{"collection":"Majjhima Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_mn36/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_mn36","id":"suttacentral_mn36","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/mn36/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Early Buddhist Texts","Majjhima Nikaya"],"text":"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 in the morning the Buddha, being properly dressed, took his bowl and robe, wishing to enter Ves\u0101l\u012b for alms. Then as Saccaka, the son of Jain parents, was going for a walk he approached the hall with the peaked roof in the Great Wood. Venerable \u0100nanda saw him coming off in the distance, and said to the Buddha, \u201cSir, Saccaka, the son of Jain parents, is coming. He\u2019s a controversialist who pretends to be astute and is deemed holy by many people. He wants to discredit the Buddha, the teaching, and the Sa\u1e45gha. Please, sir, sit for an hour out of sympathy.\u201d The Buddha sat down on the seat spread out. Then Saccaka went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to the Buddha, \u201cWorthy Gotama, there are some ascetics and brahmins who live committed to the practice of developing physical endurance, without developing the mind. They suffer painful physical feelings. This happened to someone once. Their thighs became paralyzed, their heart burst, hot blood gushed from their mouth, and they went mad and lost their mind. Their mind was subject to the body, and the body had power over it. Why is that? Because their mind was not developed. There are some ascetics and brahmins who live committed to the practice of developing the mind, without developing physical endurance. They suffer painful mental feelings. This happened to someone once. Their thighs became paralyzed, their heart burst, hot blood gushed from their mouth, and they went mad and lost their mind. Their body was subject to the mind, and the mind had power over it. Why is that? Because their physical endurance was not developed. It occurs to me that The worthy Gotama\u2019s disciples must live committed to the practice of developing the mind, without developing physical endurance.\u201d \u201cBut Aggivessana, what have you heard about the development of physical endurance?\u201d \u201cTake, for example, Nanda Vaccha, Kisa Sa\u1e45kicca, and the bamboo-staffed ascetic Gos\u0101la. They go naked, ignoring conventions. They lick their hands, and don\u2019t come or wait when called. They don\u2019t consent to food brought to them, or food prepared on their behalf, or an invitation for a meal. They don\u2019t receive anything from a pot or bowl; or from someone who keeps sheep, or who has a weapon or a shovel in their home; or where a couple is eating; or where there is a woman who is pregnant, breastfeeding, or who lives with a man; or where there\u2019s a hound waiting or flies buzzing. They accept no fish or meat or beer or wine, and drink no fermented gruel. They go to just one house for alms, taking just one mouthful, or two houses and two mouthfuls, up to seven houses and seven mouthfuls. They feed on one saucer a day, two saucers a day, up to seven saucers a day. They eat once a day, once every second day, up to once a week, and so on, even up to once a fortnight. They live committed to the practice of eating food at set intervals.\u201d \u201cBut Aggivessana, do they get by on so little?\u201d \u201cNo, worthy Gotama. Sometimes they eat luxury fresh and cooked foods and drink a variety of luxury beverages. They gather their body\u2019s strength, build it up, and get fat.\u201d \u201cWhat they earlier gave up, they later got back. That is how there is the increase and decrease of this body. But Aggivessana, what have you heard about development of the mind?\u201d When Saccaka was questioned by the Buddha about development of the mind, he was stumped. So the Buddha said to Saccaka, \u201cThe development of physical endurance that you have described is not the legitimate development of physical endurance in the Noble One\u2019s training. And since you don\u2019t even understand the development of physical endurance, how can you possibly understand the development of the mind? Still, as to how someone is undeveloped in physical endurance and mind, and how someone is developed in physical endurance and mind, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.