Dialogues of the Buddha (Digha Nikaya)

But someone else says to them: ‘<em>That</em> self of which you speak does exist, I don’t deny it. But that’s not how <em>this</em> self attains ultimate extinguishment in this life. Why is that? Because sensual pleasures are impermanent, suffering, and perishable. Their decay and perishing give rise to sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. Quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, this self enters and remains in the first absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, while placing the mind and keeping it connected. That’s how this self attains ultimate extinguishment in this life.’ That is how some assert ultimate extinguishment for an existing being in this life.

But someone else says to them: ‘<em>That</em> self of which you speak does exist, I don’t deny it. But that’s not how <em>this</em> self attains ultimate extinguishment in this life. Why is that? Because the placing of the mind and the keeping it connected there are coarse. But when the placing of the mind and keeping it connected are stilled, this self enters and remains in the second absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of immersion, with internal clarity and mind at one, without placing the mind and keeping it connected. That’s how this self attains ultimate extinguishment in this life.’ That is how some assert ultimate extinguishment for an existing being in this life.

But someone else says to them: ‘<em>That</em> self of which you speak does exist, I don’t deny it. But that’s not how <em>this</em> self attains ultimate extinguishment in this life. Why is that? Because the rapture and emotional elation there are coarse. But with the fading away of rapture, this self enters and remains in the third absorption, where it meditates with equanimity, mindful and aware, experiencing for themselves the bliss of which the noble ones declare, “Equanimous and mindful, one meditates in bliss”. That’s how this self attains ultimate extinguishment in this life.’ That is how some assert ultimate extinguishment for an existing being in this life.

But someone else says to them: ‘<em>That</em> self of which you speak does exist, I don’t deny it. But that’s not how <em>this</em> self attains ultimate extinguishment in this life. Why is that? Because mentally partaking in that as ‘blissful’ is said to be coarse. But with the giving up of pleasure and pain and the disappearance of former happiness and sadness, this self enters and remains in the fourth absorption, without pleasure or pain, with pure equanimity and mindfulness. That’s how this self attains ultimate extinguishment in this life.’ That is how some assert ultimate extinguishment for an existing being in this life.

These are the five grounds on which those ascetics and brahmins assert ultimate extinguishment for an existing being in this life. Any ascetics and brahmins who assert ultimate extinguishment for an existing being in this life do so on one or other of these five grounds. Outside of this there is none.

The Realized One understands this … And those who genuinely praise the Realized One would rightly speak of these things.

These are the forty-four grounds on which those ascetics and brahmins who speculate and theorize about the final end propose various hypotheses concerning the final end. Any ascetics and brahmins who speculate and theorize about the final end do so on one or other of these forty-four grounds. Outside of this there is none.

The Realized One understands this … And those who genuinely praise the Realized One would rightly speak of these things.

These are the sixty-two grounds on which those ascetics and brahmins who speculate and theorize about the first beginning and the final end propose various hypotheses concerning the first beginning and the final end. Any ascetics and brahmins who speculate and theorize about the first beginning or the final end do so on one or other of these sixty-two grounds. Outside of this there is none.

The Realized One understands this: ‘If you hold on to and attach to these grounds for views it leads to such a destiny in the next life.’ He understands this, and what goes beyond this. And since he does not misapprehend that understanding, he has realized quenching within himself. Having truly understood the origin, disappearance, gratification, drawback, and escape from feelings, the Realized One is freed by not grasping.

These are the principles—deep, hard to see, hard to understand, peaceful, sublime, beyond the scope of logic, subtle, comprehensible to the astute—which the Realized One makes known after realizing them with his own insight. And those who genuinely praise the Realized One would rightly speak of these things.

4. The Grounds For Assertions About the Self and the Cosmos 4.1. Anxiety and Evasiveness

Now, these things are only the feeling of those who do not know or see, the anxiety and evasiveness of those under the sway of craving. Namely, when those ascetics and brahmins assert that the self and the cosmos are eternal on four grounds …

partially eternal on four grounds …

finite or infinite on four grounds …

or they resort to flip-flops on four grounds …

or they assert that the self and the cosmos arose anomalously on two grounds …

they speculate and theorize about the first beginning on these eighteen grounds …

or they assert that the self lives on after death in a percipient form on sixteen grounds …

or that the self lives on after death in a non-percipient form on eight grounds …

or that the self lives on after death in a neither percipient nor non-percipient form on eight grounds …

or they assert the annihilation of an existing being on seven grounds …

or they assert ultimate extinguishment for an existing being in this life on five grounds …

they speculate and theorize about the final end on these forty-four grounds …

When those ascetics and brahmins speculate and theorize about the first beginning and the final end on these sixty-two grounds, these things are only the feeling of those who do not know or see, the anxiety and evasiveness of those under the sway of craving.

