SN 45-56 The Group of Connected Discourses on the Path – Mahāvaggasaṁyutta > SN 51 Linked Discourses on the Bases of Psychic Power – Iddhipādasaṁyutta > SN 51.15 The Brahmin Uṇṇābha

Linked Discourses 51.15 – Saṁyutta Nikāya 51.15

2. Shaking the Stilt Longhouse – 2. Pāsādakampanavagga

SN 51.15 The Brahmin Uṇṇābha – Uṇṇābhabrāhmaṇasutta

So I have heard.

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—

At one time Venerable Ānanda was staying near Kosambi, in Ghosita’s Monastery.

ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā ānando kosambiyaṁ viharati ghositārāme.

Then Uṇṇābha the brahmin went up to Venerable Ānanda, and exchanged greetings with him.

Atha kho uṇṇābho brāhmaṇo yenāyasmā ānando tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā ānandena saddhiṁ sammodi.

When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to him,

Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho uṇṇābho brāhmaṇo āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ etadavoca:

“Master Ānanda, what’s the purpose of leading the spiritual life under the ascetic Gotama?”

“kimatthiyaṁ nu kho, bho ānanda, samaṇe gotame brahmacariyaṁ vussatī”ti?

“The purpose of leading the spiritual life under the Buddha, brahmin, is to give up desire.”

“Chandappahānatthaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa, bhagavati brahmacariyaṁ vussatī”ti.

“But is there a path and a practice for giving up that desire?”

“Atthi pana, bho ānanda, maggo atthi paṭipadā etassa chandassa pahānāyā”ti?

“There is.”

“Atthi kho, brāhmaṇa, maggo, atthi paṭipadā etassa chandassa pahānāyā”ti.

“What is that path?”

“Katamo pana, bho ānanda, maggo katamā paṭipadā etassa chandassa pahānāyā”ti?

“It’s when a bhikkhu develops the basis of psychic power that has samādhi due to enthusiasm …

“Idha, brāhmaṇa, bhikkhu chandasamādhippadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ iddhipādaṁ bhāveti,

energy …

vīriyasamādhi …pe…

mental development …

cittasamādhi …

inquiry, and active effort.

vīmaṁsāsamādhippadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgataṁ iddhipādaṁ bhāveti—

This is the path and the practice for giving up that desire.”

ayaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa, maggo ayaṁ paṭipadā etassa chandassa pahānāyā”ti.

“This being the case, Master Ānanda, the path is endless, not finite.

“Evaṁ sante, bho ānanda, santakaṁ hoti no asantakaṁ.

For it’s not possible to give up desire by means of desire.”

Chandeneva chandaṁ pajahissatīti—netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati”.

“Well then, brahmin, I’ll ask you about this in return, and you can answer as you like.

“Tena hi, brāhmaṇa, taññevettha paṭipucchissāmi. Yathā te khameyya tathā taṁ byākareyyāsi.

What do you think, brahmin?

Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, brāhmaṇa,

Have you ever had a desire to walk to the park,

ahosi te pubbe chando ‘ārāmaṁ gamissāmī’ti?

but when you arrived at the park, the corresponding desire faded away?”

Tassa te ārāmagatassa yo tajjo chando so paṭippassaddho”ti?

“Yes, sir.”

“Evaṁ, bho”.

“Have you ever had the energy to walk to the park,

“Ahosi te pubbe vīriyaṁ ‘ārāmaṁ gamissāmī’ti?

but when you arrived at the park, the corresponding energy faded away?”

Tassa te ārāmagatassa yaṁ tajjaṁ vīriyaṁ taṁ paṭippassaddhan”ti?

“Yes, sir.”

“Evaṁ, bho”.

“Have you ever had the idea to walk to the park,

“Ahosi te pubbe cittaṁ ‘ārāmaṁ gamissāmī’ti?

but when you arrived at the park, the corresponding idea faded away?”

Tassa te ārāmagatassa yaṁ tajjaṁ cittaṁ taṁ paṭippassaddhan”ti?

“Yes, sir.”

“Evaṁ, bho”.

“Have you ever inquired regarding a walk to the park,

“Ahosi te pubbe vīmaṁsā ‘ārāmaṁ gamissāmī’ti?

but when you arrived at the park, the corresponding inquiry faded away?”

Tassa te ārāmagatassa yā tajjā vīmaṁsā sā paṭippassaddhā”ti?

“Yes, sir.”

“Evaṁ, bho”.

“In the same way, take a bhikkhu who is perfected—with defilements ended, who has completed the spiritual journey, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, achieved their own true goal, utterly ended the fetters of rebirth, and is rightly freed through enlightenment. They formerly had the desire to attain perfection, but when they attained perfection the corresponding desire faded away.

“Evameva kho, brāhmaṇa, yo so bhikkhu arahaṁ khīṇāsavo vusitavā katakaraṇīyo ohitabhāro anuppattasadattho parikkhīṇabhavasaṁyojano sammadaññāvimutto, tassa yo pubbe chando ahosi arahattappattiyā, arahattappatte yo tajjo chando so paṭippassaddho;

They formerly had the energy to attain perfection, but when they attained perfection the corresponding energy faded away.

yaṁ pubbe vīriyaṁ ahosi arahattappattiyā, arahattappatte yaṁ tajjaṁ vīriyaṁ taṁ paṭippassaddhaṁ;

They formerly had the idea to attain perfection, but when they attained perfection the corresponding idea faded away.

yaṁ pubbe cittaṁ ahosi arahattappattiyā, arahattappatte yaṁ tajjaṁ cittaṁ taṁ paṭippassaddhaṁ;

They formerly inquired regarding attaining perfection, but when they attained perfection the corresponding inquiry faded away.

yā pubbe vīmaṁsā ahosi arahattappattiyā, arahattappatte yā tajjā vīmaṁsā sā paṭippassaddhā.

What do you think, brahmin?

Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, brāhmaṇa,

This being the case, is the path endless or finite?”

iti evaṁ sante, santakaṁ vā hoti no asantakaṁ vā”ti?

“Clearly, Master Ānanda, this being the case, the path is finite, not endless.

“Addhā, bho ānanda, evaṁ sante, santakaṁ hoti no asantakaṁ.

Excellent, Master Ānanda! Excellent!

Abhikkantaṁ, bho ānanda, abhikkantaṁ, bho ānanda.

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 Ānanda has made the teaching clear in many ways.

Seyyathāpi, bho ānanda, nikkujjitaṁ vā ukkujjeyya, paṭicchannaṁ vā vivareyya, mūḷhassa vā maggaṁ ācikkheyya, andhakāre vā telapajjotaṁ dhāreyya: ‘cakkhumanto rūpāni dakkhantī’ti; evamevaṁ bhotā ānandena anekapariyāyena dhammo pakāsito.

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

Esāhaṁ, bho ānanda, taṁ bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi dhammañca bhikkhusaṅghañca.

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

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