dn.1 Dīgha Nikāya (Long Discourses)

The All-embracing Net of Views

I. Talk on Wanderers (Paribbājakakathā)

Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Exalted One was travelling along the highway between Rājagaha and Nālandā together with a great company of bhikkhus, with about five hundred bhikkhus. At the same time the wanderer Suppiya was also travelling along the highway between Rājagaha and Nālandā together with his pupil, the youth Brahmadatta. Along the way, the wanderer Suppiya spoke in many ways in dispraise of the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha. But his pupil, the youth Brahmadatta, spoke in many ways in praise of the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha. Thus these two, teacher and pupil, followed closely behind the Exalted One and the company of bhikkhus, making assertions in direct contradiction to each other.

Then the Exalted One together with the company of bhikkhus entered the royal rest-house in the Ambalaṭṭhika garden in order to pass the night. The wanderer Suppiya together with his pupil, the youth Brahmadatta, also entered the royal rest-house in the Ambalaṭṭhika garden in order to pass the night. There, too, the wanderer Suppiya spoke in many ways in dispraise of the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha, while his pupil Brahmadatta spoke in many ways in their praise. Thus these two, teacher and pupil, dwelt together making assertions in direct contradiction to each other.

When dawn broke a number of bhikkhus, after rising, assembled in the pavilion. As they sat together, the following conversation sprang up among them: “It is wonderful and marvellous, friends, how the Exalted One, he who knows and sees, the Worthy One, the perfectly enlightened Buddha, has so thoroughly penetrated the diversity in the dispositions of beings. For this wanderer Suppiya spoke in many ways in dispraise of the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha, while his own pupil, the youth Brahmadatta, spoke in many ways in their praise. These two, teacher and pupil, followed closely behind the Exalted One and the company of bhikkhus, making assertions in direct contradiction to each other.”

Then the Exalted One, realizing the turn their discussion had taken, entered the pavilion, sat down on the prepared seat, and addressed the bhikkhus: “What kind of discussion were you holding just now, bhikkhus? What was the subject of your conversation?”

The bhikkhus replied: “When dawn had broken, Lord, after rising we assembled in the pavilion. As we sat here, the following conversation sprang up among us: ‘It is wonderful and marvellous friends, how the Exalted One, he who knows and sees, the Worthy One, the perfectly enlightened Buddha, has so thoroughly penetrated the diversity in the dispositions of beings. For this wanderer Suppiya spoke in many ways in dispraise of the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha, while his own pupil, the youth Brahmadatta, spoke in many ways in their praise. These two, teacher and pupil, followed closely behind the Exalted One and the company of bhikkhus, making assertions in direct contradiction to each other.’ This, Lord, was the conversation we were having when the Exalted One arrived.”

“If, bhikkhus, others speak in dispraise of me, or in dispraise of the Dhamma, or in dispraise of the Sangha, you should not give way to resentment, displeasure, or animosity against them in your heart. For if you were to become angry or upset in such a situation, you would only be creating an obstacle for yourselves. If you were to become angry or upset when others speak in dispraise of us, would you be able to recognize whether their statements are rightly or wrongly spoken?”

“Certainly not, Lord.”

“If, bhikkhus, others speak in dispraise of me, or in dispraise of the Dhamma, or in dispraise of the Sangha, you should unravel what is false and point it out as false, saying: ‘For such and such a reason this is false, this is untrue, there is no such thing in us, this is not found among us.’

“And if, bhikkhus, others speak in praise of me, or in praise of the Dhamma, or in praise of the Sangha, you should not give way to jubilation, joy, and exultation in your heart. For if you were to become jubilant, joyful, and exultant in such a situation, you would only be creating an obstacle for yourselves. If others speak in praise of me, or in praise of the Dhamma, or in praise of the Sangha, you should acknowledge what is fact as fact, saying: ‘For such and such a reason this is a fact, this is true, there is such a thing in us, this is found among us.’

II. The Analysis of Virtue

1. The Short Section on Virtue (Cūḷasīla)

“It is, bhikkhus, only to trifling and insignificant matters, to the minor details of mere moral virtue, that a worldling would refer when speaking in praise of the Tathāgata. And what are those trifling and insignificant matters, those minor details of mere moral virtue, to which he would refer?

“‘Having abandoned the destruction of life, the recluse Gotama abstains from the destruction of life. He has laid aside the rod and the sword, and dwells conscientious, full of kindness, compassionate for the welfare of all living beings.’ It is in this way, bhikkhus, that the worldling would speak when speaking in praise of the Tathāgata.

“Or he might say: ‘Having abandoned taking what is not given, the recluse Gotama abstains from taking what is not given. Accepting and expecting only what is given, he dwells in honesty and rectitude of heart.’

“Or he might say: ‘Having abandoned unchaste living, the recluse Gotama lives the life of chastity. He dwells remote (from women), and abstains from the vulgar practice of sexual intercourse.’

“Or he might say: ‘Having abandoned false speech, the recluse Gotama abstains from falsehood. He speaks only the truth, he lives devoted to truth; trustworthy and reliable, he does not deceive anyone in the world.’

“Or he might say: ‘Having abandoned slander, the recluse Gotama abstains from slander. He does not repeat elsewhere what he has heard here in order to divide others from the people here, nor does he repeat here what he has heard elsewhere in order to divide these from the people there. Thus he is a reconciler of those who are divided and a promoter of friendships. Rejoicing, delighting, and exulting in concord, he speaks only words that are conducive to concord.’

“Or he might say: ‘Having abandoned harsh speech, the recluse Gotama abstains from harsh speech. He speaks only such words as are gentle, pleasing to the ear, endearing, going to the heart, urbane, amiable, and agreeable to many people.’

“Or he might say: ‘Having abandoned idle chatter, the recluse Gotama abstains from idle chatter. He speaks at the right time, speaks what is factual, speaks on the good, on the Dhamma and the Discipline. His words are worth treasuring: they are timely, backed by reason, definite and connected with the good.’

“Or he might say: ‘The recluse Gotama abstains from damaging seed and plant life.

He eats only in one part of the day, refraining from food at night and from eating at improper times.

He abstains from dancing, singing, instrumental music, and witnessing unsuitable shows.

He abstains from wearing garlands, embellishing himself with scents, and beautifying himself with unguents.

He abstains from accepting gold and silver.

He abstains from accepting uncooked grain, raw meat, women and girls, male and female slaves, goats and sheep, fowl and swine, elephants, cattle, horses and mares.

He abstains from accepting fields and lands.

He abstains from running messages and errands.

He abstains from buying and selling, and from dealing with false weights, false metals, and false measures.

He abstains from the crooked ways of bribery, deception, and fraud.

He abstains from mutilating, executing, imprisoning, robbery, plunder, and violence.’

“It is in this way, bhikkhus, that the worldling would speak when speaking in praise of the Tathāgata.

2. The Intermediate Section on Virtue (Majjhimasīla)

“Or he might say: ‘Whereas some honourable recluses and brahmins, while living on food offered by the faithful, continuously cause damage to seed and plant life—to plants propagated from roots, stems, joints, buds, and seeds—the recluse Gotama abstains from damaging seed and plant life.’

“Or he might say: ‘Whereas some honourable recluses and brahmins, while living on food offered by the faithful, enjoy the use of stored up goods such as stored up food, drinks, garments, vehicles, bedding, scents, and comestibles—the recluse Gotama abstains from the use of stored up goods’

“Or he might say: ‘Whereas some honourable recluses and brahmins, while living on food offered by the faithful, attend unsuitable shows, such as:

shows featuring dancing, singing, or instrumental music;
theatrical performances;
narrations of legends;
music played by hand-clapping, cymbals, and drums;
picture houses;
acrobatic performances;
combats of elephants, horses, buffaloes, bulls, goats, rams, cocks and quails;
stick-fights, boxing and wrestling, sham-fights, roll-calls, battle-arrays, and regimental reviews—

the recluse Gotama abstains from attending such unsuitable shows.’

“Or he might say: “Whereas some honourable recluses and brahmins, while living on food offered by the faithful, indulge in the following games that are a basis for negligence:

aṭṭhapada (a game played on an eight-row chess-board);
dasapada (a game played on a ten-row chess-board);
ākāsa (a game of the same type played by imagining a board in the air);
parihārapatha (“hopscotch,” a diagram is drawn on the ground and one has to jump in the allowable spaces avoiding the lines);
santika (“spellicans,” assembling the pieces in a pile, removing and returning them without disturbing the pile);
khalika (dice games);
ghaṭika (hitting a short stick with a long stick);
salākahattha (a game played by dipping the hand in paint or dye, striking the ground or a wall, and requiring the participants to show the figure of an elephant, a horse etc.);
akkha (ball games);
paṅgacīra (blowing through toy pipes made of leaves);
vaṅkaka (ploughing with miniature ploughs);
mokkhacika (turning somersaults);
ciṅgulika (playing with paper windmills);
pattāḷaka (playing with toy measures);
rathaka (playing with toy chariots);
dhanuka (playing with toy bows);
akkharika (guessing at letters written in the air or on one’s back);
manesika (guessing others’ thoughts);
yathāvajja (games involving mimicry of deformities)—

the recluse Gotama abstains from such games and recreations.’

“Or he might say: ‘Whereas some recluses and brahmins, while living on food offered by the faithful, enjoy the use of high and luxurious beds and seats, such as:

spacious couches;
thrones with animal figures carved on the supports; long-haired coverlets;
multi-coloured patchwork coverlets; white woollen coverlets;
woollen coverlets embroidered with flowers; quilts stuffed with cotton;
woollen coverlets embroidered with animal figures;
woollen coverlets with hair on both sides or on one side; bedspreads embroidered with gems;
silk coverlets;
dance-hall carpets;
elephant, horse or chariot rugs; rugs of antelope-skins;
choice spreads made of kadali-deer hides; spreads with red awnings overhead;
couches with red cushions for the head and feet—

the recluse Gotama abstains from the use of such high and luxurious beds and seats.’

“Or he might say: ‘Whereas some recluses and brahmins, while living on the food offered by the faithful, enjoy the use of such devices for embellishing and beautifying themselves as the following: rubbing scented powders into the body, massaging with oils, bathing in perfumed water, kneading the limbs, mirrors, ointments, garlands, scents, unguents, face-powders, make-up, bracelets, head-bands, decorated walking sticks, ornamented medicine-tubes, rapiers, sunshades, embroidered sandals, turbans, diadems, yaktail whisks, and long-fringed white robes—the recluse Gotama abstains from the use of such devices for embellishment and beautification.’

“Or he might say: ‘Whereas some recluses and brahmins, while living on the food offered by the faithful, engage in frivolous chatter, such as: talk about kings, thieves, and ministers of state; talk about armies, dangers and wars; talk about food, drink, garments, and lodgings; talk about garlands and scents; talk about relatives, vehicles, villages, towns, cities, and countries; talk about women and talk about heroes; street talk and talk by the well; talk about those departed in days gone by; rambling chit-chat; speculations about the world and about the sea; talk about gain and loss—the recluse Gotama abstains from such frivolous chatter.’

“Or he might say: ‘Whereas some recluses and brahmins, while living on the food offered by the faithful, engage in wrangling argumentation, (saying to one another):

“You don’t understand this doctrine and discipline. I am the one who understands this doctrine and discipline.”

“How can you understand this doctrine and discipline?”

“You’re practising the wrong way. I’m practising the right way.”

“I’m being consistent. You’re inconsistent.”

“What should have been said first you said last, what should have been said last you said first.”

“What you took so long to think out has been confuted.”

“Your doctrine has been refuted. You’re defeated. Go, try to save your doctrine, or disentangle yourself now if you can”—

the recluse Gotama abstains from such wrangling argumentation.’

“Or he might say: ‘Whereas some recluses and brahmins, while living on the food offered by the faithful, engage in running messages and errands for kings, ministers of state, khattiyas, brahmins, householders, or youths, (who command them): “Go here, go there, take this, bring that from there”—the recluse Gotama abstains from running such messages and errands.’

“Or he might say: ‘Whereas some recluses and brahmins, while living on the food offered by the faithful, engage in scheming, talking, hinting, belittling others, and pursuing gain with gain—the recluse Gotama abstains from such kinds of scheming and talking.’

“It is in this way, bhikkhus, that a worldling would speak when speaking in praise of the Tathāgata.

