{"collection":"Digha Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_dn6/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_dn6","id":"suttacentral_dn6","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/dn6/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Digha Nikaya","Early Buddhist Texts"],"text":"1. On the Brahmin Emissaries So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Ves\u0101l\u012b, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof. Now at that time several brahmin emissaries from Kosala and Magadha were residing in Ves\u0101l\u012b on some business. They heard: \u201cIt seems the ascetic Gotama\u2014a Sakyan, gone forth from a Sakyan family\u2014is staying near Ves\u0101l\u012b, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof. He has this good reputation: \u2018That Blessed One is perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those fit for training, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed.\u2019 He has realized with his own insight this world\u2014with its gods, M\u0101ras, and divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, gods and humans\u2014and he makes it known to others. He teaches Dhamma that\u2019s good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased. And he reveals a spiritual practice that\u2019s entirely full and pure. It\u2019s good to see such perfected ones.\u201d Then they went to the hall with the peaked roof in the Great Wood to see the Buddha. Now, at that time Venerable N\u0101gita was the Buddha\u2019s attendant. The brahmin emissaries went up to him and said, \u201cWorthy N\u0101gita, where is the worthy Gotama at present? For we want to see him.\u201d \u201cIt\u2019s the wrong time to see the Buddha; he is on retreat.\u201d So right there the brahmin emissaries sat down to one side, thinking, \u201cWe\u2019ll go only after we\u2019ve seen the worthy Gotama.\u201d 2. On O\u1e6d\u1e6dhaddha the Licchavi O\u1e6d\u1e6dhaddha the Licchavi together with a large assembly of Licchavis also approached N\u0101gita at the hall with the peaked roof. He bowed, stood to one side, and said to N\u0101gita, \u201cHonorable N\u0101gita, where is the Blessed One at present, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha? For we want to see him.\u201d \u201cIt\u2019s the wrong time to see the Buddha; he is on retreat.\u201d So right there O\u1e6d\u1e6dhaddha also sat down to one side, thinking, \u201cI\u2019ll go only after I\u2019ve seen the Blessed One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha.\u201d Then the novice S\u012bha approached N\u0101gita. He bowed, stood to one side, and said to N\u0101gita, \u201cHonorable Kassapa, these several brahmin emissaries from Kosala and Magadha, and also O\u1e6d\u1e6dhaddha the Licchavi together with a large assembly of Licchavis, have come here to see the Buddha. It\u2019d be good if these people got to see the Buddha.\u201d \u201cWell then, S\u012bha, tell the Buddha yourself.\u201d \u201cYes, sir,\u201d replied S\u012bha. He went to the Buddha, bowed, stood to one side, and told him of the people waiting to see him, adding: \u201cSir, it\u2019d be good if these people got to see the Buddha.\u201d \u201cWell then, S\u012bha, spread out a seat in the shade of the dwelling.\u201d \u201cYes, sir,\u201d replied S\u012bha, and he did so. Then the Buddha left his dwelling and sat in the shade of the dwelling on the seat spread out. Then the brahmin emissaries went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, they sat down to one side. O\u1e6d\u1e6dhaddha the Licchavi together with a large assembly of Licchavis also went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. O\u1e6d\u1e6dhaddha said to the Buddha, \u201cSir, a few days ago Sunakkhatta the Licchavi came to me and said: \u2018Mah\u0101li, soon I will have been living in dependence on the Buddha for three years. I see heavenly sights that are pleasant, sensual, and arousing, but I don\u2019t hear heavenly sounds that are pleasant, sensual, and arousing.\u2019 The heavenly sounds that Sunakkhatta cannot hear: do such sounds really exist or not?\u201d 2.1. One-Sided Immersion \u201cSuch sounds really do exist, but Sunakkhatta cannot hear them.\u201d \u201cWhat is the cause, sir, what is the reason why Sunakkhatta cannot hear them, even though they really do exist?\u201d \u201cMah\u0101li, take a mendicant who has developed immersion to the eastern quarter in one aspect: so as to see heavenly sights but not to hear heavenly sounds. When they have developed immersion for that purpose, they see heavenly sights but don\u2019t hear heavenly sounds. Why is that? Because that is how it is for a mendicant who develops immersion in that way. Furthermore, take a mendicant who has developed immersion to the southern quarter in one aspect \u2026 western quarter \u2026 northern quarter \u2026 above, below, across \u2026 That is how it is for a mendicant who develops immersion in that way. Take a mendicant who has developed immersion to the eastern quarter in one aspect: so as to hear heavenly sounds but not to see heavenly sights. When they have developed immersion for that purpose, they hear heavenly sounds but don\u2019t see heavenly sights. Why is that? Because that is how it is for a mendicant who develops immersion in that way. Furthermore, take a mendicant who has developed immersion to the southern quarter in one aspect \u2026 western quarter \u2026 northern quarter \u2026 above, below, across \u2026 That is how it is for a mendicant who develops immersion in that way. Take a mendicant who has developed immersion to the eastern quarter in both aspects: so as to hear heavenly sounds and see heavenly sights. When they have developed immersion for that purpose, they see heavenly sights and hear heavenly sounds. Why is that? Because that is how it is for a mendicant who develops immersion in that way. Furthermore, take a mendicant who has developed immersion to the southern quarter in both aspects \u2026 western quarter \u2026 northern quarter \u2026 above, below, across \u2026 That is how it is for a mendicant who develops immersion in that way. This is the cause, Mah\u0101li, this is the reason why Sunakkhatta cannot hear heavenly sounds that are pleasant, sensual, and arousing, even though they really do exist.