{"collection":"Majjhima Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_mn90/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_mn90","id":"suttacentral_mn90","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/mn90/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Early Buddhist Texts","Majjhima Nikaya"],"text":"So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Uju\u00f1\u00f1\u0101 in the deer park at Ka\u1e47\u1e47akatthala. Now at that time King Pasenadi of Kosala had arrived at Uju\u00f1\u00f1\u0101 on some business. Then he addressed a man, \u201cPlease, my man, go to the Buddha, and in my name bow with your head to his feet. Ask him if he is healthy and well, nimble, strong, and living comfortably. And then say: \u2018Sir, King Pasenadi of Kosala will come to see you today when he has finished breakfast.\u2019\u201d \u201cYes, Your Majesty,\u201d that man replied. He did as the king asked. The sisters Som\u0101 and Sakul\u0101 heard this. While the meal was being served, they approached the king and said, \u201cGreat king, since you are going to the Buddha, please bow in our name with your head to his feet. Ask him if he is healthy and well, nimble, strong, and living comfortably.\u201d When he had finished breakfast, King Pasenadi went to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him, \u201cSir, the sisters Som\u0101 and Sakul\u0101 bow with their heads to your feet. They ask if you are healthy and well, nimble, strong, and living comfortably.\u201d \u201cBut, Great King, couldn\u2019t they get any other messenger?\u201d So Pasenadi explained the circumstances of the message. The Buddha said, \u201cMay the sisters Som\u0101 and Sakul\u0101 be happy, Great King.\u201d Then the king said to the Buddha, \u201cI have heard, sir, that the ascetic Gotama says this: \u2018There is no ascetic or brahmin who will ever claim to be all-knowing and all-seeing, to know and see everything without exception: that is not possible.\u2019 I trust those who say this repeat what the Buddha has said, and do not misrepresent him with an untruth? Is their explanation in line with the teaching? Are there any legitimate grounds for rebuttal and criticism?\u201d \u201cGreat king, those who say this do not repeat what I have said. They misrepresent me with what is false and untrue.\u201d Then King Pasenadi addressed General Vi\u1e0d\u016b\u1e0dabha, \u201cGeneral, who introduced this topic of discussion to the royal compound?\u201d \u201cIt was Sa\u00f1jaya, Great King, the brahmin of the \u0100k\u0101sa clan.\u201d Then the king addressed a man, \u201cPlease, my man, in my name tell Sa\u00f1jaya that King Pasenadi summons him.\u201d \u201cYes, Your Majesty,\u201d that man replied. He did as the king asked. Then the king said to the Buddha, \u201cSir, might the Buddha have spoken in reference to one thing, but that person believed it was something else? How then do you recall making this statement?\u201d \u201cGreat king, I recall making this statement: \u2018There is no ascetic or brahmin who will ever know all and see all simultaneously: that is not possible.\u2019\u201d \u201cWhat the Buddha says appears reasonable. Sir, there are these four classes: aristocrats, brahmins, peasants, and menials. Is there any difference between them?\u201d \u201cOf the four classes, two are said to be preeminent\u2014 the aristocrats and the brahmins. That is, when it comes to bowing down, rising up, greeting with cupped palms, and observing proper etiquette.\u201d \u201cSir, I am not asking you about this life, but about the life to come.\u201d \u201cGreat king, there are these five factors that support meditation. What five? It\u2019s when a mendicant has faith in the Realized One\u2019s awakening: \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 They are rarely ill or unwell. Their stomach digests well, being neither too hot nor too cold, but just right, and fit for meditation. They\u2019re not devious or deceitful. They reveal themselves honestly to the Teacher or sensible spiritual companions. They live with energy roused up for giving up unskillful qualities and embracing skillful qualities. They\u2019re strong, staunchly vigorous, not slacking off when it comes to developing skillful qualities. They\u2019re wise. They have the wisdom of arising and passing away which is noble, penetrative, and leads to the complete ending of suffering. These are the five factors that support meditation. There are these four classes: aristocrats, brahmins, peasants, and menials. If they had these five factors that support meditation, that would be for their lasting welfare and happiness.\u201d \u201cSir, there are these four classes: aristocrats, brahmins, peasants, and menials. If they had these five factors that support meditation, would there be any difference between them?\u201d \u201cIn that case, I say it is the disparity of their efforts in meditation. Suppose there was a pair of elephants or horses or oxen in training who were well tamed and well trained. And there was a pair who were not tamed or trained. What do you think, Great King? Wouldn\u2019t the pair that was well tamed and well trained perform the tasks of the tamed, and reach the level of the tamed?