3. The Long Section on Virtue (Mahāsīla)

“Or he might say: ‘Whereas some recluses and brahmins, while living on the food offered by the faithful, earn their living by a wrong means of livelihood, by such debased arts as:

prophesying long life, prosperity etc., or the reverse, from the marks on a person’s limbs, hands, feet etc.; divining by means of omens and signs;
making auguries on the basis of thunderbolts and celestial portents;
interpreting ominous dreams;
telling fortunes from marks on the body;
making auguries from the marks on cloth gnawed by mice; offering fire oblations;
offering oblations from a ladle;
offering oblations of husks, rice powder, rice grains, ghee, and oil to the gods;
offering oblations from the mouth;
offering blood-sacrifices to the gods;
making predictions based on the fingertips;
determining whether the site for a proposed house or garden is propitious or not;
making predictions for officers of state;
the knowledge of charms to lay demons in a cemetery;
the knowledge of charms to cure one possessed by ghosts;
the knowledge of charms to be pronounced by one living in an earthen house;
the snake craft (for curing snake bites and charming snakes);
the poison craft (for neutralizing or making poison)
the scorpion craft and rat craft (for curing scorpion stings and rat bites, respectively);
the bird craft and crow craft (for understanding the cries of birds and crows);
foretelling the number of years that a man has to live;
the knowledge of charms to give protection from arrows;
reciting charms to understand the language of animals—
the recluse Gotama abstains from such wrong means of livelihood, from such debased arts.’

“Or he might say: ‘Whereas some recluses and brahmins, while living on the food offered by the faithful, earn their living by a wrong means of livelihood, by such debased arts as interpreting the significance of the colour, shape, and other features of the following items to determine whether they portend fortune or misfortune for their owners: gems, garments, staffs, swords, spears, arrows, bows, other weapons, women, men, boys, girls, slaves, slave-women, elephants, horses, buffaloes, bulls, cows, goats, rams, fowl, quails, lizards, rabbits, tortoises, and other animals—

the recluse Gotama abstains from such wrong means of livelihood, from such debased arts.’

“Or he might say: ‘Whereas some recluses and brahmins, while living on the food offered by the faithful, earn their living by a wrong means of livelihood, by such debased arts as making predictions to the effect that:

the king will march forth;
the king will not march forth;
our king will attack and the enemy king will retreat;
the enemy king will attack and our king will retreat;
our king will triumph and the enemy king will be defeated;
the enemy king will triumph and our king will be defeated;
thus there will be victory for one and defeat for the other—

the recluse Gotama abstains from such wrong means of livelihood, from such debased arts.’

“Or he might say: ‘Whereas some recluses and brahmins, while living on the food offered by the faithful, earn their living by a wrong means of livelihood, by such debased arts as predicting:

there will be an eclipse of the moon, an eclipse of the sun, an eclipse of a constellation;
the sun and the moon will go on their proper courses;
there will be an aberration of the sun and moon;
the constellations will go on their proper courses;
there will be an aberration of a constellation;
there will be a fall of meteors; there will be a skyblaze; there will be an earthquake;
there will be an earth-roar;
there will be a rising and setting, a darkening and brightening, of the moon, sun, and constellations;
such will be the result of the moon’s eclipse, such the result of the sun’s eclipse, (and so on down to)
such will be the result of the rising and setting, darkening and brightening of the moon, sun, and constellations—

the recluse Gotama abstains from such wrong means of livelihood, from such debased arts.’

“Or he might say: ‘Whereas some recluses and brahmins, while living on the food offered by the faithful, earn their living by a wrong means of livelihood, by such debased arts as predicting:

there will be abundant rain
there will be a drought
there will be a good harvest
there will be a famine
there will be security
there will be danger
there will be sickness
there will be health
or they earn their living by accounting, computation, calculation, the composing of poetry, and speculations about the world—

the recluse Gotama abstains from such wrong means of livelihood, from such debased arts.’

“Or he might say: ‘Whereas some recluses and brahmins, while living on the food offered by the faithful, earn their living by a wrong means of livelihood, by such debased arts as:

arranging auspicious dates for marriages, both those in which the bride is brought in (from another family) and those in which she is sent out (to another family)
arranging auspicious dates for betrothals and divorces
arranging auspicious dates for the accumulation or expenditure of money
reciting charms to make people lucky or unlucky
rejuvenating the fetuses of abortive women
reciting spells to bind a man’s tongue, to paralyze his jaws, to make him lose control over his hands, to make him lose control over his jaw, or to bring on deafness
obtaining oracular answers to questions by means of a mirror, a girl, or a god
worshipping the sun
worshipping Mahābrahmā
bringing forth flames from the mouth
invoking the goddess of luck—

the recluse Gotama abstains from such wrong means of livelihood, from such debased arts.’

“Or he might say: ‘Whereas some recluses and brahmins, while living on the food offered by the faithful, earn their living by a wrong means of livelihood, by such debased arts as:

promising gifts to deities in return for favours
fulfilling such promises
demonology
reciting spells after entering an earthen house
inducing virility and impotence
preparing and consecrating sites for a house
giving ceremonial mouthwashes and ceremonial bathing
offering sacrificial fires
administering emetics, purgatives, expectorants and phlegmagogues
administering medicine through the ear and through the nose
administering ointments and counter-ointments
practising fine surgery on the eyes and ears
practising general surgery on the body
practising as a children’s doctor
the application of medicinal roots
the binding on of medicinal herbs—

the recluse Gotama abstains from such wrong means of livelihood, from such debased arts.’

“These, bhikkhus, are those trifling and insignificant matters, those minor details of mere moral virtue, that a worldling would refer to when speaking in praise of the Tathāgata.

III. Speculations about the Past (Pubbantakappika)

“There are, bhikkhus, other dhammas, deep, difficult to see, difficult to understand, peaceful and sublime, beyond the sphere of reasoning, subtle, comprehensible only to the wise, which the Tathāgata, having realized for himself with direct knowledge, propounds to others; and it is concerning these that those who would rightly praise the Tathāgata in accordance with reality would speak. And what are these dhammas?

“There are, bhikkhus, some recluses and brahmins who are speculators about the past, who hold settled views about the past, and who on eighteen grounds assert various conceptual theorems referring to the past. And owing to what, with reference to what, do these honourable recluses and brahmins frame their speculations?

1. Eternalism (Sassatavāda): Views 1–4

“There are, bhikkhus, some recluses and brahmins who are eternalists, and who on four grounds proclaim the self and the world to be eternal. And owing to what, with reference to what, do these honourable recluses and brahmins proclaim their views?

“In the first case, bhikkhus, some recluse or a brahmin, by means of ardour, endeavour, application, diligence, and right reflection, attains to such a degree of mental concentration that with his mind thus concentrated, [purified, clarified, unblemished, devoid of corruptions], he recollects his numerous past lives: that is, (he recollects) one birth, two, three, four, or five births; ten, twenty, thirty, forty, or fifty births; a hundred, a thousand, or a hundred thousand births; many hundreds of births, many thousands of births, many hundreds of thousands of births. (He recalls:) ‘Then I had such a name, belonged to such a clan, had such an appearance; such was my food, such my experience of pleasure and pain, such my span of life. Passing away thence, I re-arose there. There too I had such a name, belonged to such a clan, had such an appearance; such was my food, such my experience of pleasure and pain, such my span of life. Passing away thence, I re-arose here.’ Thus he recollects his numerous past lives in their modes and their details.

“He speaks thus: ‘The self and the world are eternal, barren, steadfast as a mountain peak, standing firm like a pillar. And though these beings roam and wander (through the round of existence), pass away and re-arise, yet the self and the world remain the same just like eternity itself. What is the reason? Because I, by means of ardour, endeavour, application, diligence, and right reflection, attain to such a degree of mental concentration that with my mind thus concentrated, I recollect my numerous past lives in their modes and their details. For this reason I know this: the self and the world are eternal, barren, steadfast as a mountain peak, standing firm like a pillar. And though these beings roam and wander (through the round of existence), pass away and re-arise, yet the self and the world remain the same just like eternity itself.’

“This, bhikkhus, is the first case.

“In the second case, owing to what, with reference to what, are some honourable recluses and brahmins eternalists, who proclaim the self and the world to be eternal?

“Herein, bhikkhus, a certain recluse or brahmin, by means of ardour, endeavour, application, diligence, and right reflection, attains to such a degree of mental concentration that with his mind thus concentrated he recollects his numerous past lives: that is, (he recollects his past lives throughout) one aeon of world-contraction and expansion, throughout two, three, four, five, or ten aeons of world-contraction and expansion. (He recalls:) ‘Then I had such a name, belonged to such a clan, had such an appearance; such was my food, such my experience of pleasure and pain, such my span of life. Passing away thence, I re-arose there. There too I had such a name, belonged to such a clan, had such an appearance; such was my food, such my experience of pleasure and pain, such my span of life. Passing away thence, I re-arose here.’ Thus he recollects his numerous past lives in their modes and their details.

(The remainder is exactly the same as §31 except for the extent of time recollected.)

“This, bhikkhus, is the second reason.

“In the third case, owing to what, with reference to what, are some honourable recluses and brahmins eternalists, who proclaim the self and the world to be eternal?

“Herein, bhikkhus, some recluse or brahmin, by means of ardour, endeavour, application, diligence, and right reflection, attains to such a degree of mental concentration that with his mind thus concentrated he recollects his numerous past lives: that is, (he recollects his past lives throughout) ten aeons of world-contraction and expansion, throughout twenty, thirty, or forty aeons of world-contraction and expansion … (As above) … Thus he recollects his numerous past lives in their modes and their details.

(As in §31 except for the extent of time.) “This, bhikkhus, is the third case.

“In the fourth case, owing to what, with reference to what, are some honourable recluses and brahmins eternalists, who proclaim the self and the world to be eternal?

“Herein, bhikkhus, some recluse or brahmin is a rationalist, an investigator. He declares his view—hammered out by reason, deduced from his investigations, following his own flight of thought—thus: “The self and the world are eternal, barren, steadfast as a mountain peak, standing firm like a pillar. And though these beings roam and wander (through the round of existence), pass away and re-arise, yet the self and the world remain the same just like eternity itself.’

“This, bhikkhus, is the fourth case.

“It is on these four grounds, bhikkhus, that those recluses and brahmins who are eternalists proclaim the self and the world to be eternal. Whatever recluses and brahmins there may be who proclaim the self and the world to be eternal, all of them do so on these four grounds or on a certain one of them. Outside of these there is none.

“This, bhikkhus, the Tathāgata understands. And he understands: ‘These standpoints, thus assumed and thus misapprehended, lead to such a future destination, to such a state in the world beyond.’ He understands as well what transcends this, yet even that understanding he does not misapprehend. And because he is free from misapprehension, he has realized within himself the state of perfect peace. Having understood as they really are the origin and the passing away of feelings, their satisfaction, their unsatisfactoriness, and the escape from them, the Tathāgata, bhikkhus, is emancipated through non-clinging.

“These are those dhammas, bhikkhus, that are deep, difficult to see, difficult to understand, peaceful and sublime, beyond the sphere of reasoning, subtle, comprehensible only to the wise, which the Tathāgata, having realized for himself with direct knowledge, propounds to others; and it is concerning these that those who would rightly praise the Tathāgata in accordance with reality would speak.

2. Partial-Eternalism (Ekaccasassatavāda): Views 5–8

“There are, bhikkhus, some recluses and brahmins who are eternalists in regard to some things and non-eternalists in regard to other things, and who on four grounds proclaim the self and the world to be partly eternal and partly non-eternal. And owing to what, with reference to what, do these honourable recluses and brahmins proclaim their views?

“There comes a time, bhikkhus, when after the lapse of a long period this world contracts (disintegrates). While the world is contracting, beings for the most part are reborn in the Ābhassara Brahma-world. There they dwell, mind-made, feeding on rapture, self-luminous, moving through the air, abiding in glory. And they continue thus for a long, long period of time.

“But sooner or later, bhikkhus, after the lapse of a long period, there comes a time when this world begins to expand once again. While the world is expanding, an empty palace of Brahmā appears. Then a certain being, due to the exhaustion of his life-span or the exhaustion of his merit, passes away from the Ābhassara plane and re-arises in the empty palace of Brahmā. There he dwells, mind made, feeding on rapture, self-luminous, moving through the air, abiding in glory. And he continues thus for a long, long period of time.

