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- Samyutta Nikaya XXXVI.21
- Moliyasivaka Sutta
- To Sivaka
- Translated from the Pali by Nyanaponika Thera
- For free distribution only,
by arrangement with the Buddhist Publication Society
- From Contemplation of Feeling: The Discourse-grouping on the Feelings (WH 303),
translated from the Pali by Nyanaponika Thera (Kandy: Buddhist Publication Society, 1983).
Once the Blessed One dwelled at Rajagaha in the Bamboo-Grove Monastery, at the
Squirrel's Feeding Place. There a wandering ascetic, Moliya Sivaka by name, called on the
Blessed One, and after an exchange of courteous and friendly words, sat down at one side.
Thus seated, he said:
"There are, revered Gotama, some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and
view: 'Whatever a person experiences, be it pleasure, pain or neither-pain-nor-pleasure,
all that is caused by previous action.' Now, what does the revered Gotama say about
this?"
"Produced by (disorders of the) bile, there arise, Sivaka, certain kinds of
feelings. That this happens, can be known by oneself; also in the world it is accepted as
true. Produced by (disorders of the) phlegm...of wind...of (the three) combined...by
change of climate...by adverse behavior...by injuries...by the results of Kamma --
(through all that), Sivaka, there arise certain kinds of feelings. That this happens can
be known by oneself; also in the world it is accepted as true.
"Now when these ascetics and brahmins have such a doctrine and view that 'whatever
a person experiences, be it pleasure, pain or neither-pain-nor-pleasure, all that is
caused by previous action,' then they go beyond what they know by themselves and what is
accepted as true by the world. Therefore, I say that this is wrong on the part of these
ascetics and brahmins."
When this was spoken, Moliya Sivaka, the wandering ascetic, said:
"It is excellent, revered Gotama, it is excellent indeed!...May the revered Gotama
regard me as a lay follower who, from today, has taken refuge in him as long as life
lasts."