MN 74 With Dīghanakha – Dīghanakhasutta

Medium Discourses Collection 74 – Majjhima Nikāya 74

1.1

So I have heard.

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—

1.2

At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, on the Vulture’s Peak Mountain in the Boar’s Cave.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati gijjhakūṭe pabbate sūkarakhatāyaṁ.

2.1

Then the wanderer Dīghanakha went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him.

Atha kho dīghanakho paribbājako yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi.

2.2

When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he stood to one side, and said to the Buddha,

Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhito kho dīghanakho paribbājako bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

2.3

“Master Gotama, this is my doctrine and view:

“ahañhi, bho gotama, evaṁvādī evaṁdiṭṭhi:

2.4

‘I believe in nothing.’”

‘sabbaṁ me nakkhamatī’”ti.

2.5

“This view of yours, Aggivessana—

“Yāpi kho te esā, aggivessana, diṭṭhi:

2.6

do you believe in that?”

‘sabbaṁ me nakkhamatī’ti, esāpi te diṭṭhi nakkhamatī”ti?

2.7

“If I believed in this view, Master Gotama, it wouldn’t make any difference, it wouldn’t make any difference!”

“Esā ce me, bho gotama, diṭṭhi khameyya, taṁpassa tādisameva, taṁpassa tādisamevā”ti.

3.1

“Well, Aggivessana, there are many more in the world who say,

“Ato kho te, aggivessana, bahū hi bahutarā lokasmiṁ ye evamāhaṁsu:

3.2

‘It wouldn’t make any difference! It wouldn’t make any difference!’

‘taṁpassa tādisameva, taṁpassa tādisamevā’ti.

3.3

But they don’t give up that view, and they grasp another view.

Te tañceva diṭṭhiṁ nappajahanti aññañca diṭṭhiṁ upādiyanti.

3.4

And there are a scant few in the world who say,

Ato kho te, aggivessana, tanū hi tanutarā lokasmiṁ ye evamāhaṁsu:

3.5

‘It wouldn’t make any difference! It wouldn’t make any difference!’

‘taṁpassa tādisameva, taṁpassa tādisamevā’ti.

3.6

And they give up that view by not grasping another view.

Te tañceva diṭṭhiṁ pajahanti aññañca diṭṭhiṁ na upādiyanti.

4.1

There are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view:

Santaggivessana, eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino:

4.2

‘I believe in everything.’

‘sabbaṁ me khamatī’ti;

4.3

There are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view:

santaggivessana, eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino:

4.4

‘I believe in nothing.’

‘sabbaṁ me nakkhamatī’ti;

4.5

There are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view:

santaggivessana, eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino:

4.6

‘I believe in some things, and not in others.’

‘ekaccaṁ me khamati, ekaccaṁ me nakkhamatī’ti.

4.7

Regarding this, the view of the ascetics and brahmins who believe in everything

Tatraggivessana, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino: ‘sabbaṁ me khamatī’ti

4.8

is close to greed, bondage, approving, attachment, and grasping.

tesamayaṁ diṭṭhi sārāgāya santike, saññogāya santike, abhinandanāya santike, ajjhosānāya santike, upādānāya santike;

4.9

The view of the ascetics and brahmins who believe in nothing

tatraggivessana ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino: ‘sabbaṁ me nakkhamatī’ti

4.10

is far from greed, bondage, approving, attachment, and grasping.”

tesamayaṁ diṭṭhi asārāgāya santike, asaññogāya santike, anabhinandanāya santike, anajjhosānāya santike, anupādānāya santike”ti.

5.1

When he said this, the wanderer Dīghanakha said to the Buddha,

Evaṁ vutte, dīghanakho paribbājako bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

5.2

“Master Gotama commends my conviction! He recommends my conviction!”

“ukkaṁseti me bhavaṁ gotamo diṭṭhigataṁ, samukkaṁseti me bhavaṁ gotamo diṭṭhigatan”ti.

5.3

“Now, regarding the ascetics and brahmins who

“Tatraggivessana, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino:

5.4

believe in some things and not in others.

‘ekaccaṁ me khamati, ekaccaṁ me nakkhamatī’ti.

5.5

Their view of what they believe in is close to greed, bondage, approving, attachment, and grasping.

