Today, it is an honor to present selections from the Pârâyanavagga, found in Chapter 5 of the Sutta Nipāta. These passages were translated by V. Fausböll. The Pârâyanavagga describes the moment when sixteen Brahman ascetics, at their teacher’s behest, visit Lord Buddha to seek spiritual wisdom on life and death. Let’s begin with the questions posed by Brahman Agita, Tissametteyya, Punnaka, and Mettagû.
PÂRÂYANAVAGGA. AGITAMÂNAVAPUKKHÂ.
“‘By what is the world shrouded,’ so said the venerable Agita, ‘By what does it not shine? What call thou its pollution, what is its great danger?’
‘With ignorance is the world shrouded, O Agita,’ so said Bhagavat [Lord Buddha], ‘By reason of avarice it does not shine; desire I call its pollution, pain is its great danger.’ ‘The streams of desire flow in every direction,’ so said the venerable Agita; ‘What dams the streams, say what restrains the streams, by what may the streams be shut off?’
‘Whatever streams there are in the world, O Agita,’ so said Bhagavat [Lord Buddha], ‘Thoughtfulness is their dam, thoughtfulness I call the restraint of the streams, by understanding they are shut off.’
‘Both understanding and thoughtfulness,’ so said the venerable Agita, ‘and name and shape, O Venerable Man, asked about this by me, declare by what is this stopped?’
Buddha: ‘This question which thou have asked, O Agita, that I will explain to thee; (I will explain to thee) by what name and shape are totally stopped; by the cessation of consciousness this is stopped here.’
Agita: ‘Those who have examined (all) Dhammas (namely the saints), and those who are disciples, (and those who are) common men here, when Thou are asked about their mode of life, declare it unto me, Thou who are wise, O Venerable Man.’
Buddha: ‘Let the Bhikkhu not crave for sensual pleasures, let him be calm in mind, let him wander about skilful in all Dhammas, and thoughtful.’ Agitamânavapukkhâ is ended.”
TISSAMETTEYYAMÂNAVAPUKKHÂ.
“‘Who is contented in the world,’ so said the venerable Tissametteyya, ‘Who is without commotions? Who after knowing both ends does not stick in the middle, as far as his understanding is concerned? Whom does Thou call a great man? Who has overcome desire in this world?’
‘The Bhikkhu who abstains from sensual pleasures, O Metteyya,’ so said Bhagavat [Lord Buddha], ‘Who is free from desire, always thoughtful, happy by reflection, he is without commotions, he after knowing both ends does not stick in the middle, as far as his understanding is concerned; him I call a great man; he has overcame desire in this world.’ Tissametteyyamânavapukkhâ is ended.”
PUNNAKAMÂNAVAPUKKHÂ.
“‘To Him who is without desire, who has seen the root (of sin),’ so said the venerable Punnaka, ‘I have come supplicatingly with a question: on account of what did the Isis and men, Khattiyas and Brâhmanas, offer sacrifices to the gods abundantly in this world? (about this) I ask Thee, O Bhagavat, tell me this.’
‘All these […] men, Khattiyas and Brâhmanas, O Punnaka,’ so said Bhagavat [Lord Buddha], ‘Who offered sacrifices to the gods abundantly in this world, offered sacrifices, O Punnaka, after reaching old age, wishing for their present condition.’
‘All these […] and men, Khattiyas and Brâhmanas,’ so said the venerable Punnaka, ‘Who offered sacrifices to the gods abundantly in this world, did they, O Bhagavat, indefatigable in the way of offering, cross over both birth and old age, O Venerable Man? I ask Thee, O Bhagavat, tell me this.’
‘They wished for, praised, desired, abandoned (sensual pleasures), O Punnaka,’ so said Bhagavat [Lord Buddha], ‘they desired sensual pleasures on account of what they reached by them; they, devoted to offering, dyed with the passions of existence, did not cross over birth and old age, so I say.’
‘If they, devoted to offering,’ so said the venerable Punnaka, ‘Did not by offering cross over birth and old age, O venerable man, who then in the world of gods and men crossed over birth and old age, O Venerable Man? I ask Thee, O Bhagavat, tell me this?’ ‘Having considered everything in the world, O Punnaka,’ so said Bhagavat [Lord Buddha], ‘He who is not defeated anywhere in the world, who is calm without the smoke of passions, free from woe, free from desire, he crossed over birth and old age, so I say.’ Punnakamânavapukkhâ is ended.”
METTAGÛMÂNAVAPUKKHÂ.
“‘I ask Thee, O Bhagavat, tell me this,’ so said the venerable Mettagû, ‘I consider Thee accomplished and of a cultivated mind, why are these (creatures), whatsoever they are of many kinds in the world, always subject to pain?’
‘Thou may well ask me concerning the origin of pain, O Mettagû,’ so said Bhagavat [Lord Buddha], ‘I will explain that to thee in the way I myself know it: originating in the upadhis, pains arise, whatsoever they are, of many kinds in the world.
He who being ignorant creates upadhi, that fool again undergoes pain; therefore let not the wise man create upadhi, considering (that this is) the birth and origin of pain.’”
