an.3.61 Aṅguttara Nikāya (Numbered Discourses)

Sectarian

“Bhikkhus, there are these three sectarian tenets which, when questioned, interrogated, and cross-examined by the wise, and taken to their conclusion, will eventuate in non-doing. What are the three?

(1) “There are, bhikkhus, some ascetics and brahmins who hold such a doctrine and view as this: ‘Whatever this person experiences—whether pleasure, pain, or neither-pain-nor-pleasure—all that is caused by what was done in the past.’ (2) There are other ascetics and brahmins who hold such a doctrine and view as this: ‘Whatever this person experiences—whether pleasure, pain, or neither-pain-nor-pleasure—all that is caused by God’s creative activity.’ (3) And there are still other ascetics and brahmins who hold such a doctrine and view as this: ‘Whatever this person experiences—whether pleasure, pain, or neither-pain-nor-pleasure—all that occurs without a cause or condition.’

(1) “Bhikkhus, I approached those ascetics and brahmins who hold such a doctrine and view as this: ‘Whatever this person experiences—whether pleasure, pain, or neither-pain-nor-pleasure—all that is caused by past deeds,’ and I said to them: ‘Is it true that you venerable ones hold such a doctrine and view?’ When I ask them this, they affirm it. Then I say to them: ‘In such a case, it is due to past deeds that you might destroy life, take what is not given, indulge in sexual activity, speak falsehood, utter divisive speech, speak harshly, indulge in idle chatter; that you might be full of longing, have a mind of ill will, and hold wrong view.’

“Those who fall back on past deeds as the essential truth have no desire to do what should be done and to avoid doing what should not be done, nor do they make an effort in this respect. Since they do not apprehend as true and valid anything that should be done or should not be done, they are muddle-minded, they do not guard themselves, and even the personal designation ‘ascetic’ could not be legitimately applied to them. This was my first legitimate refutation of those ascetics and brahmins who hold such a doctrine and view.

(2) “Then, bhikkhus, I approached those ascetics and brahmins who hold such a doctrine and view as this: ‘Whatever this person experiences—whether pleasure, pain, or neither-pain-nor-pleasure—all that is caused by God’s creative activity,’ and I said to them: ‘Is it true that you venerable ones hold such a doctrine and view?’ When I ask them this, they affirm it. Then I say to them: ‘In such a case, it is due to God’s creative activity that you might destroy life … and hold wrong view.’

“Those who fall back on God’s creative activity as the essential truth have no desire to do what should be done and to avoid doing what should not be done, nor do they make an effort in this respect. Since they do not apprehend as true and valid anything that should be done or should not be done, they are muddle-minded, they do not guard themselves, and even the personal designation ‘ascetic’ could not be legitimately applied to them. This was my second legitimate refutation of those ascetics and brahmins who hold such a doctrine and view.

(3) “Then, bhikkhus, I approached those ascetics and brahmins who hold such a doctrine and view as this: ‘Whatever this person experiences—whether pleasure, pain, or neither-painnor-pleasure—all that occurs without a cause or condition,’ and I said to them: ‘Is it true that you venerable ones hold such a doctrine and view?’ When I ask them this, they affirm it. Then I say to them: ‘In such a case, it is without a cause or condition that you might destroy life … and hold wrong view.’

“Those who fall back on absence of cause and condition as the essential truth have no desire to do what should be done and to avoid doing what should not be done, nor do they make an effort in this respect. Since they do not apprehend as true and valid anything that should be done or should not be done, they are muddle-minded, they do not guard themselves, and even the personal designation ‘ascetic’ could not be legitimately applied to them. This was my third legitimate refutation of those ascetics and brahmins who hold such a doctrine and view.

“These, bhikkhus, are the three sectarian tenets which, when questioned, interrogated, and cross-examined by the wise, and taken to their conclusion, will eventuate in non-doing.