“Then, as a result of dwelling there all alone for so long a time, there arises in him dissatisfaction and agitation, (and he yearns): ‘Oh, that other beings might come to this place!’ Just at that moment, due to the exhaustion of their life-span or the exhaustion of their merit, certain other beings pass away from the Ābhassara plane and re-arise in the palace of Brahmā, in companionship with him. There they dwell, mind-made, feeding on rapture, self-luminous, moving through the air, abiding in glory. And they continue thus for a long, long period of time.

“Thereupon the being who re-arose there first thinks to himself: ‘I am Brahmā, the Great Brahmā, the Vanquisher, the Unvanquished, the Universal Seer, the Wielder of Power, the Lord, the Maker and Creator, the Supreme Being, the Ordainer, the Almighty, the Father of all that are and are to be. And these beings have been created by me. What is the reason? Because first I made the wish: “Oh, that other beings might come to this place!” And after I made this resolution, now these beings have come.’

“And the beings who re-arose there after him also think: ‘This must be Brahmā, the Great Brahmā, the Vanquisher, the Unvanquished, the Universal Seer, the Wielder of Power, the Lord, the Maker and Creator, the Supreme Being, the Ordainer, the Almighty, the Father of all that are and are to be. And we have been created by him. What is the reason? Because we see that he was here first, and we appeared here after him.’

“Herein, bhikkhus, the being who re-arose there first possesses longer life, greater beauty, and greater authority than the beings who re-arose there after him.

“Now, bhikkhus, this comes to pass, that a certain being, after passing away from that plane, takes rebirth in this world. Having come to this world, he goes forth from home to homelessness. When he has gone forth, by means of ardour, endeavour, application, diligence, and right reflection, he attains to such a degree of mental concentration that with his mind thus concentrated he recollects his immediately preceding life, but none previous to that. He speaks thus: ‘We were created by him, by Brahmā, the Great Brahmā, the Vanquisher, the Unvanquished, the Universal Seer, the Wielder of Power, the Lord, the Maker and Creator, the Supreme Being, the Ordainer, the Almighty, the Father of all that are and are to be. He is permanent, stable, eternal, not subject to change, and he will remain the same just like eternity itself. But we, who have been created by him and have come to this world, are impermanent, unstable, short-lived, doomed to perish.’

“This, bhikkhus, is the first case.

“In the second case, owing to what, with reference to what, are some honourable recluses and brahmins eternalists in regard to some things and non-eternalists in regard to other things, proclaiming the self and the world to be partly eternal and partly non-eternal?

“There are, bhikkhus, certain gods called ‘corrupted by play.’

These gods spend an excessive time indulging in the delights of laughter and play. As a consequence they become forgetful and, when they become forgetful, they pass away from that plane.

“Now, bhikkhus, this comes to pass, that a certain being, after passing away from that plane, takes rebirth in this world. Having come to this world, he goes forth from home to homelessness. When he has gone forth, by means of ardour, endeavour, application, diligence, and right reflection, he attains to such a degree of mental concentration that with his mind thus concentrated he recollects his immediately preceding life, but none previous to that. He speaks thus: ‘Those honourable gods who are not corrupted by play do not spend an excessive time indulging in the delights of laughter and play. As a consequence they do not become forgetful, and because they do not become forgetful they do not pass away from that plane. Those gods are permanent, stable, eternal, not subject to change, and they will remain the same just like eternity itself. But we were gods corrupted by play. We spent an excessive time indulging in the delights of laughter and play, and as a consequence we became forgetful. When we became forgetful we passed away from that plane. Coming to this world, now we are impermanent, unstable, short lived, doomed to perish.’

“This bhikkhus, is the second case.

“In the third case, owing to what, with reference to what, are some honourable recluses and brahmins eternalists in regard to some things and non-eternalists in regard to other things, proclaiming the self and the world to be partly eternal and partly non-eternal?

“There are, bhikkhus, certain gods called ‘corrupted by mind.’ These gods contemplate one another with excessive envy. As a consequence their minds becomes corrupted by anger towards one another. When their minds are corrupted by anger, their bodies and minds become exhausted and consequently, they pass away from that plane.

“Now, bhikkhus, this comes to pass, that a certain being, after passing away from that plane, takes rebirth in this world. Having come to this world, he goes forth from home to homelessness. When he has gone forth, by means of ardour, endeavour, application, diligence, and right reflection, he attains to such a degree of mental concentration that with his mind thus concentrated he recollects his immediately preceding life, but none previous to that. He speaks thus: ‘Those honourable gods who are not corrupted by mind do not contemplate each other with excessive envy. As a result, their minds do not become corrupted by anger towards one another, their bodies and minds do not become exhausted, and they do not pass away from that plane. Those gods are permanent, stable, not subject to change, and they will remain the same just like eternity itself. But we were gods corrupted by mind. We contemplated each other with excessive envy and as a result our minds became corrupted by anger towards one another. When our minds were corrupted by anger, our bodies and minds became exhausted and consequently, we passed away from that plane. Coming to this world, now we are impermanent, unstable, short-lived, doomed to perish.’

“This, bhikkhus, is the third case.

“In the fourth case, owing to what, with reference to what, are some honourable recluses and brahmins eternalists in regard to some things and non-eternalists in regard to other things, proclaiming the self and the world to be partly eternal and partly non-eternal?

“Herein, bhikkhus, recluse or a certain brahmin is a rationalist, an investigator. He declares his view—hammered out by reason, deduced from his investigations, following his own flight of thought—thus: ‘That which is called “the eye,” “the ear,” “the nose,” “the tongue,” and “the body”—that self is impermanent, unstable, non-eternal, subject to change. But that which is called “mind” (citta) or “mentality” (mano) or “consciousness” (viññāṇa)—that self is permanent, stable, eternal, not subject to change, and it will remain the same just like eternity itself.’

“This, bhikkhus, is the fourth case.

“It is on these four grounds, bhikkhus, that those recluses and brahmins who are partial-eternalists proclaim the self and the world to be partly eternal and partly non-eternal. Whatever recluses and brahmins there may be who proclaim the self and the world to be partly eternal and partly non-eternal, all of them do so on these four grounds or on a certain one of them. Outside of these there is none.

3. Doctrines of the Finitude and Infinity of the World (Antānantavāda): Views 9–12

“There are, bhikkhus, some recluses and brahmins who are extensionists, and who on four grounds proclaim the world to be finite or infinite. And owing to what, with reference to what, do these honourable recluses and brahmins proclaim their views?

“In the first case, bhikkhus, a certain recluse or a brahmin, by means of ardour, endeavour, application, diligence, and right reflection, attains to such a degree of mental concentration that with his mind thus concentrated he abides perceiving the world as finite. He speaks thus: ‘The world is finite and bounded. What is the reason? Because I attain to such concentration of mind that I abide perceiving the world as finite. For that reason I know this: the world is finite and bounded.’

“This, bhikkhus, is the first case.

“In the second case, owing to what, with reference to what, are some honourable recluses and brahmins extensionists, proclaiming the world to be finite or infinite?

“Herein, bhikkhus, a certain recluse or a brahmin, by means of ardour, endeavour, application, diligence, and right reflection, attains to such a degree of mental concentration that with his mind thus concentrated he abides perceiving the world as infinite. He speaks thus: ‘The world is infinite and boundless. Those recluses and brahmins who declare the world to be finite and bounded speak falsely. The world is infinite and boundless. What is the reason? Because I attain to such concentration of mind that I abide perceiving the world as infinite. For this reason I know this: the world is infinite and boundless.’

“This, bhikkhus, is the second case.

“In the third case, owing to what, with reference to what, are some honourable recluses and brahmins extensionists, proclaiming the world to be finite or infinite?

“Herein, bhikkhus, a certain recluse or a brahmin, by means of ardour, endeavour, application, diligence, and right reflection, attains to such a degree of mental concentration that with his mind thus concentrated he abides perceiving the world as finite in the upward and downward directions, but as infinite across. He speaks thus: ‘The world is both finite and infinite. Those recluses and brahmins who declare the world to be finite and bounded speak falsely; and those recluses and brahmins who declare the world to be infinite and boundless also speak falsely. The world is both finite and infinite. For what reason? Because I attain to such concentration of mind that I abide perceiving the world as finite in the upward and downward directions, but as infinite across. For this reason I know this: the world is both finite and infinite.’

“This, bhikkhus, is the third case.

“In the fourth case, owing to what, with reference to what, are some honourable recluses and brahmins extensionists, proclaiming the world to be finite or infinite?

“Herein, bhikkhus, a certain recluse or a brahmin is a rationalist, an investigator. He declares his view—hammered out by reason, deduced from his investigations, following his own flight of thought—thus: ‘The world is neither finite nor infinite. Those recluses and brahmins who declare the world to be finite and bounded, those who declare it to be infinite and boundless, and those who declare it to be both finite and infinite—all these speak falsely. The world is neither finite nor infinite.’

“This, bhikkhus, is the fourth case.

“It is on these four grounds, bhikkhus, that those recluses and brahmins, who are extensionists proclaim the world to be finite of infinite. Whatever recluses or brahmins there may be who proclaim the world to be finite or infinite, all of them do so on these four grounds or on a certain one of them. Outside of these there is none.

59–60. “This, bhikkhus, the Tathāgata understands … (repeat §§ 51–52 in full) … and it is concerning these that those who would praise the Tathāgata in accordance with reality would speak.

4. Doctrines of Endless Equivocation (Amarāvikkhepavāda): Views 13–16

“There are, bhikkhus, some recluses and brahmins who are endless equivocators. When questioned about this or that point, on four grounds they resort to evasive statements and to endless equivocation. And owing to what, with reference to what, do these honourable recluses and brahmins do so?

“Herein, bhikkhus, a certain recluse or a brahmin does not understand as it really is what is wholesome and what is unwholesome. He thinks: ‘I do not understand as it really is what is wholesome and what is unwholesome. If, without understanding, I were to declare something to be wholesome or unwholesome, my declaration might be false. If my declaration should be false, that would distress me, and that distress would be an obstacle for me.’ Therefore, out of fear and loathing of making a false statement, he does not declare anything to be wholesome or unwholesome. But when he is questioned about this or that point, he resorts to evasive statements and to endless equivocation: “I do not take it thus, nor do I take it in that way, nor do I take it in some other way. I do not say that it is not, nor do I say that it is neither this nor that.’

“This, bhikkhus, is the first case.

“In the second case, owing to what, with reference to what, are some honourable recluses and brahmins endless equivocators, resorting to evasive statements and to endless equivocation?

“Herein, bhikkhus, a certain recluse or a brahmin does not understand as it really is what is wholesome and what is unwholesome. He thinks: ‘I do not understand as it really is what is wholesome and what is unwholesome. If, without understanding, I were to declare something to be wholesome or unwholesome, desire and lust or hatred and aversion might arise in me. Should desire and lust or hated and aversion arise in me, that would be clinging on my part. Such clinging would distress me, and that distress would be an obstacle for me.’ Therefore, out of fear and loathing of clinging, he does not declare anything to be wholesome or unwholesome. But when questioned about this or that point he resorts to evasive statements and to endless equivocation: ‘I do not take it thus, nor do I take it in that way, nor do I take it in some other way. I do not say that it is not, nor do I say that it is neither this nor that.’

“This, bhikkhus, is the second case.

“In the third case, owing to what, with reference to what, are some honourable recluses and brahmins endless equivocators, resorting to evasive statements and to endless equivocation?

“Herein, bhikkhus, a certain recluse or a brahmin does not understand as it really is what is wholesome and what is unwholesome. He thinks: ‘I do not understand as it really is what is wholesome and what is unwholesome. Now, there are recluses and brahmins who are wise, clever, experienced in controversy, who wander about demolishing the views of others with their wisdom. If, without understanding, I were to declare something to be wholesome or unwholesome, they might cross-examine me about my views, press me for reasons and refute my statements. If they should do so, I might not be able to reply. If I could not reply, that would distress me, and that distress would be an obstacle for me.’ Therefore, out of fear and loathing of being cross-examined, he does not declare anything to be wholesome or unwholesome. But, when questioned about this or that point, he resorts to evasive statements and to endless equivocation: ‘I do not take it thus, nor do I take it in that way, nor do I take it in some other way. I do not say that it is not, nor do I say that it is neither this nor that.’

“This, bhikkhus, is the third case.

“In the fourth case, owing to what, with reference to what, are some honourable recluses and brahmins endless equivocators, resorting to evasive statements and to endless equivocation?

