SN 12.25

Bhūmijasutta

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati. Atha kho āyasmā bhūmijo sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yenāyasmā sāriputto tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā sāriputtena saddhiṁ sammodi. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā bhūmijo āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ etadavoca:

With Bhūmija

At Sāvatthī. Then in the late afternoon, Venerable Bhūmija came out of retreat, went to Venerable Sāriputta, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to him:

“Santāvuso sāriputta, eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā kammavādā sayaṅkataṁ sukhadukkhaṁ paññapenti. Santi panāvuso sāriputta, eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā kammavādā paraṅkataṁ sukhadukkhaṁ paññapenti. Santāvuso sāriputta, eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā kammavādā sayaṅkatañca paraṅkatañca sukhadukkhaṁ paññapenti. Santi panāvuso sāriputta, eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā kammavādā asayaṅkāraṁ aparaṅkāraṁ adhiccasamuppannaṁ sukhadukkhaṁ paññapenti. Idha no, āvuso sāriputta, bhagavā kiṁvādī kimakkhāyī, kathaṁ byākaramānā ca mayaṁ vuttavādino ceva bhagavato assāma, na ca bhagavantaṁ abhūtena abbhācikkheyyāma, dhammassa cānudhammaṁ byākareyyāma, na ca koci sahadhammiko vādānupāto gārayhaṁ ṭhānaṁ āgaccheyyā”ti?

“Reverend Sāriputta, there are ascetics and brahmins who teach the efficacy of deeds. Some of them assert that pleasure and pain are made by oneself. Some of them assert that pleasure and pain are made by another. Some of them assert that pleasure and pain are made by both oneself and another. Some of them assert that pleasure and pain arise anomalously, not made by oneself or another. What does the Buddha say about this? How does he explain it? How should we answer so as to repeat what the Buddha has said, and not misrepresent him with an untruth? How should we explain in line with his teaching, with no legitimate grounds for rebuttal and criticism?”

“Paṭiccasamuppannaṁ kho, āvuso, sukhadukkhaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatā. Kiṁ paṭicca? Phassaṁ paṭicca. Iti vadaṁ vuttavādī ceva bhagavato assa, na ca bhagavantaṁ abhūtena abbhācikkheyya, dhammassa cānudhammaṁ byākareyya, na ca koci sahadhammiko vādānupāto gārayhaṁ ṭhānaṁ āgaccheyya.

“Reverend, the Buddha has said that pleasure and pain are dependently originated. Dependent on what? Dependent on contact. In speaking like this, you would repeat what the Buddha has said, and not misrepresent him with an untruth. You would explain in line with his teaching, and there would be no legitimate grounds for rebuttal and criticism.

Tatrāvuso, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā kammavādā sayaṅkataṁ sukhadukkhaṁ paññapenti, tadapi phassapaccayā. Yepi te …pe… yepi te …pe… yepi te samaṇabrāhmaṇā kammavādā asayaṅkāraṁ aparaṅkāraṁ adhiccasamuppannaṁ sukhadukkhaṁ paññapenti, tadapi phassapaccayā.

Consider the ascetics and brahmins who teach the efficacy of deeds. In the case of those who assert that pleasure and pain are made by oneself, that’s dependent on contact. … In the case of those who assert that pleasure and pain arise anomalously, not made by oneself or another, that’s also dependent on contact.

Tatrāvuso, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā kammavādā sayaṅkataṁ sukhadukkhaṁ paññapenti, te vata aññatra phassā paṭisaṁvedissantīti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati. Yepi te …pe… yepi te …pe… yepi te samaṇabrāhmaṇā kammavādā asayaṅkāraṁ aparaṅkāraṁ adhiccasamuppannaṁ sukhadukkhaṁ paññapenti, te vata aññatra phassā paṭisaṁvedissantīti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjatī”ti.

Consider the ascetics and brahmins who teach the efficacy of deeds. In the case of those who assert that pleasure and pain are made by oneself, it’s impossible that they will experience that without contact. … In the case of those who assert that pleasure and pain arise anomalously, not made by oneself or another, it’s impossible that they will experience that without contact.”

Assosi kho āyasmā ānando āyasmato sāriputtassa āyasmatā bhūmijena saddhiṁ imaṁ kathāsallāpaṁ. Atha kho āyasmā ānando yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando yāvatako āyasmato sāriputtassa āyasmatā bhūmijena saddhiṁ ahosi kathāsallāpo taṁ sabbaṁ bhagavato ārocesi.

Venerable Ānanda heard this discussion between Venerable Sāriputta and Venerable Bhūmija. Then Venerable Ānanda went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and informed the Buddha of all they had discussed.

“Sādhu sādhu, ānanda, yathā taṁ sāriputto sammā byākaramāno byākareyya. Paṭiccasamuppannaṁ kho, ānanda, sukhadukkhaṁ vuttaṁ mayā. Kiṁ paṭicca? Phassaṁ paṭicca. Iti vadaṁ vuttavādī ceva me assa, na ca maṁ abhūtena abbhācikkheyya, dhammassa cānudhammaṁ byākareyya, na ca koci sahadhammiko vādānupāto gārayhaṁ ṭhānaṁ āgaccheyya.

“Good, good, Ānanda! It’s just as Sāriputta has so rightly explained. I have said that pleasure and pain are dependently originated. Dependent on what? Dependent on contact. In speaking like this, you would repeat what I have said, and not misrepresent me with an untruth. You would explain in line with my teaching, and there would be no legitimate grounds for rebuttal and criticism.

