Aṇguttara Nikāya
Chakka Nipāta
V. Dhammika Vagga
The Book of Sixes
Sutta 48
Dutiya Sandiṭṭhika Suttaṃ
To Be Seen for One's Self 2
Translated from the Pāḷi
by
Michael M. Olds
Once upon a time The Lucky Man,
Sāvatthī-town revisiting,
Jeta Grove,
Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.
There then, a brahman approached The Lucky Man and drew near.
Having drawn near, he gave salutation.
Having given salutation,
having exchanged greetings,
he took a seat to one side.
Seated to one side then, the brahman said this to The Lucky Man:
"A 'to-be-seen-for-one's-self' Dhamma.
A 'to-be-seen-for-one's-self' Dhamma.
This, good Gotama, is what they say.
In what way then, good Gotama, is there a 'to-be-seen-for-one's-self' Dhamma,
timeless,
inviting 'come, see!',
to be experienced individually through vision?"
"In this case brahman what is required is a counter-question
and you should make such response
as seems fit to you.
What to you think brahman?
There being lust within,
is this known:
'There is lust within me?'"
There being no lust within,
is this known:
'There is no lust within me.'?"
"Even so, good Gotama."
"Whenever brahman
there being lust within,
this is known:
'There is lust within me,'
there being no lust within,
this is known:
'There is no lust within me,'
then in this way brahman
is there a 'to-be-seen-for-one's-self' Dhamma,
timeless,
inviting 'come, see!',
to be experienced individually through vision.
What to you think brahman?
There being hate within,
is this known:
'There is hate within me?'"
There being no hate within,
is this known:
'There is no hate within me.'?"
"Even so, good Gotama."
"Whenever brahman
there being hate within,
this is known:
'There is hate within me,'
there being no hate within,
this is known:
'There is no hate within me,'
then in this way brahman
is there a 'to-be-seen-for-one's-self' Dhamma,
timeless,
inviting 'come, see!',
to be experienced individually through vision.
What to you think brahman?
There being confusion within,
is this known:
'There is confusion within me?'"
There being no confusion within,
is this known:
'There is no confusion within me.'?"
"Even so, good Gotama."
"Whenever brahman
there being confusion within,
this is known:
'There is confusion within me,'
there being no confusion within,
this is known:
'There is no confusion within me,'
then in this way brahman
is there a 'to-be-seen-for-one's-self' Dhamma,
timeless,
inviting 'come, see!',
to be experienced individually through vision.
What to you think brahman?
There being confusion with regard to body within,
is this known:
'There is confusion with regard to body within me?'"
There being no confusion with regard to body within,
is this known:
'There is no confusion with regard to body within me.'?"
"Even so, good Gotama."
"Whenever brahman
there being confusion with regard to body within,
this is known:
'There is confusion with regard to body within me,'
there being no confusion with regard to body within,
this is known:
'There is no confusion with regard to body within me,'
then in this way brahman
is there a 'to-be-seen-for-one's-self' Dhamma,
timeless,
inviting 'come, see!',
to be experienced individually through vision.
What to you think brahman?
There being confusion with regard to speech within,
is this known:
'There is confusion with regard to speech within me?'"
There being no confusion with regard to speech within,
is this known:
'There is no confusion with regard to speech within me.'?"
"Even so, good Gotama."
"Whenever brahman
there being confusion with regard to speech within,
this is known:
'There is confusion with regard to speech within me,'
there being no confusion with regard to speech within,
this is known:
'There is no confusion with regard to speech within me,'
then in this way brahman
is there a 'to-be-seen-for-one's-self' Dhamma,
timeless,
inviting 'come, see!',
to be experienced individually through vision.
What to you think brahman?
There being mental-confusion within,
is this known:
'There is mental-confusion within me?'"
There being no mental-confusion within,
is this known:
'There is no mental-confusion within me.'?"
"Even so, good Gotama."
"Whenever brahman
there being mental-confusion within,
this is known:
'There is mental-confusion within me,'
there being no mental-confusion within,
this is known:
'There is no mental-confusion within me,'
then in this way brahman
is there a 'to-be-seen-for-one's-self' Dhamma,
timeless,
inviting 'come, see!',
to be experienced individually through vision."
"Wonderful, Master Gotama!
Wonderful, Master Gotama!
It is, Master Gotama, as though the turned-down were over-turned;
the lost were told the way,
an oil-lamp were brought into the darkness
so that those with eyes in their heads could see shapes.
Thus thusly Master Gotama has shown Dhamma with not simply one exposition.
I go to The Lucky Man for refuge
and to the Dhamma
and to the Order of Beggars.
Having been given life this day,
remember me as a follower
who has taken refuge in the Venerable Gotama.
