Today, we are pleased to present selections from the Pasūrasutta and the Māgandiyasutta in Chapter 4 of the Atthakavagga, part of the Sutta Nipāta. These passages are translated by V. Fausböll.
ATTHAKAVAGGA PASÛRASUTTA
“Disputants brand each other as fools, they wish for praise, but being repulsed they become discontented; one is not purified by dispute, but by keeping to Buddha, who has shaken off all sin. Here they maintain ‘purity,’ in other doctrines (dhamma), they do not allow purity; what they have devoted themselves to, that they call good, and they enter extensively upon the single truths. Those wishing for dispute, having plunged into the assembly, brand each other as fools mutually, they go to others and pick a quarrel, wishing for praise and calling themselves (the only) expert. Engaged in dispute in the middle of the assembly, wishing for praise he lays about on all sides; but when his dispute has been repulsed he becomes discontented, at the blame he gets angry he who sought for the faults (of others). Because those who have tested his questions say that his dispute is lost and repulsed, he laments and grieves having lost his disputes; ‘he has conquered me,’ so saying he wails. These disputes have arisen amongst the Samanas; in these (disputes) there is (dealt) blow (and) stroke; having seen this, let him leave off disputing, for there is no other advantage in trying to get praise. Or he is praised there, having cleared up the dispute in the middle of the assembly; therefore, he will laugh and be elated, having won that case as he had a mind to. That which is his exaltation will also be the field of his defeat, still he talks proudly and arrogantly; seeing this, let no one dispute, for the expert does not say that purification (takes place) by that. As a hero nourished by kingly food goes about roaring, wishing for an adversary-- where he (the philosopher, Ditthigatika) is, go thou there, O hero; formerly there was nothing like this to fight against. Those who, having embraced a (certain philosophical) view, dispute and maintain ‘this only (is) true,’ to them say thou when a dispute has arisen, ‘Here is no opponent for thee.’ Those who wander about after having secluded themselves, without opposing view to view-- what (opposition) will you meet with amongst those, O Pasûra, by whom nothing in this world is grasped as the best? Then you went to reflection, thinking in thy mind over the (different philosophical) views; you have gone into the yoke with him who has shaken off (all sin), but you will not be able to proceed together (with him). Pasûrasutta is ended.”
ATTHAKAVAGGA MĀGANDIYASUTTA
“A dialogue between Mâgandiya and Buddha. The former offers Buddha his daughter for a wife, but Buddha refuses her. Mâgandiya says that purity comes from philosophy, Buddha from ‘inward peace.’ The Muni is a confessor of peace, he does not dispute, he is free from marks. […] Mâgandiya: ‘If you do not want such a pearl, a woman desired by many kings, what view, virtue, and (holy) works, (mode of) life, rebirth do you profess?’ ‘“This I say,” so (I do now declare), after investigation there is nothing amongst the doctrines which such a one (as I would) embrace, O Mâgandiya, ‘--so said Bhagavat,--’ and seeing (misery) in the (philosophical) views, without adopting (any of them), searching (for truth) I saw “inward peace.”’ ‘All the (philosophical) resolutions that have been formed,’ --so said Mâgandiya,-- ‘those indeed you explain without adopting (any of them); the notion “inward peace” which (you mention), how is this explained by the wise?’ ‘Not by (any philosophical) opinion, not by tradition, not by knowledge, O Mâgandiya,’ --so said Bhagavat,-- ‘not by virtue and (holy) works can anyone say that purity exists; nor by absence of (philosophical) opinion, by absence of tradition, by absence of knowledge, by absence of virtue and (holy) works either; having abandoned these without adopting (anything else), let him, calm and independent, not desire existence.’ ‘If one cannot say by (any philosophical) opinion, or by tradition, or by knowledge,’ --so said Mâgandiya,-- ‘or by virtue and (holy) works that purity exists, nor by absence of (philosophical) opinion, by absence of tradition, by absence of knowledge, by absence of virtue and (holy) works, then I consider the doctrine foolish, for by (philosophical) opinions some return to purity.’ ‘And asking on account of (thy philosophical) opinion, O Mâgandiya,’ --so said Bhagavat,-- you have gone to infatuation in what you have embraced, and of this (inward peace) you have not the least idea, therefore you hold it foolish. ‘He who thinks himself equal (to others), or distinguished, or low, he for that very reason disputes; but he who is unmoved under those three conditions, for him (the notions) “equal” and “distinguished” do not exist.’ ‘The Brâhmana for whom (the notions) “equal” and “unequal” do not exist, would he say, “This is true?” Or with whom should he dispute, saying, “This is false?” With whom should he enter into dispute?’ ‘Having left his house, wandering about houseless, not making acquaintances in the village, free from lust, not desiring (any future existence), let the Muni not get into quarrelsome talk with people.’ ‘Let not an eminent man (nâga) dispute after having embraced those (views) separated from which he (formerly) wandered in the world; as the thorny lotus elambuga is undefiled by water and mud, so the Muni, the confessor of peace, free from greed, does not cling to sensual pleasures and the world.’ ‘An accomplished man does not by (a philosophical) view, or by thinking become arrogant, for he is not of that sort; not by (holy) works, nor by tradition is he to be led, he is not led into any of the resting-places (of the mind).’ ‘For him who is free from marks there are no ties, to him who is delivered by understanding there are no follies; (but those) who grasped after marks and (philosophical) views, they wander about in the world annoying (people).’ Mâgandiyasutta is ended.”
