Saṃyutta Nikāya
3. Khandha Vagga
22. Khandha Saṃyutta
10. Puppha Vagga
Sutta 98
Suddhika (or Samuddaka) Suttaṃ
The Pure or Oceanic Version[1]
Translated from the Pāḷi
by
Michael M. Olds
Once Upon a Time, The Lucky Man,
Sāvatthī-town
Anāthapiṇḍika's Jeta Grove,
came-a revisiting.
There then a certain beggar approached the Lucky Man.
Having drawn near
and made salutation,
he took a seat to one side.
Seated to one side then,
that beggar said this to the Lucky Man:
"Does there exist,[2] then, Bhante,
any sort of form
which form is stable,
true,
everlasting,
an unswayable eternal thing,
such as will stick fast?
Does there exist, then, Bhante,
any sort of sense-experience
which sense-experience is stable,
true,
everlasting,
an unswayable eternal thing,
such as will stick fast?
Does there exist, then, Bhante,
any sort of perception
which perception is stable,
true,
everlasting,
an unswayable eternal thing,
such as will stick fast?
Does there exist, then, Bhante,
any sort of own-making
which own-making is stable,
true,
everlasting,
an unswayable eternal thing,
such as will stick fast?
Does there exist, then, Bhante,
any sort of consciousness
which consciousness is stable,
true,
everlasting,
an unswayable eternal thing,
such as will stick fast?"
"There does not exist, beggar,
any sort of form
which form is stable,
true,
everlasting,
an unswayable eternal thing,
such as will stick fast.
There does not exist, beggar,
any sort of sense-experience
which sense-experience is stable,
true,
everlasting,
an unswayable eternal thing,
such as will stick fast.
There does not exist, beggar,
any sort of perception
which perception is stable,
true,
everlasting,
an unswayable eternal thing,
such as will stick fast.
There does not exist, beggar,
any sort of own-making
which own-making is stable,
true,
everlasting,
an unswayable eternal thing,
such as will stick fast.
There does not exist, beggar,
any sort of consciousness
which consciousness is stable,
true,
everlasting,
an unswayable eternal thing,
such as will stick fast."
[1] The meaning is that this presentation of the facts is stripped of extraneous detail (the pure state) and consequently broad (oceanic) in its application.
[2] Atthi. Translated here as 'does there exist' to contrast it with the other translations as 'is there' to emphasize that what is being spoken of is that which has come to be as a consequence of contact, own-making, the conjunction of consciousness with named-form. This assumes relevance when confronting the statements made elsewhere that indicate that there is consciousness which is the equivalent of Nibbāna. That consciousness does not 'exist', has not been own-made, and is not a result of the conjunction of named-form and consciousness.
