AN 9.38

Lokāyatikasutta

Atha kho dve lokāyatikā brāhmaṇā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodiṁsu. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te brāhmaṇā bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:

Brahmin Cosmologists

Then two brahmin cosmologists went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, they sat down to one side and said to the Buddha:

“Pūraṇo, bho gotama, kassapo sabbaññū sabbadassāvī aparisesaṁ ñāṇadassanaṁ paṭijānāti: ‘carato ca me tiṭṭhato ca suttassa ca jāgarassa ca satataṁ samitaṁ ñāṇadassanaṁ paccupaṭṭhitan’ti. So evamāha: ‘ahaṁ anantena ñāṇena anantaṁ lokaṁ jānaṁ passaṁ viharāmī’ti. Ayampi, bho gotama, nigaṇṭho nāṭaputto sabbaññū sabbadassāvī aparisesaṁ ñāṇadassanaṁ paṭijānāti: ‘carato ca me tiṭṭhato ca suttassa ca jāgarassa ca satataṁ samitaṁ ñāṇadassanaṁ paccupaṭṭhitan’ti. So evamāha: ‘ahaṁ anantena ñāṇena anantaṁ lokaṁ jānaṁ passaṁ viharāmī’ti. Imesaṁ, bho gotama, ubhinnaṁ ñāṇavādānaṁ ubhinnaṁ aññamaññaṁ vipaccanīkavādānaṁ ko saccaṁ āha ko musā”ti?

“Worthy Gotama, Pūraṇa Kassapa claims to be all-knowing and all-seeing, to know and see everything without exception, thus: ‘Knowledge and vision are constantly and continually present to me, while walking, standing, sleeping, and waking.’ He says: ‘With infinite knowledge I know and see that the cosmos is infinite.’ And the Jain ascetic of the Ñātika clan also claims to be all-knowing and all-seeing, to know and see everything without exception, thus: ‘Knowledge and vision are constantly and continually present to me, while walking, standing, sleeping, and waking.’ He says: ‘With infinite knowledge I know and see that the cosmos is finite.’ These two claim to speak from knowledge, but they directly contradict each other. Which one of them speaks the truth, and which falsehood?”

“Alaṁ, brāhmaṇā. Tiṭṭhatetaṁ: ‘imesaṁ ubhinnaṁ ñāṇavādānaṁ ubhinnaṁ aññamaññaṁ vipaccanīkavādānaṁ ko saccaṁ āha ko musā’ti. Dhammaṁ vo, brāhmaṇā, desessāmi, taṁ suṇātha, sādhukaṁ manasi karotha, bhāsissāmī”ti. “Evaṁ, bho”ti kho te brāhmaṇā bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca:

“Enough, brahmins, let that be. I will teach you the Dhamma. Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.” “Yes, worthy sir,” those brahmins replied. The Buddha said this:

“Seyyathāpi, brāhmaṇā, cattāro purisā catuddisā ṭhitā paramena javena ca samannāgatā paramena ca padavītihārena. Te evarūpena javena samannāgatā assu, seyyathāpi nāma daḷhadhammā dhanuggaho sikkhito katahattho katūpāsano lahukena asanena appakasirena tiriyaṁ tālacchāyaṁ atipāteyya; evarūpena ca padavītihārena, seyyathāpi nāma puratthimā samuddā pacchimo samuddo atha puratthimāya disāya ṭhito puriso evaṁ vadeyya: ‘ahaṁ gamanena lokassa antaṁ pāpuṇissāmī’ti. So aññatreva asitapītakhāyitasāyitā aññatra uccārapassāvakammā aññatra niddākilamathapaṭivinodanā vassasatāyuko vassasatajīvī vassasataṁ gantvā appatvāva lokassa antaṁ antarā kālaṁ kareyya. Atha pacchimāya disāya …pe… atha uttarāya disāya … atha dakkhiṇāya disāya ṭhito puriso evaṁ vadeyya: ‘ahaṁ gamanena lokassa antaṁ pāpuṇissāmī’ti. So aññatreva asitapītakhāyitasāyitā aññatra uccārapassāvakammā aññatra niddākilamathapaṭivinodanā vassasatāyuko vassasatajīvī vassasataṁ gantvā appatvāva lokassa antaṁ antarā kālaṁ kareyya. Taṁ kissa hetu? Nāhaṁ, brāhmaṇā, evarūpāya sandhāvanikāya lokassa antaṁ ñāteyyaṁ daṭṭheyyaṁ patteyyanti vadāmi. Na cāhaṁ, brāhmaṇā, appatvāva lokassa antaṁ dukkhassa antakiriyaṁ vadāmi.

“Suppose there were four men standing in the four quarters. Each of them was extremely fast, with an extremely mighty stride. They’re as fast as a light arrow easily shot across the shadow of a palm tree by a well-trained expert archer with a strong bow. Their stride was such that it spanned from the eastern ocean to the western ocean. Then the man standing in the east would say: ‘I will reach the end of the world by traveling.’ Though he’d travel for his whole lifespan of a hundred years—pausing only to eat and drink, go to the toilet, and sleep to dispel weariness—he’d die along the way, never reaching the end of the world. Then the man standing in the west … Then the man standing in the north … Then the man standing in the south would say: ‘I will reach the end of the world by traveling.’ Though he’d travel for his whole lifespan of a hundred years—pausing only to eat and drink, go to the toilet, and sleep to dispel weariness—he’d die along the way, never reaching the end of the world. Why is that? I say it’s not possible to know or see or reach the end of the world by running like this. But I also say there’s no making an end of suffering without reaching the end of the world.

