamudayaṁ nappajānāti, diṭṭhinirodhaṁ nappajānāti, diṭṭhinirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ nappajānāti. Tassa sā diṭṭhi pavaḍḍhati, so na parimuccati jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi. ‘Na parimuccati dukkhasmā’ti vadāmi.

“Mendicant, it’s due to the cessation of views that a learned noble disciple has no doubts regarding the undeclared points. ‘A realized one still exists after death’: this is a misconception. ‘A realized one no longer exists after death’: this is a misconception. ‘A realized one both still exists and no longer exists after death’: this is a misconception. ‘A realized one neither still exists nor no longer exists after death’: this is a misconception. An unlearned ordinary person doesn’t understand views, their origin, their cessation, or the practice that leads to their cessation. And so their views grow. They’re not freed from rebirth, old age, and death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. They’re not freed from suffering, I say.

Sutavā ca kho, bhikkhu, ariyasāvako diṭṭhiṁ pajānāti, diṭṭhisamudayaṁ pajānāti, diṭṭhinirodhaṁ pajānāti, diṭṭhinirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ pajānāti. Tassa sā diṭṭhi nirujjhati, so parimuccati jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi. ‘Parimuccati dukkhasmā’ti vadāmi. Evaṁ jānaṁ kho, bhikkhu, sutavā ariyasāvako evaṁ passaṁ ‘hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipi na byākaroti; ‘na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipi na byākaroti; ‘hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipi na byākaroti; ‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipi na byākaroti. Evaṁ jānaṁ kho, bhikkhu, sutavā ariyasāvako evaṁ passaṁ evaṁ abyākaraṇadhammo hoti abyākatavatthūsu. Evaṁ jānaṁ kho, bhikkhu, sutavā ariyasāvako evaṁ passaṁ na chambhati, na kampati, na vedhati, na santāsaṁ āpajjati abyākatavatthūsu.

A learned noble disciple does understand views, their origin, their cessation, and the practice that leads to their cessation. And so their views cease. They’re freed from rebirth, old age, and death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. They’re freed from suffering, I say. Knowing and seeing this, a learned noble disciple does not answer: ‘A realized one still exists after death’, ‘A realized one no longer exists after death’, ‘A realized one both still exists and no longer exists after death’, ‘A realized one neither still exists nor no longer exists after death.’ Knowing and seeing this, a learned noble disciple does not declare the undeclared points. Knowing and seeing this, a learned noble disciple doesn’t shake, tremble, quake, or get nervous regarding the undeclared points.

‘Hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti kho, bhikkhu, taṇhāgatametaṁ …pe… saññāgatametaṁ …pe… maññitametaṁ …pe… papañcitametaṁ …pe… upādānagatametaṁ …pe… ‘hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti kho, bhikkhu, vippaṭisāro eso; ‘na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti kho, bhikkhu, vippaṭisāro eso; ‘hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti kho, bhikkhu, vippaṭisāro eso; ‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti kho, bhikkhu, vippaṭisāro eso. Assutavā, bhikkhu, puthujjano vippaṭisāraṁ nappajānāti, vippaṭisārasamudayaṁ nappajānāti, vippaṭisāranirodhaṁ nappajānāti, vippaṭisāranirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ nappajānāti. Tassa so vippaṭisāro pavaḍḍhati, so na parimuccati jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi. ‘Na parimuccati dukkhasmā’ti vadāmi.

‘A realized one still exists after death’: this is just about craving. … it’s just about perception … it’s a conceiving … it’s a proliferation … it’s just about grasping … ‘A realized one still exists after death’: this is a regret. ‘A realized one no longer exists after death’: this is a regret. ‘A realized one both still exists and no longer exists after death’: this is a regret. ‘A realized one neither still exists nor no longer exists after death’: this is a regret. An unlearned ordinary person doesn’t understand regrets, their origin, their cessation, or the practice that leads to their cessation. And so their regrets grow. They’re not freed from rebirth, old age, and death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. They’re not freed from suffering, I say.

Sutavā ca kho, bhikkhu, ariyasāvako vippaṭisāraṁ pajānāti, vippaṭisārasamudayaṁ pajānāti, vippaṭisāranirodhaṁ pajānāti, vippaṭisāranirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ pajānāti. Tassa so vippaṭisāro nirujjhati, so parimuccati jātiyā …pe… ‘… dukkhasmā’ti vadāmi. Evaṁ jānaṁ kho, bhikkhu, sutavā ariyasāvako evaṁ passaṁ ‘hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipi na byākaroti …pe… ‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipi na byākaroti. Evaṁ jānaṁ kho, bhikkhu, sutavā ariyasāvako evaṁ passaṁ evaṁ abyākaraṇadhammo hoti abyākatavatthūsu. Evaṁ jānaṁ kho, bhikkhu, sutavā ariyasāvako evaṁ passaṁ na chambhati, na kampati, na vedhati, na santāsaṁ āpajjati abyākatavatthūsu. Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhu, hetu ayaṁ paccayo yena sutavato ariyasāvakassa vicikicchā nuppajjati abyākatavatthūsū”ti.

A learned noble disciple does understand regrets, their origin, their cessation, and the practice that leads to their cessation. And so their regrets cease. They’re freed from rebirth, old age, and death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. They’re freed from suffering, I say. Knowing and seeing this, a learned noble disciple does not answer: ‘A realized one still exists after death’ … ‘A realized one neither still exists nor no longer exists after death.’ Knowing and seeing this, a learned noble disciple does not declare the undeclared points. Knowing and seeing this, a learned noble disciple doesn’t shake, tremble, quake, or get nervous regarding the undeclared points. This is the cause, this is the reason why a learned noble disciple has no doubts regarding the undeclared points.”