MN 63 The Shorter Discourse With Māluṅkya

Medium Discourses Collection 63 – Majjhima Nikāya 63

MN 63 The Shorter Discourse With Māluṅkya – Cūḷamālukyasutta

1.1

So I have heard.

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—

1.2

At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

2.1

Then as Venerable Māluṅkya was in private retreat this thought came to his mind:

Atha kho āyasmato mālukyaputtassa rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi:

2.2

“There are several convictions that the Buddha has left undeclared; he has set them aside and refused to comment on them.

“yānimāni diṭṭhigatāni bhagavatā abyākatāni ṭhapitāni paṭikkhittāni:

2.3

For example: the cosmos is eternal, or not eternal, or finite, or infinite; the soul and the body are the same thing, or they are different things; after death, a Realized One exists, or doesn’t exist, or both exists and doesn’t exist, or neither exists nor doesn’t exist.

‘sassato loko’tipi, ‘asassato loko’tipi, ‘antavā loko’tipi, ‘anantavā loko’tipi, ‘taṁ jīvaṁ taṁ sarīran’tipi, ‘aññaṁ jīvaṁ aññaṁ sarīran’tipi, ‘hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipi, ‘na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipi, ‘hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipi, ‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipi—

2.4

The Buddha does not give me a straight answer on these points.

tāni me bhagavā na byākaroti.

2.5

I don’t like that, and do not accept it.

Yāni me bhagavā na byākaroti taṁ me na ruccati, taṁ me nakkhamati.

2.6

I’ll go to him and ask him about this.

Sohaṁ bhagavantaṁ upasaṅkamitvā etamatthaṁ pucchissāmi.

2.7

If he gives me a straight answer on any of these points,

Sace me bhagavā byākarissati:

2.8

‘sassato loko’ti vā ‘asassato loko’ti vā …pe…

2.9

‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti vā—

2.10

I will lead the spiritual life under him.

evāhaṁ bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ carissāmi;

2.11

If he does not give me a straight answer on any of these points,

no ce me bhagavā byākarissati:

2.12

‘sassato loko’ti vā ‘asassato loko’ti vā …pe…

2.13

‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti vā—

2.14

I shall resign the training and return to a lesser life.”

evāhaṁ sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattissāmī”ti.

3.1

Then in the late afternoon, Māluṅkya came out of retreat and went to the Buddha. He bowed, sat down to one side, and told the Buddha of his thoughts. He then continued:

Atha kho āyasmā mālukyaputto sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā mālukyaputto bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

3.2

“Idha mayhaṁ, bhante, rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi—

3.3

yānimāni diṭṭhigatāni bhagavatā abyākatāni ṭhapitāni paṭikkhittāni:

3.4

‘sassato loko’tipi, ‘asassato loko’tipi …pe…

3.5

‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’tipi—

3.6

tāni me bhagavā na byākaroti.

3.7

Yāni me bhagavā na byākaroti taṁ me na ruccati, taṁ me nakkhamati.

3.8

Sohaṁ bhagavantaṁ upasaṅkamitvā etamatthaṁ pucchissāmi.

3.9

Sace me bhagavā byākarissati:

3.10

‘sassato loko’ti vā, ‘asassato loko’ti vā …pe…

3.11

‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti vā—

3.12

evāhaṁ bhagavati, brahmacariyaṁ carissāmi.

3.13

No ce me bhagavā byākarissati:

3.14

‘sassato loko’ti vā, ‘asassato loko’ti vā …pe…

3.15

‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti vā—

3.16

evāhaṁ sikkhaṁ paccakkhāya hīnāyāvattissāmīti.

3.17

“If the Buddha knows

Sace bhagavā jānāti:

3.18

that the cosmos is eternal, please tell me.

‘sassato loko’ti, ‘sassato loko’ti me bhagavā byākarotu;

3.19

If you know

sace bhagavā jānāti:

3.20

that the cosmos is not eternal, tell me.