Yā hi tesaṁ khamati sāyaṁ diṭṭhi sārāgāya santike, saññogāya santike, abhinandanāya santike, ajjhosānāya santike, upādānāya santike;

5.6

Their view of what they don’t believe in is far from greed, bondage, approving, attachment, and grasping.

yā hi tesaṁ nakkhamati sāyaṁ diṭṭhi asārāgāya santike, asaññogāya santike, anabhinandanāya santike, anajjhosānāya santike, anupādānāya santike.

6.1

When it comes to the view of the ascetics and brahmins who

Tatraggivessana, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino:

6.2

believe in everything,

‘sabbaṁ me khamatī’ti

6.3

a sensible person reflects like this:

tattha viññū puriso iti paṭisañcikkhati:

6.4

‘I have the view that

‘yā kho me ayaṁ diṭṭhi—

6.5

I believe in everything.

sabbaṁ me khamatīti,

6.6

Suppose I obstinately stick to this view and insist that,

imañce ahaṁ diṭṭhiṁ thāmasā parāmāsā abhinivissa vohareyyaṁ—

6.7

“This is the only truth, other ideas are silly.”

idameva saccaṁ moghamaññanti;

6.8

Then I’d argue with two people—

dvīhi me assa viggaho—

6.9

an ascetic or brahmin who believes in nothing,

yo cāyaṁ samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā evaṁvādī evaṁdiṭṭhi—sabbaṁ me nakkhamatīti,

6.10

and an ascetic or brahmin who believes in some things and not in others.

yo cāyaṁ samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā evaṁvādī evaṁdiṭṭhi—ekaccaṁ me khamati, ekaccaṁ me nakkhamatīti—

6.11

imehi assa dvīhi viggaho.

6.12

And when there’s arguing, there’s quarreling; when there’s quarreling there’s anguish; and when there’s anguish there’s harm.’

Iti viggahe sati vivādo, vivāde sati vighāto, vighāte sati vihesā’.

6.13

So, considering in themselves the potential for arguing, quarreling, anguish, and harm, they give up that view by not grasping another view.

Iti so viggahañca vivādañca vighātañca vihesañca attani sampassamāno tañceva diṭṭhiṁ pajahati aññañca diṭṭhiṁ na upādiyati.

6.14

That’s how those views are given up and let go.

Evametāsaṁ diṭṭhīnaṁ pahānaṁ hoti, evametāsaṁ diṭṭhīnaṁ paṭinissaggo hoti.

7.1

When it comes to the view of the ascetics and brahmins who

Tatraggivessana, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino:

7.2

believe in nothing,

‘sabbaṁ me nakkhamatī’ti

7.3

a sensible person reflects like this:

tattha viññū puriso iti paṭisañcikkhati:

7.4

‘I have the view that

‘yā kho me ayaṁ diṭṭhi—

7.5

I believe in nothing.

sabbaṁ me nakkhamatīti,

7.6

Suppose I obstinately stick to this view and insist that,

imañce ahaṁ diṭṭhiṁ thāmasā parāmāsā abhinivissa vohareyyaṁ—

7.7

“This is the only truth, other ideas are silly.”

idameva saccaṁ moghamaññanti;

7.8

Then I’d argue with two people—

dvīhi me assa viggaho—

7.9

an ascetic or brahmin who believes in everything,

yo cāyaṁ samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā evaṁvādī evaṁdiṭṭhi—sabbaṁ me khamatīti,

7.10

and an ascetic or brahmin who believes in some things and not in others.

yo cāyaṁ samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā evaṁvādī evaṁdiṭṭhi—ekaccaṁ me khamati ekaccaṁ me nakkhamatīti—

7.11

imehi assa dvīhi viggaho.

7.12

And when there’s arguing, there’s quarreling; when there’s quarreling there’s anguish; and when there’s anguish there’s harm.’

Iti viggahe sati vivādo, vivāde sati vighāto, vighāte sati vihesā’.

7.13

So, considering in themselves the potential for arguing, quarreling, anguish, and harm, they give up that view by not grasping another view.

Iti so viggahañca vivādañca vighātañca vihesañca attani sampassamāno tañceva diṭṭhiṁ pajahati aññañca diṭṭhiṁ na upādiyati.

7.14

That’s how those views are given up and let go.

Evametāsaṁ diṭṭhīnaṁ pahānaṁ hoti, evametāsaṁ diṭṭhīnaṁ paṭinissaggo hoti.