4.2. Dependent On contact Now, these things are dependent on contact. Namely, when those ascetics and brahmins assert that the self and the cosmos are eternal on four grounds …

partially eternal on four grounds …

finite or infinite on four grounds …

or they resort to flip-flops on four grounds …

or they assert that the self and the cosmos arose anomalously on two grounds …

they speculate and theorize about the first beginning on these eighteen grounds …

or they assert that the self lives on after death in a percipient form on sixteen grounds …

or that the self lives on after death in a non-percipient form on eight grounds …

or that the self lives on after death in a neither percipient nor non-percipient form on eight grounds …

or they assert the annihilation of an existing being on seven grounds …

or they assert ultimate extinguishment for an existing being in this life on five grounds …

they speculate and theorize about the final end on these forty-four grounds …

When those ascetics and brahmins speculate and theorize about the first beginning and the final end on these sixty-two grounds, that too is dependent on contact.

4.3. Not Possible

Now, when those ascetics and brahmins speculate and theorize about the first beginning and the final end on these sixty-two grounds, it is not possible that they should experience these things without contact.

4.4. Dependent Origination Now, when those ascetics and brahmins speculate and theorize about the first beginning and the final end on these sixty-two grounds, all of them experience this by repeated contact through the six fields of contact. Their feeling is a condition for craving. Craving is a condition for grasping. Grasping is a condition for continued existence. Continued existence is a condition for rebirth. Rebirth is a condition for old age and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress to come to be.

5. The End of the Round When a mendicant truly understands the six fields of contact’s origin, disappearance, gratification, drawback, and escape, they understand what lies beyond all these things. All of these ascetics and brahmins who speculate and theorize about the first beginning or the final end are trapped in the net of these sixty-two grounds, so that wherever they emerge they are caught and trapped in this very net. Suppose a deft fisherman or his apprentice were to cast a fine-meshed net over a small pond. They’d think: ‘Any sizable creatures in this pond will be trapped in the net. Wherever they emerge they are caught and trapped in this very net.’ In the same way, all of these ascetics and brahmins who speculate and theorize about the first beginning or the final end are trapped in the net of these sixty-two grounds, so that wherever they emerge they are caught and trapped in this very net.

The Realized One’s body remains, but his leash to existence has been cut off. As long as his body remains he will be seen by gods and humans. But when his body breaks up, after life has ended, gods and humans will see him no more. When the stalk of a bunch of mangoes is cut, all the mangoes attached to the stalk will follow along. In the same way, the Realized One’s body remains, but his leash to existence has been cut off. As long as his body remains he will be seen by gods and humans. But when his body breaks up, after life has ended, gods and humans will see him no more.”

When he had spoken, Venerable Ānanda said to the Buddha, “It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing! What is the name of this exposition of the teaching?” “Well then, Ānanda, you may remember this exposition of the teaching as ‘The Net of Meaning’, or else ‘The Net of the Teaching’, or else ‘The Divine Net’, or else ‘The Net of Views’, or else ‘The Supreme Victory in Battle’.” That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, the mendicants approved what the Buddha said. And while this discourse was being spoken, the ten-thousandfold galaxy shook.

1. A Discussion With the King’s Ministers So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha in the Mango Grove of Jīvaka Komārabhacca, together with a large Saṅgha of 1,250 mendicants. Now, at that time it was the sabbath—the Komudī full moon on the fifteenth day of the fourth month—and King Ajātasattu of Magadha, son of the princess of Videha, was sitting upstairs in the royal longhouse surrounded by his ministers. Then Ajātasattu of Magadha, son of the princess of Videha, expressed this heartfelt sentiment, “Oh, sirs, this moonlit night is so very delightful, so beautiful, so glorious, so lovely, so striking. Now, what ascetic or brahmin might I pay homage to today, paying homage to whom my mind might find peace?”

When he had spoken, one of the king’s ministers said to him, “Your Majesty, this Pūraṇa Kassapa leads an order and a community, and tutors a community. He’s a well-known and famous religious founder, deemed holy by many people. He is of long standing, long gone forth; he is advanced in years and has reached the final stage of life. Let Your Majesty pay homage to him. Hopefully in so doing your mind will find peace.” But when he had spoken, the king kept silent.

