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Udana » Context of this sutta
- Udana VI.4
- Tittha Sutta
- Various Sectarians (1)
- Translated from the Pali by John D. Ireland
For free distribution only,
by arrangement with the Buddhist Publication Society
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Thus have I heard. At one time the Lord was staying near Savatthi in the Jeta Wood at
Anathapindika's monastery. At that time there were a number of recluses and brahmins,
wanderers of various sects, living around Savatthi. And they were of various views, of
various beliefs, of various opinions, and they relied for their support on their various
views. There were some recluses and brahmins who asserted and held this view: "The
world is eternal; only this is true, any other (view) is false." There were some
recluses and brahmins who asserted: "The world is not eternal; only this is true, any
other (view) is false." There were some who asserted: "The world is finite ...
The world is infinite ... The life-principle and the body are the same ... The
life-principle and the body are different ... The Tathagata exists beyond death ... The
Tathagata does not exist beyond death ... The Tathagata both exists and does not exist
beyond death; The Tathagata neither exists nor does not exist beyond death; only this is
true, any other (view) is false." And they lived quarrelsome, disputatious, and
wrangling, wounding each other with verbal darts, saying: "Dhamma is like this,
Dhamma is not like that! Dhamma is not like this, Dhamma is like that!"
Then a number of bhikkhus, having put on their robes in the forenoon and taken their
bowls and outer cloaks, entered Savatthi for almsfood. Having walked in Savatthi for
almsfood and returned after the meal, they approached the Lord, prostrated themselves, sat
down to one side, and said to the Lord: "At present, revered sir, there are a number
of recluses and brahmins, wanderers of various sects, living around Savatthi. And they are
of various views ... saying: 'Dhamma is like this!... Dhamma is like that!'"
"The wanderers of other sects, bhikkhus, are blind, unseeing. They do not know
what is beneficial, they do not know what is harmful. They do not know what is Dhamma,
they do not know what is not Dhamma. Not knowing what is beneficial and what is harmful,
not knowing what is Dhamma and what is not Dhamma, they are quarrelsome ... saying:
'Dhamma is like this!... Dhamma is like that!'
"Formerly, bhikkhus, there was a certain king in this very Savatthi. And that king
addressed a man: 'Come now, my good man, bring together all those persons in Savatthi who
have been blind from birth.'
"'Yes, your majesty,' that man replied, and after detaining all the blind people
in Savatthi, he approached the king and said, 'All the blind people in Savatthi have been
brought together, your majesty.'
"'Now, my man, show the blind people an elephant.'
"'Very well, your majesty,' the man replied to the king, and he presented an
elephant to the blind people, saying, 'This, blind people, is an elephant.'
"To some of the blind people he presented the head of the elephant, saying, 'This
is an elephant.' To some he presented an ear of the elephant, saying, 'This is an
elephant.' To some he presented a tusk ... the trunk ... the body ... the foot ... the
hindquarters ... the tail ... the tuft at the end of the tail, saying, 'This is an
elephant.'
"Then, bhikkhus, the man, having shown the elephant to the blind people, went to
the king and said, 'The blind people have been shown the elephant, your majesty. Do now
what you think is suitable.' Then the king approached those blind people and said, 'Have
you been shown the elephant?'
"'Yes, your majesty, we have been shown the elephant.'
"'Tell me, blind people, what is an elephant like?'
"Those blind people who had been shown the head of the elephant replied, 'An
elephant, your majesty, is just like a water jar.' Those blind people who had been shown
the ear of the elephant replied. "An elephant, your majesty, is just like a winnowing
basket.' Those blind people who had been shown the tusk of the elephant replied, 'An
elephant, your majesty, is just like a ploughshare.' Those blind people who had been shown
the trunk replied, 'An elephant, your majesty, is just like a plough pole.' Those blind
people who had been shown the body replied, 'An elephant, your majesty, is just like a
storeroom.' Those blind people who had been shown the foot replied, 'An elephant, your
majesty, is just like a post.' Those blind people who had been shown the hindquarters
replied, 'An elephant, your majesty, is just like a mortar.' Those blind people who had
been shown the tail replied, 'An elephant, your majesty, is just like a pestle.' Those
blind people who had been shown the tuft at the end of the tail replied, 'An elephant,
your majesty, is just like a broom.'
"Saying 'An elephant is like this, an elephant is not like that! An elephant is
not like this, an elephant is like that!' they fought each other with their fists. And the
king was delighted (with the spectacle).
"Even so, bhikkhus, are those wanderers of various sects blind, unseeing ...
saying, "Dhamma is like this!... Dhamma is like that!'"
Then, on realizing its significance, the Lord uttered on that occasion this inspired
utterance:
Some recluses and brahmins, so called,
Are deeply attached to their own views;
People who only see one side of things
Engage in quarrels and disputes.