“Herein, bhikkhus, a certain recluse or a brahmin is dull and stupid. Due to his dullness and stupidity, when he is questioned about this or that point, he resorts to evasive statements and to endless equivocation: ‘If you ask me whether there is a world beyond—if I thought there is another world, I would declare that there is. But I do not take it thus, nor do I take it in that way, nor do I take it in some other way. I do not say that it is not, nor do I say that is neither this nor that.’

“Similarly, when asked any of the following questions, he resorts to the same evasive statements and to endless equivocation:

1. Is there no world beyond?
2. Is it that there both is and is not a world beyond?
3. Is it that there neither is nor is not a world beyond?
1. Are there beings spontaneously reborn?
2. Are there no beings spontaneously reborn?
3. Is it that there both are and are not beings spontaneously reborn?
4. Is it that there neither are nor are not beings spontaneously reborn?
1. Is there fruit and result of good and bad action?
2. Is there no fruit and result of good and bad action?
3. Is it that there both is and is not fruit and result of good and bad action?
4. Is it that there neither is nor is not fruit and result of good and bad action?
1. Does the Tathāgata exist after death?
2. Does the Tathāgata not exist after death?
3. Does the Tathāgata both exist and not exist after death?
4. Does the Tathāgata neither exist nor not exist after death?

“This bhikkhus, is the fourth case.

“It is on these four grounds, bhikkhus, that those recluses and brahmins who are endless equivocators resort to evasive statements and to endless equivocation when questioned about this or that point. Whatever recluses or brahmins there may be who resort to evasive statements and to endless equivocation, all of them do so on these four grounds or on a certain one of them. Outside of these there is none.

“This, bhikkhus, the Tathāgata understands …. and it is concerning these that those who would rightly praise the Tathāgata in accordance with reality would speak.

5. Doctrines of Fortuitous Origination (Adhiccasamuppannavāda): Views 17–18

“There are, bhikkhus, some recluses and brahmins, who are fortuitous originationists, and who on two grounds proclaim the self and the world to originate fortuitously. And owing to what, with reference to what, do these honourable recluses and brahmins proclaim their views?

“There are, bhikkhus, certain gods called ‘non-percipient beings.’ When perception arises in them, those gods pass away from that plane. Now, bhikkhus, this comes to pass, that a certain being, after passing away from that plane, takes rebirth in this world. Having come to this world, he goes forth from home to homelessness. When he has gone forth, by means of ardour, endeavour, application, diligence, and right reflection, he attains to such a degree of mental concentration that with his mind thus concentrated he recollects the arising of perception, but nothing previous to that. He speaks thus: ‘The self and the world originate fortuitously. What is the reason? Because previously I did not exist, but now I am. Not having been, I sprang into being.’

“This, bhikkhus, is the first case.

“In the second case, owing to what, with reference to what, are some honourable recluses and brahmins fortuitous originationists, proclaiming the self and the world to originate fortuitously?

“This, bhikkhus, is the second case.

“It is on these two grounds, bhikkhus, that those recluses and brahmins who are fortuitous originationists proclaim the self and the world to originate fortuitously. Whatever recluses or brahmins there may be who proclaim the self and the world to originate fortuitously, all of them do so on these two grounds or on a certain one of them. Outside of these there is none.

“This, bhikkhus, the Tathāgata understands … and it is concerning these that those who would rightly praise the Tathāgata in accordance with reality would speak.

“It is on these eighteen grounds, bhikkhus, that those recluses and brahmins who are speculators about the past and hold settled views about the past assert various conceptual theorems referring to the past. Whatever recluses or brahmins are speculators about the past, hold settled views about the past, and assert various conceptual theorems referring to the past, all of them do so on these eighteen grounds or on a certain one of them. Outside of these there is none.

“This, bhikkhus, the Tathāgata understands. And he understands: ‘These standpoints, thus assumed and thus misapprehended, lead to such a future destination, to such in the world beyond.’ He understands as well what transcends this, yet even that understanding he does not misapprehend. And because he is free from misapprehension, he has realized within himself the state of perfect peace. Having understood as they really are the origin and the passing away of feelings, their satisfaction, their unsatisfactoriness, and the escape from them, the Tathāgata, bhikkhus, is emancipated through non-clinging.

IV. Speculations about the Future (Aparantakappika)

“There are, bhikkhus, some recluses and brahmins who are speculators about the future, who hold settled views about the future, and who on forty-four grounds assert various conceptual theorems referring to the future. And owing to what, with reference to what, do these honourable recluses and brahmins frame their speculations?

1. Doctrines of Percipient Immortality (Saññīvādā): Views 19–34

“There are, bhikkhus, some recluses and brahmins who maintain a doctrine of percipient immortality and who on sixteen grounds proclaim the self to survive percipient after death. And owing to what, with reference to what, do these honourable recluses and brahmins proclaim their views?

“They proclaim: ‘The self is immutable after death, percipient, and:

1. material
2. immaterial
3. both material and immaterial
4. neither material nor immaterial
1. finite
2. infinite
3. both finite and infinite
4. neither finite nor infinite
1. of uniform perception
2. of diversified perception
3. of limited perception
4. of boundless perception
1. exclusively happy
2. exclusively miserable
3. both happy and miserable
4. neither happy nor miserable.’

“It is on these sixteen grounds, bhikkhus, that those recluses and brahmins who maintain a doctrine of percipient immortality proclaim the self to survive percipient after death. Whatever recluses or brahmins maintain a doctrine of percipient immortality, all of them do so on these sixteen grounds or on a certain one of them. Outside of these there is none.

“This, bhikkhus, the Tathāgata understand … and it is concerning these that those who would rightly praise the Tathāgata in accordance with reality would speak.

2. Doctrines of Non-percipient Immortality (Asaññīvādā): Views 35–42

“There are, bhikkhus, some recluses and brahmins who maintain a doctrine of non-percipient immortality, and who on eight grounds proclaim the self to survive non-percipient after death. And owing to what, with reference to what, do these honourable recluses and brahmins proclaim their views?

“They proclaim: ‘The self is immutable after death, non-percipient, and:

1. material
2. immaterial
3. both material and immaterial
4. neither material nor immaterial
1. finite
2. infinite
3. both finite and infinite
4. neither finite nor infinite.’

“It is on these eight grounds, bhikkhus, that those recluses and brahmins who maintain a doctrine of non-percipient immortality proclaim the self to survive non-percipient after death. Whatever recluses or brahmins maintain a doctrine of non—percipient immortality, all of them do so on these eight grounds or on a certain one of them. Outside of these there is none.

“This, bhikkhus, the Tathāgata understands … and it is concerning these that those who would rightly praise the Tathāgata in accordance with reality would speak.

3. Doctrines of Neither Percipient Nor Non-Percipient Immortality (Nevasaññī-nāsaññīvādā): Views 43–50

“There are, bhikkhus, some recluses and brahmins who maintain a doctrine of neither percipient nor non-percipient immortality and who on eight grounds proclaim the self to survive neither percipient nor non-percipient after death. And owing to what, with reference to what, do these honourable recluses and brahmins proclaim their views?

“They proclaim: ‘The self is immutable after death, neither percipient nor non-percipient, and:

1. material
2. immaterial
3. both material and immaterial
4. neither material nor immaterial
1. finite
2. infinite
3. both finite and infinite
4. neither finite nor infinite.’

“It is on these eight grounds, bhikkhus, that those recluses and brahmins who maintain a doctrine of neither percipient nor non-percipient immortality proclaim the self to survive neither percipient nor non-percipient after death. Whatever recluses or brahmins maintain a doctrine of neither percipient nor non-percipient immortality, all of them do so on these eight grounds or on a certain one of them. Outside of these there is none.

“This, bhikkhus, the Tathāgata understands … and it is concerning these that those who would rightly praise the Tathāgata in accordance with reality would speak.

4. Annihilationism (Ucchedavādā): Views 51–57

“There are, bhikkhus, some recluses and brahmins who are annihilationists and who on seven grounds proclaim the annihilation, destruction, and extermination of an existent being. And owing to what, with reference to what, do these honourable recluses and brahmins proclaim their views?

“Herein, bhikkhus, a certain recluse or a brahmin asserts the following doctrine and view: ‘The self, good sir, has material form; it is composed of the four primary elements and originates from father and mother. Since this self, good sir, is annihilated and destroyed with the breakup of the body and does not exist after death, at this point the self is completely annihilated.’ In this way some proclaim the annihilation, destruction, and extermination of an existent being.

“To him another says: ‘There is, good sir, such a self as you assert. That I do not deny. But it is not at that point that the self is completely annihilated. For there is, good sir, another self—divine, having material form, pertaining to the sense sphere, feeding on edible nutriment. That you neither know nor see, but I know it and see it. Since this self, good sir, is annihilated and destroyed with the breakup of the body and does not exist after death, at this point the self is completely annihilated.’ In this way others proclaim the annihilation, destruction, and extermination of an existent being.

“To him another says: ‘There is, good sir, such a self as you assert. That I do not deny. But it is not at that point that the self is completely annihilated. For there is, good sir, another self—divine, having material form, mind-made, complete in all its limbs and organs, not destitute of any faculties. That you neither know nor see, but I know it and see it. Since this self, good sir, is annihilated and destroyed with the breakup of the body and does not exist after death, at this point the self is completely annihilated.’ In this way others proclaim the annihilation, destruction, and extermination of an existent being.

“To him another says: ‘There is, good sir, such a self as you assert. That I do not deny. But it is not at that point that the self is completely annihilated. For there is, good sir, another self belonging to the base of infinite space, (reached by) the complete surmounting of perceptions of material form, by the disappearance of perceptions of resistance, by non-attention to perceptions of diversity, (by contemplating) “Space is infinite.” That you neither know nor see, but I know it and see it. Since this self, good sir, is annihilated and destroyed with the breakup of the body and does not exist after death, at this point the self is completely annihilated.’ In this way others proclaim the annihilation, destruction, and extermination of an existent being.

“To him another says: ‘There is, good sir, such a self as you assert. That I do not deny. But it is not at that point that the self is completely annihilated. For there is, good sir, another self belonging to the base of infinite consciousness, (reached by) completely surmounting the base of infinite space (by contemplating): “Consciousness is infinite.” That you neither know nor see. But I know it and see it. Since this self, good sir, is annihilated and destroyed with the breakup of the body and does not exist after death—at this point the self is completely annihilated.’ In this way some proclaim the annihilation, destruction, and extermination of an existent being.

“To him another says: ‘There is, good sir, such a self as you assert. That I do not deny. But it is not at that point that the self is completely annihilated. For there is, good sir, another self belonging to the base of nothingness, (reached by) completely surmounting the base of infinite consciousness (by contemplating): “There is nothing.” That you neither know nor see. But I know it and see it. Since this self, good sir, is annihilated and destroyed with the breakup of the body and does not exist after death—at this point the self is completely annihilated.’ In this way some proclaim the annihilation, destruction, and extermination of an existent being.

“To him another says: ‘There is, good sir, such a self as you assert. That I do not deny. But it is not at that point that the self is completely annihilated. For there is, good sir, another self belonging to the base of neither perception nor non-perception, (reached by) completely surmounting the base of nothingness (by contemplating): “This is the peaceful, this is the sublime.” That you neither know nor see. But I know it and see it. Since this self, good sir, is annihilated and destroyed with the breakup of the body and does not exist after death—at this point the self is completely annihilated.’ In this way some proclaim the annihilation, destruction, and extermination of an existent being.

“It is on these seven grounds, bhikkhus, that those recluses and brahmins who are annihilationists proclaim the annihilation, destruction, and extermination of an existent being. Whatever recluses or brahmins proclaim the annihilation, destruction, and extermination of an existent being, all of them do so on these seven grounds or on a certain one of them. Outside of these there is none.

“This, bhikkhus, the Tathāgata understands … and it is concerning these that those who would rightly praise the Tathāgata in accordance with reality would speak.

5. Doctrines of Nibbāna Here and Now (Diṭṭhadhammanibbānavādā): Views 58–62

“There are, bhikkhus, some recluses and brahmins who maintain a doctrine of Nibbāna here and now and who, on five grounds, proclaim Nibbāna here and now for an existent being. And owing to what, with reference to what, do these honourable recluses and brahmins proclaim their views?

“Herein, bhikkhus, a certain recluse or a brahmin asserts the following doctrine or view: ‘When this self, good sir, furnished and supplied with the five strands of sense pleasures, revels in them—at this point the self attains supreme Nibbāna here and now.’ In this way some proclaim supreme Nibbāna here and now for an existent being.