Another of the king’s ministers said to him, “Your Majesty, this bamboo-staffed ascetic Gosāla leads an order and a community, and tutors a community. He’s a well-known and famous religious founder, deemed holy by many people. He is of long standing, long gone forth; he is advanced in years and has reached the final stage of life. Let Your Majesty pay homage to him. Hopefully in so doing your mind will find peace.” But when he had spoken, the king kept silent.

Another of the king’s ministers said to him, “Your Majesty, this Ajita of the hair blanket leads an order and a community, and tutors a community. He’s a well-known and famous religious founder, deemed holy by many people. He is of long standing, long gone forth; he is advanced in years and has reached the final stage of life. Let Your Majesty pay homage to him. Hopefully in so doing your mind will find peace.” But when he had spoken, the king kept silent.

Another of the king’s ministers said to him, “Your Majesty, this Pakudha Kaccāyana leads an order and a community, and tutors a community. He’s a well-known and famous religious founder, deemed holy by many people. He is of long standing, long gone forth; he is advanced in years and has reached the final stage of life. Let Your Majesty pay homage to him. Hopefully in so doing your mind will find peace.” But when he had spoken, the king kept silent.

Another of the king’s ministers said to him, “Your Majesty, this Sañjaya Belaṭṭhiputta leads an order and a community, and tutors a community. He’s a well-known and famous religious founder, deemed holy by many people. He is of long standing, long gone forth; he is advanced in years and has reached the final stage of life. Let Your Majesty pay homage to him. Hopefully in so doing your mind will find peace.” But when he had spoken, the king kept silent.

Another of the king’s ministers said to him, “Your Majesty, this Jain ascetic of the Ñātika clan leads an order and a community, and tutors a community. He’s a well-known and famous religious founder, deemed holy by many people. He is of long standing, long gone forth; he is advanced in years and has reached the final stage of life. Let Your Majesty pay homage to him. Hopefully in so doing your mind will find peace.” But when he had spoken, the king kept silent.

2. A Discussion With Jīvaka Komārabhacca Now at that time Jīvaka Komārabhacca was sitting silently not far from the king. Then the king said to him, “But my dear Jīvaka, why are you silent?” “Your Majesty, this Blessed One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha is staying in my mango grove together with a large Saṅgha of 1,250 mendicants. He has this good reputation: ‘That Blessed One is perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those fit for training, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed.’ Let Your Majesty pay homage to him. Hopefully in so doing your mind will find peace.” “Well then, my dear Jīvaka, have the elephants readied.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” replied Jīvaka. He had around five hundred female elephants readied, in addition to the king’s bull elephant for riding. Then he informed the king, “The elephants are ready, Your Majesty. Please go at your convenience.”

Then King Ajātasattu had women mounted on each of the five hundred female elephants, while he mounted his bull elephant. With attendants carrying torches, he set out in full royal pomp from Rājagaha to Jīvaka’s Mango Grove. But as he drew near the mango grove, the king became frightened, scared, his hair standing on end. He said to Jīvaka, “My dear Jīvaka, I hope you’re not deceiving me! I hope you’re not betraying me! I hope you’re not turning me over to my enemies! For how on earth can there be no sound of coughing or clearing throats or any noise in such a large Saṅgha of 1,250 mendicants?” “Do not fear, Great King, do not fear! I am not deceiving you, or betraying you, or turning you over to your enemies. Go forward, Great King, go forward! Those are lamps shining in the pavilion.”

3. The Question About the Fruits of the Ascetic Life Then King Ajātasattu rode on the elephant as far as the terrain allowed, then descended and approached the pavilion door on foot, where he asked Jīvaka, “But my dear Jīvaka, where is the Buddha?” “That is the Buddha, Great King, that is the Buddha! He’s sitting against the central column facing east, in front of the Saṅgha of mendicants.”

Then the king went up to the Buddha and stood to one side. He looked around the Saṅgha of mendicants, who were so very silent, like a still, clear lake, and expressed this heartfelt sentiment, “May my son, Prince Udāyibhadda, be blessed with such peace as the Saṅgha of mendicants now enjoys!” “Has your mind gone to one you love, Great King?” “I love my son, sir, Prince Udāyibhadda. May he be blessed with such peace as the Saṅgha of mendicants now enjoys!”

Then the king bowed to the Buddha, raised his cupped palms toward the Saṅgha, and sat down to one side. He said to the Buddha, “Sir, I’d like to ask you about a certain point, if you’d take the time to answer.” “Ask what you wish, Great King.”

