{"collection":"Majjhima Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_mn60/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_mn60","id":"suttacentral_mn60","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/mn60/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Early Buddhist Texts","Majjhima Nikaya"],"text":"So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was wandering in the land of the Kosalans together with a large Sa\u1e45gha of mendicants when he arrived at a village of the Kosalan brahmins named S\u0101l\u0101. The brahmins and householders of S\u0101l\u0101 heard: \u201cIt seems the ascetic Gotama\u2014a Sakyan, gone forth from a Sakyan family\u2014wandering in the land of the Kosalans has arrived at S\u0101l\u0101, together with a large Sa\u1e45gha of mendicants. 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 the brahmins and householders of S\u0101l\u0101 went up to the Buddha. Before sitting down to one side, some bowed, some exchanged greetings and polite conversation, some held up their cupped palms toward the Buddha, some announced their name and clan, while some kept silent. The Buddha said to them: \u201cSo, householders, is there any teacher you\u2019re happy with, in whom you have acquired grounded faith?\u201d \u201cNo, sir.\u201d \u201cSince you haven\u2019t found a teacher you\u2019re happy with, you should undertake and implement this sure bet teaching. For when the sure bet teaching is undertaken, it will be for your lasting welfare and happiness. And what is the sure bet teaching? There are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view: \u2018There\u2019s no meaning in giving, sacrifice, or offerings. There\u2019s no fruit or result of good and bad deeds. There\u2019s no afterlife. There\u2019s no such thing as mother and father, or beings that are reborn spontaneously. And there\u2019s no ascetic or brahmin who is rightly comported and rightly practiced, and who describes the afterlife after realizing it with their own insight.\u2019 And there are some ascetics and brahmins whose doctrine directly contradicts this. They say: \u2018There is meaning in giving, sacrifice, and offerings. There are fruits and results of good and bad deeds. There is an afterlife. There are such things as mother and father, and beings that are reborn spontaneously. And there are ascetics and brahmins who are rightly comported and rightly practiced, and who describe the afterlife after realizing it with their own insight.\u2019 What do you think, householders? Don\u2019t these doctrines directly contradict each other?\u201d \u201cYes, sir.\u201d \u201cSince this is so, consider those ascetics and brahmins whose view is that there\u2019s no meaning in giving, etc. You can expect that they will shun good conduct by way of body, speech, and mind, and undertake and implement bad conduct by way of body, speech, and mind. Why is that? Because those ascetics and brahmins don\u2019t see that unskillful qualities are full of drawbacks, sordidness, and corruption, or that skillful qualities have the benefit and cleansing power of renunciation. Moreover, since there actually is another world, their view that there is no other world is wrong view. Since there actually is another world, their thought that there is no other world is wrong purpose. Since there actually is another world, their speech that there is no other world is wrong speech. Since there actually is another world, in saying that there is no other world they contradict those perfected ones who know the other world. Since there actually is another world, in persuading another that there is no other world they are persuading them to accept an untrue teaching. And on account of that they glorify themselves and put others down. So they give up their former ethical conduct and are established in unethical conduct. And that is how these many bad, unskillful qualities come to be with wrong view as condition\u2014wrong view, wrong purpose, wrong speech, contradicting the noble ones, persuading others to accept untrue teachings, and glorifying oneself and putting others down. A sensible person reflects on this matter in this way: \u2018If there is no other world, when this individual person\u2019s body breaks up they will keep themselves safe. And if there is another world, when their body breaks up, after death, they will be reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell. But let us grant that those who say that there is no other world are correct. Regardless, that individual is still criticized by sensible people in this very life as being an immoral individual of wrong view, a nihilist.\u2019 But if there really is another world, they hold a losing hand on both counts. For they are criticized by sensible people in this very life, and when their body breaks up, after death, they will be reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell. They have wrongly undertaken this sure bet teaching in such a way that it encompasses the positive outcomes of one side only, leaving out the skillful premise. Since this is so, consider those ascetics and brahmins whose view is that there is meaning in giving, etc. You can expect that they will shun bad conduct by way of body, speech, and mind, and undertake and implement good conduct by way of body, speech, and mind. Why is that? Because those ascetics and brahmins see that unskillful qualities are full of drawbacks, sordidness, and corruption, and that skillful qualities have the benefit and cleansing power of renunciation. Moreover, since there actually is another world, their view that there is another world is right view. Since there actually is another world, their thought that there is another world is right purpose. Since there actually is another world, their speech that there