\u201d \u201cYes, sir.\u201d \u201cBut would the pair that was not tamed and trained perform the tasks of the tamed and reach the level of the tamed, just like the tamed pair?\u201d \u201cNo, sir.\u201d \u201cIn the same way, there are things that must be attained by someone with faith, health, integrity, energy, and wisdom. It\u2019s not possible for a faithless, unhealthy, deceitful, lazy, witless person to attain them.\u201d \u201cWhat the Buddha says appears reasonable. Sir, there are these four classes: aristocrats, brahmins, peasants, and workers. If they had these five factors that support meditation, and if they practiced rightly, would there be any difference between them?\u201d \u201cIn that case, I say that there is no difference between the freedom of one and the freedom of the other. Suppose a person took dry teak wood and lit a fire and produced heat. Then another person did the same using s\u0101l wood, another used mango wood, while another used wood of the cluster fig. What do you think, Great King? Would there be any difference between the fires produced by these different kinds of wood, that is, in the flame, color, or luminosity?\u201d \u201cNo, sir.\u201d \u201cIn the same way, when fire has been churned by energy and produced by effort, I say that there is no difference between the freedom of one and the freedom of the other.\u201d \u201cWhat the Buddha says appears reasonable. But sir, do gods survive?\u201d \u201cBut what exactly are you asking?\u201d \u201cWhether those gods come back to this place or not.\u201d \u201cThose gods who are afflicted come back to this place, but those who are unafflicted do not come back.\u201d When he said this, General Vi\u1e0d\u016b\u1e0dabha said to the Buddha, \u201cSir, will the gods who are afflicted topple or expel from their place the gods who are unafflicted?\u201d Then Venerable \u0100nanda thought, \u201cThis General Vi\u1e0d\u016b\u1e0dabha is King Pasenadi\u2019s son, and I am the Buddha\u2019s son. Now is the time for one son to confer with another.\u201d So \u0100nanda addressed General Vi\u1e0d\u016b\u1e0dabha, \u201cWell then, general, I\u2019ll ask you about this in return, and you can answer as you like. What do you think, general? As far as the dominion of King Pasenadi of Kosala extends, where he rules as sovereign lord, can he topple or expel from that place any ascetic or brahmin, regardless of whether they are good or bad, or whether or not they are genuine spiritual practitioners?\u201d \u201cHe can, worthy.\u201d \u201cWhat do you think, general? As far as the dominion of King Pasenadi does not extend, where he does not rule as sovereign lord, can he topple or expel from that place any ascetic or brahmin, regardless of whether they are good or bad, or whether or not they are genuine spiritual practitioners?\u201d \u201cHe cannot, worthy.\u201d \u201cWhat do you think, general? Have you heard of the gods of the thirty-three?\u201d \u201cYes, worthy, I\u2019ve heard of them, and so has the worthy King Pasenadi.\u201d \u201cWhat do you think, general? Can King Pasenadi topple or expel from their place the gods of the thirty-three?\u201d \u201cKing Pasenadi can\u2019t even see the gods of the thirty-three, so how could he possibly topple or expel them from their place?\u201d \u201cIn the same way, general, the gods who are afflicted can\u2019t even see the gods who are unafflicted, so how could they possibly topple or expel them from their place?\u201d Then the king said to the Buddha, \u201cSir, what is this mendicant\u2019s name?\u201d \u201c\u0100nanda, Great King.\u201d \u201cA joy he is, and a joy he seems! What Venerable \u0100nanda says seems reasonable. But sir, does a divinity survive?\u201d \u201cBut what exactly are you asking?\u201d \u201cWhether that divinity comes back to this place or not.\u201d \u201cA divinity who is afflicted comes back to this place, but one who is unafflicted does not come back.\u201d Then a certain man said to the king, \u201cGreat king, Sa\u00f1jaya, the brahmin of the \u0100k\u0101sa clan, has come.\u201d Then King Pasenadi asked Sa\u00f1jaya, \u201cBrahmin, who introduced this topic of discussion to the royal compound?\u201d \u201cIt was General Vi\u1e0d\u016b\u1e0dabha, Great King.\u201d But Vi\u1e0d\u016b\u1e0dabha said, \u201cIt was Sa\u00f1jaya, Great King, the brahmin of the \u0100k\u0101sa clan.\u201d Then a certain man said to the king, \u201cIt\u2019s time to go, Great King.\u201d So the king said to the Buddha, \u201cSir, I asked you about omniscience, and you answered. I endorse and accept this, and am satisfied with it. I asked you about purification in the four classes, about the gods, and about divinities, and you answered in each case. Whatever I asked the Buddha about, he answered. I endorse and accept this, and am satisfied with it. Well, now, sir, I must go. I have many duties, and much to do.\u201d \u201cPlease, Great King, go at your convenience.\u201d Then King Pasenadi approved and agreed with what the Buddha said. Then he got up from his seat, bowed and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before leaving.","title":"At Ka\u1e47\u1e47akatthala","tradition":"Majjhima Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":1621}