\u201d \u201cYes, worthy sir,\u201d replied Saccaka. The Buddha said this: \u201cAnd how is someone undeveloped in physical endurance and mind? Take an unlearned ordinary person who has a pleasant feeling. When they experience a pleasant feeling they become full of lust for it. Then that pleasant feeling ceases. And when it ceases, a painful feeling arises. When they suffer painful feeling, they sorrow and wail and lament, beating their breast and falling into confusion. Because their physical endurance is undeveloped, pleasant feelings occupy the mind. And because their mind is undeveloped, painful feelings occupy the mind. Anyone whose mind is occupied by both pleasant and painful feelings like this is undeveloped both in physical endurance and in mind. And how is someone developed in physical endurance and mind? Take a learned noble disciple who has a pleasant feeling. When they experience a pleasant feeling they don\u2019t become full of lust for it. Then that pleasant feeling ceases. And when it ceases, painful feeling arises. When they suffer painful feelings they don\u2019t sorrow or wail or lament, beating their breast and falling into confusion. Because their physical endurance is developed, pleasant feelings don\u2019t occupy the mind. And because their mind is developed, painful feelings don\u2019t occupy the mind. Anyone whose mind is not occupied by both pleasant and painful feelings like this is developed both in physical endurance and in mind.\u201d \u201cI am quite confident that the worthy Gotama is developed in physical endurance and in mind.\u201d \u201cYour words are clearly invasive and intrusive, Aggivessana. Nevertheless, I will answer you. Ever since I shaved off my hair and beard, dressed in ocher robes, and went forth from the lay life to homelessness, it has not been possible for any pleasant or painful feeling to occupy my mind.\u201d \u201cWorthy Gotama mustn\u2019t have experienced the kind of pleasant or painful feelings that would occupy the mind.\u201d \u201cHow could I not, Aggivessana? Before my awakening\u2014when I was still unawakened but intent on awakening\u2014I thought: \u2018Life at home is cramped and dirty, life gone forth is wide open. It\u2019s not easy for someone living at home to lead the spiritual life utterly full and pure, like a polished shell. Why don\u2019t I shave off my hair and beard, dress in ocher robes, and go forth from the lay life to homelessness?\u2019 Some time later, while still with pristine black hair, blessed with youth, in the prime of life\u2014though my mother and father wished otherwise, weeping with tearful faces\u2014I shaved off my hair and beard, dressed in ocher robes, and went forth from the lay life to homelessness. Once I had gone forth I set out to discover what is skillful, seeking the supreme state of sublime peace. I approached \u0100\u1e37\u0101ra K\u0101l\u0101ma and said to him, \u2018Reverend K\u0101l\u0101ma, I wish to lead the spiritual life in this teaching and training.\u2019 \u0100\u1e37\u0101ra K\u0101l\u0101ma replied, \u2018Stay, venerable. This teaching is such that a sensible person can soon realize their own denomination with their own insight and live having achieved it.\u2019 I quickly memorized that teaching. As far as lip-recital and verbal repetition went, I spoke the doctrine of knowledge, the elder doctrine. I claimed to know and see, and so did others. Then it occurred to me, \u2018It is not solely by mere faith that \u0100\u1e37\u0101ra K\u0101l\u0101ma declares: \u201cI realize this teaching with my own insight, and live having achieved it.\u201d Surely he meditates knowing and seeing this teaching.\u2019 So I approached \u0100\u1e37\u0101ra K\u0101l\u0101ma and said to him, \u2018Reverend K\u0101l\u0101ma, to what extent do you say you\u2019ve realized this teaching with your own insight?\u2019 When I said this, he declared the dimension of nothingness. Then it occurred to me, \u2018It\u2019s not just \u0100\u1e37\u0101ra K\u0101l\u0101ma who has faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom; I too have these things. Why don\u2019t I make an effort to realize the same teaching that \u0100\u1e37\u0101ra K\u0101l\u0101ma says he has realized with his own insight?\u2019 I quickly realized that teaching with my own insight, and lived having achieved it. So I approached \u0100\u1e37\u0101ra K\u0101l\u0101ma and said to him, \u2018Reverend K\u0101l\u0101ma, is it up to this point that you realized this teaching with your own insight, and declare having achieved it?\u2019 \u2018I have, reverend.\u2019 \u2018I too have realized this teaching with my own insight up to this point, and live having achieved it.