is another world is right speech. Since there actually is another world, in saying that there is another world they don\u2019t contradict those perfected ones who know the other world. Since there actually is another world, in persuading another that there is another world they are persuading them to accept a true teaching. And on account of that they don\u2019t glorify themselves or put others down. So they give up their former unethical conduct and are established in ethical conduct. And that is how these many skillful qualities come to be with right view as condition\u2014right view, right purpose, right speech, not contradicting the noble ones, persuading others to accept true teachings, and not glorifying oneself or putting others down. A sensible person reflects on this matter in this way: \u2018If there is another world, when this individual\u2019s body breaks up, after death, they will be reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm. But let us grant that those who say that there is no other world are correct. Regardless, that individual is still praised by sensible people in this very life as being a moral individual of right view, who affirms a positive teaching.\u2019 So if there really is another world, they hold a winning hand on both counts. For they are praised by sensible people in this very life, and when their body breaks up, after death, they will be reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm. They have rightly undertaken this sure bet teaching in such a way that it encompasses the positive outcomes of both sides, leaving out the unskillful premise. There are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view: \u2018The one who acts does nothing wrong when they punish, mutilate, torture, aggrieve, oppress, intimidate, or when they encourage others to do the same. They do nothing wrong when they kill, steal, break into houses, plunder wealth, steal from isolated buildings, commit highway robbery, commit adultery, and lie. If you were to reduce all the living creatures of this earth to one heap and mass of flesh with a razor-edged chakram, no evil comes of that, and no outcome of evil. If you were to go along the south bank of the Ganges killing, mutilating, and torturing, and encouraging others to do the same, no evil comes of that, and no outcome of evil. If you were to go along the north bank of the Ganges giving and sacrificing and encouraging others to do the same, no merit comes of that, and no outcome of merit. In giving, self-control, restraint, and truthfulness there is no merit or outcome of merit.\u2019 And there are some ascetics and brahmins whose doctrine directly contradicts this. They say: \u2018The one who acts does a bad deed when they punish, mutilate, torture, aggrieve, oppress, intimidate, or when they encourage others to do the same. They do a bad deed when they kill, steal, break into houses, plunder wealth, steal from isolated buildings, commit highway robbery, commit adultery, and lie. If you were to reduce all the living creatures of this earth to one heap and mass of flesh with a razor-edged chakram, evil comes of that, and an outcome of evil. If you were to go along the south bank of the Ganges killing, mutilating, and torturing, and encouraging others to do the same, evil comes of that, and an outcome of evil. If you were to go along the north bank of the Ganges giving and sacrificing and encouraging others to do the same, merit comes of that, and an outcome of merit. In giving, self-control, restraint, and truthfulness there is merit and outcome of merit.\u2019 What do you think, householders? Don\u2019t these doctrines directly contradict each other?\u201d \u201cYes, sir.\u201d \u201cSince this is so, consider those ascetics and brahmins whose view is that the one who acts does nothing wrong when they punish, etc. You can expect that they will shun good conduct by way of body, speech, and mind, and undertake and implement bad conduct by way of body, speech, and mind. Why is that? Because those ascetics and brahmins don\u2019t see that unskillful qualities are full of drawbacks, sordidness, and corruption, or that skillful qualities have the benefit and cleansing power of renunciation. Moreover, since action actually does have an effect, their view that action is ineffective is wrong view. Since action actually does have an effect, their thought that action is ineffective is wrong purpose. Since action actually does have an effect, their speech that action is ineffective is wrong speech. Since action actually does have an effect, in saying that action is ineffective they contradict those perfected ones who teach that action is effective. Since action actually does have an effect, in persuading another that action is ineffective they are persuading them to accept an untrue teaching. And on account of that they glorify themselves and put others down. So they give up their former ethical conduct and are established in unethical conduct. And that is how these many bad, unskillful qualities come to be with wrong view as condition\u2014wrong view, wrong purpose, wrong speech, contradicting the noble ones, persuading others to accept untrue teachings, and glorifying oneself and putting others down. A sensible person reflects on this matter in this way: \u2018If there is no effective action, when this individual\u2019s body breaks up they will keep themselves safe. And if there is effective action, when their body breaks up, after death, they will be reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell. But let us grant that those who say that there is no effective action are correct. Regardless, that individual is still criticized by sensible people in this very life as being an immoral individual of wrong view, one who denies the efficacy of action.