“But, bhikkhus, this Dhamma taught by me is unrefuted, undefiled, irreproachable, and uncensured by wise ascetics and brahmins. And what is the Dhamma taught by me that is unrefuted, undefiled, irreproachable, and uncensured by wise ascetics and brahmins?

“‘These are the six elements’: this, bhikkhus, is the Dhamma taught by me that is unrefuted … uncensured by wise ascetics and brahmins. ‘These are the six bases for contact’ … ‘These are the eighteen mental examinations’ … ‘These are the four noble truths’: this, bhikkhus, is the Dhamma taught by me that is unrefuted, undefiled, irreproachable, and uncensured by wise ascetics and brahmins.

“When it was said: ‘“These are the six elements”: this, bhikkhus, is the Dhamma taught by me that is unrefuted … uncensured by wise ascetics and brahmins,’ for what reason was this said? There are these six elements: the earth element, the water element, the fire element, the air element, the space element, and the consciousness element. When it was said: ‘“These are the six elements”: this, bhikkhus, is the Dhamma taught by me that is unrefuted … uncensured by wise ascetics and brahmins,’ it is because of this that this was said.

“When it was said: ‘“These are the six bases for contact”: this, bhikkhus, is the Dhamma taught by me that is unrefuted … uncensured by wise ascetics and brahmins,’ for what reason was this said? There are these six bases for contact: the eye as a base for contact, the ear as a base for contact, the nose as a base for contact, the tongue as a base for contact, the body as a base for contact, and the mind as a base for contact. When it was said: ‘“These are the six bases for contact”: this, bhikkhus, is the Dhamma taught by me that is unrefuted … uncensured by wise ascetics and brahmins,’ it is because of this that this was said.

“When it was said: ‘“These are the eighteen mental examinations”: this, bhikkhus, is the Dhamma taught by me that is unrefuted … uncensured by wise ascetics and brahmins,’ for what reason was this said? Having seen a form with the eye, one examines a form that is a basis for joy; one examines a form that is a basis for dejection; one examines a form that is a basis for equanimity. Having heard a sound with the ear … Having smelled an odor with the nose … Having tasted a taste with the tongue … Having felt a tactile object with the body … Having cognized a mental phenomenon with the mind, one examines a mental phenomenon that is a basis for joy; one examines a mental phenomenon that is a basis for dejection; one examines a mental phenomenon that is a basis for equanimity. When it was said: ‘“These are the eighteen mental examinations”: this, bhikkhus, is the Dhamma taught by me that is unrefuted … uncensured by wise ascetics and brahmins,’ it is because of this that this was said.

“When it was said: ‘“These are the four noble truths”: this, bhikkhus, is the Dhamma taught by me that is unrefuted … uncensured by wise ascetics and brahmins,’ for what reason was this said? In dependence on the six elements the descent of a future embryo occurs. When the descent takes place, there is name-and-form; with name-and-form as condition, there are the six sense bases; with the six sense bases as condition, there is contact; with contact as condition, there is feeling. Now it is for one who feels that I proclaim: ‘This is suffering,’ and ‘This is the origin of suffering,’ and ‘This is the cessation of suffering,’ and ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’

“And what, bhikkhus, is the noble truth of suffering? Birth is suffering, old age is suffering, illness is suffering, death is suffering; sorrow, lamentation, pain, dejection, and anguish are suffering; not to get what one wants is suffering; in brief, the five aggregates subject to clinging are suffering. This is called the noble truth of suffering.

“And what, bhikkhus, is the noble truth of the origin of suffering? With ignorance as condition, volitional activities come to be; with volitional activities as condition, consciousness; with consciousness as condition, name-and-form; with name-and-form as condition, the six sense bases; with the six sense bases as condition, contact; with contact as condition, feeling; with feeling as condition, craving; with craving as condition, clinging; with clinging as condition, existence; with existence as condition, birth; with birth as condition, old age and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, dejection, and anguish come to be. Such is the origin of this whole mass of suffering. This is called the noble truth of the origin of suffering.