‘asassato loko’ti, ‘asassato loko’ti me bhagavā byākarotu.

3.21

If you don’t know

No ce bhagavā jānāti:

3.22

whether the cosmos is eternal or not, then it is straightforward to simply say:

‘sassato loko’ti vā, ‘asassato loko’ti vā, ajānato kho pana apassato etadeva ujukaṁ hoti yadidaṁ:

3.23

‘I neither know nor see.’

‘na jānāmi, na passāmī’ti.

3.24

If you know

Sace bhagavā jānāti:

3.25

that the world is finite, or infinite; that the soul and the body are the same thing, or they are different things; that after death, a Realized One exists, or doesn’t exist, or both exists and doesn’t exist, or neither exists nor doesn’t exist, please tell me.

‘antavā loko’ti, ‘anantavā loko’ti me bhagavā byākarotu;

3.26

sace bhagavā jānāti:

3.27

‘anantavā loko’ti, ‘anantavā loko’ti me bhagavā byākarotu.

3.28

No ce bhagavā jānāti:

3.29

‘antavā loko’ti vā, ‘anantavā loko’ti vā, ajānato kho pana apassato etadeva ujukaṁ hoti yadidaṁ:

3.30

‘na jānāmi, na passāmī’ti.

3.31

Sace bhagavā jānāti:

3.32

‘taṁ jīvaṁ taṁ sarīran’ti, ‘taṁ jīvaṁ taṁ sarīran’ti me bhagavā byākarotu;

3.33

sace bhagavā jānāti:

3.34

‘aññaṁ jīvaṁ aññaṁ sarīran’ti, ‘aññaṁ jīvaṁ aññaṁ sarīran’ti me bhagavā byākarotu.

3.35

No ce bhagavā jānāti:

3.36

‘taṁ jīvaṁ taṁ sarīran’ti vā, ‘aññaṁ jīvaṁ aññaṁ sarīran’ti vā, ajānato kho pana apassato etadeva ujukaṁ hoti yadidaṁ:

3.37

‘na jānāmi, na passāmī’ti.

3.38

Sace bhagavā jānāti:

3.39

‘hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti, ‘hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti me bhagavā byākarotu;

3.40

sace bhagavā jānāti:

3.41

‘na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti, ‘na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti me bhagavā byākarotu.

3.42

No ce bhagavā jānāti:

3.43

‘hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti vā, ‘na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti vā, ajānato kho pana apassato etadeva ujukaṁ hoti yadidaṁ:

3.44

‘na jānāmi na passāmī’ti.

3.45

Sace bhagavā jānāti:

3.46

‘hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti, ‘hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti me bhagavā byākarotu;

3.47

sace bhagavā jānāti:

3.48

‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti, ‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti me bhagavā byākarotu.

3.49

If you don’t know

No ce bhagavā jānāti:

3.50

any of these things, then it is straightforward to simply say:

‘hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti vā, ‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti vā, ajānato kho pana apassato etadeva ujukaṁ hoti yadidaṁ:

3.51

‘I neither know nor see.’”

‘na jānāmi, na passāmī’”ti.

4.1

“What, Māluṅkyaputta, did I ever say to you:

“Kiṁ nu tāhaṁ, mālukyaputta, evaṁ avacaṁ:

4.2

‘Come, Māluṅkyaputta, lead the spiritual life under me, and I will declare these things to you’?”

‘ehi tvaṁ, mālukyaputta, mayi brahmacariyaṁ cara, ahaṁ te byākarissāmi:

4.3

“sassato loko”ti vā, “asassato loko”ti vā, “antavā loko”ti vā, “anantavā loko”ti vā, “taṁ jīvaṁ taṁ sarīran”ti vā, “aññaṁ jīvaṁ aññaṁ sarīran”ti vā, “hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā”ti vā, “na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā”ti vā, “hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā”ti vā, “neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā”ti vā’”ti?