\u2019 \u2018We are fortunate, reverend, so very fortunate to see a venerable such as yourself as one of our spiritual companions! So the teaching that I\u2019ve realized with my own insight, and declare having achieved it, you\u2019ve realized with your own insight, and dwell having achieved it. The teaching that you\u2019ve realized with your own insight, and dwell having achieved it, I\u2019ve realized with my own insight, and declare having achieved it. So the teaching that I know, you know, and the teaching you know, I know. I am like you and you are like me. Come now, reverend! We should both lead this community together.\u2019 And that is how my tutor \u0100\u1e37\u0101ra K\u0101l\u0101ma placed me, his pupil, on the same position as him, and honored me with high praise. Then it occurred to me, \u2018This teaching doesn\u2019t lead to disillusionment, dispassion, cessation, peace, insight, awakening, and extinguishment. It only leads as far as rebirth in the dimension of nothingness.\u2019 Realizing that this teaching was inadequate, I left disappointed. I set out to discover what is skillful, seeking the supreme state of sublime peace. I approached Uddaka son of R\u0101ma and said to him, \u2018Reverend, I wish to lead the spiritual life in this teaching and training.\u2019 Uddaka replied, \u2018Stay, venerable. This teaching is such that a sensible person can soon realize their own denomination with their own insight and live having achieved it.\u2019 I quickly memorized that teaching. As far as lip-recital and verbal repetition went, I spoke the doctrine of knowledge, the elder doctrine. I claimed to know and see, and so did others. Then it occurred to me, \u2018It is not solely by mere faith that R\u0101ma declared: \u201cI realize this teaching with my own insight, and live having achieved it.\u201d Surely he meditated knowing and seeing this teaching.\u2019 So I approached Uddaka son of R\u0101ma and said to him, \u2018Reverend, to what extent did R\u0101ma say he\u2019d realized this teaching with his own insight?\u2019 When I said this, Uddaka son of R\u0101ma declared the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. Then it occurred to me, \u2018It\u2019s not just R\u0101ma who had faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom; I too have these things. Why don\u2019t I make an effort to realize the same teaching that R\u0101ma said he had realized with his own insight?\u2019 I quickly realized that teaching with my own insight, and lived having achieved it. So I approached Uddaka son of R\u0101ma and said to him, \u2018Reverend, had R\u0101ma realized this teaching with his own insight up to this point, and declared having achieved it?\u2019 \u2018He had, reverend.\u2019 \u2018I too have realized this teaching with my own insight up to this point, and live having achieved it.\u2019 \u2018We are fortunate, reverend, so very fortunate to see a venerable such as yourself as one of our spiritual companions! So the teaching that R\u0101ma had realized with his own insight, and declared having achieved it, you\u2019ve realized with your own insight, and dwell having achieved it. The teaching that you\u2019ve realized with your own insight, and dwell having achieved it, R\u0101ma had realized with his own insight, and declared having achieved it. So the teaching that R\u0101ma directly knew, you know, and the teaching you know, R\u0101ma directly knew. R\u0101ma was like you and you are like R\u0101ma. Come now, reverend! You should lead this community.\u2019 And that is how my spiritual companion Uddaka son of R\u0101ma placed me in the position of a tutor and honored me with high praise. Then it occurred to me, \u2018This teaching doesn\u2019t lead to disillusionment, dispassion, cessation, peace, insight, awakening, and extinguishment. It only leads as far as rebirth in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.\u2019 Realizing that this teaching was inadequate, I left disappointed. I set out to discover what is skillful, seeking the supreme state of sublime peace. Traveling stage by stage in the Magadhan lands, I arrived at the town of Sen\u0101 in Uruvel\u0101. There I saw a delightful park, a lovely grove with a flowing river that was clean and charming, with smooth banks. And nearby was a village to resort to for alms. Then it occurred to me, \u2018This park is truly delightful, a lovely grove with a flowing river that\u2019s clean and charming, with smooth banks. And nearby there\u2019s a village to resort to for alms. This is good enough for striving for a gentleman wanting to strive.