\u2019 But if there really is effective action, they hold a losing hand on both counts. For they are criticized by sensible people in this very life, and when their body breaks up, after death, they will be reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell. They have wrongly undertaken this sure bet teaching in such a way that it encompasses the positive outcomes of one side only, leaving out the skillful premise. Since this is so, consider those ascetics and brahmins whose view is that the one who acts does a bad deed when they punish, etc. You can expect that they will shun bad conduct by way of body, speech, and mind, and undertake and implement good conduct by way of body, speech, and mind. Why is that? Because those ascetics and brahmins see that unskillful qualities are full of drawbacks, sordidness, and corruption, and that skillful qualities have the benefit and cleansing power of renunciation. Moreover, since action actually does have an effect, their view that action is effective is right view. Since action actually does have an effect, their thought that action is effective is right purpose. Since action actually does have an effect, their speech that action is effective is right speech. Since action actually does have an effect, in saying that action is effective they don\u2019t contradict those perfected ones who teach that action is effective. Since action actually does have an effect, in persuading another that action is effective they are persuading them to accept a true teaching. And on account of that they don\u2019t glorify themselves or put others down. So they give up their former unethical conduct and are established in ethical conduct. And that is how these many skillful qualities come to be with right view as condition\u2014right view, right purpose, right speech, not contradicting the noble ones, persuading others to accept true teachings, and not glorifying oneself or putting others down. A sensible person reflects on this matter in this way: \u2018If there is effective action, when this individual\u2019s body breaks up, after death, they will be reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm. But let us grant that those who say that there is no effective action are correct. Regardless, that individual is still praised by sensible people in this very life as being a moral individual of right view, who affirms the efficacy of action.\u2019 So if there really is effective action, they hold a winning hand on both counts. For they are praised by sensible people in this very life, and when their body breaks up, after death, they will be reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm. They have rightly undertaken this sure bet teaching in such a way that it encompasses the positive outcomes of both sides, leaving out the unskillful premise. There are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view: \u2018There is no cause or reason for the corruption of sentient beings. Sentient beings are corrupted without cause or reason. There\u2019s no cause or reason for the purification of sentient beings. Sentient beings are purified without cause or reason. There is no power, no energy, no human strength or vigor. All sentient beings, all living creatures, all beings, all souls lack control, power, and energy. Molded by destiny, circumstance, and nature, they experience pleasure and pain in the six classes of rebirth.\u2019 And there are some ascetics and brahmins whose doctrine directly contradicts this. They say: \u2018There is a cause and reason for the corruption of sentient beings. Sentient beings are corrupted with cause and reason. There is a cause and reason for the purification of sentient beings. Sentient beings are purified with cause and reason. There is power, energy, human strength and vigor. It is not the case that all sentient beings, all living creatures, all beings, all souls lack control, power, and energy, or that, molded by destiny, circumstance, and nature, they experience pleasure and pain in the six classes of rebirth.\u2019 What do you think, householders? Don\u2019t these doctrines directly contradict each other?\u201d \u201cYes, sir.\u201d \u201cSince this is so, consider those ascetics and brahmins whose view is that there\u2019s no cause or reason for the corruption of sentient beings, etc. You can expect that they will shun good conduct by way of body, speech, and mind, and undertake and implement bad conduct by way of body, speech, and mind. Why is that? Because those ascetics and brahmins don\u2019t see that unskillful qualities are full of drawbacks, sordidness, and corruption, or that skillful qualities have the benefit and cleansing power of renunciation. Moreover, since there actually is causality, their view that there is no causality is wrong view. Since there actually is causality, their thought that there is no causality is wrong purpose. Since there actually is causality, their speech that there is no causality is wrong speech. Since there actually is causality, in saying that there is no causality they contradict those perfected ones who teach that there is causality. Since there actually is causality, in persuading another that there is no causality they are persuading them to accept an untrue teaching. And on account of that they glorify themselves and put others down. So they give up their former ethical conduct and are established in unethical conduct. And that is how these many bad, unskillful qualities come to be with wrong view as condition\u2014wrong view, wrong purpose, wrong speech, contradicting the noble ones, persuading others to accept untrue teachings, and glorifying oneself and putting others down. A sensible person reflects on this matter in this way: \u2018If there is no causality, when this individual\u2019s body breaks up they will keep themselves safe. And if there is causality, when their body breaks up, after death, they will be reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell. But let us grant that those who say that there is no causality are correct. Regardless, that individual is still criticized by sensible people in this very life as being an immoral individual of wrong view, one who denies causality.