4.4

“No, sir.”

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

4.5

“Or did you ever say to me:

“Tvaṁ vā pana maṁ evaṁ avaca:

4.6

‘Sir, I will lead the spiritual life under the Buddha, and the Buddha will declare these things to me’?”

‘ahaṁ, bhante, bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ carissāmi, bhagavā me byākarissati:

4.7

4.8

“No, sir.”

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

4.9

“So it seems that I did not say to you:

“Iti kira, mālukyaputta, nevāhaṁ taṁ vadāmi:

4.10

‘Come, Māluṅkyaputta, lead the spiritual life under me, and I will declare these things to you.’

‘ehi tvaṁ, mālukyaputta, mayi brahmacariyaṁ cara, ahaṁ te byākarissāmi:

4.11

“sassato loko”ti vā, “asassato loko”ti vā …pe…

4.12

“neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇāti vā”’ti;

4.13

And you never said to me:

napi kira maṁ tvaṁ vadesi:

4.14

‘Sir, I will lead the spiritual life under the Buddha, and the Buddha will declare these things to me.’

‘ahaṁ, bhante, bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ carissāmi, bhagavā me byākarissati:

4.15

“sassato loko”ti vā “asassato loko”ti vā …pe…

4.16

“neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā”ti vā’ti.

4.17

In that case, you silly man, are you really in a position to be abandoning anything?

Evaṁ sante, moghapurisa, ko santo kaṁ paccācikkhasi?

5.1

Suppose someone were to say this:

Yo kho, mālukyaputta, evaṁ vadeyya:

5.2

‘I will not lead the spiritual life under the Buddha until the Buddha declares to me

‘na tāvāhaṁ bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ carissāmi yāva me bhagavā na byākarissati:

5.3

that the cosmos is eternal, or that the cosmos is not eternal …

“sassato loko”ti vā, “asassato loko”ti vā …pe…

5.4

or that after death a Realized One neither exists nor doesn’t exist.’

“neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā”ti vā’ti,

5.5

That would still remain undeclared by the Realized One, and meanwhile that person would die.

abyākatameva taṁ, mālukyaputta, tathāgatena assa, atha so puggalo kālaṁ kareyya.

5.6

Suppose a man was struck by an arrow thickly smeared with poison.

Seyyathāpi, mālukyaputta, puriso sallena viddho assa savisena gāḷhapalepanena.

5.7

His friends and colleagues, relatives and kin would get a field surgeon to treat him.

Tassa mittāmaccā ñātisālohitā bhisakkaṁ sallakattaṁ upaṭṭhapeyyuṁ.

5.8

But the man would say:

So evaṁ vadeyya:

5.9

‘I won’t pull out this arrow as long as I don’t know whether the man who wounded me was an aristocrat, a brahmin, a merchant, or a worker.’

‘na tāvāhaṁ imaṁ sallaṁ āharissāmi yāva na taṁ purisaṁ jānāmi yenamhi viddho, khattiyo vā brāhmaṇo vā vesso vā suddo vā’ti;

5.10

He’d say:

so evaṁ vadeyya:

5.11

‘I won’t pull out this arrow as long as I don’t know the following things about the man who wounded me: his name and clan;

‘na tāvāhaṁ imaṁ sallaṁ āharissāmi yāva na taṁ purisaṁ jānāmi yenamhi viddho, evaṁnāmo evaṅgotto iti vā’ti;

5.12

so evaṁ vadeyya:

5.13

whether he’s tall, short, or medium;

‘na tāvāhaṁ imaṁ sallaṁ āharissāmi yāva na taṁ purisaṁ jānāmi yenamhi viddho, dīgho vā rasso vā majjhimo vā’ti;

5.14

so evaṁ vadeyya:

5.15

whether his skin is black, brown, or tawny;

‘na tāvāhaṁ imaṁ sallaṁ āharissāmi yāva na taṁ purisaṁ jānāmi yenamhi viddho, kāḷo vā sāmo vā maṅguracchavī vā’ti;

5.16

so evaṁ vadeyya:

5.17

and what village, town, or city he comes from.