“Sir, there are many different professional fields. These include elephant marshals, cavalry, charioteers, archers, bannermen, adjutants, food servers, warrior-chiefs, princes, chargers, great warriors, heroes, leather-clad soldiers, and sons of bondservants. They also include bakers, barbers, bathroom attendants, cooks, garland-makers, dyers, embroiderers, basket-makers, potters, accountants, finger-talliers, or those following any similar professions. All these live off the fruits of their profession which are apparent in this very life. With that they make themselves happy and pleased. They make their parents, their children and partners, and their friends and colleagues happy and pleased. And they establish an uplifting religious donation for ascetics and brahmins that’s conducive to heaven, ripens in happiness, and leads to heaven. Sir, can you point out a fruit of the ascetic life that’s likewise apparent in this very life?”

“Great king, do you recall having asked this question of other ascetics and brahmins?” “I do, sir.” “If you wouldn’t mind, Great King, tell me how they answered.” “It’s no trouble when someone such as the Blessed One is sitting here.” “Well, speak then, Great King.”

3.1. The Doctrine of Pūraṇa Kassapa “This one time, sir, I approached Pūraṇa Kassapa and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, I sat down to one side, and asked him the same question.

He said to me: ‘Great king, the one who acts does nothing wrong when they punish, mutilate, torture, aggrieve, oppress, intimidate, or when they encourage others to do the same. They do nothing wrong when they kill, steal, break into houses, plunder wealth, steal from isolated buildings, commit highway robbery, commit adultery, and lie. If you were to reduce all the living creatures of this earth to one heap and mass of flesh with a razor-edged chakram, no evil comes of that, and no outcome of evil. If you were to go along the south bank of the Ganges killing, mutilating, and torturing, and encouraging others to do the same, no evil comes of that, and no outcome of evil. If you were to go along the north bank of the Ganges giving and sacrificing and encouraging others to do the same, no merit comes of that, and no outcome of merit. In giving, self-control, restraint, and truthfulness there is no merit or outcome of merit.’

And so, when I asked Pūraṇa Kassapa about the fruits of the ascetic life apparent in the present life, he answered with the doctrine of inaction. It was like someone who, when asked about a mango, answered with a breadfruit, or when asked about a breadfruit, answered with a mango. I thought: ‘How on earth could one such as I presume to rebuke an ascetic or brahmin living in my realm?’ So I neither approved nor rejected that statement of Pūraṇa Kassapa. I was displeased, but did not express my displeasure. Neither accepting what he said nor contradicting it, I rose from my seat and left.

3.2. The Doctrine of the Bamboo-staffed Ascetic Gosāla This one time, sir, I approached the bamboo-staffed ascetic Gosāla and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, I sat down to one side, and asked him the same question.

He said: ‘Great king, there is no cause or reason for the corruption of sentient beings. Sentient beings are corrupted without cause or reason. There’s no cause or reason for the purification of sentient beings. Sentient beings are purified without cause or reason. One does not act of one’s own volition, one does not act of another’s volition, one does not act from a person’s volition. There is no power, no energy, no human strength or vigor. All sentient beings, all living creatures, all beings, all souls lack control, power, and energy. Molded by destiny, circumstance, and nature, they experience pleasure and pain in the six classes of rebirth. There are 1.4 million main wombs, and 6,000, and 600; 500 deeds, and five, and three; deeds and half-deeds; 62 paths of practice, 62 sub-eons, six classes of rebirth, and eight stages in a person’s life; 4,900 Ājīvaka ascetics, 4,900 wanderers, and 4,900 dragon abodes; 2,000 lordships, 3,000 hells, and 36 realms of dusky sky; seven percipient embryos, seven non-percipient embryos, seven knotless embryos, seven gods, seven mental heavens, seven goblins, seven streams, seven castoff incarnations and 700 castoff incarnations, seven downfalls and 700 downfalls, seven dreams and 700 dreams, and 8.4 million great eons—through all of which the foolish and the astute transmigrate before making an end of suffering. And here there is no such thing as this: “By this precept or observance or fervent austerity or spiritual practice I shall force unripened deeds to bear their fruit, or eliminate old deeds by experiencing their results little by little,” for that cannot be. Pleasure and pain are allotted. Transmigration lasts only for a limited period, so there’s no increase or decrease, no getting better or worse. It’s like how, when you toss a ball of string, it rolls away unraveling. In the same way, after transmigrating the foolish and the astute will make an end of suffering.’

