SN 12-21 The Group of Connected Discourses Beginning With Causation – Nidānavaggasaṁyutta > SN 12 Connected Discourses on Causation – Nidānasaṁyutta > SN 12.17 With Kassapa, the Naked Ascetic

Linked Discourses 12.17 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 12.17

2. Fuel – 2. Āhāravagga

SN 12.17 With Kassapa, the Naked Ascetic – Acelakassapasutta

So I have heard.

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—

At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.

Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Rājagaha for alms.

Atha kho bhagavā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya rājagahaṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi.

The naked ascetic Kassapa saw the Buddha coming off in the distance.

Addasā kho acelo kassapo bhagavantaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ.

He went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him.

Disvāna yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi.

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 acelo kassapo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“I’d like to ask Master Gotama about a certain point, if you’d take the time to answer.”

“puccheyyāma mayaṁ bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ kañcideva desaṁ, sace no bhavaṁ gotamo okāsaṁ karoti pañhassa veyyākaraṇāyā”ti.

“Kassapa, it’s the wrong time for questions.

“Akālo kho tāva, kassapa, pañhassa;

We’ve entered an inhabited area.”

antaragharaṁ paviṭṭhamhā”ti.

A second time,

Dutiyampi kho acelo kassapo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“puccheyyāma mayaṁ bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ kañcideva desaṁ, sace no bhavaṁ gotamo okāsaṁ karoti pañhassa veyyākaraṇāyā”ti.

“Akālo kho tāva, kassapa, pañhassa;

antaragharaṁ paviṭṭhamhā”ti.

and a third time, Kassapa spoke to the Buddha and the Buddha replied.

Tatiyampi kho acelo kassapo …pe…

antaragharaṁ paviṭṭhamhāti.

When this was said, Kassapa said to the Buddha,

Evaṁ vutte, acelo kassapo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“I don’t want to ask much.”

“na kho pana mayaṁ bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ bahudeva pucchitukāmā”ti.

“Ask what you wish, Kassapa.”

“Puccha, kassapa, yadākaṅkhasī”ti.

“Well, Master Gotama, is suffering made by oneself?”

“Kiṁ nu kho, bho gotama, ‘sayaṅkataṁ dukkhan’ti?

“Not so, Kassapa,” said the Buddha.

‘Mā hevaṁ, kassapā’ti bhagavā avoca.

“Then is suffering made by another?”

‘Kiṁ pana, bho gotama, paraṅkataṁ dukkhan’ti?

“Not so, Kassapa,” said the Buddha.

‘Mā hevaṁ, kassapā’ti bhagavā avoca.

“Well, is suffering made by both oneself and another?”

‘Kiṁ nu kho, bho gotama, sayaṅkatañca paraṅkatañca dukkhan’ti?

“Not so, Kassapa,” said the Buddha.

‘Mā hevaṁ, kassapā’ti bhagavā avoca.

“Then does suffering arise by chance, not made by oneself or another?”

‘Kiṁ pana, bho gotama, asayaṅkāraṁ aparaṅkāraṁ adhiccasamuppannaṁ dukkhan’ti?

“Not so, Kassapa,” said the Buddha.

‘Mā hevaṁ, kassapā’ti bhagavā avoca.

“Well, is there no such thing as suffering?”

‘Kiṁ nu kho, bho gotama, natthi dukkhan’ti?

“It’s not that there’s no such thing as suffering.

‘Na kho, kassapa, natthi dukkhaṁ.

Suffering is real.”

Atthi kho, kassapa, dukkhan’ti.

“Then Master Gotama doesn’t know nor see suffering.”

‘Tena hi bhavaṁ gotamo dukkhaṁ na jānāti, na passatī’ti.

“It’s not that I don’t know or see suffering.

‘Na khvāhaṁ, kassapa, dukkhaṁ na jānāmi, na passāmi.

I do know suffering,

Jānāmi khvāhaṁ, kassapa, dukkhaṁ;

I do see suffering.”

passāmi khvāhaṁ, kassapa, dukkhan’”ti.

“Master Gotama, when asked these questions, you say ‘not so’.

“Kiṁ nu kho, bho gotama, ‘sayaṅkataṁ dukkhan’ti iti puṭṭho samāno ‘mā hevaṁ, kassapā’ti vadesi.

‘Kiṁ pana, bho gotama, paraṅkataṁ dukkhan’ti iti puṭṭho samāno ‘mā hevaṁ, kassapā’ti vadesi.

‘Kiṁ nu kho, bho gotama, sayaṅkatañca paraṅkatañca dukkhan’ti iti puṭṭho samāno ‘mā hevaṁ, kassapā’ti vadesi.

‘Kiṁ pana, bho gotama, asayaṅkāraṁ aparaṅkāraṁ adhiccasamuppannaṁ dukkhan’ti iti puṭṭho samāno ‘mā hevaṁ, kassapā’ti vadesi.

Yet you say that there is such a thing as suffering.

‘Kiṁ nu kho, bho gotama, natthi dukkhan’ti iti puṭṭho samāno ‘na kho, kassapa, natthi dukkhaṁ, atthi kho, kassapa, dukkhan’ti vadesi.

