Saɱyutta Nikāya
3. Khandha Vagga
22. Khandha Saɱyutta
6. Upāya Vagga
The Connected Discourses of the Buddha
Part II.
The Book of the Aggregates Khandha-Vagga
22. Connected Discourses on the Aggregates
2.1. Engagement
Sutta 62
Nirutti-Patha Suttaɱ
Pathways of Language
Translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi
Copyright Bhikkhu Bodhi 2000, The Connected Discourses of the Buddha (Wisdom Publications, 2000)
This selection from The Connected Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Saɱyutta Nikāya by Bhikkhu Bodhi is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
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"Bhikkhus, there are these three pathways of language, pathways of designation, pathways of description, that are unmixed, that were never mixed, that are not being mixed, that will not be mixed, that are not rejected by wise ascetics and brahmins.
What three?
"Whatever form, bhikkhus, has passed, ceased, changed: the term, label, and description 'was' applies to it, not the term 'is' or the term 'will be.'
"Whatever feeling ...
Whatever perception ...
Whatever volitional formations ...
[72] Whatever consciousness has passed, ceased, changed: the term, label, and description 'was' applies to it, not the term 'is' or the term 'will be.'
"Whatever form, bhikkhus, has not been born, has not become manifest: the term, label, and description 'will be' applies to it, not the term 'is' or the term 'was.'
"Whatever feeling ...
Whatever perception ...
Whatever volitional formations ...
Whatever consciousness has not been born, has not become manifest: the term, label, and description 'will be' applies to it, not the term 'is' or the term 'was.'
"Whatever form, bhikkhus, has been born, has become manifest: the term, label, and description 'is' applies to it, not the term 'was' or the term 'will be.'
"Whatever feeling ...
Whatever perception ...
Whatever volitional formations ...
Whatever consciousness has been born, has become manifest: the term, label, and description 'is' applies to it, not the term 'was' or the term 'will be.'
"These, bhikkhus, are the three pathways of language, pathways of designation, pathways of description, that are unmixed, that were never mixed, that are not being mixed, [73] that will not be mixed, that are not rejected by wise ascetics and brahmins.
"Bhikkhus, even Vassa and Bañña of Ukkalā, proponents of noncausality, of the inefficacy of action, and of nihilism, did not think that these three pathways of language, pathways of designation, pathways of description should be criticized or scorned.
For what reason?
Because they fear blame, attack, and condemnation."