And so, when I asked the bamboo-staffed ascetic Gosāla about the fruits of the ascetic life apparent in the present life, he answered with the doctrine of purification through transmigration. It was like someone who, when asked about a mango, answered with a breadfruit, or when asked about a breadfruit, answered with a mango. I thought: ‘How on earth could one such as I presume to rebuke an ascetic or brahmin living in my realm?’ So I neither approved nor rejected that statement of the bamboo-staffed ascetic Gosāla. I was displeased, but did not express my displeasure. Neither accepting what he said nor contradicting it, I rose from my seat and left.

3.3. The Doctrine of Ajita of the Hair Blanket This one time, sir, I approached Ajita of the hair blanket and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, I sat down to one side, and asked him the same question.

He said: ‘Great king, there is no meaning in giving, sacrifice, or offerings. There’s no fruit or result of good and bad deeds. There’s no afterlife. There’s no such thing as mother and father, or beings that are reborn spontaneously. And there’s no ascetic or brahmin who is rightly comported and rightly practiced, and who describes the afterlife after realizing it with their own insight. This person is made up of the four principal states. When they die, the earth in their body merges and coalesces with the substance of earth. The water in their body merges and coalesces with the substance of water. The fire in their body merges and coalesces with the substance of fire. The air in their body merges and coalesces with the substance of air. The faculties are transferred to space. Four men with a bier carry away the corpse. Their footprints show the way to the cremation ground. The bones become bleached. Offerings dedicated to the gods end in ashes. Giving is a doctrine of morons. When anyone affirms a positive teaching it’s just hollow, false nonsense. Both the foolish and the astute are annihilated and destroyed when their body breaks up, and don’t exist after death.’

And so, when I asked Ajita of the hair blanket about the fruits of the ascetic life apparent in the present life, he answered with the doctrine of annihilationism. It was like someone who, when asked about a mango, answered with a breadfruit, or when asked about a breadfruit, answered with a mango. I thought: ‘How on earth could one such as I presume to rebuke an ascetic or brahmin living in my realm?’ So I neither approved nor rejected that statement of Ajita of the hair blanket. I was displeased, but did not express my displeasure. Neither accepting what he said nor contradicting it, I rose from my seat and left.

3.4. The Doctrine of Pakudha Kaccāyana This one time, sir, I approached Pakudha Kaccāyana and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, I sat down to one side, and asked him the same question.

He said: ‘Great king, these seven substances are not made, not derived, not created, without a creator, barren, steady as a mountain peak, standing firm like a pillar. They don’t move or deteriorate or obstruct each other. They’re unable to cause pleasure, pain, or both pleasure and pain to each other. What seven? The substances of earth, water, fire, air; pleasure, pain, and the soul is the seventh. These seven substances are not made, not derived, not created, without a creator, barren, steady as a mountain peak, standing firm like a pillar. They don’t move or deteriorate or obstruct each other. They’re unable to cause pleasure, pain, or both pleasure and pain to each other. And here there is no one who kills or who makes others kill; no one who learns or who educates others; no one who understands or who helps others understand. If you chop off someone’s head with a sharp sword, you don’t take anyone’s life. The sword simply passes through the gap between the seven substances.’

And so, when I asked Pakudha Kaccāyana about the fruits of the ascetic life apparent in the present life, he answered with something else entirely. It was like someone who, when asked about a mango, answered with a breadfruit, or when asked about a breadfruit, answered with a mango. I thought: ‘How on earth could one such as I presume to rebuke an ascetic or brahmin living in my realm?’ So I neither approved nor rejected that statement of Pakudha Kaccāyana. I was displeased, but did not express my displeasure. Neither accepting what he said nor contradicting it, I rose from my seat and left.

3.5. The Doctrine of the Jain Ascetic of the Ñātika Clan This one time, sir, I approached the Jain Ñātika and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, I sat down to one side, and asked him the same question.

He said: ‘Great king, consider a Jain ascetic who is restrained in the fourfold constraint. And how is a Jain ascetic restrained in the fourfold constraint? It’s when a Jain ascetic is restrained in all that is to be restrained, is bridled in all that is to be restrained, has shaken off evil in all that is to be restrained, and is curbed in all that is to be restrained. That’s how a Jain ascetic is restrained in the fourfold constraint. When a Jain ascetic is restrained in the fourfold constraint, they’re called a knotless one who is self-realized, self-controlled, and steadfast.’

