Saṃyutta Nikāya
4. Saḷāyatana Vagga
44. Avyākata Saṃyutta
The Book of the Kindred Sayings
4. The Book Called the Saḷāyatana-Vagga
Containing Kindred Sayings on the 'Six-Fold Sphere' of Sense and Other Subjects
44. Kindred Sayings about the Unrevealed
Sutta 7
Moggalāna (or Āyatana) Suttaṃ
Moggallāna (or 'Sphere')
Translated by F. L. Woodward
Edited by Mrs. Rhys Davids
Copyright The Pali Text Society
Commercial Rights Reserved
For details see Terms of Use.
[1][than][bodh] Thus have I heard:
Then the Wanderer, Vacchagotta,[1] came to visit Moggallāna the Great,
and on coming to him
greeted him courteously,
and after the exchange of civilities
sat down at one side.
So seated, the Wanderer, Vacchagotta,
said to the venerable Moggallāna the Great: -
"How say you, master Moggallāna?
Is the world eternal?"
"This is not revealed by the Exalted One, Vaccha."
■
"How then, master Moggallāna.
Is the world not eternal, then?"
"This too, Vaccha, is not revealed by the Exalted One."
■
"Then is the world finite, master Moggallāna?"
"That too, Vaccha, is not revealed by the Exalted One."
■
"Then, master Moggallāna, is the world infinite?"
"That too, Vaccha, is not revealed by the Exalted One."
■
"How say you, master Moggallāna?
"Is life[2] the same as body?"
"That is not revealed by the Exalted One, Vaccha."
■
"How then, master Moggallāna?
Is life one thing and body another?"
"That too, Vaccha, is not revealed by the Exalted One."
■
[277] "Then tell me this, master Moggallāna.
Does the Tathāgata, exist after death?"
"That, Vaccha, is not revealed by the Exalted One."
■
"Does the Tathāgata, not exist after death?"
"That, Vaccha, is not revealed by the Exalted One."
■
"Does the Tathāgata, both exist and not exist after death?"
"That, Vaccha, is not revealed by the Exalted One."
■
"Does the Tathāgata, neither exist nor not-exist after death?"
"That, Vaccha, is not revealed by the Exalted One."
§
"Now, master Moggallāna, what is the reason,
what is the cause
why the Wanderers of other views,
when questioned on these points answer that:
'The world is eternal,'
or:
'The world is not eternal,'
'The world is finite,'
or:
'The world is infinite,'
'Life is the same as body,'
or:
'Life is one thing and body is another,'
or:
'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'
■
"Now, master Moggallāna, what is the reason,
what is the cause
why Gotama the recluse,
when questioned thus,
does not answer that:
'The world is eternal,'
or:
'The world is not eternal,'
or:
'The world is finite,'
or:
'The world is infinite,'
or:
'Life is the same as body,'
or:
'Life is one thing and body is another,'
or:
'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'"?
§
"The Wanderers of other views, Vaccha,
regard the eye thus:
'This is mine.
This am I.
This is my self.'
■
The Wanderers of other views, Vaccha,
regard the ear thus:
'This is mine.
This am I.
This is my self.'
■
The Wanderers of other views, Vaccha,
regard the nose thus:
'This is mine.
This am I.
This is my self.'
■
The Wanderers of other views, Vaccha,
regard the tongue thus:
'This is mine.
This am I.
This is my self.'
■
The Wanderers of other views, Vaccha,
regard the body thus:
'This is mine.
This am I.
This is my self.'
■
The Wanderers of other views, Vaccha,
regard the mind thus:
'This is mine.
This am I.
This is my self.'
■
That is why the Wanderers of other views,
when thus questioned, reply:
'The world is eternal,'
or:
'The world is not eternal,'
or:
'The world is finite,'
or:
'The world is infinite,'
or:
'Life is the same as body,'
or:
'Life is one thing and body is another,'
or:
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, Vaccha, the Tathāgata,
the Arahant,
the Fully Enlightened One,
regards the eye thus:
'This is not mine.
This I am not.
This is not my self.'
■
The Tathāgata, Vaccha,
the Arahant,
the Fully Enlightened One,
regards the ear thus:
'This is not mine.
This I am not.
This is not my self.'
■
The Tathāgata, Vaccha,
the Arahant,
the Fully Enlightened One,
regards the nose thus:
'This is not mine.
This I am not.
This is not my self.'
■
The Tathāgata, Vaccha,
the Arahant,
the Fully Enlightened One,
regards the tongue thus:
'This is not mine.
This I am not.
This is not my self.'
■
The Tathāgata, Vaccha,
the Arahant,
the Fully Enlightened One,
regards the body thus:
'This is not mine.
This I am not.
This is not my self.'
■
The Tathāgata, Vaccha,
the Arahant,
the Fully Enlightened One,
regards the mind thus:
'This is not mine.
This I am not.
This is not my self.'
■
Therefore the Tathāgata,
when thus questioned,
does not reply:
'The world is eternal,'
or:
'The world is not eternal,'
or:
'The world is finite,'
or:
'The world is infinite,'
or:
'Life is the same as body,'
or:
'Life is one thing and body is another,'
or:
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'
§
Thereupon the Wanderer Vacchagotta rose from his seat
and went to see the Exalted One,
and on coming to him
saluted him courteously,
and after the exchange of civilities
sat down at one side.