8.1

When it comes to the view of the ascetics and brahmins who

Tatraggivessana, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṁvādino evaṁdiṭṭhino:

8.2

believe in some things and not in others,

‘ekaccaṁ me khamati, ekaccaṁ me nakkhamatī’ti

8.3

a sensible person reflects like this:

tattha viññū puriso iti paṭisañcikkhati:

8.4

‘I have the view that

‘yā kho me ayaṁ diṭṭhi—

8.5

I believe in some things and not in others.

ekaccaṁ me khamati, ekaccaṁ me nakkhamatīti,

8.6

Suppose I obstinately stick to this view and insist that,

imañce ahaṁ diṭṭhiṁ thāmasā parāmāsā abhinivissa vohareyyaṁ—

8.7

“This is the only truth, other ideas are silly.”

idameva saccaṁ moghamaññanti;

8.8

Then I’d argue with two people—

dvīhi me assa viggaho—

8.9

an ascetic or brahmin who believes in everything,

yo cāyaṁ samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā evaṁvādī evaṁdiṭṭhi—sabbaṁ me khamatīti,

8.10

and an ascetic or brahmin who believes in nothing.

yo cāyaṁ samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā evaṁvādī evaṁdiṭṭhi—sabbaṁ me nakkhamatīti—

8.11

imehi assa dvīhi viggaho.

8.12

And when there’s arguing, there’s quarreling; when there’s quarreling there’s anguish; and when there’s anguish there’s harm.’

Iti viggahe sati vivādo, vivāde sati vighāto, vighāte sati vihesā’.

8.13

So, considering in themselves the potential for arguing, quarreling, anguish, and harm, they give up that view by not grasping another view.

Iti so viggahañca vivādañca vighātañca vihesañca attani sampassamāno tañceva diṭṭhiṁ pajahati aññañca diṭṭhiṁ na upādiyati.

8.14

That’s how those views are given up and let go.

Evametāsaṁ diṭṭhīnaṁ pahānaṁ hoti, evametāsaṁ diṭṭhīnaṁ paṭinissaggo hoti.

9.1

Aggivessana, this body is physical. It’s made up of the four primary elements, produced by mother and father, built up from rice and porridge, liable to anicca, to wearing away and erosion, to breaking up and destruction. You should see it as anicca, as suffering, as diseased, as a boil, as a dart, as misery, as an affliction, as alien, as falling apart, as empty, as not-self.

Ayaṁ kho panaggivessana, kāyo rūpī cātumahābhūtiko mātāpettikasambhavo odanakummāsūpacayo aniccucchādanaparimaddanabhedanaviddhaṁsanadhammo, aniccato dukkhato rogato gaṇḍato sallato aghato ābādhato parato palokato suññato anattato samanupassitabbo.

9.2

Doing so, you’ll give up desire, affection, and subservience to the body.

Tassimaṁ kāyaṁ aniccato dukkhato rogato gaṇḍato sallato aghato ābādhato parato palokato suññato anattato samanupassato yo kāyasmiṁ kāyachando kāyasneho kāyanvayatā sā pahīyati.

10.1

There are these three feelings:

Tisso kho imā, aggivessana, vedanā—

10.2

pleasant, painful, and neutral.

sukhā vedanā, dukkhā vedanā, adukkhamasukhā vedanā.

10.3

At a time when you feel a pleasant feeling, you don’t feel a painful or neutral feeling;

Yasmiṁ, aggivessana, samaye sukhaṁ vedanaṁ vedeti, neva tasmiṁ samaye dukkhaṁ vedanaṁ vedeti, na adukkhamasukhaṁ vedanaṁ vedeti;

10.4

you only feel a pleasant feeling.

sukhaṁyeva tasmiṁ samaye vedanaṁ vedeti.

10.5

At a time when you feel a painful feeling, you don’t feel a pleasant or neutral feeling;

Yasmiṁ, aggivessana, samaye dukkhaṁ vedanaṁ vedeti, neva tasmiṁ samaye sukhaṁ vedanaṁ vedeti, na adukkhamasukhaṁ vedanaṁ vedeti;

10.6

you only feel a painful feeling.

dukkhaṁyeva tasmiṁ samaye vedanaṁ vedeti.

10.7

At a time when you feel a neutral feeling, you don’t feel a pleasant or painful feeling;

Yasmiṁ, aggivessana, samaye adukkhamasukhaṁ vedanaṁ vedeti, neva tasmiṁ samaye sukhaṁ vedanaṁ vedeti, na dukkhaṁ vedanaṁ vedeti;

10.8

you only feel a neutral feeling.

adukkhamasukhaṁyeva tasmiṁ samaye vedanaṁ vedeti.