\u2019 But if there really is causality, they hold a losing hand on both counts. For they are criticized by sensible people in this very life, and when their body breaks up, after death, they will be reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell. They have wrongly undertaken this sure bet teaching in such a way that it encompasses the positive outcomes of one side only, leaving out the skillful premise. Since this is so, consider those ascetics and brahmins whose view is that there is a cause and reason for the corruption of sentient beings, etc. You can expect that they will shun bad conduct by way of body, speech, and mind, and undertake and implement good conduct by way of body, speech, and mind. Why is that? Because those ascetics and brahmins see that unskillful qualities are full of drawbacks, sordidness, and corruption, and that skillful qualities have the benefit and cleansing power of renunciation. Moreover, since there actually is causality, their view that there is causality is right view. Since there actually is causality, their thought that there is causality is right purpose. Since there actually is causality, their speech that there is causality is right speech. Since there actually is causality, in saying that there is causality they don\u2019t contradict those perfected ones who teach that there is causality. Since there actually is causality, in persuading another that there is causality they are persuading them to accept a true teaching. And on account of that they don\u2019t glorify themselves or put others down. So they give up their former unethical conduct and are established in ethical conduct. And that is how these many skillful qualities come to be with right view as condition\u2014right view, right purpose, right speech, not contradicting the noble ones, persuading others to accept true teachings, and not glorifying oneself or putting others down. A sensible person reflects on this matter in this way: \u2018If there is causality, when this individual\u2019s body breaks up, after death, they will be reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm. But let us grant that those who say that there is no causality are correct. Regardless, that individual is still praised by sensible people in this very life as being a moral individual of right view, who affirms causality.\u2019 So if there really is causality, they hold a winning hand on both counts. For they are praised by sensible people in this very life, and when their body breaks up, after death, they will be reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm. They have rightly undertaken this sure bet teaching in such a way that it encompasses the positive outcomes of both sides, leaving out the unskillful premise. There are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view: \u2018There are no totally formless states of meditation.\u2019 And there are some ascetics and brahmins whose doctrine directly contradicts this. They say: \u2018There are totally formless states of meditation.\u2019 What do you think, householders? Don\u2019t these doctrines directly contradict each other?\u201d \u201cYes, sir.\u201d \u201cA sensible person reflects on this matter in this way: \u2018Some ascetics and brahmins say that there are no totally formless meditations, but I have not seen that. Some ascetics and brahmins say that there are totally formless meditations, but I have not known that. Without knowing or seeing, it would not be appropriate for me to take one side and declare, \u2018This is the only truth, anything else is futile.\u2019 If those ascetics and brahmins who say that there are no totally formless meditations are correct, it is possible that it\u2019s a sure bet I will be reborn among the gods who are formed and made of mind. If those ascetics and brahmins who say that there are totally formless meditations are correct, it is possible that it\u2019s a sure bet I will be reborn among the gods who are formless and made of perception. Now, owing to form, bad things are seen: taking up the rod and the sword, quarrels, arguments, and disputes, accusations, backbiting, and lies. But those things don\u2019t exist where it is totally formless.\u2019 Reflecting like this, they simply practice for disillusionment, dispassion, and cessation regarding forms. There are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view: \u2018There is no such thing as the total cessation of continued existence.\u2019 And there are some ascetics and brahmins whose doctrine directly contradicts this. They say: \u2018There is such a thing as the total cessation of continued existence.\u2019 What do you think, householders? Don\u2019t these doctrines directly contradict each other?\u201d \u201cYes, sir.\u201d \u201cA sensible person reflects on this matter in this way: \u2018Some ascetics and brahmins say that there is no such thing as the total cessation of continued existence, but I have not seen that. Some ascetics and brahmins say that there is such a thing as the total cessation of continued existence, but I have not known that. Without knowing or seeing, it would not be appropriate for me to take one side and declare, \u2018This is the only truth, anything else is futile.