Saṃyutta Nikāya
II. Nidāna Vagga
12. Nidāna Saṃyutta
3. Dasa-Balā Vagga
The Book of the Kindred Sayings
Part II. The Book Called the Nidāna-Vagga
Containing Kindred sayings on Cause
and Other Subjects
12. The Kindred Sayings on Cause
3. The 'Ten Powers' Suttas
Sutta 26
Upavāna Suttaṃ
Upavāna
Translated by Mrs. Rhys Davids
Assisted by F. L. Woodward
Originally Published by
The Pali Text Society
Public Domain
[1][bodh][olds] Thus have I heard:
The Exalted One was once staying near Sāvatthī.
Now the venerable Upavāna[1] came into the presence of the Exalted One,
saluted him,
sat down at one side,
and so seated said to him:
Lord, there are certain recluses and brahmins,
believers in karma,
who declare that ill is self-wrought;
certain others of them
declare ill is wrought by some one other [than one's self];
certain others declare that ill is wrought by both,
and certain others
that ill is wrought by neither,
but happens by chance.
Herein, Lord, what has the Exalted One to announce to us
and how, if we were answering,
should we be repeating his views correctly
and would not be misrepresenting him
by what is not correct,
but would be answering by a doctrine
in conformity with his doctrine,
and one whereby no one who is of his doctrine,
a follower of his views,
would render himself open to blame?"
"I have said Upavāna
that ill comes to pass through a cause.
Because of what?
Because of contact.
He who so spoke would be repeating my views,
and would not be misrepresenting me
by what is not correct,
but would be answering by a doctrine
in conformity with my doctrine,
and one whereby no one who is of my doctrine,
a follower of my views,
would render himself open to blame.
In the case of those recluses and brahmins, Upavāna,
who believing in karma
declare that ill has been wrought by one's own self,
this ill was caused by contact.
In the case of those of them
who declare that ill has been wrought by a different self,
this ill too was caused by contact.
In the case of those of them
who declare that ill has been wrought by both one's own self
and by a different self,
this ill too was caused by contact.
In the case also of those
who declare that ill has been wrought by neither,
but has happened by chance,
this ill too was caused by contact.
In no one of these four views
of those who believe in karma
is it possible to show
that those recluses and brahmins
will experience feeling without contact."
[1] On this thera who for a time was Gotama's body-servant, before Ānanda, see above, i, 220 f.; Pss. of the Brethren, pp. 140, 350.
