Saṃyutta Nikāya
4. Saḷāyatana Vagga
44. Avyākata Saṃyutta
Sutta 4
Dutiya Sāriputta-Koṭṭhika (or Samudaya) Suttaṃ
Sāriputta and Kotthita (2)
Translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
Provenance, terms and conditons
[1][pts][bodh] On one occasion Ven. Sāriputta and Ven. Mahā Koṭṭhita were staying near Vārāṇasī in the Deer Park at Isipatana.
Then Ven. Mahā Koṭṭhita, emerging from his seclusion in the evening, went to Ven. Sāriputta and exchanged courteous greetings with him.
After an exchange of friendly greetings and courtesies, he sat to one side.
As he was sitting there, he said to Ven. Sāriputta, "Now then, friend Sāriputta, does the Tathāgata exist after death?"
"That, friend, has not been declared by the Blessed One:
'The Tathāgata exists after death.'"
"Well then, friend Sāriputta, does the Tathāgata not exist after death?"
"Friend, that too has not been declared by the Blessed One:
'The Tathāgata does not exist after death.'"
"Then does the Tathāgata both exist and not exist after death?"
"That has not been declared by the Blessed One:
'The Tathāgata both exists and does not exist after death.'"
"Well then, does the Tathāgata neither exist nor not exist after death?"
"That too has not been declared by the Blessed One:
'The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death.'"
"Now, friend Sāriputta, when asked if the Tathāgata exists after death, you say, 'That has not been declared by the Blessed One: "The Tathāgata exists after death."'
When asked if the Tathāgata does not exist after death... both exists and does not exist after death... neither exists nor does not exist after death, you say, 'That too has not been declared by the Blessed One: "The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death."'
Now, what is the cause, what is the reason, why that has not been declared by the Blessed One?"
"For one who doesn't know and see form as it has come to be, who doesn't know and see the origination of form... the cessation of form... the path of practice leading to the cessation of form, as it has come to be, there occurs the thought, 'The Tathāgata exists after death' or 'The Tathāgata does not exist after death' or 'The Tathāgata both exists and does not exist after death' or 'The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death.'
"For one who doesn't know and see feeling as it has come to be...
"For one who doesn't know and see perception as it has come to be...
"For one who doesn't know and see fabrications as they have come to be...
"For one who doesn't know and see consciousness as it has come to be, who doesn't know and see the origination of consciousness... the cessation of consciousness... the path of practice leading to the cessation of consciousness, as it has come to be, there occurs the thought, 'The Tathāgata exists after death' or 'The Tathāgata does not exist after death' or 'The Tathāgata both exists and does not exist after death' or 'The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death.'
"But for one who knows and sees form as it has come to be, who knows and sees the origination of form... the cessation of form... the path of practice leading to the cessation of form, as it has come to be, the thought, 'The Tathāgata exists after death' or 'The Tathāgata does not exist after death' or 'The Tathāgata both exists and does not exist after death' or 'The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death' doesn't occur.
"For one who knows and sees feeling as it has come to be...
"For one who knows and sees perception as it has come to be...
"For one who knows and sees fabrications as they have come to be...
"For one who knows and sees consciousness as it has come to be, who knows and sees the origination of consciousness... the cessation of consciousness... the path of practice leading to the cessation of consciousness, as it has come to be, the thought, 'The Tathāgata exists after death' or 'The Tathāgata does not exist after death' or 'The Tathāgata both exists and does not exist after death' or 'The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death' doesn't occur.
"This is the cause, this is the reason, why that has not been declared by the Blessed One."
[SN 44 Introduction and Contents] [SN 44 1: With Khema] [SN 44 2: To Anuradha] [SN 44 3: Sāriputta and Kotthita (1)] [SN 44 4: Sāriputta and Kotthita (2)] [SN 44 5: Sāriputta and Kotthita (3)] [SN 44 6: Sāriputta and Kotthita (4)] [SN 44 7: With Moggallāna] [SN 44 8: With Vacchagotta] [SN 44 9: With Vacchagotta] [SN 44 10: To Ānanda] [SN 44 11: With Sabhiya]