So seated
the Wanderer Vacchagotta said to the Exalted One: -
"How now, master Gotama?
Is the world eternal?"
"It is not revealed, Vaccha,
that the world is eternal."
■
"How then, master Gotama.
Is the world not eternal, then?"
"This too, Vaccha, is not revealed,
that the world is not eternal."
■
"Then is the world finite, master Gotama?"
"That too, Vaccha, is not revealed
that the world is finite."
■
"Then, master Gotama, is the world infinite?"
"That too, Vaccha, is not revealed,
that the world is infinite."
■
"How say you, master Gotama?
"Is life the same as body?"
"That too, Vaccha, is not revealed,
that life is the same as body."
■
"How then, master Gotama?
Is life one thing and body another?"
"That too, Vaccha, is not revealed,
that life is one thing and body another."
■
"Then tell me this, master Gotama.
Does the Tathāgata, exist after death?"
"That too, Vaccha, is not revealed,
that the Tathāgata exists after death"
■
"Does the Tathāgata, not exist after death?"
"That too, Vaccha, is not revealed,
that the Tathāgata does not exist after death"
■
"Does the Tathāgata, both exist and not exist after death?"
"That too, Vaccha, is not revealed,
that the Tathāgata both exists and does not exist after death"
■
"Does the Tathāgata, neither exist nor not-exist after death?"
"That too, Vaccha, is not revealed,
that the Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death"
§
"Now, master Gotama, what is the reason,
what is the cause
why the Wanderers of other views,
when questioned on these points answer that:
'The world is eternal,'
or:
'The world is not eternal,'
or:
'The world is finite,'
or:
'The world is infinite,'
or:
'Life is the same as body,'
or:
'Life is one thing and body is another,'
or:
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'
■
"Now, master Gotama, what is the reason,
what is the cause
why the master Gotama,
when questioned thus,
does not answer that:
'The world is eternal,'
or:
'The world is not eternal,'
or:
'The world is finite,'
or:
'The world is infinite,'
or:
'Life is the same as body,'
or:
'Life is one thing and body is another,'
or:
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'?
§
"The Wanderers of other views, Vaccha,
regard the eye thus:
'This is mine.
This am I.
This is my self.'
■
The Wanderers of other views, Vaccha,
regard the ear thus:
'This is mine.
This am I.
This is my self.'
■
The Wanderers of other views, Vaccha,
regard the nose thus:
'This is mine.
This am I.
This is my self.'
■
The Wanderers of other views, Vaccha,
regard the tongue thus:
'This is mine.
This am I.
This is my self.'
■
The Wanderers of other views, Vaccha,
regard the body thus:
'This is mine.
This am I.
This is my self.'
■
The Wanderers of other views, Vaccha,
regard the mind thus:
'This is mine.
This am I.
This is my self.'
■
That is why the Wanderers of other views,
when thus questioned, reply:
'The world is eternal,'
or:
'The world is not eternal,'
or:
'The world is finite,'
or:
'The world is infinite,'
or:
'Life is the same as body,'
or:
'Life is one thing and body is another,'
or:
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, Vaccha, the Tathāgata,
the Arahant,
the Fully Enlightened One,
regards the eye thus:
'This is not mine.
This I am not.
This is not my self.'
■
The Tathāgata, Vaccha,
the Arahant,
the Fully Enlightened One,
regards the ear thus:
'This is not mine.
This I am not.
This is not my self.'
■
The Tathāgata, Vaccha,
the Arahant,
the Fully Enlightened One,
regards the nose thus:
'This is not mine.
This I am not.
This is not my self.'
■
The Tathāgata, Vaccha,
the Arahant,
the Fully Enlightened One,
regards the tongue thus:
'This is not mine.
This I am not.
This is not my self.'
■
The Tathāgata, Vaccha,
the Arahant,
the Fully Enlightened One,
regards the body thus:
'This is not mine.
This I am not.
This is not my self.'
■
The Tathāgata, Vaccha,
the Arahant,
the Fully Enlightened One,
regards the mind thus:
'This is not mine.
This I am not.
This is not my self.'
■
Therefore the Tathāgata,
when thus questioned,
does not reply:
[278] 'The world is eternal,'
or:
'The world is not eternal,'
or:
'The world is finite,'
or:
'The world is infinite,'
or:
'Life is the same as body,'
or:
'Life is one thing and body is another,'
or:
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'
§
"Wonderful, master Gotama!
Strange it is, master Gotama,
how the explanation both of Master and disciple,
both in spirit and in letter,
can agree,
can harmonize,
cannot be inconsistent,
that is, as regards any essential phrase.
Now, master Gotama, I went to visit the venerable Moggallāna the Great,
and I asked him this same thing,
and he replied to me
in the very same words and syllables
as the worthy Gotama.
Wonderful, master Gotama!
Strange it is, master Gotama,
how the explanation both of master and disciple,
both in spirit and in letter,
will agree,
will harmonize,
will not suffer loss,[3]
that is, in any word about the highest."
[1] At S. iii, 257-63 (K.S. iii, 203), [sic 202] 'The wanderer of the Vaccha clan' asks the same questions of the Buddha, who replies that through ignorance of body, its arising, its ceasing and the way of its oeasing, these opinions arise.
[2] Jīva.
