Tipitaka » Sutta
Pitaka » Majjhima Nikaya » Context
of this sutta
- Majjhima Nikaya 63
- Cula-Malunkyovada Sutta
- The Shorter Instructions to Malunkya
- For free distribution only, as a gift of Dhamma
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Savatthi
at Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's monastery. Then, as Ven.
Malunkyaputta was alone in seclusion, this train of thought arose in his awareness: "These positions that are undisclosed, set aside, discarded by the Blessed
One -- 'The cosmos is eternal,' 'The cosmos is not eternal,' 'The cosmos is finite,' 'The
cosmos is infinite,' 'The soul & the body are the same,' 'The soul is one thing and
the body another,' 'After death a Tathagata exists,' 'After death a Tathagata does not
exist,' 'After death a Tathagata both exists & does not exist,' 'After death a
Tathagata neither exists nor does not exist' -- I don't approve, I don't accept that the
Blessed One has not disclosed them to me. I'll go ask the Blessed One about this matter.
If he discloses to me that 'The cosmos is eternal,' that 'The cosmos is not eternal,' that
'The cosmos is finite,' that 'The cosmos is infinite,' that 'The soul & the body are
the same,' that 'The soul is one thing and the body another,' that 'After death a
Tathagata exists,' that 'After death a Tathagata does not exist,' that 'After death a
Tathagata both exists & does not exist,' or that 'After death a Tathagata neither
exists nor does not exist,' then I will live the holy life under him. If he does not
disclose to me that 'The cosmos is eternal,'...or that 'After death a Tathagata neither
exists nor does not exist,' then I will renounce the training and return to the lower
life."
Then, when it was evening, Ven. Malunkyaputta arose from seclusion and went to the
Blessed One. On arrival, having bowed down, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there he
said to the Blessed One, "Lord, just now, as I was alone in seclusion, this train of
thought arose in my awareness: 'These positions that are undisclosed, set aside, discarded
by the Blessed One...I don't approve, I don't accept that the Blessed One has not
disclosed them to me. I'll go ask the Blessed One about this matter. If he discloses to me
that "The cosmos is eternal,"...or that "After death a Tathagata neither
exists nor does not exist," then I will live the holy life under him. If he does not
disclose to me that "The cosmos is eternal,"...or that "After death a
Tathagata neither exists nor does not exist," then I will renounce the training and
return to the lower life.'
"Lord, if the Blessed One knows that 'The cosmos is eternal,' then may he disclose
to me that 'The cosmos is eternal.' If he knows that 'The cosmos is not eternal,' then may
he disclose to me that 'The cosmos is not eternal.' But if he doesn't know or see whether
the cosmos is eternal or not eternal, then, in one who is unknowing & unseeing, the
straightforward things is to admit, 'I don't know. I don't see.'...If he doesn't know or
see whether after death a Tathagata exists...does not exist...both exists & does not
exist...neither exists nor does not exist,' then, in one who is unknowing & unseeing,
the straightforward things is to admit, 'I don't know. I don't see.'"
"Malunkyaputta, did I ever say to you, 'Come, Malunkyaputta, live the holy life
under me, and I will disclose to you that 'The cosmos is eternal,' or 'The cosmos is not
eternal,' or 'The cosmos is finite,' or 'The cosmos is infinite,' or 'The soul & the
body are the same,' or 'The soul is one thing and the body another,' or 'After death a
Tathagata exists,' or 'After death a Tathagata does not exist,' or 'After death a
Tathagata both exists & does not exist,' or 'After death a Tathagata neither exists
nor does not exist'?"
"No, lord."
"And did you ever say to me, 'Lord, I will live the holy life under the Blessed
One and [in return] he will disclose to me that 'The cosmos is eternal,' or 'The cosmos is
not eternal,' or 'The cosmos is finite,' or 'The cosmos is infinite,' or 'The soul &
the body are the same,' or 'The soul is one thing and the body another,' or 'After death a
Tathagata exists,' or 'After death a Tathagata does not exist,' or 'After death a
Tathagata both exists & does not exist,' or 'After death a Tathagata neither exists
nor does not exist'?"
"No, lord."
"Then that being the case, foolish man, who are you to be claiming
grievances/making demands of anyone?
"Malunkyaputta, if anyone were to say, 'I won't live the holy life under the
Blessed One as long as he does not disclose to me that "The cosmos is
eternal,"...or that "After death a Tathagata neither exists nor does not
exist,"' the man would die and those things would still remain undisclosed by the
Tathagata.