And so, when I asked the Jain Ñātika about the fruits of the ascetic life apparent in the present life, he answered with the fourfold constraint. It was like someone who, when asked about a mango, answered with a breadfruit, or when asked about a breadfruit, answered with a mango. I thought: ‘How on earth could one such as I presume to rebuke an ascetic or brahmin living in my realm?’ So I neither approved nor rejected that statement of the Jain Ñātika. I was displeased, but did not express my displeasure. Neither accepting what he said nor contradicting it, I rose from my seat and left.

3.6. The Doctrine of Sañjaya Belaṭṭhiputta This one time, sir, I approached Sañjaya Belaṭṭhiputta and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, I sat down to one side, and asked him the same question.

He said: ‘Suppose you were to ask me whether there is another world. If I believed that to be the case, I would say so. But I don’t say it’s like this. I don’t say it’s like that. I don’t say it’s otherwise. I don’t say it’s not so. And I don’t deny it’s not so. Suppose you were to ask me whether there is no other world … whether there both is and is not another world … whether there neither is nor is not another world … whether there are beings who are reborn spontaneously … whether there are no beings who are reborn spontaneously … whether there both are and are not beings who are reborn spontaneously … whether there neither are nor are not beings who are reborn spontaneously … whether there is fruit and result of good and bad deeds … whether there is no fruit and result of good and bad deeds … whether there both is and is not fruit and result of good and bad deeds … whether there neither is nor is not fruit and result of good and bad deeds … whether a realized one still exists after death … whether a realized one no longer exists after death … whether a realized one both still exists and no longer exists after death … whether a realized one neither still exists nor no longer exists after death. If I believed that to be the case, I would say so. But I don’t say it’s like this. I don’t say it’s like that. I don’t say it’s otherwise. I don’t say it’s not so. And I don’t deny it’s not so.’

And so, when I asked Sañjaya Belaṭṭhiputta about the fruits of the ascetic life apparent in the present life, he answered with flip-flopping. It was like someone who, when asked about a mango, answered with a breadfruit, or when asked about a breadfruit, answered with a mango. I thought: ‘This is the most foolish and stupid of all these ascetics and brahmins! How on earth can he answer with flip-flopping when asked about the fruits of the ascetic life apparent in the present life?’ I thought: ‘How on earth could one such as I presume to rebuke an ascetic or brahmin living in my realm?’ So I neither approved nor rejected that statement of Sañjaya Belaṭṭhiputta. I was displeased, but did not express my displeasure. Neither accepting what he said nor contradicting it, I rose from my seat and left.

4. The Fruits of the Ascetic Life 4.1. The First Fruit of the Ascetic Life

And so I ask the Buddha: Sir, there are many different professional fields. These include elephant marshals, cavalry, charioteers, archers, bannermen, adjutants, food servers, warrior-chiefs, princes, chargers, great warriors, heroes, leather-clad soldiers, and sons of bondservants. They also include bakers, barbers, bathroom attendants, cooks, garland-makers, dyers, embroiderers, basket-makers, potters, accountants, finger-talliers, or those following any similar professions. All these live off the fruits of their profession which are apparent in this very life. With that they make themselves happy and pleased. They make their parents, their children and partners, and their friends and colleagues happy and pleased. And they establish an uplifting religious donation for ascetics and brahmins that’s conducive to heaven, ripens in happiness, and leads to heaven. Sir, can you point out a fruit of the ascetic life that’s likewise apparent in this very life?” “I can, Great King. Well then, I’ll ask you about this in return, and you can answer as you like.

What do you think, Great King? Suppose you had a person who was a bondservant, a worker. They get up before you and go to bed after you, and are obliging, behaving nicely and speaking politely, and gazing up at your face. They’d think: ‘The outcome and result of good deeds is just so incredible, so amazing! For this King Ajātasattu is a human being, and so am I. Yet he amuses himself, supplied and provided with the five kinds of sensual stimulation as if he were a god. Whereas I’m his bondservant, his worker. I get up before him and go to bed after him, and am obliging, behaving nicely and speaking politely, and gazing up at his face. I really should do good deeds. Why don’t I shave off my hair and beard, dress in ocher robes, and go forth from the lay life to homelessness?’ After some time, that is what they do. Having gone forth they’d live restrained in body, speech, and mind, living content with nothing more than food and clothes, delighting in seclusion. And suppose your men were to report all this to you. Would you say to them: ‘Bring that person to me! Let them once more be my bondservant, my worker’?”