\u2019 So I sat down right there, thinking: \u2018This is good enough for striving.\u2019 And then these three similes, which were neither supernaturally inspired, nor learned before in the past, occurred to me. Suppose there was a green, sappy log, and it was lying in water. Then a person comes along with a drill-stick, thinking to light a fire and produce heat. What do you think, Aggivessana? By drilling the stick against that green, sappy log lying in water, could they light a fire and produce heat?\u201d \u201cNo, worthy Gotama. Why is that? Because it\u2019s a green, sappy log, and it\u2019s lying in the water. That person will eventually get weary and frustrated.\u201d \u201cIn the same way, there are ascetics and brahmins who don\u2019t live withdrawn in body and mind from sensual pleasures. They haven\u2019t internally given up or stilled desire, affection, infatuation, thirst, and passion for sensual pleasures. Regardless of whether or not they suffer painful, sharp, severe, acute feelings due to exertion, they are incapable of knowledge and vision, of supreme awakening. This was the first example that occurred to me. Then a second example occurred to me. Suppose there was a green, sappy log, and it was lying on dry land far from the water. Then a person comes along with a drill-stick, thinking to light a fire and produce heat. What do you think, Aggivessana? By drilling the stick against that green, sappy log on dry land far from water, could they light a fire and produce heat?\u201d \u201cNo, worthy Gotama. Why not? Because it\u2019s still a green, sappy log, despite the fact that it\u2019s lying on dry land far from water. That person will eventually get weary and frustrated.\u201d \u201cIn the same way, there are ascetics and brahmins who live withdrawn in body and mind from sensual pleasures. But they haven\u2019t internally given up or stilled desire, affection, infatuation, thirst, and passion for sensual pleasures. Regardless of whether or not they suffer painful, sharp, severe, acute feelings due to exertion, they are incapable of knowledge and vision, of supreme awakening. This was the second example that occurred to me. Then a third example occurred to me. Suppose there was a dried up, withered log, and it was lying on dry land far from the water. Then a person comes along with a drill-stick, thinking to light a fire and produce heat. What do you think, Aggivessana? By drilling the stick against that dried up, withered log on dry land far from water, could they light a fire and produce heat?\u201d \u201cYes, worthy Gotama. Why is that? Because it\u2019s a dried up, withered log, and it\u2019s lying on dry land far from water.\u201d \u201cIn the same way, there are ascetics and brahmins who live withdrawn in body and mind from sensual pleasures. And they have internally given up and stilled desire, affection, infatuation, thirst, and passion for sensual pleasures. Regardless of whether or not they suffer painful, sharp, severe, acute feelings due to exertion, they are capable of knowledge and vision, of supreme awakening. This was the third example that occurred to me. These are the three similes, which were neither supernaturally inspired, nor learned before in the past, that occurred to me. Then it occurred to me, \u2018Why don\u2019t I, with teeth clenched and tongue pressed against the roof of my mouth, squeeze, squash, and scorch mind with mind?\u2019 So that\u2019s what I did, until sweat ran from my armpits. It was like when a strong man grabs a weaker man by the head or throat or shoulder and squeezes, squashes, and crushes them. In the same way, with teeth clenched and tongue pressed against the roof of my mouth, I squeezed, squashed, and crushed mind with mind until sweat ran from my armpits. My energy was roused up and unflagging, and my mindfulness was established and lucid, but my body was disturbed, not tranquil, because I\u2019d pushed too hard with that painful striving. But even such painful feeling did not occupy my mind. Then it occurred to me, \u2018Why don\u2019t I practice the breathless absorption?\u2019 So I cut off my breathing through my mouth and nose. But then winds came out my ears making a loud noise, like the puffing of a blacksmith\u2019s bellows. My energy was roused up and unflagging, and my mindfulness was established and lucid, but my body was disturbed, not tranquil, because I\u2019d pushed too hard with that painful striving. But even such painful feeling did not occupy my mind. Then it occurred to me, \u2018Why don\u2019t I keep practicing the breathless absorption?