{"collection":"Samyutta Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_sn44.1/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_sn44.1","id":"suttacentral_sn44.1","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/sn44.1/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Early Buddhist Texts","Samyutta Nikaya"],"text":"At one time the Buddha was staying near S\u0101vatth\u012b in Jeta\u2019s Grove, An\u0101thapi\u1e47\u1e0dika\u2019s monastery. Now at that time the nun Khem\u0101 was wandering in the land of the Kosalans between S\u0101vatth\u012b and S\u0101keta when she took up residence in Tora\u1e47avatthu. Then King Pasenadi was traveling from S\u0101keta to S\u0101vatth\u012b, and he too stayed in Tora\u1e47avatthu for a single night. Then King Pasenadi addressed a man, \u201cPlease, my man, check if there\u2019s a suitable (male) ascetic or brahmin in Tora\u1e47avatthu to whom I can pay homage.\u201d \u201cYes, Your Majesty,\u201d replied that man. He searched all over Tora\u1e47avatthu, but he couldn\u2019t see a suitable ascetic or brahmin for the king to pay homage to. But he saw that the nun Khem\u0101 was staying there, so he went to the king and said to him, \u201cYour Majesty, there\u2019s no (male) ascetic or brahmin in Tora\u1e47avatthu for the king to pay homage to. But there is the nun Khem\u0101, who\u2019s a disciple of the Blessed One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha. She has a good reputation as being astute, competent, intelligent, learned, a brilliant speaker, and eloquent. Your Majesty may pay homage to her.\u201d Then King Pasenadi of Kosala went up to the nun Khem\u0101, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to her: \u201cMa\u2019am, does a realized one still exist after death?\u201d \u201cGreat king, this has not been declared by the Buddha.\u201d \u201cWell then, does a realized one no longer exist after death?\u201d \u201cThis too has not been declared by the Buddha.\u201d \u201cWell then, does a realized one both still exist and no longer exist after death?\u201d \u201cThis has not been declared by the Buddha.\u201d \u201cWell then, does a realized one neither still exist nor no longer exist after death?\u201d \u201cThis too has not been declared by the Buddha.\u201d \u201cMa\u2019am, when asked these questions, you say that this has not been declared by the Buddha. What\u2019s the cause, what\u2019s the reason why this has not been declared by the Buddha?\u201d \u201cWell then, Great King, I\u2019ll ask you about this in return, and you can answer as you like. What do you think, Great King? Do you have any accountant or finger-tallier or reckoner who can count the grains of sand in the Ganges, that is, how many grains of sand there are, how many hundreds or thousands or hundreds of thousands of grains of sand?\u201d \u201cNo, ma\u2019am.\u201d \u201cDo you have any accountant or finger-tallier or reckoner who can count the water in the ocean, that is, how many gallons of water there are, how many hundreds or thousands or hundreds of thousands of gallons of water?\u201d \u201cNo, ma\u2019am. Why is that? Because the ocean is deep, immeasurable, and hard to fathom.\u201d \u201cIn the same way, Great King, any form by which a realized one might be described has been cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated, and unable to arise in the future. A realized one is freed from reckoning in terms of form. They\u2019re deep, immeasurable, and hard to fathom, like the ocean. To say that after death, a realized one still exists, or no longer exists, or both still exists and no longer exists, or neither still exists nor no longer exists: none of these apply. Any feeling \u2026 perception \u2026 choices \u2026 consciousness by which a realized one might be described has been cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated, and unable to arise in the future. A realized one is freed from reckoning in terms of consciousness. They\u2019re deep, immeasurable, and hard to fathom, like the ocean. To say that after death, a realized one still exists, or no longer exists, or both still exists and no longer exists, or neither still exists nor no longer exists: none of these apply.\u201d Then King Pasenadi approved and agreed with what the nun Khem\u0101 said. Then he rose from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled her, keeping her on his right, before leaving. Then on a later occasion King Pasenadi of Kosala went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. He asked the Buddha exactly the same questions he had asked the nun Khem\u0101, and received the same answers. He said, \u201cIt\u2019s incredible, sir, it\u2019s amazing! How the meaning and the phrasing of the Teacher and the disciple fit together and agree without contradiction when it comes to the chief matter! This one time I went to the nun Khem\u0101 and asked her about this matter. And she explained it to me with these words and phrases, just like the Buddha. It\u2019s incredible, sir, it\u2019s amazing! How the meaning and the phrasing of the Teacher and the disciple fit together and agree without contradiction when it comes to the chief matter! 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 rose from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled him, keeping him on his right, before leaving.","title":"With Khem\u0101","tradition":"Samyutta Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":845}