‘na tāvāhaṁ imaṁ sallaṁ āharissāmi yāva na taṁ purisaṁ jānāmi yenamhi viddho, amukasmiṁ gāme vā nigame vā nagare vā’ti;

5.18

so evaṁ vadeyya:

5.19

I won’t pull out this arrow as long as I don’t know whether the bow that wounded me is made of wood or cane;

‘na tāvāhaṁ imaṁ sallaṁ āharissāmi yāva na taṁ dhanuṁ jānāmi yenamhi viddho, yadi vā cāpo yadi vā kodaṇḍo’ti;

5.20

so evaṁ vadeyya:

5.21

whether the bow-string is made of swallow-wort fibre, sunn hemp fibre, sinew, sanseveria fibre, or spurge fibre;

‘na tāvāhaṁ imaṁ sallaṁ āharissāmi yāva na taṁ jiyaṁ jānāmi yāyamhi viddho, yadi vā akkassa yadi vā saṇhassa yadi vā nhārussa yadi vā maruvāya yadi vā khīrapaṇṇino’ti;

5.22

so evaṁ vadeyya:

5.23

whether the shaft is made from a bush or a plantation tree;

‘na tāvāhaṁ imaṁ sallaṁ āharissāmi yāva na taṁ kaṇḍaṁ jānāmi yenamhi viddho, yadi vā gacchaṁ yadi vā ropiman’ti;

5.24

so evaṁ vadeyya:

5.25

whether the shaft was fitted with feathers from a vulture, a heron, a hawk, a peacock, or a stork;

‘na tāvāhaṁ imaṁ sallaṁ āharissāmi yāva na taṁ kaṇḍaṁ jānāmi yenamhi viddho, yassa pattehi vājitaṁ yadi vā gijjhassa yadi vā kaṅkassa yadi vā kulalassa yadi vā morassa yadi vā sithilahanuno’ti;

5.26

so evaṁ vadeyya:

5.27

whether the shaft was bound with sinews of a cow, a buffalo, a swamp deer, or a gibbon;

‘na tāvāhaṁ imaṁ sallaṁ āharissāmi yāva na taṁ kaṇḍaṁ jānāmi yenamhi viddho, yassa nhārunā parikkhittaṁ yadi vā gavassa yadi vā mahiṁsassa yadi vā bheravassa yadi vā semhārassā’ti;

5.28

so evaṁ vadeyya:

5.29

and whether the arrowhead was spiked, razor-tipped, barbed, made of iron or a calf’s tooth, or lancet-shaped.’

‘na tāvāhaṁ imaṁ sallaṁ āharissāmi yāva na taṁ sallaṁ jānāmi yenamhi viddho, yadi vā sallaṁ yadi vā khurappaṁ yadi vā vekaṇḍaṁ yadi vā nārācaṁ yadi vā vacchadantaṁ yadi vā karavīrapattan’ti—

5.30

That man would still not have learned these things, and meanwhile they’d die.

aññātameva taṁ, mālukyaputta, tena purisena assa, atha so puriso kālaṁ kareyya.

5.31

In the same way, suppose someone was to say:

Evameva kho, mālukyaputta, yo evaṁ vadeyya:

5.32

‘I will not lead the spiritual life under the Buddha until the Buddha declares to me

‘na tāvāhaṁ bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ carissāmi yāva me bhagavā na byākarissati:

5.33

that the cosmos is eternal, or that the cosmos is not eternal …

“sassato loko”ti vā “asassato loko”ti vā …pe…

5.34

or that after death a Realized One neither exists nor doesn’t exist.’

“neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā”ti vā’ti—

5.35

That would still remain undeclared by the Realized One, and meanwhile that person would die.

abyākatameva taṁ, mālukyaputta, tathāgatena assa, atha so puggalo kālaṁ kareyya.

