Buddha
As Craving with Longing and Lust had been Seen
no spark of desire existed for sex,
What then about this filled with piss and with shit—
That even with foot I’d not wish to touch!Māgandiya
If you don’t wish for a jewel such as this,
a woman desired by many lords of men,
what view do you hold, living by what rite,
by what vows to arise in what kind of life?Buddha
As nothing is grasped among various Dharmas,
so for me there is not any “This I proclaim”,
having seen but not grasped among many views,
through discernment among them I saw inner peace.Māgandiya
Among what’s constructed thoroughly knowing,
Ungrasping, O Sage, do you speak upon these,
“inward peacefulness”—what meaning has that,
how will the wise declare it to be?Buddha
Neither from views, not from learning or knowledge,
not from rites, or from vows, does purity come I say;
nor from no views, no learning, no knowledge acquired,
no rites and no vows—none of them at all,
Neither by grasping nor giving them up
is their peace unsupported, and no hunger “to be”.Māgandiya
If you speak then not of purity by views,
not by learning, not by knowledge, not rites and not vows;
nor from no views, no learning, no knowledge acquired,
by no rites and no vows—none of them at all,
then I think that this is very deluded Dharma,
for some depend on views as the source of purity.Buddha
Questioning repeatedly dependent on views,
grasped at again, you’ve arrived at delusion,
not having experienced even a tiny perception of peace,
so therefore you see this as very deluded.Who as “equal” considers, “greater” or “less”,
conceiving others thus would dispute because of this;
but who by these three never is swayed,
“equal”, “superior” does not exist.Why would this Brahmin declare “this is the true”,
with whom would he argue that “this is false”,
in whom there is not “equal”, “unequal”,
with whom would he join another in dispute?With home let go, faring on in homelessness,
in villages the Sage having no intimates,
rid of sensual desires, having no preference,
would not with any arguments people engage.Unattached, one wanders forth in the world,
a Nāga, ungrasping, would not dispute those,
just as the water lily, thorny-stemmed species,
sullied is not by water or mud,
even so is the ungreedy Sage proclaiming Peace,
unsullied by desires and pleasures in the world.The Wise One’s not conceited by view or by intelligence,
for that one there is no “making-it-mine”;
and cannot be led by good works or by learning,
cannot be led away by mind-shelters of view.For one detached from perception, there exist no ties,
for one by wisdom freed, no delusions are there,
but those who have grasped perceptions and views,
they wander the world stirring up strife.
snp.4.9 Suttanipata
Māgandiya Learns the Muni’s Life.
- Translator: Laurence Khantipalo Mills
With Māgaṇḍiya
“Even when I saw the sirens Craving, Delight, and Lust,I had no desire for sex.
What is this body full of piss and shit?
I wouldn’t even want to touch it with my foot.”
“If you do not want a gem such as this,
a lady desired by many rulers of men,
then what kind of theory, precepts and vows, livelihood,
and rebirth in a new life do you assert?”
“After judging among the teachings,”
said the Buddha to Māgaṇḍiya,
“none have been adopted thinking, ‘I assert this.’
Seeing views without adopting any,
searching, I saw inner peace.”
“O sage, you speak of judgments you have formed,”
said Māgaṇḍiya,
“without having adopted any of those views.
As to that matter of ‘inner peace’—
how is that described by the wise?”
“Purity is spoken of not in terms of view,”
said the Buddha to Māgaṇḍiya,
“learning, knowledge, or precepts and vows;
nor in terms of that without view, learning,
knowledge, or precepts and vows.
Having relinquished these, not adopting them,
peaceful, independent, one would not pray to be reborn.”
“It seems purity is spoken of not in terms of view,”
said Māgaṇḍiya,
“learning, knowledge, or precepts and vows;
nor in terms of that without view, learning,
knowledge, or precepts and vows.
If so, I think this teaching is sheer confusion;
for some believe in purity in terms of view.”
“Continuing to question while relying on a view,”
said the Buddha to Māgaṇḍiya,
“you’ve become confused by all you’ve adopted.
From this you’ve not glimpsed the slightest idea,
which is why you consider the teaching confused.
If you think that ‘I’m equal,
special, or worse’, you’ll get into arguments.
Unwavering in the face of the three discriminations,
you’ll have no thought ‘I’m equal or special’.
Why would that brahmin say, ‘It’s true’,
or with whom would they argue, ‘It’s false’?
There is no equal or unequal in them,
so who would they take on in debate?
After leaving shelter to migrate unsettled,
a sage doesn’t get close to anyone in town.
Rid of sensual pleasures, expecting nothing,
they wouldn’t get in arguments with people.
A spiritual giant would not take up for argument
the things in the world from which they live secluded.
As a prickly lotus born in the water
is unsullied by water and mud,
so the greedless sage, proponent of peace,
is unsmeared by sensuality and the world.
A knowledge master does not become conceited
due to view or thought, for they do not identify with that.
They’ve no need for deeds or learning,
they’re not indoctrinated in dogmas.
There are no ties for one detached from ideas;
there are no delusions for one freed by wisdom.
But those who have adopted ideas and views
wander the world causing conflict.”