11.1

Pleasant, painful, and neutral feelings are anicca, conditioned, dependently originated, liable to end, vanish, fade away, and cease.

Sukhāpi kho, aggivessana, vedanā aniccā saṅkhatā paṭiccasamuppannā khayadhammā vayadhammā virāgadhammā nirodhadhammā;

11.2

dukkhāpi kho, aggivessana, vedanā aniccā saṅkhatā paṭiccasamuppannā khayadhammā vayadhammā virāgadhammā nirodhadhammā;

11.3

adukkhamasukhāpi kho, aggivessana, vedanā aniccā saṅkhatā paṭiccasamuppannā khayadhammā vayadhammā virāgadhammā nirodhadhammā.

12.1

Seeing this, a learned noble disciple grows disillusioned with pleasant, painful, and neutral feelings.

Evaṁ passaṁ, aggivessana, sutavā ariyasāvako sukhāyapi vedanāya nibbindati, dukkhāyapi vedanāya nibbindati, adukkhamasukhāyapi vedanāya nibbindati;

12.2

Being disillusioned, desire fades away. When desire fades away they’re freed. When they’re freed, they know they’re freed.

nibbindaṁ virajjati, virāgā vimuccati. Vimuttasmiṁ, vimuttamiti ñāṇaṁ hoti.

12.3

They understand: ‘Rebirth is ended, the spiritual journey has been completed, what had to be done has been done, there is no return to any state of existence.’

‘Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti pajānāti.

13.1

A bhikkhu whose mind is freed like this doesn’t side with anyone or dispute with anyone. They speak the language of the world without misapprehending it.”

Evaṁ vimuttacitto kho, aggivessana, bhikkhu na kenaci saṁvadati, na kenaci vivadati, yañca loke vuttaṁ tena voharati, aparāmasan”ti.

14.1

Now at that time Venerable Sāriputta was standing behind the Buddha fanning him.

Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā sāriputto bhagavato piṭṭhito ṭhito hoti bhagavantaṁ bījayamāno.

14.2

Then he thought,

Atha kho āyasmato sāriputtassa etadahosi:

14.3

“It seems the Buddha speaks of giving up and letting go all these things through direct knowledge.”

“tesaṁ tesaṁ kira no bhagavā dhammānaṁ abhiññā pahānamāha, tesaṁ tesaṁ kira no sugato dhammānaṁ abhiññā paṭinissaggamāhā”ti.

14.4

Reflecting like this, Venerable Sāriputta’s mind was freed from the cravings by not grasping.

Iti hidaṁ āyasmato sāriputtassa paṭisañcikkhato anupādāya āsavehi cittaṁ vimucci.

15.1

And the stainless, immaculate vision of the Dhamma arose in the wanderer Dīghanakha:

Dīghanakhassa pana paribbājakassa virajaṁ vītamalaṁ dhammacakkhuṁ udapādi:

15.2

“Everything that has a beginning has an end.”

“yaṁ kiñci samudayadhammaṁ sabbaṁ taṁ nirodhadhamman”ti.

15.3

Then Dīghanakha saw, attained, understood, and fathomed the Dhamma. He went beyond doubt, got rid of indecision, and became self-assured and independent of others regarding the Teacher’s instructions. He said to the Buddha:

Atha kho dīghanakho paribbājako diṭṭhadhammo pattadhammo viditadhammo pariyogāḷhadhammo tiṇṇavicikiccho vigatakathaṅkatho vesārajjappatto aparappaccayo satthusāsane bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

16.1

“Excellent, Master Gotama! Excellent!

“abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama, abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama.

16.2

As if he were righting the overturned, or revealing the hidden, or pointing out the path to the lost, or lighting a lamp in the dark so people with good eyes can see what’s there, Master Gotama has made the teaching clear in many ways.

Seyyathāpi, bho gotama, nikkujjitaṁ vā ukkujjeyya, paṭicchannaṁ vā vivareyya, mūḷhassa vā maggaṁ ācikkheyya, andhakāre vā telapajjotaṁ dhāreyya: ‘cakkhumanto rūpāni dakkhantī’ti; evameva kho bhotā gotamena anekapariyāyena dhammo pakāsito.

16.3

I go for refuge to Master Gotama, to the teaching, and to the bhikkhu Saṅgha.

Esāhaṁ bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi dhammañca bhikkhusaṅghañca.

16.4

From this day forth, may Master Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”

Upāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.

16.5

Dīghanakhasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ catutthaṁ.