“No, sir. Rather, I would bow to them, rise in their presence, and offer them a seat. I’d invite them to accept robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. And I’d organize their lawful guarding and protection.” “What do you think, Great King? If this is so, is there a fruit of the ascetic life apparent in the present life or not?” “Clearly, sir, there is.” “This is the first fruit of the ascetic life that’s apparent in this very life, which I point out to you.”

4.2. The Second Fruit of the Ascetic Life “But sir, can you point out another fruit of the ascetic life that’s likewise apparent in this very life?” “I can, Great King. Well then, I’ll ask you about this in return, and you can answer as you like. What do you think, Great King? Suppose you had a person who was a farmer, a householder, a hard worker, someone who builds up their capital. They’d think: ‘The outcome and result of good deeds is just so incredible, so amazing! For this King Ajātasattu is a human being, and so am I. Yet he amuses himself, supplied and provided with the five kinds of sensual stimulation as if he were a god. Whereas I’m a farmer, a householder, a hard worker, someone who builds up their capital. I really should do good deeds. Why don’t I shave off my hair and beard, dress in ocher robes, and go forth from the lay life to homelessness?’ After some time they give up a large or small fortune, and a large or small family circle. They’d shave off hair and beard, dress in ocher robes, and go forth from the lay life to homelessness. Having gone forth they’d live restrained in body, speech, and mind, living content with nothing more than food and clothes, delighting in seclusion. And suppose your men were to report all this to you. Would you say to them: ‘Bring that person to me! Let them once more be a farmer, a householder, a hard worker, someone who builds up their capital’?”

“No, sir. Rather, I would bow to them, rise in their presence, and offer them a seat. I’d invite them to accept robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick. And I’d organize their lawful guarding and protection.” “What do you think, Great King? If this is so, is there a fruit of the ascetic life apparent in the present life or not?” “Clearly, sir, there is.” “This is the second fruit of the ascetic life that’s apparent in this very life, which I point out to you.”

4.3. The Finer Fruits of the Ascetic Life “But sir, can you point out a fruit of the ascetic life that’s apparent in this very life which is better and finer than these?” “I can, Great King. Well then, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.” “Yes, sir,” replied the king. The Buddha said this:

“Consider when a Realized One arises in the world, perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those fit for training, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed. He has realized with his own insight this world—with its gods, Māras, and divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, gods and humans—and he makes it known to others. He teaches Dhamma that’s good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased. And he reveals a spiritual practice that’s entirely full and pure.

A householder hears that teaching, or a householder’s child, or someone reborn in a good family. They gain faith in the Realized One and reflect: ‘Life at home is cramped and dirty, life gone forth is wide open. It’s not easy for someone living at home to lead the spiritual life utterly full and pure, like a polished shell. Why don’t I shave off my hair and beard, dress in ocher robes, and go forth from the lay life to homelessness?’ After some time they give up a large or small fortune, and a large or small family circle. They shave off hair and beard, dress in ocher robes, and go forth from the lay life to homelessness.

Once they’ve gone forth, they live restrained in the monastic code, conducting themselves well and resorting for alms in suitable places. Seeing danger in the slightest fault, they keep the rules they’ve undertaken. They act skillfully by body and speech. They’re purified in livelihood and accomplished in ethical conduct. They guard the sense doors, have mindfulness and situational awareness, and are content.

4.3.1. Ethics 4.3.1.1. The Shorter Section on Ethics

And how, Great King, is a mendicant accomplished in ethics? It’s when a mendicant gives up killing living creatures, renouncing the rod and the sword. They’re scrupulous and kind, living full of sympathy for all living beings. This pertains to their ethics. They give up stealing. They take only what’s given, and expect only what’s given. They keep themselves clean by not thieving. This pertains to their ethics. They give up unchastity. They are chaste, set apart, refraining from the vulgar act of sex. This pertains to their ethics.

They give up lying. They speak the truth and stick to the truth. They’re honest and dependable, and don’t trick the world with their words. This pertains to their ethics. They give up backbiting. They don’t repeat in one place what they heard in another so as to divide people against each other. Instead, they reconcile those who are divided and support those who are united, delighting in harmony, loving harmony, speaking words that promote harmony. This pertains to their ethics. They give up harsh speech. They speak in a way that’s mellow, pleasing to the ear, endearing, going to the heart, polite, and likable and agreeable to the people. This pertains to their ethics. They give up talking nonsense. Their words are timely, true, and meaningful, in line with the teaching and training. They say things at the right time which are valuable, reasonable, succinct, and beneficial. This pertains to their ethics.