‘Tena hi bhavaṁ gotamo dukkhaṁ na jānāti na passatī’ti iti puṭṭho samāno ‘na khvāhaṁ, kassapa, dukkhaṁ na jānāmi na passāmi.

And you say that you do know suffering,

Jānāmi khvāhaṁ, kassapa, dukkhaṁ;

and you do see suffering.

passāmi khvāhaṁ, kassapa, dukkhan’ti vadesi.

Sir, explain suffering to me!

Ācikkhatu ca me, bhante, bhagavā dukkhaṁ.

Teach me about suffering!”

Desetu ca me, bhante, bhagavā dukkhan”ti.

“Suppose that the person who does the deed experiences the result. Then for one who has existed since the beginning, suffering is made by oneself. This statement leans toward eternalism.

“‘So karoti so paṭisaṁvedayatī’ti kho, kassapa, ādito sato ‘sayaṅkataṁ dukkhan’ti iti vadaṁ sassataṁ etaṁ pareti.

Suppose that one person does the deed and another experiences the result. Then for one stricken by feeling, suffering is made by another. This statement leans toward annihilationism.

‘Añño karoti añño paṭisaṁvedayatī’ti kho, kassapa, vedanābhitunnassa sato ‘paraṅkataṁ dukkhan’ti iti vadaṁ ucchedaṁ etaṁ pareti.

Avoiding these two extremes, the Realized One teaches by the middle way:

Ete te, kassapa, ubho ante anupagamma majjhena tathāgato dhammaṁ deseti:

‘Ignorance is a condition for saṅkhāra.

‘avijjāpaccayā saṅkhārā;

Saṅkhāra are a condition for consciousness. …

saṅkhārapaccayā viññāṇaṁ …pe…

That is how this entire mass of suffering originates.

evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa samudayo hoti.

When ignorance fades away and ceases with nothing left over, saṅkhāra cease.

Avijjāya tveva asesavirāganirodhā saṅkhāranirodho;

When saṅkhāra cease, consciousness ceases. …

saṅkhāranirodhā viññāṇanirodho …pe…

That is how this entire mass of suffering ceases.’”

evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hotī’”ti.

When this was said, Kassapa said to the Buddha,

Evaṁ vutte, acelo kassapo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“Excellent, sir! Excellent!

“abhikkantaṁ, bhante, abhikkantaṁ, bhante.

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, the Buddha has made the teaching clear in many ways.

Seyyathāpi, bhante, nikkujjitaṁ vā ukkujjeyya …pe… ‘cakkhumanto rūpāni dakkhantī’ti; evamevaṁ bhagavatā anekapariyāyena dhammo pakāsito.

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

Esāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavantaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi dhammañca bhikkhusaṅghañca.

Sir, may I receive the going forth, the ordination in the Buddha’s presence?”

Labheyyāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavato santike pabbajjaṁ, labheyyaṁ upasampadan”ti.

“Kassapa, if someone formerly ordained in another sect wishes to take the going forth, the ordination in this teaching and training, they must spend four months on probation. When four months have passed, if the bhikkhū are satisfied, they’ll give the going forth, the ordination into monkhood.

“Yo kho, kassapa, aññatitthiyapubbo imasmiṁ dhammavinaye ākaṅkhati pabbajjaṁ, ākaṅkhati upasampadaṁ, so cattāro māse parivasati. Catunnaṁ māsānaṁ accayena āraddhacittā bhikkhū pabbājenti upasampādenti bhikkhubhāvāya.

However, I have recognized individual differences.”

Api ca mayā puggalavemattatā viditā”ti.

“Sir, if four months probation are required in such a case, I’ll spend four years on probation. When four years have passed, if the bhikkhū are satisfied, let them give me the going forth, the ordination into monkhood.”

“Sace, bhante, aññatitthiyapubbo imasmiṁ dhammavinaye ākaṅkhati pabbajjaṁ, ākaṅkhati upasampadaṁ, cattāro māse parivasati. Catunnaṁ māsānaṁ accayena āraddhacittā bhikkhū pabbājenti upasampādenti bhikkhubhāvāya. Ahaṁ cattāri vassāni parivasissāmi, catunnaṁ vassānaṁ accayena āraddhacittā bhikkhū pabbājentu upasampādentu bhikkhubhāvāyā”ti.

And the naked ascetic Kassapa received the going forth, the ordination in the Buddha’s presence.

Alattha kho acelo kassapo bhagavato santike pabbajjaṁ, alattha upasampadaṁ.

Not long after his ordination, Venerable Kassapa, living alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute, soon realized the supreme culmination of the spiritual path in this very life. He lived having achieved with his own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness.

Acirūpasampanno ca panāyasmā kassapo eko vūpakaṭṭho appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto nacirasseva—yassatthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti tadanuttaraṁ—brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihāsi.

He understood: “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 abbhaññāsi.

And Venerable Kassapa became one of the perfected.

Aññataro ca panāyasmā kassapo arahataṁ ahosīti.