“To him another says: ‘There is, good sir, such a self as you assert. That I do not deny. But it is not at that point that the self attains supreme Nibbāna here and now. What is the reason? Because, good sir, sense pleasures are impermanent, suffering, subject to change, and through their change and transformation there arise sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair. But when the self, quite secluded from sense pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, enters and abides in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by initial and sustained thought and contains the rapture and happiness born of seclusion—at this point, good sir, the self attains supreme Nibbāna here and now.’ In this way others proclaim supreme Nibbāna here and now for an existent being.

“To him another says: ‘There is, good sir, such a self as you assert. That I do not deny. But it is not at that point that the self attains supreme Nibbāna here and now. What is the reason? Because that jhāna contains initial and sustained thought; therefore it is declared to be gross. But when, with the subsiding of initial and sustained thought, the self enters and abides in the second jhāna, which is accompanied by internal confidence and unification of mind, is free from initial and sustained thought, and contains the rapture and happiness born of concentration—at this point, good sir, the self attains supreme Nibbāna here and now.’ In this way others proclaim supreme Nibbāna here and now for an existent being.

“To him another says: ‘There is, good sir, such a self as you assert. That I do not deny. But it is not at that point that the self attains supreme Nibbāna here and now. What is the reason? It is declared to be gross because of the mental exhilaration connected with rapture that exists there. But when, with the fading away of rapture, one abides in equanimity, mindful and clearly comprehending, and still experiencing happiness with the body, enters and abides in the third jhāna, so that the ariyans announce: “He abides happily, in equanimity and mindfulness”—at this point, good sir, the self attains supreme Nibbāna here and now.’ In this way some proclaim supreme Nibbāna here and now for an existent being.

“To him another says: ‘There is, good sir, such a self as you assert. That I do not deny. But it is not at that point that the self attains supreme Nibbāna here and now. What is the reason? It is declared to be gross because a mental concern, ‘Happiness,’ exists there. But when, with the abandoning of pleasure and pain, and with the disappearance of previous joy and grief, one enters and abides in the fourth jhāna, which is without pleasure and pain and contains purification of mindfulness through equanimity—at this point, good sir, the self attains supreme Nibbāna here and now.’ In this way some proclaim supreme Nibbāna here and now for an existent being.

“This, bhikkhus, the Tathāgata understands … and it is concerning these that those who would rightly praise the Tathāgata in accordance with reality would speak.

“It is on these five grounds, bhikkhus, that these recluses and brahmins who maintain a doctrine of Nibbāna here and now proclaim supreme Nibbāna here and now for an existent being. Whatever recluses or brahmins proclaim supreme Nibbāna here and now for an existent being, all of them do so on these five grounds or on a certain one of them. Outside of these there is none.

“This, bhikkhus, the Tathāgata understands … and it is concerning these that those who would rightly praise the Tathāgata in accordance with reality would speak.

“It is on these forty-four grounds, bhikkhus, that those recluses and brahmins who are speculators about the future and hold settled views about the future assert various conceptual theorems referring to the future. Whatever recluses or brahmins, bhikkhus, are speculators about the future, hold settled views about the future, and assert various conceptual theorems referring to the future, all of them do so on these forty-four grounds or on a certain one of them. Outside of these there is none.

“This, bhikkhus, the Tathāgata understands … and it is concerning these that those who would rightly praise the Tathāgata in accordance with reality would speak.

“It is on these sixty-two grounds, bhikkhus, that those recluses and brahmins who are speculators about the past, speculators about the future, and speculators about the past and the future together, who hold settled views about the past and the future, assert various conceptual theorems referring to the past and the future.

“Whatever recluses or brahmins, bhikkhus, are speculators about the past or speculators about the future or speculators about the past and the future together, hold settled views about the past and the future, and assert various conceptual theorems referring to the past and the future, all of them do so on these sixty-two grounds or on a certain one of them. Outside of these there is none.

V. The Round of Conditions and Emancipation from the Round

1. Agitation and Vacillation (Paritassitavipphandita)

Therein, bhikkhus, when those recluses and brahmins who are eternalists proclaim on four grounds the self and the world to be eternal—that is only the feeling of those who do not know and do not see; that is only the agitation and vacillation of those who are immersed in craving.

“When those recluses and brahmins who are eternalists in regard to some things and non-eternalists in regard to other things proclaim on four grounds the self and the world to be partly eternal and partly non-eternal—that too is only the feeling of those who do not know and do not see; that is only the agitation and vacillation of those who are immersed in craving.

“When those recluses and brahmins who are extensionists proclaim on four grounds the world to be finite or infinite:

“When those recluses and brahmins who are endless equivocators on four grounds resort to evasive statements and endless equivocation when questioned on this or that point:

“When those recluses and brahmins who are fortuitous originationists proclaim on two grounds the self and the world to originate fortuitously:

“When those recluses and brahmins who are speculators about the past and hold settled views about the past assert on eighteen grounds various conceptual theorems referring to the past:

“When those recluses and brahmins who maintain a doctrine of percipient immortality proclaim on sixteen grounds the self to survive percipient after death:

“When those recluses and brahmins who maintain a doctrine of non-percipient immortality proclaim on eight grounds the self to survive non-percipient after death:

“When those recluses and brahmins who maintain a doctrine of neither percipient nor non-percipient immortality proclaim on eight grounds the self to survive neither percipient nor non-percipient after death:

“When those recluses and brahmins who are annihilationists proclaim on seven grounds the annihilation, destruction, and extermination of an existent being:

“When those recluses and brahmins who maintain a doctrine of Nibbāna here and now proclaim on five grounds supreme Nibbāna here and now for an existent being:

“When those recluses and brahmins who are speculators about the future and hold settled views about the future assert on forty-four grounds various conceptual theorems referring to the future:

“When those recluses and brahmins who are speculators about the past, speculators about the future, speculators about the past and the future together, who hold settled views about the past and the future, assert on sixty-two grounds various conceptual theorems referring to the past and the future—that too is only the feeling of those who do not know and do not see; that is only the agitation and vacillation of those who are immersed in craving.

2. Conditioned by Contact (Phassapaccayavāra)

“Therein, bhikkhus, when those recluses who are eternalists proclaim on four grounds the self and the world to be eternal—that is conditioned by contact. That they can experience that feeling without contact—such a case is impossible.

“When those recluses and brahmins who are eternalists in regard to some things and non-eternalists in regard to other things proclaim on four grounds the self and the world to be partly eternal and partly non-eternal—that too is conditioned by contact. That they can experience that feeling without contact—such a case is impossible.

“When those recluses and brahmins who are extensionists proclaim their views; when those who are fortuitous originationists proclaim their views; when those who are speculators about the past and hold settled views about the past assert on eighteen grounds various conceptual theorems referring to the past; when those who maintain a doctrine of percipient immortality, non-percipient immortality, or neither percipient nor non-percipient immortality proclaim their views; when those who are annihilationists proclaim their views; when those who maintain a doctrine of Nibbāna here and now proclaim their views; when those who are speculators about the future and hold settled views about the future assert on forty-four grounds various conceptual theorems referring to the future—that too is conditioned by contact. That they can experience that feeling without contact—such a case is impossible.

“When those recluses and brahmins who are speculators about the past, speculators about the future, speculators about the past and the future together, who hold settled views about the past and the future, assert on sixty-two grounds various conceptual theorems referring to the past and the future—that too is conditioned by contact. That they can experience that feeling without contact—such a case is impossible.

3. Exposition of the Round (Diṭṭhigatikādhiṭṭhānavaṭṭakathā)

“Therein, bhikkhus, those recluses and brahmins who are eternalists and proclaim on four grounds the self and the world to be eternal; and those who are eternalists in regard to some things and non-eternalists in regard to others; and those who are extensionists; and those who are endless equivocators; and those who are fortuitous originationists; and those who are speculators about the past; and those who maintain a doctrine of percipient immortality; and those who maintain a doctrine of non-percipient immortality; and those who maintain a doctrine of neither percipient nor non-percipient immortality; and those who are annihilationists; and those who maintain a doctrine of Nibbāna here and now; and those who are speculators about the future; and those who are speculators about the past, speculators about the future, speculators about the past and the future together, hold settled views about the past and the future and assert on sixty-two grounds various conceptual theorems referring to the past and the future—all these recluses and brahmins experience these feelings only by repeated contacts through the six bases of contact. With feeling as condition, there arises in them craving; with craving as condition, clinging arises; with clinging as condition, existence; with existence as condition, birth; and with birth as condition, ageing and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair arise.

4. The Ending of the Round (Vivaṭṭakathādi)

“When, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu understands as they really are the origin and passing away of the six bases of contact, their satisfaction, unsatisfactoriness, and the escape from them, then he understands what transcends all these views.

“Whatever recluses or brahmins, bhikkhus, are speculators about the past, speculators about the future, speculators about the past and the future together, hold settled views about the past and the future and assert various conceptual theorems referring to the past and the future—all are trapped in this net with its sixty-two divisions. Whenever they emerge, they emerge caught within this net, trapped and contained within this very net.

“Just as, bhikkhus, a skillful fisherman or a fisherman’s apprentice, after spreading a fine-meshed net over a small pool of water, might think: ‘Whatever sizeable creatures there are in this pool, all are trapped within this net, trapped and contained in this very net’—in the same way, all those recluses and brahmins are trapped in this net with its sixty-two divisions. Whenever they emerge, they emerge caught within this net, trapped and contained within this very net.

“The body of the Tathāgata, bhikkhus, stands with the leash that bound it to existence cut. As long as his body stands, gods and men shall see him. But with the breakup of the body and the exhaustion of the life-faculty, gods and men shall see him no more.

“Just as, bhikkhus, when the stalk of a bunch of mangoes has been cut, all the mangoes connected to the stalk follow along with it, in the same way, the body of the Tathāgata stands with the leash that bound it to existence cut. As long as his body stands, gods and men shall see him. But with the breakup of the body and the exhaustion of the life-faculty, gods and men shall see him no more.”

When this was said, the Venerable Ānanda said to the Exalted One: “It is wonderful, venerable sir, it is marvelous! What is the title, venerable sir, of this exposition of the Dhamma?”

“Ānanda, you may remember this exposition of the Dhamma as the Net of the Good, as the Net of the Dhamma, as the Supreme Net, as the Net of Views. You may remember it also as the Incomparable Victory in Battle.”

Thus spoke the Exalted One. Elated in mind, the bhikkhus delighted in the word of the Exalted One. And while this exposition was being spoken, the ten-thousandfold world system shook.

Here ends the Brahmajāla Sutta.

- Translator: Bhikkhu Bodhi

- Editor: Bhikkhu Sujato

The Prime Net

‘This is why that’s untrue, this is why that’s false. There’s no such thing in us, it’s not found among us.’
1. Talk on Wanderers
So I have heard.
At one time the Buddha was traveling along the road between Rājagaha and Nālanda together with a large Saṅgha of around five hundred mendicants.
The wanderer Suppiya was also traveling along the same road, together with his pupil, the brahmin student Brahmadatta.
Meanwhile, Suppiya criticized the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha in many ways,
but his pupil Brahmadatta praised them in many ways.
And so both teacher and pupil followed behind the Buddha and the Saṅgha of mendicants directly contradicting each other.
Then the Buddha took up residence for the night in the royal rest-house in Ambalaṭṭhikā together with the Saṅgha of mendicants.
And Suppiya and Brahmadatta did likewise.
There too, Suppiya criticized the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha in many ways,
but his pupil Brahmadatta praised them in many ways.
And so both teacher and pupil kept on directly contradicting each other.
Then several mendicants rose at the crack of dawn and sat together in the pavilion, where the topic of evaluation came up:
“It’s incredible, reverends, it’s amazing how the diverse convictions of sentient beings have been clearly comprehended by the Blessed One, who knows and sees, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha.
For this Suppiya criticizes the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha in many ways,
while his pupil Brahmadatta praises them in many ways.
And so both teacher and pupil followed behind the Buddha and the Saṅgha of mendicants directly contradicting each other.”
When the Buddha found out about this discussion on evaluation among the mendicants, he went to the pavilion, where he sat on the seat spread out and addressed the mendicants,
“Mendicants, what were you sitting talking about just now? What conversation was left unfinished?”
The mendicants told him what had happened, adding,

