Question
Whence so many arguments, disputes
and sorrow, lamentation, selfishness,
arrogance, pride and slander too?
Whence come all these? Please upon them speak.Buddha
Much love of arguments, disputes,
means sorrow, lamentation, selfishness,
with arrogance, pride and slander too.
Inclined to selfishness, arguments, disputes;
quarrels, slander also come to birth.Question
From what causes in the world there’s dearness, love,
these various greeds that wander in the world,
from these causes, hopes and their ends as well,
these bring about a human being’s future.Buddha
From desires in the world as causes of the dear,
these various greeds that wander in the world,
from these causes, hopes and their ends as well,
these bring about a human being’s future.Question
From what causes in the world is there desire,
and much deliberation on this—whence it comes?
And anger too, false-speaking, also doubtfulness,
and dharmas such as these by the Samaṇa declaredBuddha
“It’s pleasant, unpleasant”, so in the world they say
and depending on these arises desire,
but having seen forms, their arising and decay,
then a person in this world certainly deliberates.With anger, false-speaking, also doubtfulness,
and all such dharmas, this quality exists.
The doubting person
in the knowledge-path should train
for the Samaṇa has declared dharmas
after having Known.Question
The pleasant, the unpleasant, originate from what?
In the absence of what do these cease to be?
That which is being, non-being as well,
what their origination, do tell me of this?Buddha
“Touch”, the origination of pleasant, unpleasant,
“Touch” being absent these cease to be.
That which is being, non-being as well,
its origin’s thus, I tell you of this.Question
From what causes in the world does touch come to be
And whence does possessiveness also arise?
in the absence of what is “mine” making not?
When what exists not are no “touches” touched?Buddha
“Touches” depend upon mind, upon form,
possessiveness caused by longing repeated,
when longing’s not found, possessiveness’s gone,
When form is no longer, no “touches” are “touched”.Question
For one in what state does form cease to be,
how bliss and dukkha come to cease as well,
please do you tell me how these come to cease?
For this we would know—such is my intent.Buddha
Neither one of normal perception nor yet abnormal,
neither unperceiving no cessation of perception,
but form ceases for one who (has known) it thus:
Conceptual proliferation has perception as its cause.Question
Whatever we’ve asked of you, to us you’ve explained,
another query we’d ask, please speak upon this,
those reckoned as wise here, do they say that
“purity of soul is just for this (life)”
or do some of them state there’s another beyond?Buddha
Here some reckoned as wise do certainly say:
“Purity of soul is just for this life”;
but others who claim to be clever aver
that there is an occasion
for what has nothing leftover.And Knowing that these are dependent on views,
having Known their dependence, the investigative Sage
since Liberated Knows, so no longer disputes,
the wise one goes not from being to being.
snp.4.11 Suttanipata
Arguments and Disputes
- Translator: Laurence Khantipalo Mills
Quarrels and Disputes
“Where do quarrels and disputes come from?And lamentation and sorrow, and stinginess?
What of conceit and arrogance, and slander too—
tell me please, where do they come from?”
“Quarrels and disputes come from what we hold dear,
as do lamentation and sorrow, stinginess,
conceit and arrogance.
Quarrels and disputes are linked to stinginess,
and when disputes have arisen there is slander.”
“So where do what we hold dear in the world spring from?
And the lusts that are loose in the world?
Where spring the hopes and aims
a man has for the next life?”
“What we hold dear in the world spring from desire,
as do the lusts that are loose in the world.
From there spring the hopes and aims
a man has for the next life.”
“So where does desire in the world spring from?
And judgments, too, where do they come from?
And anger, lies, and doubt,
and other things spoken of by the Ascetic?”
“What they call pleasure and pain in the world—
based on that, desire comes about.
Seeing the appearance and disappearance of forms,
a person forms judgments in the world.
Anger, lies, and doubt—
these things are, too, when that pair is present.
One who has doubts should train in the path of knowledge;
it is from knowledge that the Ascetic speaks of these things.”
“Where do pleasure and pain spring from?
When what is absent do these things not occur?
And also, on the topic of appearance and disappearance—
tell me where they spring from.”
“Pleasure and pain spring from contact;
when contact is absent they do not occur.
And on the topic of appearance and disappearance—
I tell you they spring from there.”
“So where does contact in the world spring from?
And possessions, too, where do they come from?
When what is absent is there no possessiveness?
When what disappears do contacts not strike?”
“Name and form cause contact;
possessions spring from wishing;
when wishing is absent there is no possessiveness;
when form disappears, contacts don’t strike.”
“Form disappears for one proceeding how?
And how do happiness and suffering disappear?
Tell me how they disappear;
I think we ought to know these things.”
“Without normal perception or distorted perception;
not lacking perception, nor perceiving what has disappeared.
Form disappears for one proceeding thus;
for concepts of identity due to proliferation spring from perception.”
“Whatever I asked you have explained to me.
I ask you once more, please tell me this:
Do some astute folk here say that this is the extent
of purification of the spirit?
Or do they say it is something else?”
“Some astute folk do say that this is the highest extent
of purification of the spirit.
But some of them, claiming to be experts,
speak of a time when nothing remains.
Knowing that these states are dependent,
and knowing what they depend on, the inquiring sage,
having understood, is freed, and enters no dispute.
The wise do not proceed to life after life.”