\u2019 So I cut off my breathing through my mouth and nose and ears. But then strong winds ground my head, like a strong man was drilling into my head with a sharp point. My energy was roused up and unflagging, and my mindfulness was established and lucid, but my body was disturbed, not tranquil, because I\u2019d pushed too hard with that painful striving. But even such painful feeling did not occupy my mind. Then it occurred to me, \u2018Why don\u2019t I keep practicing the breathless absorption?\u2019 So I cut off my breathing through my mouth and nose and ears. But then I got a severe headache, like a strong man was tightening a strong leather strap around my head. My energy was roused up and unflagging, and my mindfulness was established and lucid, but my body was disturbed, not tranquil, because I\u2019d pushed too hard with that painful striving. But even such painful feeling did not occupy my mind. Then it occurred to me, \u2018Why don\u2019t I keep practicing the breathless absorption?\u2019 So I cut off my breathing through my mouth and nose and ears. But then strong winds carved up my belly, like a deft butcher or their apprentice was slicing my belly open with a sharp meat cleaver. My energy was roused up and unflagging, and my mindfulness was established and lucid, but my body was disturbed, not tranquil, because I\u2019d pushed too hard with that painful striving. But even such painful feeling did not occupy my mind. Then it occurred to me, \u2018Why don\u2019t I keep practicing the breathless absorption?\u2019 So I cut off my breathing through my mouth and nose and ears. But then there was a severe burning in my body, like two strong men grabbing a weaker man by the arms to burn and scorch him on a pit of glowing coals. My energy was roused up and unflagging, and my mindfulness was established and lucid, but my body was disturbed, not tranquil, because I\u2019d pushed too hard with that painful striving. But even such painful feeling did not occupy my mind. Then some deities saw me and said, \u2018The ascetic Gotama is dead.\u2019 Others said, \u2018He\u2019s not dead, but he\u2019s dying.\u2019 Others said, \u2018He\u2019s not dead or dying. The ascetic Gotama is a perfected one, for that is how the perfected ones live.\u2019 Then it occurred to me, \u2018Why don\u2019t I practice completely cutting off food?\u2019 But deities came to me and said, \u2018Good fellow, don\u2019t practice totally cutting off food. If you do, we\u2019ll infuse heavenly nectar into your pores and you will live on that.\u2019 Then it occurred to me, \u2018If I claim to be completely fasting while these deities are infusing heavenly nectar in my pores, that would be a lie on my part.\u2019 So I refused those deities, saying, \u2018There\u2019s no need.\u2019 Then it occurred to me, \u2018Why don\u2019t I just take a little bit of food each time, a handful of broth made from mung beans, horse gram, chickpeas, or green gram?\u2019 So that\u2019s what I did, until my body became severely emaciated. Due to eating so little, my major and minor limbs became like the joints of an eighty-year-old or a dying man, my bottom became like a camel\u2019s hoof, my vertebrae stuck out like beads on a string, and my ribs were as gaunt as the broken-down rafters on an old barn. Due to eating so little, the gleam of my eyes sank deep in their sockets, like the gleam of water sunk deep down a well. Due to eating so little, my scalp shriveled and withered like a green bitter-gourd in the wind and sun. Due to eating so little, the skin of my belly stuck to my backbone, so that when I tried to rub the skin of my belly I grabbed my backbone, and when I tried to rub my backbone I rubbed the skin of my belly. Due to eating so little, when I tried to urinate or defecate I fell face down right there. Due to eating so little, when I tried to relieve my body by rubbing my limbs with my hands, the hair, rotted at its roots, fell out. Then some people saw me and said: \u2018The ascetic Gotama is black.\u2019 Some said: \u2018He\u2019s not black, he\u2019s brown.\u2019 Some said: \u2018He\u2019s neither black nor brown. The ascetic Gotama has dingy skin.\u2019 That\u2019s how far the pure, bright complexion of my skin had been ruined by taking so little food. Then it occurred to me, \u2018Whatever ascetics and brahmins have experienced painful, sharp, severe, acute feelings due to exertion\u2014whether in the past, future, or present\u2014this is as far as it goes, no-one has done more than this. But I have not achieved any superhuman distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones by this severe, grueling work. Could there be another path to awakening?