“This was our conversation that was unfinished when the Buddha arrived.”
“Mendicants, if others criticize me, the teaching, or the Saṅgha, don’t make yourselves resentful, bitter, and exasperated.
You’ll get angry and upset, which would be an obstacle for you alone.
If others were to criticize me, the teaching, or the Saṅgha, and you got angry and upset, would you be able to understand whether they spoke well or poorly?”
“No, sir.”
“If others criticize me, the teaching, or the Saṅgha, you should explain that what is untrue is in fact untrue:
If others praise me, the teaching, or the Saṅgha, don’t make yourselves thrilled, elated, and excited.
You’ll get thrilled, elated, and excited, which would be an obstacle for you alone.
If others praise me, the teaching, or the Saṅgha, you should acknowledge that what is true is in fact true:
‘This is why that’s true, this is why that’s correct. There is such a thing in us, it is found among us.’
2. Ethics
2.1. The Shorter Section on Ethics
When an ordinary person speaks praise of the Realized One, they speak only of trivial, insignificant details of mere ethics.
And what are the trivial, insignificant details of mere ethics that an ordinary person speaks of?
‘The ascetic Gotama has given up killing living creatures. He has renounced the rod and the sword. He’s scrupulous and kind, living full of compassion for all living beings.’
Such is an ordinary person’s praise of the Realized One.
‘The ascetic Gotama has given up stealing. He takes only what’s given, and expects only what’s given. He keeps himself clean by not thieving.’
Such is an ordinary person’s praise of the Realized One.
‘The ascetic Gotama has given up unchastity. He is celibate, set apart, avoiding the common practice of sex.’
Such is an ordinary person’s praise of the Realized One.
‘The ascetic Gotama has given up lying. He speaks the truth and sticks to the truth. He’s honest and trustworthy, and doesn’t trick the world with his words.’
Such is an ordinary person’s praise of the Realized One.
‘The ascetic Gotama has given up divisive speech. He doesn’t repeat in one place what he heard in another so as to divide people against each other. Instead, he reconciles those who are divided, supporting unity, delighting in harmony, loving harmony, speaking words that promote harmony.’
Such is an ordinary person’s praise of the Realized One.
‘The ascetic Gotama has given up harsh speech. He speaks in a way that’s mellow, pleasing to the ear, lovely, going to the heart, polite, likable and agreeable to the people.’
Such is an ordinary person’s praise of the Realized One.
‘The ascetic Gotama has given up talking nonsense. His words are timely, true, and meaningful, in line with the teaching and training. He says things at the right time which are valuable, reasonable, succinct, and beneficial.’
Such is an ordinary person’s praise of the Realized One.
‘The ascetic Gotama refrains from injuring plants and seeds.’

‘He eats in one part of the day, abstaining from eating at night and food at the wrong time.’
‘He refrains from dancing, singing, music, and seeing shows.’
‘He refrains from beautifying and adorning himself with garlands, perfumes, and makeup.’
‘He refrains from high and luxurious beds.’
‘He refrains from receiving gold and money,
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.’
‘He refrains 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.’
Such is an ordinary person’s praise of the Realized One.
The shorter section on ethics is finished.
2.2. 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, stems, cuttings, or joints; and those from regular seeds as the fifth.
The ascetic Gotama refrains from such injury to plants and seeds.’
Such is an ordinary person’s praise of the Realized One.
‘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 material possessions.
The ascetic Gotama refrains from storing up such goods.’
Such is an ordinary person’s praise of the Realized One.
‘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; art exhibitions and acrobatic displays; 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.
The ascetic Gotama refrains from such shows.’
Such is an ordinary person’s praise of the Realized One.
‘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, draughts, 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, and guessing another’s thoughts.
The ascetic Gotama refrains from such gambling.’
Such is an ordinary person’s praise of the Realized One.
‘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, woven carpets, rugs for elephants, horses, or chariots, antelope hide rugs, and spreads of fine deer hide, with a canopy above and red cushions at both ends.
The ascetic Gotama refrains from such bedding.’
Such is an ordinary person’s praise of the Realized One.
‘There are some ascetics and brahmins who, while enjoying food given in faith, still engage in beautifying 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.
The ascetic Gotama refrains from such beautification and adornment.’
Such is an ordinary person’s praise of the Realized One.
‘There are some ascetics and brahmins who, while enjoying food given in faith, still engage in unworthy talk. This includes such topics as
talk about kings, bandits, and 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; street talk and well talk; talk about the departed; motley talk; tales of land and sea; and talk about being reborn in this or that state of existence.
The ascetic Gotama refrains from such unworthy talk.’
Such is an ordinary person’s praise of the Realized One.
‘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!”
The ascetic Gotama refrains from such argumentative talk.’
Such is an ordinary person’s praise of the Realized One.
‘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.”
The ascetic Gotama refrains from such errands.’
Such is an ordinary person’s praise of the Realized One.
‘There are some ascetics and brahmins who, while enjoying food given in faith, still engage in deceit, flattery, hinting, and belittling, and using material possessions to chase after other material possessions.
The ascetic Gotama refrains from such deceit and flattery.’
Such is an ordinary person’s praise of the Realized One.
The middle section on ethics is finished.
2.3. The Large Section on Ethics
‘There are some ascetics and brahmins who, while enjoying food given in faith, still earn a living by unworthy branches of knowledge, by wrong livelihood.
This includes such fields as limb-reading, omenology, divining celestial portents, interpreting dreams, divining bodily marks, divining holes in cloth gnawed by mice, fire offerings, ladle offerings, offerings of husks, rice powder, rice, ghee, or oil; offerings from the mouth, blood sacrifices, palmistry; geomancy for building sites, fields, and cemeteries; exorcisms, earth magic, snake charming, poisons; the crafts of the scorpion, the rat, the bird, and the crow; prophesying life span, chanting for protection, and deciphering animal cries.
The ascetic Gotama refrains from such unworthy branches of knowledge, such wrong livelihood.’
Such is an ordinary person’s praise of the Realized One.
‘There are some ascetics and brahmins who, while enjoying food given in faith, still earn a living by unworthy branches of knowledge, by wrong livelihood.
This includes reading the marks of gems, cloth, clubs, swords, spears, arrows, weapons, women, men, boys, girls, male and female bondservants, elephants, horses, buffaloes, bulls, cows, goats, rams, chickens, quails, monitor lizards, rabbits, tortoises, or deer.
The ascetic Gotama refrains from such unworthy branches of knowledge, such wrong livelihood.’
Such is an ordinary person’s praise of the Realized One.
‘There are some ascetics and brahmins who, while enjoying food given in faith, still earn a living by unworthy branches of knowledge, by wrong livelihood.
This includes making predictions that the king will march forth or march back; or that our king will attack and the enemy king will retreat, or vice versa; or that our king will triumph and the enemy king will be defeated, or vice versa; and so there will be victory for one and defeat for the other.
The ascetic Gotama refrains from such unworthy branches of knowledge, such wrong livelihood.’
Such is an ordinary person’s praise of the Realized One.
‘There are some ascetics and brahmins who, while enjoying food given in faith, still earn a living by unworthy branches of knowledge, by wrong livelihood.
But after staying there all alone for a long time, they become dissatisfied and anxious:
‘Oh, if only another being would come to this state of existence.’
Now, the being who was reborn there first thinks:
And what are the four grounds on which they rely?
This includes making predictions that there will be an eclipse of the moon, or sun, or stars; that the sun, moon, and stars will be in conjunction or in opposition; that there will be a meteor shower, a fiery sky, an earthquake, thunder; that there will be a rising, a setting, a darkening, a brightening of the moon, sun, and stars. And it also includes making predictions about the results of all such phenomena.
The ascetic Gotama refrains from such unworthy branches of knowledge, such wrong livelihood.’
Such is an ordinary person’s praise of the Realized One.
‘There are some ascetics and brahmins who, while enjoying food given in faith, still earn a living by unworthy branches of knowledge, by wrong livelihood.
This includes predicting whether there will be plenty of rain or drought; plenty to eat or famine; an abundant harvest or a bad harvest; security or peril; sickness or health. It also includes such occupations as computing, accounting, calculating, poetry, and cosmology.
The ascetic Gotama refrains from such unworthy branches of knowledge, such wrong livelihood.’
Such is an ordinary person’s praise of the Realized One.
‘There are some ascetics and brahmins who, while enjoying food given in faith, still earn a living by unworthy branches of knowledge, by wrong livelihood.
This includes making arrangements for giving and taking in marriage; for engagement and divorce; and for scattering rice inwards or outwards at the wedding ceremony. It also includes casting spells for good or bad luck, treating impacted fetuses, binding the tongue, or locking the jaws; charms for the hands and ears; questioning a mirror, a girl, or a god as an oracle; worshiping the sun, worshiping the Great One, breathing fire, and invoking Siri, the goddess of luck.
The ascetic Gotama refrains from such unworthy branches of knowledge, such wrong livelihood.’
Such is an ordinary person’s praise of the Realized One.
‘There are some ascetics and brahmins who, while enjoying food given in faith, still earn a living by unworthy branches of knowledge, by wrong livelihood.
This includes rites for propitiation, for granting wishes, for ghosts, for the earth, for rain, for property settlement, and for preparing and consecrating house sites, and rites involving rinsing and bathing, and oblations. It also includes administering emetics, purgatives, expectorants, and phlegmagogues; administering ear-oils, eye restoratives, nasal medicine, ointments, and counter-ointments; surgery with needle and scalpel, treating children, prescribing root medicines, and binding on herbs.
The ascetic Gotama refrains from such unworthy branches of knowledge, such wrong livelihood.’
Such is an ordinary person’s praise of the Realized One.
These are the trivial, insignificant details of mere ethics that an ordinary person speaks of when they speak praise of the Realized One.
The longer section on ethics is finished.
3. Views
3.1. Theories About the Past
There are other 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. Those who genuinely praise the Realized One would rightly speak of these things.
And what are these principles?
There are some ascetics and brahmins who theorize about the past, and assert various hypotheses concerning the past on eighteen grounds.
And what are the eighteen grounds on which they rely?
3.1.1. Eternalism
There are some ascetics and brahmins who are eternalists, who assert that the self and the cosmos are eternal on four grounds.
And what are the four grounds on which they rely?
It’s when some ascetic or brahmin—by dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right focus—experiences an immersion of the heart of such a kind that they recollect their many kinds of past lives.
That is: one, two, three, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, a hundred, a thousand, a hundred thousand rebirths. They remember: ‘There, I was named this, my clan was that, I looked like this, and that was my food. This was how I felt pleasure and pain, and that was how my life ended. When I passed away from that place I was reborn somewhere else. There, too, I was named this, my clan was that, I looked like this, and that was my food. This was how I felt pleasure and pain, and that was how my life ended. When I passed away from that place I was reborn here.’ And so they recollect their many kinds of past lives, with features and details.
They say:
‘The self and the cosmos are eternal, barren, steady as a mountain peak, standing firm like a pillar.
They remain the same for all eternity, while these sentient beings wander and transmigrate and pass away and rearise.
Why is that?
Because by dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right focus I experience an immersion of the heart of such a kind that I recollect my many kinds of past lives,
with features and details.
Because of this I know:
“The self and the cosmos are eternal, barren, steady as a mountain peak, standing firm like a pillar.
They remain the same for all eternity, while these sentient beings wander and transmigrate and pass away and rearise.’
This is the first ground on which some ascetics and brahmins rely to assert that the self and the cosmos are eternal.
And what is the second ground on which they rely?
It’s when some ascetic or brahmin—by dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right focus—experiences an immersion of the heart of such a kind that they recollect their many kinds of past lives.
Then other sentient beings—due to the running out of their life-span or merit—pass away from that host of radiant deities and are reborn in that empty mansion of Brahmā in company with that being.
There they too are mind-made, feeding on rapture, self-luminous, moving through the sky, steadily glorious, and they remain like that for a very long time.
That is: one eon of the cosmos contracting and expanding; two, three, four, five, or ten eons of the cosmos contracting and expanding. They remember: ‘There, I was named this, my clan was that, I looked like this, and that was my food. This was how I felt pleasure and pain, and that was how my life ended. When I passed away from that place I was reborn somewhere else. There, too, I was named this, my clan was that, I looked like this, and that was my food. This was how I felt pleasure and pain, and that was how my life ended. When I passed away from that place I was reborn here.’ And so they recollect their many kinds of past lives, with features and details.
They say:
‘The self and the cosmos are eternal, barren, steady as a mountain peak, standing firm like a pillar.
They remain the same for all eternity, while these sentient beings wander and transmigrate and pass away and rearise.
Why is that?
Because by dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right focus I experience an immersion of the heart of such a kind that I recollect my many kinds of past lives,
with features and details.
Because of this I know:
“The self and the cosmos are eternal, barren, steady as a mountain peak, standing firm like a pillar. They remain the same for all eternity, while these sentient beings wander and transmigrate and pass away and rearise.”’
This is the second ground on which some ascetics and brahmins rely to assert that the self and the cosmos are eternal.
And what is the third ground on which they rely?
It’s when some ascetic or brahmin—by dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right focus—experiences an immersion of the heart of such a kind that they recollect their many kinds of past lives.
That is: ten eons of the cosmos contracting and expanding; twenty, thirty, or forty eons of the cosmos contracting and expanding. They remember: ‘There, I was named this, my clan was that, I looked like this, and that was my food. This was how I felt pleasure and pain, and that was how my life ended. When I passed away from that place I was reborn somewhere else. There, too, I was named this, my clan was that, I looked like this, and that was my food. This was how I felt pleasure and pain, and that was how my life ended. When I passed away from that place I was reborn here.’ And so they recollect their many kinds of past lives, with features and details.
They say:
‘The self and the cosmos are eternal, barren, steady as a mountain peak, standing firm like a pillar.
They remain the same for all eternity, while these sentient beings wander and transmigrate and pass away and rearise.
Why is that?
Because by dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right focus I experience an immersion of the heart of such a kind that I recollect my many kinds of past lives,
with features and details.
Because of this I know:
“The self and the cosmos are eternal, barren, steady as a mountain peak, standing firm like a pillar. They remain the same for all eternity, while these sentient beings wander and transmigrate and pass away and rearise.”’
This is the third ground on which some ascetics and brahmins rely to assert that the self and the cosmos are eternal.
And what is the fourth ground on which they rely?
It’s when some ascetic or brahmin relies on logic and inquiry. They speak of what they have worked out by logic, following a line of inquiry, expressing their own perspective:
‘The self and the cosmos are eternal, barren, steady as a mountain peak, standing firm like a pillar.
They remain the same for all eternity, while these sentient beings wander and transmigrate and pass away and rearise.’
This is the fourth ground on which some ascetics and brahmins rely to assert that the self and the cosmos are eternal.
These are the four grounds on which those ascetics and brahmins assert that the self and the cosmos are eternal.
Any ascetics and brahmins who assert that the self and the cosmos are eternal do so on one or other of these four 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 and such a destiny in the next life.’
He understands this, and what goes beyond this. Yet since he does not misapprehend that understanding, he has realized extinguishment within himself.
Having truly understood the origin, ending, gratification, drawback, and escape from feelings, the Realized One is freed through 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.