They refrain from injuring plants and seeds. They eat in one part of the day, abstaining from eating at night and food at the wrong time. They refrain from seeing shows of dancing, singing, and music. They refrain from attiring and adorning themselves with garlands, fragrance, and makeup. They refrain from high and luxurious beds. They refrain from receiving gold and currency, raw grains, raw meat, women and girls, male and female bondservants, goats and sheep, chickens and pigs, elephants, cows, horses, and mares, and fields and land. They refrain from running errands and messages; buying and selling; falsifying weights, metals, or measures; bribery, fraud, cheating, and duplicity; mutilation, murder, abduction, banditry, plunder, and violence. This pertains to their ethics. The shorter section on ethics is complete.

4.3.1.2. The Middle Section on Ethics There are some ascetics and brahmins who, while enjoying food given in faith, still engage in injuring plants and seeds. These include plants propagated from roots, trunks, cuttings, or joints; and those from regular seeds as the fifth. They refrain from such injury to plants and seeds. This pertains to their ethics.

There are some ascetics and brahmins who, while enjoying food given in faith, still engage in storing up goods for their own use. This includes such things as food, drink, clothes, vehicles, bedding, fragrance, and things of the flesh. They refrain from storing up such goods. This pertains to their ethics.

There are some ascetics and brahmins who, while enjoying food given in faith, still engage in seeing shows. This includes such things as dancing, singing, music, performances, and storytelling; clapping, gongs, and kettledrums; beauty pageants; pole-acrobatics and bone-washing displays of the corpse-workers; battles of elephants, horses, buffaloes, bulls, goats, rams, chickens, and quails; staff-fights, boxing, and wrestling; combat, roll calls of the armed forces, battle-formations, and regimental reviews. They refrain from such shows. This pertains to their ethics.

There are some ascetics and brahmins who, while enjoying food given in faith, still engage in gambling that causes negligence. This includes such things as checkers with eight or ten rows, checkers in the air, hopscotch, spillikins, board-games, tip-cat, drawing straws, dice, leaf-flutes, toy plows, somersaults, pinwheels, toy measures, toy carts, toy bows, guessing words from syllables, guessing another’s thoughts, and imitating musical instruments. They refrain from such gambling. This pertains to their ethics.

There are some ascetics and brahmins who, while enjoying food given in faith, still make use of high and luxurious bedding. This includes such things as sofas, couches, woolen covers—shag-piled, colorful, white, embroidered with flowers, quilted, embroidered with animals, double or single fringed—and silk covers studded with gems, as well as silken sheets, wollen carpets, rugs for elephants, horses, or chariots, black antelope hides and woven rugs, and spreads of fine deer hide, with a canopy above and red cushions at both ends. They refrain from such bedding. This pertains to their ethics.

There are some ascetics and brahmins who, while enjoying food given in faith, still engage in attiring and adorning themselves with garlands, fragrance, and makeup. This includes such things as applying beauty products by anointing, massaging, bathing, and rubbing; mirrors, ointments, garlands, fragrances, and makeup; face-powder, foundation, bracelets, headbands, fancy walking-sticks or containers, rapiers, parasols, fancy sandals, turbans, jewelry, chowries, and long-fringed white robes. They refrain from such attirement and adornment. This pertains to their ethics.

There are some ascetics and brahmins who, while enjoying food given in faith, still engage in low talk. This includes such topics as talk about kings, bandits, and chief ministers; talk about armies, threats, and wars; talk about food, drink, clothes, and beds; talk about garlands and fragrances; talk about family, vehicles, villages, towns, cities, and countries; talk about women and heroes; talk at the street market and the place for water pots; talk about the departed; motley talk; tales of land and sea; and talk about being reborn in this or that place. They refrain from such low talk. This pertains to their ethics.

There are some ascetics and brahmins who, while enjoying food given in faith, still engage in arguments. They say such things as: ‘You don’t understand this teaching and training. I understand this teaching and training. What, you understand this teaching and training? You’re practicing wrong. I’m practicing right. I stay on topic, you don’t. You said last what you should have said first. You said first what you should have said last. What you’ve thought so much about has been disproved. Your doctrine is refuted. Go on, save your doctrine! You’re trapped; get yourself out of this—if you can!’ They refrain from such argumentative talk. This pertains to their ethics.

There are some ascetics and brahmins who, while enjoying food given in faith, still engage in running errands and messages. This includes running errands for rulers, ministers, aristocrats, brahmins, householders, or princes who say: ‘Go here, go there. Take this, bring that from there.’ They refrain from such errands. This pertains to their ethics.