\u2019 If those ascetics and brahmins who say that there is no such thing as the total cessation of continued existence are correct, it is possible that it\u2019s a sure bet I will be reborn among the gods who are formless and made of perception. If those ascetics and brahmins who say that there is such a thing as the total cessation of continued existence are correct, it is possible that I will be fully extinguished in this very life. The view of those ascetics and brahmins who say that there is no such thing as the total cessation of continued existence is close to greed, yoking, relishing, attachment, and grasping. The view of those ascetics and brahmins who say that there is such a thing as the total cessation of continued existence is close to non-greed, non-yoking, non-relishing, non-attachment, and non-grasping.\u2019 Reflecting like this, they simply practice for disillusionment, dispassion, and cessation regarding future lives. Householders, these four individuals are found in the world. What four? One individual mortifies themselves, committed to the practice of mortifying themselves. One individual mortifies others, committed to the practice of mortifying others. One individual mortifies themselves and others, committed to the practice of mortifying themselves and others. One individual doesn\u2019t mortify either themselves or others, committed to the practice of not mortifying themselves or others. They live without wishes in this very life, quenched, cooled, experiencing bliss, with self become divine. And what individual mortifies themselves, committed to the practice of mortifying themselves? It\u2019s when a person goes naked, ignoring conventions. \u2026 And so they live committed to practicing these various ways of mortifying and tormenting the body. This is called an individual who mortifies themselves, being committed to the practice of mortifying themselves. And what individual mortifies others, committed to the practice of mortifying others? It\u2019s when an individual is a butcher of sheep, pigs, poultry, or deer, a hunter or fisher, a bandit, an executioner, a butcher of cattle, a jailer, or has some other cruel livelihood. This is called an individual who mortifies others, being committed to the practice of mortifying others. And what individual mortifies themselves and others, being committed to the practice of mortifying themselves and others? It\u2019s when an individual is an anointed aristocratic king or a well-to-do brahmin. He has a new ceremonial hall built to the east of the citadel. He shaves off his hair and beard, dresses in a rough antelope hide, and smears his body with ghee and oil. \u2026 His bondservants, servants, and workers do their jobs under threat of punishment and danger, weeping, with tearful faces. This is called an individual who mortifies themselves and others, being committed to the practice of mortifying themselves and others. And what individual doesn\u2019t mortify either themselves or others, committed to the practice of not mortifying themselves or others, living without wishes in this very life, quenched, cooled, experiencing bliss, with self become divine? It\u2019s when a Realized One arises in the world, perfected, a fully awakened Buddha \u2026 A householder hears that teaching, or a householder\u2019s child, or someone reborn in some good family. \u2026 They give up these five hindrances, corruptions of the heart that weaken wisdom. Then, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, they enter and remain in the first absorption \u2026 second absorption \u2026 third absorption \u2026 fourth absorption. When their mind has become immersed in sam\u0101dhi like this\u2014purified, bright, flawless, rid of corruptions, pliable, workable, steady, and imperturbable\u2014they extend it toward recollection of past lives. \u2026 They recollect their many kinds of past lives, with features and details. When their mind has become immersed in sam\u0101dhi like this\u2014purified, bright, flawless, rid of corruptions, pliable, workable, steady, and imperturbable\u2014they extend it toward knowledge of the death and rebirth of sentient beings. With clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, they see sentient beings passing away and being reborn\u2014inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in a good place or a bad place. \u2026 They understand how sentient beings pass on according to their deeds. When their mind has become immersed in sam\u0101dhi like this\u2014purified, bright, flawless, rid of corruptions, pliable, workable, steady, and imperturbable\u2014they extend it toward knowledge of the ending of defilements. They truly understand: \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. They truly understand: \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, their mind is freed from the defilements of sensuality, desire to be reborn, and ignorance. When they\u2019re freed, they know they\u2019re freed. They understand: \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 is called an individual who neither mortifies themselves or others, being committed to the practice of not mortifying themselves or others. They live without wishes in this very life, quenched, cooled, experiencing bliss, with self become divine.\u201d When he had spoken, the brahmins and householders of S\u0101l\u0101 said to the Buddha, \u201cExcellent, worthy Gotama! Excellent! As if he were righting the overturned, or revealing the hidden, or pointing out the path to the lost, or lighting a lamp in the dark so people with clear eyes can see what\u2019s there, worthy Gotama has made the teaching clear in many ways. We go for refuge to the worthy Gotama, to the teaching, and to the mendicant Sa\u1e45gha. From this day forth, may the worthy Gotama remember us as lay followers who have gone for refuge for life.\u201d","title":"A  Sure Bet","tradition":"Majjhima Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":4783}