“And what, bhikkhus, is the noble truth of the cessation of suffering? With the remainderless fading away and cessation of ignorance comes cessation of volitional activities; with the cessation of volitional activities, cessation of consciousness; with the cessation of consciousness, cessation of name-and-form; with the cessation of name-and-form, cessation of the six sense bases; with the cessation of the six sense bases, cessation of contact; with the cessation of contact, cessation of feeling; with the cessation of feeling, cessation of craving; with the cessation of craving, cessation of clinging; with the cessation of clinging, cessation of existence; with the cessation of existence, cessation of birth; with the cessation of birth, old age and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, dejection, and anguish cease. Such is the cessation of this whole mass of suffering. This is called the noble truth of the cessation of suffering.

“And what, bhikkhus, is the noble truth of the way leading to the cessation of suffering? It is just this noble eightfold path; that is, right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. This is called the noble truth of the way leading to the cessation of suffering.

“When it was said: ‘“These are the four noble truths”: this, bhikkhus, is the Dhamma taught by me that is unrefuted, undefiled, irreproachable, and uncensured by wise ascetics and brahmins,’ it is because of this that this was said.”

- Translator: Bhikkhu Bodhi

- Editor: Blake Walsh

Sectarian Tenets

“Mendicants, these three sectarian tenets—as pursued, pressed, and grilled by the astute—when taken to their conclusion, end with inaction.
What three?
There are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view:
‘Everything this individual experiences—pleasurable, painful, or neutral—is because of past deeds.’
There are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view:
‘Everything this individual experiences—pleasurable, painful, or neutral—is because of the Lord God’s creation.’
There are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view:
‘Everything this individual experiences—pleasurable, painful, or neutral—has no cause or reason.’
Regarding this, I went up to the ascetics and brahmins whose view is that
everything that is experienced is because of past deeds, and I said to them:
‘Is it really true that this is the venerables’ view?’

And they answered, ‘Yes’.
I said to them:
‘In that case, you might kill living creatures, steal, be unchaste; use speech that’s false, divisive, harsh, or nonsensical; be covetous, malicious, or have wrong view, all because of past deeds.’
Those who believe that past deeds are the most important thing have no enthusiasm or effort, no idea that there are things that should and should not be done.
Since they don’t acknowledge as a genuine fact that there are things that should and should not be done, they’re unmindful and careless, and can’t rightly be called ascetics.
This is my first legitimate refutation of the ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view.
Regarding this, I went up to the ascetics and brahmins whose view is that
everything that is experienced is because of the Lord God’s creation, and I said to them:
‘Is it really true that this is the venerables’ view?’

And they answered, ‘Yes’.
I said to them:
‘In that case, you might kill living creatures, steal, be unchaste; use speech that’s false, divisive, harsh, or nonsensical; be covetous, malicious, or have wrong view, all because of the Lord God’s creation.’
Those who believe that the Lord God’s creative power is the most important thing have no enthusiasm, no effort, no idea that there are things that should and should not be done.
Since they don’t acknowledge as a genuine fact that there are things that should and should not be done, they’re unmindful and careless, and can’t rightly be called ascetics.
This is my second legitimate refutation of the ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view.
Regarding this, I went up to the ascetics and brahmins whose view is that
everything that is experienced has no cause or reason, and I said to them:
‘Is it really true that this is the venerables’ view?’