\u201d \u201cSurely the mendicants must lead the spiritual life under the Buddha for the sake of realizing such a development of immersion?\u201d \u201cNo, Mah\u0101li, the mendicants don\u2019t lead the spiritual life under me for the sake of realizing such a development of immersion. There are other things that are finer, for the sake of which the mendicants lead the spiritual life under me.\u201d 2.2. The Four Noble Fruits \u201cBut sir, what are those finer things?\u201d \u201cFirstly, Mah\u0101li, with the ending of three fetters a mendicant is a stream-enterer, not liable to be reborn in the underworld, assured, destined for awakening. This is one of the finer things for the sake of which the mendicants lead the spiritual life under me. Furthermore, a mendicant\u2014with the ending of three fetters, and the weakening of greed, hate, and delusion\u2014is a once-returner. They come back to this world once only, then make an end of suffering. This too is one of the finer things. Furthermore, with the ending of the five lower fetters, a mendicant is reborn spontaneously and will become extinguished there, not liable to return from that world. This too is one of the finer things. Furthermore, a mendicant has realized the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom, and lives having realized it with their own insight in this very life due to the ending of defilements. This too is one of the finer things. These are the finer things, for the sake of which the mendicants lead the spiritual life under me.\u201d 2.3. The Noble Eightfold Path \u201cBut, sir, is there a path and a practice for realizing these things?\u201d \u201cThere is, Mah\u0101li.\u201d \u201cWell, what is it?\u201d \u201cIt is simply this noble eightfold path, that is: right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion. This is the path and the practice for realizing these things. 2.4. On the Two Renunciates This one time, Mah\u0101li, I was staying near Kosamb\u012b in Ghosita\u2019s monastery. Then two renunciates\u2014 the wanderer Mu\u1e47\u1e0diya and J\u0101liya, the pupil of the wood-bowl ascetic\u2014came and exchanged greetings with me. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, they stood to one side and said to me: \u2018Reverend Gotama, are the soul and the body one and the same, or is the soul one thing, the body another?\u2019 \u2018Well then, reverends, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.\u2019 \u2018Yes, reverend,\u2019 they replied. I said this: \u2018Take the case when a Realized One arises in the world, perfected, a fully awakened Buddha \u2026 That\u2019s how a mendicant is accomplished in ethics. \u2026 They enter and remain in the first absorption. When a mendicant knows and sees like this, would it be appropriate to say of them: \u201cThe soul and the body are one and the same\u201d or \u201cThe soul is one thing, the body another\u201d?\u2019 \u2018It would, reverend.\u2019 \u2018But reverends, I know and see like this. Nevertheless, I do not say: \u201cThe soul and the body are one and the same\u201d or \u201cThe soul and the body are different things\u201d. \u2026 They enter and remain in the second absorption \u2026 third absorption \u2026 fourth absorption. When a mendicant knows and sees like this, would it be appropriate to say of them: \u201cThe soul and the body are one and the same\u201d or \u201cThe soul is one thing, the body another\u201d?\u2019 \u2018It would, reverend.\u2019 \u2018But reverends, I know and see like this. Nevertheless, I do not say: \u201cThe soul and the body are one and the same\u201d or \u201cThe soul is one thing, the body another\u201d. \u2026 They project and extend the mind toward knowledge and vision \u2026 When a mendicant knows and sees like this, would it be appropriate to say of them: \u201cThe soul and the body are one and the same\u201d or \u201cThe soul is one thing, the body another\u201d?\u2019 \u2018It would, reverend.\u2019 \u2018But reverends, I know and see like this. Nevertheless, I do not say: \u201cThe soul and the body are one and the same\u201d or \u201cThe soul is one thing, the body another\u201d. \u2026 They understand: \u201c\u2026 there is nothing further for this place.\u201d When a mendicant knows and sees like this, would it be appropriate to say of them: \u201cThe soul and the body are one and the same\u201d or \u201cThe soul is one thing, the body another\u201d?\u2019 \u2018It would not, reverend.\u2019 \u2018But reverends, I know and see like this. Nevertheless, I do not say: \u201cThe soul and the body are one and the same\u201d or \u201cThe soul is one thing, the body another\u201d.\u2019\u201d That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, O\u1e6d\u1e6dhaddha the Licchavi approved what the Buddha said.","title":"With Mah\u0101li","tradition":"Digha Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":1758}