With AnurādhaAnurādhasutta

At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof.Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā vesāliyaṁ viharati mahāvane kūṭāgārasālāyaṁ. Now at that time Venerable Anurādha was staying not far from the Buddha in a wilderness hut.Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā anurādho bhagavato avidūre araññakuṭikāyaṁ viharati. Then several wanderers of other religions went up to Venerable Anurādha and exchanged greetings with him.Atha kho sambahulā aññatitthiyā paribbājakā yenāyasmā anurādho tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā anurādhena saddhiṁ sammodiṁsu. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, they sat down to one side and said to him:Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te aññatitthiyā paribbājakā āyasmantaṁ anurādhaṁ etadavocuṁ:

“Reverend Anurādha, when a Realized One is describing a realized one—a supreme person, highest of people, who has reached the highest point—they describe them in these four ways:“yo so, āvuso anurādha, tathāgato uttamapuriso paramapuriso paramapattipatto, taṁ tathāgato imesu catūsu ṭhānesu paññāpayamāno paññāpeti: After death, a realized one still exists, or no longer exists, or both still exists and no longer exists, or neither still exists nor no longer exists.”‘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?

When they said this, Venerable Anurādha said to those wanderers:Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā anurādho te aññatitthiye paribbājake etadavoca:

“Reverends, when a Realized One is describing a realized one—a supreme person, highest of people, who has reached the highest point—they describe them other than these four ways:“yo so āvuso tathāgato uttamapuriso paramapuriso paramapattipatto taṁ tathāgato aññatra imehi catūhi ṭhānehi paññāpayamāno paññāpeti: After death, a realized one still exists, or no longer exists, or both still exists and no longer exists, or neither still exists nor no longer exists.”‘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. When he said this, the wanderers said to him:Evaṁ vutte, aññatitthiyā paribbājakā āyasmantaṁ anurādhaṁ etadavocuṁ:

“This mendicant must be junior, recently gone forth, or else a foolish, incompetent senior mendicant.”“so cāyaṁ bhikkhu navo bhavissati acirapabbajito, thero vā pana bālo abyatto”ti. Then, after rebuking Venerable Anurādha by calling him “junior” and “foolish”, the wanderers rose from their seats and left.Atha kho aññatitthiyā paribbājakā āyasmantaṁ anurādhaṁ navavādena ca bālavādena ca apasādetvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkamiṁsu.

Soon after they had left, Anurādha thought:Atha kho āyasmato anurādhassa acirapakkantesu tesu aññatitthiyesu paribbājakesu etadahosi:

“If those wanderers were to inquire further,“sace kho maṁ te aññatitthiyā paribbājakā uttariṁ pañhaṁ puccheyyuṁ. how should I answer them so as to repeat what the Buddha has said, and not misrepresent him with an untruth? How should I explain in line with his teaching, so that there would be no legitimate grounds for rebuttal and criticism?”Kathaṁ byākaramāno nu khvāhaṁ tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ vuttavādī ceva bhagavato assaṁ, na ca bhagavantaṁ abhūtena abbhācikkheyyaṁ, dhammassa cānudhammaṁ byākareyyaṁ, na ca koci sahadhammiko vādānuvādo gārayhaṁ ṭhānaṁ āgaccheyyā”ti?

Then Venerable Anurādha went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him all that had happened.Atha kho āyasmā anurādho yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā …pe… ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā anurādho bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“What do you think, Anurādha?“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, anurādha, Is form permanent or impermanent?”rūpaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?

“Impermanent, sir.”“Aniccaṁ, bhante”.

“But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?”“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vā taṁ sukhaṁ vā”ti?

“Suffering, sir.”“Dukkhaṁ, bhante”.

“But if it’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus:“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’”ti?

“No, sir.”“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“Is feeling …” …“Vedanā … “… perception …” …saññā … “… choices …” …saṅkhārā … “Is consciousness permanent or impermanent?”viññāṇaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?

“Impermanent, sir.” …“Aniccaṁ, bhante” …pe… “So you should truly see …tasmātiha …pe… Seeing this …evaṁ passaṁ …pe… They understand: ‘… there is nothing further for this place.’nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānāti”.

What do you think, Anurādha?“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, anurādha, Do you consider that the label ‘realized one’ applies to form?”rūpaṁ tathāgatoti samanupassasī”ti?

“No, sir.”“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“Do you consider that the label ‘realized one’ applies to feeling?” …“Vedanaṁ … “… perception?” …saññaṁ … “… choices?” …saṅkhāre … “… consciousness?”viññāṇaṁ tathāgatoti samanupassasī”ti?

“No, sir.”“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“What do you think, Anurādha?“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, anurādha, Do you consider that the label ‘realized one’ applies in relation to form?”rūpasmiṁ tathāgatoti samanupassasī”ti?

“No, sir.”“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“Do you consider that the label ‘realized one’ applies apart from form?”“Aññatra rūpā tathāgatoti samanupassasī”ti?

“No, sir.”“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“Do you consider that the label ‘realized one’ applies in relation to feeling?” …“Vedanāya …pe… “… apart from feeling?” …aññatra vedanāya …pe… “… in relation to perception?” …saññāya … “… apart from perception?” …aññatra saññāya … “… in relation to choices?” …saṅkhāresu … “… apart from choices?” …aññatra saṅkhārehi … “… in relation to consciousness?” …viññāṇasmiṁ … “… apart from consciousness?”aññatra viññāṇā tathāgatoti samanupassasī”ti?

“No, sir.”“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“What do you think, Anurādha?“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, anurādha, Do you consider that the label ‘realized one’ applies to one who has form?” … “… feeling?” … “… perception?” … “… choices?” … “… consciousness?”rūpaṁ … vedanā … saññā … saṅkhārā … viññāṇaṁ tathāgatoti samanupassasī”ti?

“No, sir.”“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“What do you think, Anurādha?“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, anurādha, Do you consider that the label ‘realized one’ applies to that one who is without form?” … “… feeling?” … “… perception?” … “… choices?” … “… consciousness?”ayaṁ so arūpī … avedano … asaññī … asaṅkhāro … aviññāṇo tathāgatoti samanupassasī”ti?

“No, sir.”“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“In that case, Anurādha, since a realized one is not found by you as a genuine fact in this very life, is it cogent for you to declare:“Ettha ca te, anurādha, diṭṭheva dhamme saccato thetato tathāgate anupalabbhiyamāne kallaṁ nu te taṁ veyyākaraṇaṁ: ‘Reverends, when a Realized One is describing a realized one—a supreme person, highest of people, who has reached the highest point—they describe them other than these four ways:‘yo so, āvuso, tathāgato uttamapuriso paramapuriso paramapattipatto taṁ tathāgato aññatra imehi catūhi ṭhānehi paññāpayamāno paññāpeti— After death, a realized one still exists, or no longer exists, or both still exists and no longer exists, or neither still exists nor no longer exists’?”hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇāti vā … na hoti … hoti ca na ca hoti … neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇāti vā’”ti?

“No, sir.”“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“Good, good, Anurādha!“Sādhu sādhu, anurādha. In the past, as today, what I describe is suffering and the cessation of suffering.”Pubbe cāhaṁ, anurādha, etarahi ca dukkhañceva paññapemi, dukkhassa ca nirodhan”ti.