snp.5.7 Suttanipata

“Alone, Sakyan, with nothing to depend on,” said venerable Upasīva,
“I am not able to cross over the great flood.
Please tell me of a support, All-Seeing Visionary,
depending on which I can cross over this flood.”

“Looking to nothingness, and being mindful, Upasīva,” said the Gracious One,
“depending on nothing, cross over the flood.
Having given up sense pleasures, abstaining from talk,
day and night you must look for the end of suffering.”

“He who is passionless regarding all sense pleasures,” said venerable Upasīva,
“who is depending on nothingness, having given up all else,
intent on the highest freedom which still has perception—
will he remain there without going away?”

“He who is passionless regarding all sense pleasures, Upasīva,” said the Gracious One,
“who is depending on nothingness, having given up all else,intent on the highest freedom which still has perception—
he will remain there without going away.”

“If he remains there without going away
for a great number of years, All-Seeing Visionary,
will he become cool and free right there,
or will the consciousness of such a one fall away?”

“As a flame overthrown by the force of the wind, Upasīva,” said the Gracious One,
“goes to rest and can no longer be discerned,
just so the Sage free from the mental body
goes to rest and can no longer be discerned.”

“The one who has come to rest, is he then nothing?” said venerable Upasīva,
“or is he actually eternally healthy?
Please explain this to me, O Sage,
for this Teaching has been understood by you.”

“There is no measure of the one who has come to rest, Upasīva,” said the Gracious One,
“there is nothing by which they can speak of him,
when everything has been completely removed,
all the pathways for speech are also completely removed.”

The Young Man Upasīva’s Questions are Finished

Upasīva
Alone, O Sakya, unsupported too,
the mighty flood I do not dare to cross,
All-seeing One, please tell me of the means
using which I may overpass the flood.

Buddha
Mindfully do you no-thingness regard,
rely on “there-is-not” to go across the flood,
abandon conversation, let go of sense-desires,
See craving’s exhaustion by night and by day.

Upasīva
That one who’s unattached to sense-desires,
relying on no-thingness, left others aside,
freed in the highest of consciousness’s freedom,
will that one be established, or fall away from this?

Buddha
That one who’s unattached to sense-desires,
relying on no-thingness, left others aside,
freed in the highest of consciousness’s freedom,
that one will be established, not fall away from this.

Upasīva
Should that one remain even for a heap of years,
O all-Seeing One, but still not fall away?
Would that one liberated cool-become just there,
consciousness ceased in that very state?

Buddha
As flame blown out by force of wind
has gone to its “goal”, cannot be described,
likewise the Sage “in mind and body” freed:
gone to the Goal and cannot be described.

Upasīva
Does one not exist who’s reached the Goal?
Or does one dwell forever free?
O Sage, do well declare this to me now,
for certainly this dharma’s known by you.

Buddha
Of one who’s reached the Goal, no measure’s found,
there is not that by which one could be named,
when dharmas for that one are emptied out,
emptied are the ways of telling too.