|
<< Click to Display Table of Contents >> Navigation: SN 45-56 The Group of Connected Discourses on the Path – Mahāvaggasaṁyutta > SN 48 Linked Discourses on the Faculties – Indriyasaṁyutta > SN 48.42 The Brahmin Uṇṇābha – Uṇṇābhabrāhmaṇasutta |
Linked Discourses 48.42 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 48.42
5. Old Age – 5. Jarāvagga
SN 48.42 The Brahmin Uṇṇābha – Uṇṇābhabrāhmaṇasutta
At Sāvatthī.
Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
Then Uṇṇābha the brahmin went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him.
Atha kho uṇṇābho brāhmaṇo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi.
When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to the Buddha:
Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho uṇṇābho brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
“Master Gotama, these five faculties have different scopes and different ranges, and don’t experience each others’ scope and range.
“Pañcimāni, bho gotama, indriyāni nānāvisayāni nānāgocarāni, na aññamaññassa gocaravisayaṁ paccanubhonti.
What five?
Katamāni pañca?
The faculties of the eye, ear, nose, tongue, and body.
Cakkhundriyaṁ, sotindriyaṁ, ghānindriyaṁ, jivhindriyaṁ, kāyindriyaṁ.
What do these five faculties, with their different scopes and ranges, have recourse to? What experiences their scopes and ranges?”
Imesaṁ nu kho, bho gotama, pañcannaṁ indriyānaṁ nānāvisayānaṁ nānāgocarānaṁ na aññamaññassa gocaravisayaṁ paccanubhontānaṁ kiṁ paṭisaraṇaṁ, ko ca nesaṁ gocaravisayaṁ paccanubhotī”ti?
“Brahmin, these five faculties have different scopes and different ranges, and don’t experience each others’ scope and range.
“Pañcimāni, brāhmaṇa, indriyāni nānāvisayāni nānāgocarāni na aññamaññassa gocaravisayaṁ paccanubhonti.
What five?
Katamāni pañca?
The faculties of the eye, ear, nose, tongue, and body.
Cakkhundriyaṁ, sotindriyaṁ, ghānindriyaṁ, jivhindriyaṁ, kāyindriyaṁ.
These five faculties, with their different scopes and ranges, have recourse to the mind. And the mind experiences their scopes and ranges.”
Imesaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa, pañcannaṁ indriyānaṁ nānāvisayānaṁ nānāgocarānaṁ na aññamaññassa gocaravisayaṁ paccanubhontānaṁ mano paṭisaraṇaṁ, manova nesaṁ gocaravisayaṁ paccanubhotī”ti.
“But Master Gotama, what does the mind have recourse to?”
“Manassa pana, bho gotama, kiṁ paṭisaraṇan”ti?
“The mind has recourse to mindfulness.”
“Manassa kho, brāhmaṇa, sati paṭisaraṇan”ti.
“But what does mindfulness have recourse to?”
“Satiyā pana, bho gotama, kiṁ paṭisaraṇan”ti?
“Mindfulness has recourse to freedom.”
“Satiyā kho, brāhmaṇa, vimutti paṭisaraṇan”ti.
“But what does freedom have recourse to?”
“Vimuttiyā pana, bho gotama, kiṁ paṭisaraṇan”ti?
“Freedom has recourse to extinguishment.”
“Vimuttiyā kho, brāhmaṇa, nibbānaṁ paṭisaraṇan”ti.
“But what does extinguishment have recourse to?”
“Nibbānassa pana, bho gotama, kiṁ paṭisaraṇan”ti?
“This question goes too far, brahmin! You weren’t able to grasp the limit of questioning.
“Accayāsi, brāhmaṇa, pañhaṁ, nāsakkhi pañhassa pariyantaṁ gahetuṁ.
For extinguishment is the culmination, destination, and end of the spiritual life.”
Nibbānogadhañhi, brāhmaṇa, brahmacariyaṁ vussati nibbānaparāyaṇaṁ nibbānapariyosānan”ti.
And then the brahmin Uṇṇābha approved and agreed with what the Buddha said. He got up from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before leaving.
Atha kho uṇṇābho brāhmaṇo bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkāmi.
Then, not long after he had left, the Buddha addressed the bhikkhū:
Atha kho bhagavā acirapakkante uṇṇābhe brāhmaṇe bhikkhū āmantesi:
“Suppose there was a bungalow or a hall with a peaked roof, with windows on the eastern side. When the sun rises and a ray of light enters through a window, where would it land?”
“seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, kūṭāgāre vā kūṭāgārasālāyaṁ vā pācīnavātapānā sūriye uggacchante vātapānena rasmi pavisitvā kvāssa patiṭṭhitā”ti?
“On the western wall, sir.”
“Pacchimāyaṁ, bhante, bhittiyan”ti.
“In the same way, the brahmin Uṇṇābha’s faith in the Realized One is settled, rooted, and planted deep. It’s strong and can’t be shifted by any ascetic or brahmin or god or Māra or Brahmā or by anyone in the world.
“Evameva kho, bhikkhave, uṇṇābhassa brāhmaṇassa tathāgate saddhā niviṭṭhā mūlajātā patiṭṭhitā daḷhā asaṁhāriyā samaṇena vā brāhmaṇena vā devena vā mārena vā brahmunā vā kenaci vā lokasmiṁ.
If he were to pass away at this time, he would be bound by no fetter that might return him to this world.”
Imamhi ce, bhikkhave, samaye uṇṇābho brāhmaṇo kālaṁ kareyya, natthi taṁ saṁyojanaṁ yena saṁyojanena saṁyutto uṇṇābho brāhmaṇo puna imaṁ lokaṁ āgaccheyyā”ti.