6.1

It’s not true that if there were the view ‘the cosmos is eternal’ there would be the living of the spiritual life.

‘Sassato loko’ti, mālukyaputta, diṭṭhiyā sati brahmacariyavāso abhavissāti, evaṁ no.

6.2

It’s not true that if there were the view ‘the cosmos is not eternal’ there would be the living of the spiritual life.

‘Asassato loko’ti, mālukyaputta, diṭṭhiyā sati brahmacariyavāso abhavissāti, evampi no.

6.3

When there is the view that the cosmos is eternal or that the cosmos is not eternal, there is rebirth, there is old age, there is death, and there is sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress.

‘Sassato loko’ti vā, mālukyaputta, diṭṭhiyā sati, ‘asassato loko’ti vā diṭṭhiyā sati attheva jāti, atthi jarā, atthi maraṇaṁ, santi sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā;

6.4

And it is the defeat of these things in this very life that I advocate.

yesāhaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme nighātaṁ paññapemi.

6.5

It’s not true that if there were the view ‘the world is finite’ …

‘Antavā loko’ti, mālukyaputta, diṭṭhiyā sati brahmacariyavāso abhavissāti, evaṁ no.

6.6

‘the world is infinite’ …

‘Anantavā loko’ti, mālukyaputta, diṭṭhiyā sati brahmacariyavāso abhavissāti, evampi no.

6.7

‘Antavā loko’ti vā, mālukyaputta, diṭṭhiyā sati, ‘anantavā loko’ti vā diṭṭhiyā sati attheva jāti, atthi jarā, atthi maraṇaṁ, santi sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupāyāsā;

6.8

yesāhaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme nighātaṁ paññapemi.

6.9

‘the soul and the body are the same thing’ …

‘Taṁ jīvaṁ taṁ sarīran’ti, mālukyaputta, diṭṭhiyā sati brahmacariyavāso abhavissāti, evaṁ no.

6.10

‘the soul and the body are different things’ …

‘Aññaṁ jīvaṁ aññaṁ sarīran’ti, mālukyaputta, diṭṭhiyā sati brahmacariyavāso abhavissāti, evampi no.

6.11

‘Taṁ jīvaṁ taṁ sarīran’ti vā, mālukyaputta, diṭṭhiyā sati, ‘aññaṁ jīvaṁ aññaṁ sarīran’ti vā diṭṭhiyā sati attheva jāti …pe…

6.12

nighātaṁ paññapemi.

6.13

‘a Realized One exists after death’ …

‘Hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti, mālukyaputta, diṭṭhiyā sati brahmacariyavāso abhavissāti, evaṁ no.

6.14

‘a Realized One doesn’t exist after death’ …

‘Na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti, mālukyaputta, diṭṭhiyā sati brahmacariyavāso abhavissāti, evampi no.

6.15

‘Hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti vā, mālukyaputta, diṭṭhiyā sati, ‘na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti vā diṭṭhiyā sati attheva jāti …pe…

6.16

yesāhaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme nighātaṁ paññapemi.

6.17

‘a Realized One both exists and doesn’t exist after death’ …

‘Hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti, mālukyaputta, diṭṭhiyā sati brahmacariyavāso abhavissāti, evaṁ no.

6.18

‘a Realized One neither exists nor doesn’t exist after death’ there would be the living of the spiritual life.

‘Neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti, mālukyaputta, diṭṭhiyā sati brahmacariyavāso abhavissāti, evampi no.

6.19

When there are any of these views there is rebirth, there is old age, there is death, and there is sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress.

‘Hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti, mālukyaputta, diṭṭhiyā sati, ‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti vā diṭṭhiyā sati attheva jāti …pe…

6.20

And it is the defeat of these things in this very life that I advocate.

yesāhaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme nighātaṁ paññapemi.

