SN 45.5

Kimatthiyasutta

Sāvatthinidānaṁ. Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu …pe… ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:

What’s the Goal?

At Sāvatthī. Then several mendicants went up to the Buddha … and said to him:

“Idha no, bhante, aññatitthiyā paribbājakā amhe evaṁ pucchanti: ‘kimatthiyaṁ, āvuso, samaṇe gotame brahmacariyaṁ vussatī’ti? Evaṁ puṭṭhā mayaṁ, bhante, tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ evaṁ byākaroma: ‘dukkhassa kho, āvuso, pariññatthaṁ bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussatī’ti. Kacci mayaṁ, bhante, evaṁ puṭṭhā evaṁ byākaramānā vuttavādino ceva bhagavato homa, na ca bhagavantaṁ abhūtena abbhācikkhāma, dhammassa cānudhammaṁ byākaroma, na ca koci sahadhammiko vādānuvādo gārayhaṁ ṭhānaṁ āgacchatī”ti?

“Sir, sometimes wanderers of other religions ask us: ‘Reverends, what’s the goal of leading the spiritual life under the ascetic Gotama?’ We answer them like this: ‘The goal of leading the spiritual life under the Buddha is to completely understand suffering.’ Answering this way, we trust that we repeat what the Buddha has said, and don’t misrepresent him with an untruth. We trust our explanation is in line with the teaching, and that there are no legitimate grounds for rebuttal or criticism.”

“Taggha tumhe, bhikkhave, evaṁ puṭṭhā evaṁ byākaramānā vuttavādino ceva me hotha, na ca maṁ abhūtena abbhācikkhatha, dhammassa cānudhammaṁ byākarotha, na ca koci sahadhammiko vādānuvādo gārayhaṁ ṭhānaṁ āgacchati. Dukkhassa hi pariññatthaṁ mayi brahmacariyaṁ vussati. Sace vo, bhikkhave, aññatitthiyā paribbājakā evaṁ puccheyyuṁ: ‘atthi panāvuso, maggo, atthi paṭipadā etassa dukkhassa pariññāyā’ti, evaṁ puṭṭhā tumhe, bhikkhave, tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ evaṁ byākareyyātha: ‘atthi kho, āvuso, maggo, atthi paṭipadā etassa dukkhassa pariññāyā’ti.

“Indeed, in answering this way you repeat what I’ve said, and don’t misrepresent me with an untruth. Your explanation is in line with the teaching, and there are no legitimate grounds for rebuttal or criticism. For the goal of leading the spiritual life under me is to completely understand suffering. If wanderers of other religions were to ask you: ‘Is there a path and a practice for completely understanding that suffering?’ You should answer them like this: ‘There is.’

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, maggo, katamā paṭipadā etassa dukkhassa pariññāyāti? Ayameva ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo, seyyathidaṁ— sammādiṭṭhi …pe… sammāsamādhi. Ayaṁ, bhikkhave, maggo, ayaṁ paṭipadā etassa dukkhassa pariññāyāti. Evaṁ puṭṭhā tumhe, bhikkhave, tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ evaṁ byākareyyāthā”ti.

And what is that path? It is simply this noble eightfold path, that is: right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion. This is the path and the practice for completely understanding suffering. When questioned by wanderers of other religions, that’s how you should answer them.”