3.1.2. Partial Eternalism
There are some ascetics and brahmins who are partial eternalists, who assert that the self and the cosmos are partially eternal and partially not eternal on four grounds.
And what are the four grounds on which they rely?
There comes a time when, after a very long period has passed, this cosmos contracts.
As the cosmos contracts, sentient beings are mostly headed for the realm of streaming radiance.
There they are mind-made, feeding on rapture, self-luminous, moving through the sky, steadily glorious, and they remain like that for a very long time.
There comes a time when, after a very long period has passed, this cosmos expands.
As it expands an empty mansion of Brahmā appears.
Then a certain sentient being—due to the running out of their life-span or merit—passes away from that host of radiant deities and is reborn in that empty mansion of Brahmā.
There they are mind-made, feeding on rapture, self-luminous, moving through the sky, steadily glorious, and they remain like that for a very long time.
‘I am Brahmā, the Great Brahmā, the Undefeated, the Champion, the Universal Seer, the Wielder of Power, the Lord God, the Maker, the Author, the First, the Begetter, the Controller, the Father of those who have been born and those yet to be born.
These beings were created by me!
Why is that?
Because first I thought:
“Oh, if only another being would come to this state of existence.”
Such was my heart’s wish, and then these creatures came to this state of existence.’
And the beings who were reborn there later also think:
‘This must be Brahmā, the Great Brahmā, the Undefeated, the Champion, the Universal Seer, the Wielder of Power, the Lord God, the Maker, the Author, the First, the Begetter, the Controller, the Father of those who have been born and those yet to be born.
And we have been created by him.
Why is that?
Because we see that he was reborn here first, and we arrived later.’
And the being who was reborn first is more long-lived, beautiful, and illustrious than those who arrived later.

It’s possible that one of those beings passes away from that host and is reborn in this state of existence.
Having done so, they go forth from the lay life to homelessness.
By dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right focus, they experience an immersion of the heart of such a kind that they recollect that past life, but no further.
They say:
‘He who is Brahmā—the Great Brahmā, the Undefeated, the Champion, the Universal Seer, the Wielder of Power, the Lord God, the Maker, the Author, the First, the Begetter, the Controller, the Father of those who have been born and those yet to be born—is permanent, everlasting, eternal, imperishable, remaining the same for all eternity.
We who were created by that Brahmā are impermanent, not lasting, short-lived, perishable, and have come to this state of existence.
This is the first ground on which some ascetics and brahmins rely to assert that the self and the cosmos are partially eternal.
And what is the second ground on which they rely?
There are gods named ‘depraved by play.’ They spend too much time laughing, playing, and making merry. And in doing so, they lose their mindfulness, and they pass away from that host of gods.
It’s possible that one of those beings passes away from that host and is reborn in this state of existence.
Having done so, they go forth from the lay life to homelessness.
By dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right focus, they experience an immersion of the heart of such a kind that they recollect that past life, but no further.
They say:
‘The gods not depraved by play don’t spend too much time laughing, playing, and making merry. So they don’t lose their mindfulness, and don’t pass away from that host of gods.
They are permanent, everlasting, eternal, imperishable, remaining the same for all eternity.
But we who were depraved by play spent too much time laughing, playing, and making merry. In doing so, we lost our mindfulness, and passed away from that host of gods.
We are impermanent, not lasting, short-lived, perishable, and have come to this state of existence.’
This is the second ground on which some ascetics and brahmins rely to assert that the self and the cosmos are partially eternal.
And what is the third ground on which they rely?
There are gods named ‘malevolent’. They spend too much time gazing at each other, so they grow angry with each other, and their bodies and minds get tired. They pass away from that host of gods.
It’s possible that one of those beings passes away from that host and is reborn in this state of existence.
Having done so, they go forth from the lay life to homelessness.
By dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right focus, they experience an immersion of the heart of such a kind that they recollect that past life, but no further.
They say:
‘The gods who are not malevolent don’t spend too much time gazing at each other, so they don’t grow angry with each other, their bodies and minds don’t get tired, and they don’t pass away from that host of gods.
They are permanent, everlasting, eternal, imperishable, remaining the same for all eternity.
But we who were malevolent spent too much time gazing at each other, we grew angry with each other, our bodies and minds got tired, and we passed away from that host of gods.
We are impermanent, not lasting, short-lived, perishable, and have come to this state of existence.’
This is the third ground on which some ascetics and brahmins rely to assert that the self and the cosmos are partially eternal.
And what is the fourth ground on which they rely?
It’s when some ascetic or brahmin relies on logic and inquiry. They speak of what they have worked out by logic, following a line of inquiry, expressing their own perspective:
‘That which is called “the eye” or “the ear” or “the nose” or “the tongue” or “the body”: that self is impermanent, not lasting, transient, perishable.
That which is called “mind” or “sentience” or “consciousness”: that self is permanent, everlasting, eternal, imperishable, remaining the same for all eternity.’
This is the fourth ground on which some ascetics and brahmins rely to assert that the self and the cosmos are partially eternal.
These are the four grounds on which those ascetics and brahmins assert that the self and the cosmos are partially eternal and partially not eternal.
Any ascetics and brahmins who assert that the self and the cosmos are partially eternal and partially not eternal do so on one or other of these four 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 and such a destiny in the next life.’
He understands this, and what goes beyond this. Yet since he does not misapprehend that understanding, he has realized extinguishment within himself.
Having truly understood the origin, ending, gratification, drawback, and escape from feelings, the Realized One is freed through 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.
3.1.3. The Cosmos is Finite or Infinite
There are some ascetics and brahmins who theorize about size, and assert that the cosmos is finite or infinite on four grounds.
And what are the four grounds on which they rely?
It’s when some ascetic or brahmin—by dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right focus—experiences an immersion of the heart of such a kind that they meditate perceiving the cosmos as finite.
They say:
‘The cosmos is finite and bounded.
Why is that?
Because by dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right focus I experience an immersion of the heart of such a kind that I meditate perceiving the cosmos as finite.
Because of this I know:
“The cosmos is finite and bounded.”’
This is the first ground on which some ascetics and brahmins rely to assert that the cosmos is finite or infinite.
And what is the second ground on which they rely?
It’s when some ascetic or brahmin—by dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right focus—experiences an immersion of the heart of such a kind that they meditate perceiving the cosmos as infinite.
They say:
‘The cosmos is infinite and unbounded.
The ascetics and brahmins who say that
the cosmos is finite are wrong.
The cosmos is infinite and unbounded.
Why is that?
Because by dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right focus I experience an immersion of the heart of such a kind that I meditate perceiving the cosmos as infinite.
Because of this I know:
“The cosmos is infinite and unbounded.”’
This is the second ground on which some ascetics and brahmins rely to assert that the cosmos is finite or infinite.
And what is the third ground on which they rely?
It’s when some ascetic or brahmin—by dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right focus—experiences an immersion of the heart of such a kind that they meditate perceiving the cosmos as finite vertically but infinite horizontally.
They say:
‘The cosmos is both finite and infinite.
The ascetics and brahmins who say that
the cosmos is finite are wrong,
and so are those who say that
the cosmos is infinite.
The cosmos is both finite and infinite.
Why is that?
Because by dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right focus I experience an immersion of the heart of such a kind that I meditate perceiving the cosmos as finite vertically but infinite horizontally.
Because of this I know:
“The cosmos is both finite and infinite.”’
This is the third ground on which some ascetics and brahmins rely to assert that the cosmos is finite or infinite.
And what is the fourth ground on which they rely?
It’s when some ascetic or brahmin relies on logic and inquiry. They speak of what they have worked out by logic, following a line of inquiry, expressing their own perspective:
‘The cosmos is neither finite nor infinite.
The ascetics and brahmins who say that
the cosmos is finite are wrong,
as are those who say that
the cosmos is infinite,
and also those who say that
the cosmos is both finite and infinite.
The cosmos is neither finite nor infinite.’
This is the fourth ground on which some ascetics and brahmins rely to assert that the cosmos is finite or infinite.
These are the four grounds on which those ascetics and brahmins assert that the cosmos is finite or infinite.
Any ascetics and brahmins who assert that the cosmos is finite or infinite do so on one or other of these four 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 and such a destiny in the next life.’
He understands this, and what goes beyond this. Yet since he does not misapprehend that understanding, he has realized extinguishment within himself.
Having truly understood the origin, ending, gratification, drawback, and escape from feelings, the Realized One is freed through 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.
3.1.4. Equivocators
There are some ascetics and brahmins who are equivocators. Whenever they’re asked a question, they resort to evasiveness and equivocation on four grounds.
It’s when some ascetic or brahmin doesn’t truly understand what is skillful and what is unskillful.
They think:
‘I don’t truly understand what is skillful and what is unskillful.
If I were to declare that something was skillful or unskillful I might be wrong.
That would be stressful for me,
and that stress would be an obstacle.’
So from fear and disgust with false speech they avoid stating whether something is skillful or unskillful. Whenever they’re asked a question, they resort to evasiveness and equivocation:
‘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.’
This is the first ground on which some ascetics and brahmins rely when resorting to evasiveness and equivocation.
And what is the second ground on which they rely?
It’s when some ascetic or brahmin doesn’t truly understand what is skillful and what is unskillful.
They think:
‘I don’t truly understand what is skillful and what is unskillful.
If I were to declare that something was skillful or unskillful I might feel desire or greed or hate or repulsion.
That would be grasping on my part.
That would be stressful for me,
and that stress would be an obstacle.’
So from fear and disgust with grasping they avoid stating whether something is skillful or unskillful. Whenever they’re asked a question, they resort to evasiveness and equivocation:
‘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.’
This is the second ground on which some ascetics and brahmins rely when resorting to evasiveness and equivocation.
And what is the third ground on which they rely?
It’s when some ascetic or brahmin doesn’t truly understand what is skillful and what is unskillful.
They think:
‘I don’t truly understand what is skillful and what is unskillful.
Suppose I were to declare that something was skillful or unskillful.
There are clever ascetics and brahmins who are subtle, accomplished in the doctrines of others, hair-splitters. You’d think they live to demolish convictions with their intellect.
They might pursue, press, and grill me about that.
I’d be stumped by such a grilling.
That would be stressful for me,
and that stress would be an obstacle.’
So from fear and disgust with examination they avoid stating whether something is skillful or unskillful. Whenever they’re asked a question, they resort to evasiveness and equivocation:
‘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.’
This is the third ground on which some ascetics and brahmins rely when resorting to evasiveness and equivocation.
And what is the fourth ground on which they rely?
It’s when some ascetic or brahmin is dull and stupid.
Because of that, whenever they’re asked a question, they resort to evasiveness and equivocation:
‘Suppose you were to ask me whether there is another world. If I believed there was, 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 not 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 not 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 exists after death …
whether a Realized One doesn’t exist after death …
whether a Realized One both exists and doesn’t exist after death …
whether a Realized One neither exists nor doesn’t exist after death. If I believed there was, 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.’
This is the fourth ground on which some ascetics and brahmins rely when resorting to evasiveness and equivocation.
These are the four grounds on which those ascetics and brahmins who are equivocators resort to evasiveness and equivocation whenever they’re asked a question.
Any ascetics and brahmins who resort to equivocation do so on one or other of these 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.
3.1.5. Doctrines of Origination by Chance
There are some ascetics and brahmins who theorize about chance. They assert that the self and the cosmos arose by chance on two grounds.
And what are the two grounds on which they rely?
There are gods named ‘non-percipient beings’.
When perception arises they pass away from that host of gods.
It’s possible that one of those beings passes away from that host and is reborn in this state of existence.
Having done so, they go forth from the lay life to homelessness.
By dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right focus, they experience an immersion of the heart of such a kind that they recollect the arising of perception, but no further.
They say:
‘The self and the cosmos arose by chance.
Why is that?
Because formerly I didn’t exist. Now, having not been, I’ve sprung into existence.’
This is the first ground on which some ascetics and brahmins rely to assert that the self and the cosmos arose by chance.
And what is the second ground on which they rely?
It’s when some ascetic or brahmin relies on logic and inquiry.
They speak of what they have worked out by logic, following a line of inquiry, expressing their own perspective:
‘The self and the cosmos arose by chance.’
This is the second ground on which some ascetics and brahmins rely to assert that the self and the cosmos arose by chance.
These are the two grounds on which those ascetics and brahmins who theorize about chance assert that the self and the cosmos arose by chance.
Any ascetics and brahmins who theorize about chance do so on one or other of these two 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 eighteen grounds on which those ascetics and brahmins who theorize about the past assert various hypotheses concerning the past.
Any ascetics and brahmins who theorize about the past do so on one or other of these eighteen 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 and such a destiny in the next life.’
He understands this, and what goes beyond this. Yet since he does not misapprehend that understanding, he has realized extinguishment within himself.
Having truly understood the origin, ending, gratification, drawback, and escape from feelings, the Realized One is freed through 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.