"It's just as if a man were wounded with an arrow thickly
smeared with poison. His friends & companions, kinsmen & relatives would provide
him with a surgeon, and the man would say, 'I won't have this arrow removed until I know
whether the man who wounded me was a noble warrior, a priest, a merchant, or a worker.' He
would say, 'I won't have this arrow removed until I know the given name & clan name of
the man who wounded me...until I know whether he was tall, medium, or short...until I know
whether he was dark, ruddy-brown, or golden-colored...until I know his home village, town,
or city...until I know whether the bow with which I was wounded was a long bow or a
crossbow...until I know whether the bowstring with which I was wounded was fiber, bamboo
threads, sinew, hemp, or bark...until I know whether the shaft with which I was wounded
was wild or cultivated...until I know whether the feathers of the shaft with which I was
wounded were those of a vulture, a stork, a hawk, a peacock, or another bird...until I
know whether the shaft with which I was wounded was bound with the sinew of an ox, a water
buffalo, a langur, or a monkey.' He would say, 'I won't have this arrow removed until I
know whether the shaft with which I was wounded was that of a common arrow, a curved
arrow, a barbed, a calf-toothed, or an oleander arrow.' The man would die and those things
would still remain unknown to him.
"In the same way, if anyone were to say, 'I won't live the holy life under the
Blessed One as long as he does not disclose to me that 'The cosmos is eternal,'...or that
'After death a Tathagata neither exists nor does not exist,' the man would die and those
things would still remain undisclosed by the Tathagata.
"Malunkyaputta, it's not the case that when there is the view, 'The cosmos is
eternal,' there is the living of the holy life. And it's not the case that when there is
the view, 'The cosmos is not eternal,' there is the living of the holy life. When there is
the view, 'The cosmos is eternal,' and when there is the view, 'The cosmos is not
eternal,' there is still the birth, there is the aging, there is the death, there is the
sorrow, lamentation, pain, despair, & distress whose destruction I make known right in
the here & now.
"It's not the case that when there is the view, 'The cosmos is finite,' there is
the living of the holy life. And it's not the case that when there is the view, 'The
cosmos is infinite,' there is the living of the holy life. When there is the view, 'The
cosmos is finite,' and when there is the view, 'The cosmos is infinite,' there is still
the birth, there is the aging, there is the death, there is the sorrow, lamentation, pain,
despair, & distress whose destruction I make known right in the here & now.
"It's not the case that when there is the view, 'The soul & the body are the
same,' there is the living of the holy life. And it's not the case that when there is the
view, 'The soul is one thing and the body another,' there is the living of the holy life.
When there is the view, 'The soul & the body are the same,' and when there is the
view, 'The soul is one thing and the body another,' there is still the birth, there is the
aging, there is the death, there is the sorrow, lamentation, pain, despair, & distress
whose destruction I make known right in the here & now.
"It's not the case that when there is the view, 'After death a Tathagata exists,'
there is the living of the holy life. And it's not the case that when there is the view,
'After death a Tathagata does not exist,' there is the living of the holy life. And it's
not the case that when there is the view, 'After death a Tathagata both exists & does
not exist,' there is the living of the holy life. And it's not the case that when there is
the view, 'After death a Tathagata neither exists nor does not exist' there is the living
of the holy life. When there is the view, 'After death a Tathagata exists'...'After death
a Tathagata does not exist'...'After death a Tathagata both exists & does not
exist'...'After death a Tathagata neither exists nor does not exist,' there is still the
birth, there is the aging, there is the death, there is the sorrow, lamentation, pain,
despair, & distress whose destruction I make known right in the here & now.
"So, Malunkyaputta, remember what is undisclosed by me as undisclosed, and what is
disclosed by me as disclosed. And what is undisclosed by me? 'The cosmos is eternal,' is
undisclosed by me. 'The cosmos is not eternal,' is undisclosed by me. 'The cosmos is
finite'...'The cosmos is infinite'...'The soul & the body are the same'...'The soul is
one thing and the body another'...'After death a Tathagata exists'...'After death a
Tathagata does not exist'...'After death a Tathagata both exists & does not
exist'...'After death a Tathagata neither exists nor does not exist,' is undisclosed by
me.
"And why are they undisclosed by me? Because they are not connected with the goal,
are not fundamental to the holy life. They do not lead to disenchantment, dispassion,
cessation, calming, direct knowledge, self-awakening, Unbinding. That's why they are
undisclosed by me.
"And what is disclosed by me? 'This is stress,' is disclosed by me. 'This is the
origination of stress,' is disclosed by me. 'This is the cessation of stress,' is
disclosed by me. 'This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress,' is
disclosed by me. And why are they disclosed by me? Because they are connected with the
goal, are fundamental to the holy life. They lead to disenchantment, dispassion,
cessation, calming, direct knowledge, self-awakening, Unbinding. That's why they are
disclosed by me.
"So, Malunkyaputta, remember what is undisclosed by me as undisclosed, and what is
disclosed by me as disclosed."
That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, Ven. Malunkyaputta delighted in the
Blessed One's words.