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#### Saṁyutta Nikāya
II. Nidāna Vagga
12. Nidāna Saṁyutta
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 24

#### Añña-Titthiya Suttaṁ

# Sectarian Teachers

Translated by Mrs. Rhys Davids
Assisted by F. L. Woodward

Originally Published by
The Pali Text Society
Public Domain

[32] [27]

[1][bodh][olds] Thus have I heard:

The Exalted One was once staying near Rājagaha at the Bamboo Grove.

Now the venerable Sāriputta clothed himself one morning,
and taking his bowl and cloak
entered Rājagaha on his almsround.

Now he thought:

"It is too early as yet
to go [28] about Rājagaha for alms:
I might go the gardens of the heretical Wanderers."

Now the venerable Sāriputta came to those gardens,
and after exchanging greetings with those heretical Wanderers
and compliments of friendship and courtesy
sat down at one side.

Then those Wanderers spoke thus
to the venerable Sāriputta so seated:

"There are, friend Sāriputta,
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.

But the recluse Gotama -
what does he declare,
what does he announce?

And how, if we were answering,
should we be repeating the views of the recluse Gotama,
and should not be misrepresenting him
by what is not correct,
but should 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?"

"Friend, the Exalted One has said
that ill[1] comes to pass through a cause.

Because of what?

Because of contact.

He who so spoke would be repeating the views of the Exalted One,
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.

In the case of those recluses and brahmins, friend,
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.

[29] 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."

§

Now the venerable Ānanda was listening
to Sāriputta's talk with the heretical Wanderers.

And the venerable Ānanda,
after going his almsround in Rājagaha
and eating his meal on his return,
came into the presence of the Exalted One,
saluted him,
sat down at one side,
and so seated told the Exalted One what that talk had been,
saying:

"Now the venerable Sāriputta clothed himself in the morning,
and taking his bowl and cloak
entered Rājagaha on his almsround.

Now he thought:

'It is too early as yet
to go about Rājagaha for alms:
I might go the gardens of the heretical Wanderers.'

Now the venerable Sāriputta came to those gardens,
and after exchanging greetings with those heretical Wanderers
and compliments of friendship and courtesy
sat down at one side.

Then those Wanderers spoke thus
to the venerable Sāriputta so seated:

'There are, friend Sāriputta,
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.

But the recluse Gotama -
what does he declare,
what does he announce?

And how, if we were answering,
should we be repeating the views of the recluse Gotama,
and should not be misrepresenting him
by what is not correct,
but should 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?'

'Friend, the Exalted One has said
that ill comes to pass through a cause.

Because of what?

Because of contact.

He who so spoke would be repeating the views of the Exalted One,
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.

In the case of those recluses and brahmins, friend,
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.'"

§

"Well done, well done, Ānanda!

Sāriputta so answering
would be answering rightly.

I have said that ill happens through a cause.

Because of what?

Because of contact.

So saying
one would be a repeater of my sayings;
he would not be misrepresenting me
by what is not correct,
and no one who is of my doctrine,
a follower of my views,
would thereby render himself open to blame.

In the case of those recluses and brahmins, Ānanda,
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 cases
is it possible to show
that those recluses and brahmins
who believe in karma
will experience ill without contact.

I too, Ānanda,
was once staying here near Rājagaha
in the Bamboo Grove
at the Squirrels' Feeding-ground.

I, too, finding it too early to make my almsround,
bethought me to go to the gardens
of the heretical Wanderers.

Now I came to those gardens,
and after exchanging greetings with those heretical Wanderers
and compliments of friendship and courtesy
sat down at one side.

Then those Wanderers spoke thus
to me so seated:

'There are, friend Gotama,
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.

But the recluse Gotama -
what does he declare,
what does he announce?

And how, if we were answering,
should we be repeating the views of the recluse Gotama,
and should not be misrepresenting him
by what is not correct,
but should 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?'

And I answered them:

'Friend, I have said
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, friend,
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.'"

§

"Wonderful, lord, marvellous
how the whole matter will have been said in one clause.

If this matter were spoken in detail,
it were deep
and it would seem deep."[2]

"Well then, Ānanda,
let just that reveal itself to you now."

[30] "If, lord, they were to ask me:

'Decay-and-death, friend Ānanda,
what is its basis,
what is its coming to pass,
how is it brought to pass,
what is its cause?'

I, so asked, should answer:

'Decay-and-death, friends,
is based on birth,
through birth it comes to pass,
is brought to pass,
birth is its cause.'

So would I answer.

■

Further, if they were to ask me:

'Birth, friend Ānanda, what is its basis,
what is its coming to pass,
how is it brought to pass,
what is its cause?'

I, so asked, should answer:

'Birth, friends,
is based on becoming,
through becoming it comes to pass,
is brought to pass,
becoming is its cause.'

So would I answer.

■

Further, if they were to ask me:

'Becoming, friend Ānanda, what is its basis,
what is its coming to pass,
how is it brought to pass,
what is its cause?'

I, so asked, should answer:

'Becoming, friends,
is based on grasping,
through grasping it comes to pass,
is brought to pass,
grasping is its cause.'

So would I answer.

■

Further, if they were to ask me:

'Grasping, friend Ānanda, what is its basis,
what is its coming to pass,
how is it brought to pass,
what is its cause?'

I, so asked, should answer:

'Grasping, friends,
is based on craving,
through craving it comes to pass,
is brought to pass,
craving is its cause.'

So would I answer.

■

Further, if they were to ask me:

'Craving, friend Ānanda, what is its basis,
what is its coming to pass,
how is it brought to pass,
what is its cause?'

I, so asked, should answer:

'Craving, friends,
is based on feeling,
through feeling it comes to pass,
is brought to pass,
feeling is its cause.'

So would I answer.

■

Further, if they were to ask me:

'Feeling, friend Ānanda, what is its basis,
what is its coming to pass,
how is it brought to pass,
what is its cause?'

I, so asked, should answer:

'Feeling, friends,
is based on contact,
through contact it comes to pass,
is brought to pass,
contact is its cause.'

So would I answer.

■

Further[ed1], if they were to ask me:

'Contact, friend Ānanda, what is its basis,
what is its coming to pass,
how is it brought to pass,
what is its cause?'

I, so asked, should answer:

'Contact, friends,
is based on the six spheres of sense,
through the six spheres of sense it comes to pass,
is brought to pass,
the six spheres of sense is its cause.

And, friends, by the utter fading out and cessation of the six spheres of sense
there is cessation of contact,
by the utter fading out and cessation of contact,
cessation of feeling,
by the utter fading out and cessation of feeling,
cessation of craving,
by the utter fading out and cessation of craving,
cessation of grasping,
by the utter fading out and cessation of grasping,
cessation of becoming,
by the utter fading out and cessation of becoming,
cessation of birth,
by the utter fading out and cessation of birth,
cessation of decay-and-death,
yea, grief,
lamenting,
ill,
sorrow
and despair cease.

Such is the ceasing of this entire mass of ill.'

So asked, lord, so should I make answer."

[1] I.e., as a mode of feeling. See p. 15, f., §§ 17, 18.

[2] Cf. below, § 60; Dialogues, ii, 50.

[ed1] Mrs. Rhys Davids omits this clause.

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