Pañcime, brāhmaṇā, kāmaguṇā ariyassa vinaye lokoti vuccati. Katame pañca? Cakkhuviññeyyā rūpā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā; sotaviññeyyā saddā …pe… ghānaviññeyyā gandhā … jivhāviññeyyā rasā … kāyaviññeyyā phoṭṭhabbā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā; ime kho, brāhmaṇā, pañca kāmaguṇā ariyassa vinaye lokoti vuccati.

These five kinds of sensual stimulation are called the world in the training of the Noble One. What five? Sights known by the eye, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing. Sounds known by the ear … Smells known by the nose … Tastes known by the tongue … Touches known by the body, which are likable, desirable, agreeable, pleasant, sensual, and arousing. These five kinds of sensual stimulation are called the world in the training of the Noble One.

Idha, brāhmaṇā, bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati. Ayaṁ vuccati, brāhmaṇā, ‘bhikkhu lokassa antamāgamma, lokassa ante viharati’. Tamaññe evamāhaṁsu: ‘ayampi lokapariyāpanno, ayampi anissaṭo lokamhā’ti. Ahampi hi, brāhmaṇā, evaṁ vadāmi: ‘ayampi lokapariyāpanno, ayampi anissaṭo lokamhā’ti.

Take a mendicant who, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, enters and remains in the first absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, while placing the mind and keeping it connected. This is called a mendicant who, having gone to the end of the world, meditates at the end of the world. Others say of them: ‘They’re included in the world, and haven’t yet left the world.’ And I also say this: ‘They’re included in the world, and haven’t yet left the world.’

Puna caparaṁ, brāhmaṇā, bhikkhu vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā …pe… dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ … tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ … catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati. Ayaṁ vuccati, brāhmaṇā, ‘bhikkhu lokassa antamāgamma lokassa ante viharati’. Tamaññe evamāhaṁsu: ‘ayampi lokapariyāpanno, ayampi anissaṭo lokamhā’ti. Ahampi hi, brāhmaṇā, evaṁ vadāmi: ‘ayampi lokapariyāpanno, ayampi anissaṭo lokamhā’ti.

Furthermore, take a mendicant who, as the placing of the mind and keeping it connected are stilled, enters and remains in the second absorption … third absorption … fourth absorption. This is called a mendicant who, having gone to the end of the world, meditates at the end of the world. Others say of them: ‘They’re included in the world, and haven’t yet left the world.’ And I also say this: ‘They’re included in the world, and haven’t yet left the world.’

Puna caparaṁ, brāhmaṇā, bhikkhu sabbaso rūpasaññānaṁ samatikkamā paṭighasaññānaṁ atthaṅgamā nānattasaññānaṁ amanasikārā ‘ananto ākāso’ti ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati. Ayaṁ vuccati, brāhmaṇā, ‘bhikkhu lokassa antamāgamma lokassa ante viharati’. Tamaññe evamāhaṁsu: ‘ayampi lokapariyāpanno, ayampi anissaṭo lokamhā’ti. Ahampi hi, brāhmaṇā, evaṁ vadāmi: ‘ayampi lokapariyāpanno, ayampi anissaṭo lokamhā’ti.

Furthermore, take a mendicant who, going totally beyond perceptions of form, with the disappearance of perceptions of impingement, not focusing on perceptions of diversity, aware that ‘space is infinite’, enters and remains in the dimension of infinite space. This is called a mendicant who, having gone to the end of the world, meditates at the end of the world. Others say of them: ‘They’re included in the world, and haven’t yet left the world.’ And I also say this: ‘They’re included in the world, and haven’t yet left the world.’

Puna caparaṁ, brāhmaṇā, bhikkhu sabbaso ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma ‘anantaṁ viññāṇan’ti viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati …pe… sabbaso viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma ‘natthi kiñcī’ti ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati …pe… sabbaso ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ samatikkamma nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati. Ayaṁ vuccati, brāhmaṇā, ‘bhikkhu lokassa antamāgamma lokassa ante viharati’. Tamaññe evamāhaṁsu: ‘ayampi lokapariyāpanno, ayampi anissaṭo lokamhā’ti. Ahampi hi, brāhmaṇā, evaṁ vadāmi: ‘ayampi lokapariyāpanno, ayampi anissaṭo lokamhā’ti.

Furthermore, take a mendicant who enters and remains in the dimension of infinite consciousness. … the dimension of nothingness … the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. This is called a mendicant who, having gone to the end of the world, meditates at the end of the world. Others say of them: ‘They’re included in the world, and haven’t yet left the world.’ And I also say this: ‘They’re included in the world, and haven’t yet left the world.’

Puna caparaṁ, brāhmaṇā, bhikkhu sabbaso nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ samatikkamma saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ upasampajja viharati, paññāya cassa disvā āsavā parikkhīṇā honti. Ayaṁ vuccati, brāhmaṇā, ‘bhikkhu lokassa antamāgamma lokassa ante viharati tiṇṇo loke visattikan’”ti.

Furthermore, take a mendicant who, going totally beyond the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, enters and remains in the cessation of perception and feeling. And, having seen with wisdom, their defilements come to an end. This is called a mendicant who, having gone to the end of the world, meditates at the end of the world. And they’ve crossed over clinging to the world.”