3.2. Theories About the Future
There are some ascetics and brahmins who theorize about the future, and assert various hypotheses concerning the future on forty-four grounds.
And what are the forty-four grounds on which they rely?
3.2.1. Percipient Life After Death
There are some ascetics and brahmins who say there is life after death, and assert that the self lives on after death in a percipient form on sixteen grounds.
And what are the sixteen grounds on which they rely?
They assert: ‘The self is well and percipient after death, and it has form …
formless …
both formed and formless …
neither formed nor formless …
finite …
infinite …
both finite and infinite …
neither finite nor infinite …
of unified perception …
of diverse perception …
of limited perception …
of limitless perception …
experiences nothing but happiness …
experiences nothing but suffering …
experiences both happiness and suffering …
experiences neither happiness nor suffering.’
These are the sixteen grounds on which those ascetics and brahmins assert that the self lives on after death in a percipient form.
Any ascetics and brahmins who assert that the self lives on after death in a percipient form do so on one or other of these sixteen 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.
3.2.2. Non-Percipient Life After Death
There are some ascetics and brahmins who say there is life after death, and assert that the self lives on after death in a non-percipient form on eight grounds.
And what are the eight grounds on which they rely?
They assert: ‘The self is well and non-percipient after death, and it has form …
formless …
both formed and formless …
neither formed nor formless …
finite …
infinite …
both finite and infinite …
neither finite nor infinite.’
These are the eight grounds on which those ascetics and brahmins assert that the self lives on after death in a non-percipient form.
Any ascetics and brahmins who assert that the self lives on after death in a non-percipient form do so on one or other of these eight 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.
3.2.3. Neither Percipient Nor Non-Percipient Life After Death
There are some ascetics and brahmins who say there is life after death, and assert that the self lives on after death in a neither percipient nor non-percipient form on eight grounds.
And what are the eight grounds on which they rely?
They assert: ‘The self is well and neither percipient nor non-percipient after death, and it has form …
formless …
both formed and formless …
neither formed nor formless …
finite …
infinite …
both finite and infinite …
neither finite nor infinite.’
These are the eight grounds on which those ascetics and brahmins assert that the self lives on after death in a neither percipient nor non-percipient form.
Any ascetics and brahmins who assert that the self lives on after death in a neither percipient nor non-percipient form do so on one or other of these eight 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.
3.2.4. Annihilationism
There are some ascetics and brahmins who are annihilationists. They assert the annihilation, eradication, and obliteration of an existing being on seven grounds.
And what are the seven grounds on which they rely?
There are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view:
‘This self has form, made up of the four primary elements, and produced by mother and father. Since it’s annihilated and destroyed when the body breaks up, and doesn’t exist after death, that’s how this self becomes rightly annihilated.’
That is how some assert the annihilation of an existing being.
But someone else says to them:
‘That self of which you speak does exist, I don’t deny it.
But that’s not how this self becomes rightly annihilated.
There is another self that is divine, formed, sensual, consuming solid food.
You don’t know or see that.
But I know it and see it.
Since this self is annihilated and destroyed when the body breaks up, and doesn’t exist after death, that’s how this self becomes rightly annihilated.’
That is how some assert the annihilation of an existing being.
But someone else says to them:
‘That self of which you speak does exist, I don’t deny it.
But that’s not how this self becomes rightly annihilated.
There is another self that is divine, formed, mind-made, complete in all its various parts, not deficient in any faculty.
You don’t know or see that.
But I know it and see it.
Since this self is annihilated and destroyed when the body breaks up, and doesn’t exist after death, that’s how this self becomes rightly annihilated.’
That is how some assert the annihilation of an existing being.
But someone else says to them:
‘That self of which you speak does exist, I don’t deny it.
But that’s not how this self becomes rightly annihilated.
There is another self which has gone totally beyond perceptions of form. With the ending of perceptions of impingement, not focusing on perceptions of diversity, aware that “space is infinite”, it’s reborn in the dimension of infinite space.
You don’t know or see that.
But I know it and see it.
Since this self is annihilated and destroyed when the body breaks up, and doesn’t exist after death, that’s how this self becomes rightly annihilated.’
That is how some assert the annihilation of an existing being.
But someone else says to them:
‘That self of which you speak does exist, I don’t deny it.
But that’s not how this self becomes rightly annihilated.
There is another self which has gone totally beyond the dimension of infinite space. Aware that “consciousness is infinite”, it’s reborn in the dimension of infinite consciousness.
You don’t know or see that.
But I know it and see it.
Since this self is annihilated and destroyed when the body breaks up, and doesn’t exist after death, that’s how this self becomes rightly annihilated.’
That is how some assert the annihilation of an existing being.
But someone else says to them:
‘That self of which you speak does exist, I don’t deny it.
But that’s not how this self becomes rightly annihilated.
There is another self that has gone totally beyond the dimension of infinite consciousness. Aware that “there is nothing at all”, it’s been reborn in the dimension of nothingness.
You don’t know or see that.
But I know it and see it.
Since this self is annihilated and destroyed when the body breaks up, and doesn’t exist after death, that’s how this self becomes rightly annihilated.’
That is how some assert the annihilation of an existing being.
But someone else says to them:
‘That self of which you speak does exist, I don’t deny it.
But that’s not how this self becomes rightly annihilated.
There is another self that has gone totally beyond the dimension of nothingness. Aware that “this is peaceful, this is sublime”, it’s been reborn in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.
You don’t know or see that.
But I know it and see it.
Since this self is annihilated and destroyed when the body breaks up, and doesn’t exist after death, that’s how this self becomes rightly annihilated.’
That is how some assert the annihilation of an existing being.
These are the seven grounds on which those ascetics and brahmins assert the annihilation, eradication, and obliteration of an existing being.
Any ascetics and brahmins who assert the annihilation, eradication, and obliteration of an existing being do so on one or other of these seven 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.
3.2.5. Extinguishment in the Present Life
There are some ascetics and brahmins who speak of extinguishment in the present life. They assert the ultimate extinguishment of an existing being in the present life on five grounds.
And what are the five grounds on which they rely?
There are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view:
‘When this self amuses itself, supplied and provided with the five kinds of sensual stimulation, that’s how this self attains ultimate extinguishment in the present life.’
That is how some assert the extinguishment of an existing being in the present life.
But someone else says to them:
‘That self of which you speak does exist, I don’t deny it.
But that’s not how this self attains ultimate extinguishment in the present 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 the present life.’
That is how some assert the extinguishment of an existing being in the present life.
But someone else says to them:
‘That self of which you speak does exist, I don’t deny it.
But that’s not how this self attains ultimate extinguishment in the present 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 confidence, and unified mind, without placing the mind and keeping it connected. That’s how this self attains ultimate extinguishment in the present life.’
That is how some assert the extinguishment of an existing being in the present life.
But someone else says to them:
‘That self of which you speak does exist, I don’t deny it.
But that’s not how this self attains ultimate extinguishment in the present life.
Why is that?
Because the rapture and emotional excitement 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, personally experiencing the bliss of which the noble ones declare, “Equanimous and mindful, one meditates in bliss”. That’s how this self attains ultimate extinguishment in the present life.’
That is how some assert the extinguishment of an existing being in the present life.
But someone else says to them:
‘That self of which you speak does exist, I don’t deny it.
But that’s not how this self attains ultimate extinguishment in the present life.
Why is that?
Because the bliss and enjoyment there are coarse.
But giving up pleasure and pain, and ending 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 the present life.’
That is how some assert the extinguishment of an existing being in the present life.
These are the five grounds on which those ascetics and brahmins assert the ultimate extinguishment of an existing being in the present life.
Any ascetics and brahmins who assert the ultimate extinguishment of an existing being in the present 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 theorize about the future assert various hypotheses concerning the future.
Any ascetics and brahmins who theorize about the future 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 theorize about the past and the future assert various hypotheses concerning the past and the future.
Any ascetics and brahmins who theorize about the past or the future 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 and such a destiny in the next life.’
He understands this, and what goes beyond this. Yet since he does not misapprehend that understanding, he has realized extinguishment within himself.
Having truly understood the origin, ending, gratification, drawback, and escape from feelings, the Realized One is freed through 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 agitation 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 equivocation on four grounds …
or they assert that the self and the cosmos arose by chance on two grounds …
they theorize about the past 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 the ultimate extinguishment of an existing being in the present life on five grounds …
they theorize about the future on these forty-four grounds …
When those ascetics and brahmins theorize about the past and the future on these sixty-two grounds, these things are only the feeling of those who do not know or see, the agitation and evasiveness of those under the sway of craving.
4.2. Conditioned by Contact
Now, these things are conditioned by 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 equivocation on four grounds …
or they assert that the self and the cosmos arose by chance on two grounds …
they theorize about the past 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 the ultimate extinguishment of an existing being in the present life on five grounds …
they theorize about the future on these forty-four grounds …
When those ascetics and brahmins theorize about the past and the future on these sixty-two grounds, that too is conditioned by contact.
4.3. Not Possible

Now, when those ascetics and brahmins theorize about the past and the future 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 theorize about the past and the future 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, ending, gratification, drawback, and escape, they understand what lies beyond all these things.
All of these ascetics and brahmins who theorize about the past or the future 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 theorize about the past or the future 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 conduit to rebirth 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 conduit to rebirth 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 Prime Net’, or else ‘The Net of Views’, or else ‘The Supreme Victory in Battle’.”
That is what the Buddha said.
Satisfied, the mendicants were happy with what the Buddha said.
And while this discourse was being spoken, the galaxy shook.