Snp 5.7

Upasīvamāṇavapucchā

“Eko ahaṁ sakka mahantamoghaṁ, (iccāyasmā upasīvo) Anissito no visahāmi tārituṁ; Ārammaṇaṁ brūhi samantacakkhu, Yaṁ nissito oghamimaṁ tareyyaṁ”.

The Questions of Upasīva

“Alone and independent, O Sakyan,” said Venerable Upasīva, “I am not able to cross the great flood. Tell me a support, All-seer, depending on which I may cross this flood.”

“Ākiñcaññaṁ pekkhamāno satimā, (upasīvāti bhagavā) Natthīti nissāya tarassu oghaṁ; Kāme pahāya virato kathāhi, Taṇhakkhayaṁ nattamahābhipassa”.

“Mindfully contemplating nothingness,” replied the Buddha, “depending on the perception ‘there is nothing’, cross the flood. Giving up sensual pleasures, refraining from chatter, watch day and night for the ending of craving.”

“Sabbesu kāmesu yo vītarāgo, (iccāyasmā upasīvo) Ākiñcaññaṁ nissito hitvā maññaṁ; Saññāvimokkhe parame vimutto, Tiṭṭhe nu so tattha anānuyāyī”.

“One who is free of desire for sensual pleasures,” said Venerable Upasīva, “depending on nothingness, all else left behind, freed in the ultimate liberation of perception: might they remain there without traveling on?”

“Sabbesu kāmesu yo vītarāgo, (upasīvāti bhagavā) Ākiñcaññaṁ nissito hitvā maññaṁ; Saññāvimokkhe parame vimutto, Tiṭṭheyya so tattha anānuyāyī”.

“One free of desire for sensual pleasures,” replied the Buddha, “depending on nothingness, all else left behind, freed in the ultimate liberation of perception: they might remain there without traveling on.”

“Tiṭṭhe ce so tattha anānuyāyī, Pūgampi vassānaṁ samantacakkhu; Tattheva so sītisiyā vimutto, Cavetha viññāṇaṁ tathāvidhassa”.

“If they were to remain there without traveling on, even for myriad years, All-seer, and, being freed, were to grow cool right there, would the consciousness of that sort pass away?”

“Accī yathā vātavegena khittā, (upasīvāti bhagavā) Atthaṁ paleti na upeti saṅkhaṁ; Evaṁ munī nāmakāyā vimutto, Atthaṁ paleti na upeti saṅkhaṁ”.

“As a flame tossed by a gust of wind,” replied the Buddha, “comes to an end and cannot be reckoned; so too, a sage freed from the set of mental phenomena comes to an end and cannot be reckoned.”

“Atthaṅgato so uda vā so natthi, Udāhu ve sassatiyā arogo; Taṁ me munī sādhu viyākarohi, Tathā hi te vidito esa dhammo”.

“One who has disappeared—do they not exist? Or are they free from disease for eternity? Please, sage, answer me clearly, for truly you understand this matter.”

“Atthaṅgatassa na pamāṇamatthi, (upasīvāti bhagavā) Yena naṁ vajjuṁ taṁ tassa natthi; Sabbesu dhammesu samohatesu, Samūhatā vādapathāpi sabbe”ti.

“One who has disappeared cannot be defined,” replied the Buddha. “They have nothing by which others might describe them. When all things have been eradicated, eradicated, too, are all ways of speech.”