And they answered, ‘Yes’.
I said to them:
‘In that case, you might kill living creatures, steal, be unchaste; use speech that’s false, divisive, harsh, or nonsensical; be covetous, malicious, or have wrong view, all without cause or reason.’
Those who believe that the absence of cause or reason is the most important thing have no enthusiasm, no effort, no idea that there are things that should and should not be done.
Since they don’t acknowledge as a genuine fact that there are things that should and should not be done, they’re unmindful and careless, and can’t rightly be called ascetics.
This is my third legitimate refutation of the ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view.
These are the three sectarian tenets—as pursued, pressed, and grilled by the astute—which, when taken to their conclusion, end with inaction.
But the Dhamma that I’ve taught is irrefutable, uncorrupted, beyond reproach, and not scorned by sensible ascetics and brahmins.
What is the Dhamma that I’ve taught?
‘These are the six elements’: this is the Dhamma I’ve taught …
‘These are the six fields of contact’: this is the Dhamma I’ve taught …
‘These are the eighteen mental preoccupations’: this is the Dhamma I’ve taught …
‘These are the four noble truths’: this is the Dhamma I’ve taught that is irrefutable, uncorrupted, beyond reproach, and is not scorned by sensible ascetics and brahmins.
‘“These are the six elements”: this is the Dhamma I’ve taught …’
That’s what I said,
but why did I say it?
There are these six elements:
the elements of earth, water, fire, air, space, and consciousness.
‘“These are the six elements”: this is the Dhamma I’ve taught …’
That’s what I said, and this is why I said it.
‘“These are the six fields of contact”: this is the Dhamma I’ve taught …’
That’s what I said,
but why did I say it?
There are these six fields of contact:
eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind contact.
‘“These are the six fields of contact”: this is the Dhamma I’ve taught …’
That’s what I said, and this is why I said it.
‘“These are the eighteen mental preoccupations”: this is the Dhamma I’ve taught …’
This is what I said,
but why did I say it?
Seeing a sight with the eye, one is preoccupied with a sight that’s a basis for happiness or sadness or equanimity.
Hearing a sound with the ear …
Smelling an odor with the nose …
Tasting a flavor with the tongue …
Feeling a touch with the body …
Becoming conscious of a thought with the mind, one is preoccupied with a thought that’s a basis for happiness or sadness or equanimity.
‘“These are the eighteen mental preoccupations”: this is the Dhamma I’ve taught …’
That’s what I said, and this is why I said it.
‘“These are the four noble truths”: this is the Dhamma I’ve taught …’
That’s what I said,
but why did I say it?
Supported by the six elements, an embryo is conceived.
When it is conceived, there are name and form. Name and form are conditions for the six sense fields. The six sense fields are conditions for contact. Contact is a condition for feeling.
It’s for one who feels that I declare: ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the origin of suffering’ … ‘This is the cessation of suffering’ … ‘This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering’.
And what is the noble truth of suffering?
Rebirth is suffering; old age is suffering; death is suffering; sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress are suffering; association with the disliked is suffering; separation from the liked is suffering; not getting what you wish for is suffering. In brief, the five grasping aggregates are suffering.
This is called the noble truth of suffering.
And what is the noble truth of the origin of suffering?
Ignorance is a condition for choices.
Choices are a condition for consciousness.
Consciousness is a condition for name and form.
Name and form are conditions for the six sense fields.
The six sense fields are conditions for contact.
Contact is a condition for feeling.
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.
That is how this entire mass of suffering originates.
This is called the noble truth of the origin of suffering.
And what is the noble truth of the cessation of suffering?
When ignorance fades away and ceases with nothing left over, choices cease.
When choices cease, consciousness ceases.
When consciousness ceases, name and form cease.
When name and form cease, the six sense fields cease.
When the six sense fields cease, contact ceases.
When contact ceases, feeling ceases.
When feeling ceases, craving ceases.
When craving ceases, grasping ceases.
When grasping ceases, continued existence ceases.
When continued existence ceases, rebirth ceases.
When rebirth ceases, old age and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress cease.
That is how this entire mass of suffering ceases.
This is called the noble truth of the cessation of suffering.
And what is the noble truth of the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering?
It is simply this noble eightfold path, that is:
right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion.
This is called the noble truth of the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering.
‘“These are the four noble truths”: this is the Dhamma I’ve taught that is irrefutable, uncorrupted, beyond reproach, and is not scorned by sensible ascetics and brahmins.’
That’s what I said, and this is why I said it.”