\u2019 Then it occurred to me, \u2018I recall sitting in the cool shade of a black plum tree while my father the Sakyan was off working. Quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, I entered and remained in the first absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, while placing the mind and keeping it connected. Could that be the path to awakening?\u2019 Stemming from that memory came the understanding: \u2018<em>That</em> is the path to awakening!\u2019 Then it occurred to me, \u2018Why am I afraid of that pleasure, for it has nothing to do with sensual pleasures or unskillful qualities?\u2019 Then it occurred to me, \u2018I\u2019m not afraid of that pleasure, for it has nothing to do with sensual pleasures or unskillful qualities.\u2019 Then it occurred to me, \u2018I can\u2019t achieve that pleasure with a body so severely emaciated. Why don\u2019t I eat some solid food, some rice and porridge?\u2019 So I ate some solid food. Now at that time the group of five mendicants were attending on me, thinking, \u2018The ascetic Gotama will tell us of any truth that he realizes.\u2019 But when I ate some solid food, they left disappointed in me, saying, \u2018The ascetic Gotama has become indulgent; he has strayed from the struggle and returned to indulgence.\u2019 After eating solid food and gathering my strength, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, I entered and remained in the first absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, while placing the mind and keeping it connected. But even such pleasant feeling did not occupy my mind. As the placing of the mind and keeping it connected were stilled, I entered and remained in the second absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of immersion, with internal clarity and mind at one, without placing the mind and keeping it connected. But even such pleasant feeling did not occupy my mind. And with the fading away of rapture, I entered and remained in the third absorption, where I meditated with equanimity, mindful and aware, experiencing for themselves the bliss of which the noble ones declare, \u2018Equanimous and mindful, one meditates in bliss.\u2019 But even such pleasant feeling did not occupy my mind. With the giving up of pleasure and pain, and the disappearance of former happiness and sadness, I entered and remained in the fourth absorption, without pleasure or pain, with pure equanimity and mindfulness. But even such pleasant feeling did not occupy my mind. When my mind had immersed in sam\u0101dhi like this\u2014purified, bright, flawless, rid of corruptions, pliable, workable, steady, and imperturbable\u2014I extended it toward recollection of past lives. I recollected my many kinds of past lives, with features and details. This was the first knowledge, which I achieved in the first watch of the night. Ignorance was banished and knowledge arose; darkness was banished and light arose, as happens for a meditator who is diligent, keen, and resolute. But even such pleasant feeling did not occupy my mind. When my mind had immersed in sam\u0101dhi like this\u2014purified, bright, flawless, rid of corruptions, pliable, workable, steady, and imperturbable\u2014I extended it toward knowledge of the death and rebirth of sentient beings. With clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, I saw sentient beings passing away and being reborn\u2014inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in a good place or a bad place. I understood how sentient beings pass on according to their deeds. This was the second knowledge, which I achieved in the middle watch of the night. Ignorance was banished and knowledge arose; darkness was banished and light arose, as happens for a meditator who is diligent, keen, and resolute. But even such pleasant feeling did not occupy my mind. When my mind had immersed in sam\u0101dhi like this\u2014purified, bright, flawless, rid of corruptions, pliable, workable, steady, and imperturbable\u2014I extended it toward knowledge of the ending of defilements. I truly understood: \u2018This is suffering\u2019 \u2026 \u2018This is the origin of suffering\u2019 \u2026 \u2018This is the cessation of suffering\u2019 \u2026 \u2018This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering.\u2019 I truly understood: \u2018These are defilements\u2019 \u2026 \u2018This is the origin of defilements\u2019 \u2026 \u2018This is the cessation of defilements\u2019 \u2026 \u2018This is the practice that leads to the cessation of defilements.