7.1

So, Māluṅkyaputta, you should remember what I have not declared as undeclared,

Tasmātiha, mālukyaputta, abyākatañca me abyākatato dhāretha;

7.2

and what I have declared as declared.

byākatañca me byākatato dhāretha.

7.3

And what have I not declared?

Kiñca, mālukyaputta, mayā abyākataṁ?

7.4

I have not declared the following: ‘the cosmos is eternal,’

‘Sassato loko’ti mālukyaputta, mayā abyākataṁ;

7.5

‘the cosmos is not eternal,’

‘asassato loko’ti—

7.6

mayā abyākataṁ;

7.7

‘the world is finite,’

‘antavā loko’ti—

7.8

mayā abyākataṁ;

7.9

‘the world is infinite,’

‘anantavā loko’ti—

7.10

mayā abyākataṁ;

7.11

‘the soul and the body are the same thing,’

‘taṁ jīvaṁ taṁ sarīran’ti—

7.12

mayā abyākataṁ;

7.13

‘the soul and the body are different things,’

‘aññaṁ jīvaṁ aññaṁ sarīran’ti—

7.14

mayā abyākataṁ;

7.15

‘a Realized One exists after death,’

‘hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti—

7.16

mayā abyākataṁ;

7.17

‘a Realized One doesn’t exist after death,’

‘na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti—

7.18

mayā abyākataṁ;

7.19

‘a Realized One both exists and doesn’t exist after death,’

‘hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti—

7.20

mayā abyākataṁ;

7.21

‘a Realized One neither exists nor doesn’t exist after death.’

‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti—

7.22

mayā abyākataṁ.

8.1

And why haven’t I declared these things?

Kasmā cetaṁ, mālukyaputta, mayā abyākataṁ?

8.2

Because they aren’t beneficial or relevant to the fundamentals of the spiritual life. They don’t lead to disillusionment, dispassion, cessation, peace, insight, awakening, and extinguishment.

Na hetaṁ, mālukyaputta, atthasaṁhitaṁ na ādibrahmacariyakaṁ na nibbidāya na virāgāya na nirodhāya na upasamāya na abhiññāya na sambodhāya na nibbānāya saṁvattati.

8.3

That’s why I haven’t declared them.

Tasmā taṁ mayā abyākataṁ.

9.1

And what have I declared?

Kiñca, mālukyaputta, mayā byākataṁ?

9.2

I have declared the following: ‘this is suffering,’

‘Idaṁ dukkhan’ti, mālukyaputta, mayā byākataṁ;

9.3

‘this is the origin of suffering,’

‘ayaṁ dukkhasamudayo’ti—

9.4

mayā byākataṁ;

9.5

‘this is the cessation of suffering,’

‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodho’ti—

9.6

mayā byākataṁ;

9.7

‘this is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering.’

‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti—

9.8

mayā byākataṁ.

10.1

And why have I declared these things?

Kasmā cetaṁ, mālukyaputta, mayā byākataṁ?

10.2

Because they are beneficial and relevant to the fundamentals of the spiritual life. They lead to disillusionment, dispassion, cessation, peace, insight, awakening, and extinguishment.

Etañhi, mālukyaputta, atthasaṁhitaṁ etaṁ ādibrahmacariyakaṁ nibbidāya virāgāya nirodhāya upasamāya abhiññāya sambodhāya nibbānāya saṁvattati.

10.3

That’s why I have declared them.

Tasmā taṁ mayā byākataṁ.

10.4

So, Māluṅkyaputta, you should remember what I have not declared as undeclared,

Tasmātiha, mālukyaputta, abyākatañca me abyākatato dhāretha;

10.5

and what I have declared as declared.”

byākatañca me byākatato dhārethā”ti.

10.6

That is what the Buddha said.

Idamavoca bhagavā.

10.7

Satisfied, Venerable Māluṅkyaputta was happy with what the Buddha said.

Attamano āyasmā mālukyaputto bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandīti.

10.8

Cūḷamālukyasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ tatiyaṁ.