Tatrānanda, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā kammavādā sayaṅkataṁ sukhadukkhaṁ paññapenti tadapi phassapaccayā. Yepi te …pe… yepi te …pe… yepi te samaṇabrāhmaṇā kammavādā asayaṅkāraṁ aparaṅkāraṁ adhiccasamuppannaṁ sukhadukkhaṁ paññapenti tadapi phassapaccayā.

Consider the ascetics and brahmins who teach the efficacy of deeds. In the case of those who assert that pleasure and pain are made by oneself, that’s dependent on contact. … In the case of those who assert that pleasure and pain arise anomalously, not made by oneself or another, that’s also dependent on contact.

Tatrānanda, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā kammavādā sayaṅkataṁ sukhadukkhaṁ paññapenti, te vata aññatra phassā paṭisaṁvedissantīti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati. Yepi te …pe… yepi te …pe… yepi te samaṇabrāhmaṇā kammavādā asayaṅkāraṁ aparaṅkāraṁ adhiccasamuppannaṁ sukhadukkhaṁ paññapenti, te vata aññatra phassā paṭisaṁvedissantīti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.

Consider the ascetics and brahmins who teach the efficacy of deeds. In the case of those who assert that pleasure and pain are made by oneself, it’s impossible that they will experience that without contact. … In the case of those who assert that pleasure and pain arise anomalously, not made by oneself or another, it’s impossible that they will experience that without contact.

Kāye vā hānanda, sati kāyasañcetanāhetu uppajjati ajjhattaṁ sukhadukkhaṁ. Vācāya vā hānanda, sati vacīsañcetanāhetu uppajjati ajjhattaṁ sukhadukkhaṁ. Mane vā hānanda, sati manosañcetanāhetu uppajjati ajjhattaṁ sukhadukkhaṁ avijjāpaccayā ca.

Ānanda, as long as there’s a body, the intention that gives rise to bodily action causes pleasure and pain to arise in oneself. As long as there’s a voice, the intention that gives rise to verbal action causes pleasure and pain to arise in oneself. As long as there’s a mind, the intention that gives rise to mental action causes pleasure and pain to arise in oneself. But this is only when dependent on ignorance.

Sāmaṁ vā taṁ, ānanda, kāyasaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti, yaṁpaccayāssa taṁ uppajjati ajjhattaṁ sukhadukkhaṁ. Pare vā taṁ, ānanda, kāyasaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharonti, yaṁpaccayāssa taṁ uppajjati ajjhattaṁ sukhadukkhaṁ. Sampajāno vā taṁ, ānanda, kāyasaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti yaṁpaccayāssa taṁ uppajjati ajjhattaṁ sukhadukkhaṁ. Asampajāno vā taṁ, ānanda, kāyasaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti yaṁpaccayāssa taṁ uppajjati ajjhattaṁ sukhadukkhaṁ. Sāmaṁ vā taṁ, ānanda, vacīsaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti yaṁpaccayāssa taṁ uppajjati ajjhattaṁ sukhadukkhaṁ. Pare vā taṁ, ānanda, vacīsaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharonti yaṁpaccayāssa taṁ uppajjati ajjhattaṁ sukhadukkhaṁ. Sampajāno vā taṁ, ānanda …pe… asampajāno vā taṁ, ānanda, vacīsaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti yaṁpaccayāssa taṁ uppajjati ajjhattaṁ sukhadukkhaṁ. Sāmaṁ vā taṁ, ānanda, manosaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti yaṁpaccayāssa taṁ uppajjati ajjhattaṁ sukhadukkhaṁ. Pare vā taṁ, ānanda, manosaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharonti yaṁpaccayāssa taṁ uppajjati ajjhattaṁ sukhadukkhaṁ. Sampajāno vā taṁ, ānanda …pe… asampajāno vā taṁ, ānanda, manosaṅkhāraṁ abhisaṅkharoti yaṁpaccayāssa taṁ uppajjati ajjhattaṁ sukhadukkhaṁ.

By oneself one instigates the choice that gives rise to bodily, verbal, and mental action, conditioned by which that pleasure and pain arise in oneself. Or else others instigate the choice … One instigates the choice after deliberation … Or else one instigates the choice without deliberation …

Imesu, ānanda, dhammesu avijjā anupatitā. Avijjāya tveva, ānanda, asesavirāganirodhā so kāyo na hoti yaṁpaccayāssa taṁ uppajjati ajjhattaṁ sukhadukkhaṁ. Sā vācā na hoti yaṁpaccayāssa taṁ uppajjati ajjhattaṁ sukhadukkhaṁ. So mano na hoti yaṁpaccayāssa taṁ uppajjati ajjhattaṁ sukhadukkhaṁ. Khettaṁ taṁ na hoti …pe… vatthu taṁ na hoti …pe… āyatanaṁ taṁ na hoti …pe… adhikaraṇaṁ taṁ na hoti yaṁpaccayāssa taṁ uppajjati ajjhattaṁ sukhadukkhan”ti.

Ignorance is included in all these things. But when ignorance fades away and ceases with no residue left behind, that body, that voice, and that mind no longer exist dependent on which that pleasure and pain arise in oneself. That field does not exist, that ground does not exist, that dimension does not exist, that foundation does not exist, dependent on which that pleasure and pain arise in oneself.”