\u2019 Knowing and seeing like this, my mind was freed from the defilements of sensuality, desire to be reborn, and ignorance. When it was freed, I knew it was freed. I understood: \u2018Rebirth is ended; the spiritual journey has been completed; what had to be done has been done; there is nothing further for this place.\u2019 This was the third knowledge, which I achieved in the last watch of the night. Ignorance was banished and knowledge arose; darkness was banished and light arose, as happens for a meditator who is diligent, keen, and resolute. But even such pleasant feeling did not occupy my mind. Aggivessana, I recall teaching the Dhamma to an assembly of many hundreds, and each person thought that I was teaching the Dhamma especially for them. But it should not be seen like this. The Realized One teaches others only so that they can understand. When that talk was finished, I stilled, settled, unified, and immersed my mind in sam\u0101dhi internally in the same meditation subject as a basis of immersion as before, in which I regularly meditate.\u201d \u201cI\u2019d believe that of the worthy Gotama, just like a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha. But do you ever recall sleeping during the day?\u201d \u201cI do recall that in the last month of the summer, I have spread out my outer robe folded in four and lain down in the lion\u2019s posture\u2014on the right side, placing one foot on top of the other\u2014mindful and aware.\u201d \u201cSome ascetics and brahmins call that a deluded abiding.\u201d \u201cThat\u2019s not how to define whether someone is deluded or not. But as to how to define whether someone is deluded or not, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.\u201d \u201cYes, worthy sir,\u201d replied Saccaka. The Buddha said this: \u201cAnyone who has not given up the defilements that are corrupting, leading to future lives, hurtful, resulting in suffering and future rebirth, old age, and death is deluded, I say. For it\u2019s not giving up the defilements that makes you deluded. Anyone who has given up the defilements that are corrupting, leading to future lives, hurtful, resulting in suffering and future rebirth, old age, and death\u2014is not deluded, I say. For it\u2019s giving up the defilements that makes you not deluded. The Realized One has given up the defilements that are corrupting, leading to future lives, hurtful, resulting in suffering and future rebirth, old age, and death. He has cut them off at the root, made them like a palm stump, obliterated them so they are unable to arise in the future. Just as a palm tree with its crown cut off is incapable of further growth, in the same way, the Realized One has given up the defilements so they are unable to arise in the future.\u201d When he had spoken, Saccaka said to him, \u201cIt\u2019s incredible, worthy Gotama, it\u2019s amazing! How when the worthy Gotama is repeatedly attacked with inappropriate and intrusive criticism, the complexion of his skin brightens and the color of his face becomes clear, just like a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha! I recall taking on P\u016bra\u1e47a Kassapa in debate. He dodged the issue, distracting the discussion with irrelevant points, and displaying annoyance, hate, and bitterness. But when the worthy Gotama is repeatedly attacked with inappropriate and intrusive criticism, the complexion of his skin brightens and the color of his face becomes clear, just like a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha. I recall taking on the bamboo-staffed ascetic Gos\u0101la, Ajita of the hair blanket, Pakudha Kacc\u0101yana, Sa\u00f1jaya Bela\u1e6d\u1e6dhiputta, and the Jain ascetic of the \u00d1\u0101tika clan in debate. They all dodged the issue, distracting the discussion with irrelevant points, and displaying annoyance, hate, and bitterness. But when the worthy Gotama is repeatedly attacked with inappropriate and intrusive criticism, the complexion of his skin brightens and the color of his face becomes clear, just like a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha. Well, now, worthy Gotama, I must go. I have many duties, and much to do.\u201d \u201cPlease, Aggivessana, go at your convenience.\u201d Then Saccaka, the son of Jain parents, having approved and agreed with what the Buddha said, rose from his seat and left.","title":"The Longer Discourse With Saccaka","tradition":"Majjhima Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":5156}