Majjhima Nikāya 47

The Middle-Length Suttas Collection 47

Vīmaṁsakasutta

The Inquirer

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “bhikkhavo”ti.

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. There the Buddha addressed the bhikkhus, “Bhikkhus!”

“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca:

“Venerable sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:

“vīmaṁsakena, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā parassa cetopariyāyaṁ ajānantena¹ tathāgate samannesanā kātabbā ‘sammāsambuddho vā no vā’ iti viññāṇāyā”ti.

“Bhikkhus, a bhikkhu who is an inquirer, unable to comprehend another’s mind, should scrutinize the Realized One to see whether he is a fully awakened Buddha or not.”

“Bhagavaṁmūlakā no, bhante, dhammā, bhagavaṁnettikā bhagavaṁpaṭisaraṇā; sādhu vata, bhante, bhagavantaṁyeva paṭibhātu etassa bhāsitassa attho; bhagavato sutvā bhikkhū dhāressantī”ti.

“Our teachings are rooted in the Buddha. He is our guide and our refuge. Sir, may the Buddha himself please clarify the meaning of this. The bhikkhus will listen and remember it.”

“Tena hi, bhikkhave, suṇātha, sādhukaṁ manasi karotha, bhāsissāmī”ti.

“Well then, bhikkhus, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca:

“Yes, sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:

“Vīmaṁsakena, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā parassa cetopariyāyaṁ ajānantena dvīsu dhammesu tathāgato samannesitabbo cakkhusotaviññeyyesu dhammesu: ‘ye saṅkiliṭṭhā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, saṁvijjanti vā te tathāgatassa no vā’ti? Tamenaṁ samannesamāno evaṁ jānāti: ‘ye saṅkiliṭṭhā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, na te tathāgatassa saṁvijjantī’ti.

“Bhikkhus, a bhikkhu who is an inquirer, unable to comprehend another’s mind, should scrutinize the Realized One for two things—things that can be seen and heard: ‘Can anything corrupt be seen or heard in the Realized One or not?’ Scrutinizing him they find that nothing corrupt can be seen or heard in the Realized One.

Yato naṁ samannesamāno evaṁ jānāti: ‘ye saṅkiliṭṭhā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, na te tathāgatassa saṁvijjantī’ti, tato naṁ uttariṁ samannesati: ‘ye vītimissā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, saṁvijjanti vā te tathāgatassa no vā’ti? Tamenaṁ samannesamāno evaṁ jānāti: ‘ye vītimissā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, na te tathāgatassa saṁvijjantī’ti.

They scrutinize further: ‘Can anything mixed be seen or heard in the Realized One or not?’ Scrutinizing him they find that nothing mixed can be seen or heard in the Realized One.

Yato naṁ samannesamāno evaṁ jānāti: ‘ye vītimissā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, na te tathāgatassa saṁvijjantī’ti, tato naṁ uttariṁ samannesati: ‘ye vodātā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, saṁvijjanti vā te tathāgatassa no vā’ti? Tamenaṁ samannesamāno evaṁ jānāti: ‘ye vodātā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, saṁvijjanti te tathāgatassā’ti.

They scrutinize further: ‘Can anything clean be seen or heard in the Realized One or not?’ Scrutinizing him they find that clean things can be seen and heard in the Realized One.

Yato naṁ samannesamāno evaṁ jānāti: ‘ye vodātā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, saṁvijjanti te tathāgatassā’ti, tato naṁ uttariṁ samannesati: ‘dīgharattaṁ samāpanno ayamāyasmā imaṁ kusalaṁ dhammaṁ, udāhu ittarasamāpanno’ti? Tamenaṁ samannesamāno evaṁ jānāti: ‘dīgharattaṁ samāpanno ayamāyasmā imaṁ kusalaṁ dhammaṁ, nāyamāyasmā ittarasamāpanno’ti.

They scrutinize further: ‘Did the venerable attain this skillful state a long time ago, or just recently?’ Scrutinizing him they find that the venerable attained this skillful state a long time ago, not just recently.

Yato naṁ samannesamāno evaṁ jānāti: ‘dīgharattaṁ samāpanno ayamāyasmā imaṁ kusalaṁ dhammaṁ, nāyamāyasmā ittarasamāpanno’ti, tato naṁ uttariṁ samannesati: ‘ñattajjhāpanno ayamāyasmā bhikkhu yasappatto, saṁvijjantassa idhekacce ādīnavā’ti? Na tāva, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno idhekacce ādīnavā saṁvijjanti yāva na ñattajjhāpanno hoti yasappatto. Yato ca kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu ñattajjhāpanno hoti yasappatto, athassa idhekacce ādīnavā saṁvijjanti. Tamenaṁ samannesamāno evaṁ jānāti: ‘ñattajjhāpanno ayamāyasmā bhikkhu yasappatto, nāssa idhekacce ādīnavā saṁvijjantī’ti.

They scrutinize further: ‘Are certain dangers found in that venerable bhikkhu who has achieved fame and renown?’ For, bhikkhus, so long as a bhikkhu has not achieved fame and renown, certain dangers are not found in them. But when they achieve fame and renown, those dangers appear. Scrutinizing him they find that those dangers are not found in that venerable bhikkhu who has achieved fame and renown.

Yato naṁ samannesamāno evaṁ jānāti: ‘ñattajjhāpanno ayamāyasmā bhikkhu yasappatto, nāssa idhekacce ādīnavā saṁvijjantī’ti, tato naṁ uttariṁ samannesati: ‘abhayūparato ayamāyasmā, nāyamāyasmā bhayūparato; vītarāgattā kāme na sevati khayā rāgassā’ti? Tamenaṁ samannesamāno evaṁ jānāti: ‘abhayūparato ayamāyasmā, nāyamāyasmā bhayūparato; vītarāgattā kāme na sevati khayā rāgassā’ti.

They scrutinize further: ‘Is this venerable securely stopped or insecurely stopped? Is the reason they don’t indulge in sensual pleasures that they’re free of greed because greed has ended?’ Scrutinizing him they find that that venerable is securely stopped, not insecurely stopped. The reason they don’t indulge in sensual pleasures is that they’re free of greed because greed has ended.

Tañce, bhikkhave, bhikkhuṁ pare evaṁ puccheyyuṁ: ‘ke panāyasmato ākārā, ke anvayā, yenāyasmā evaṁ vadesi—abhayūparato ayamāyasmā, nāyamāyasmā bhayūparato; vītarāgattā kāme na sevati khayā rāgassā’ti. Sammā byākaramāno, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ byākareyya: ‘tathā hi pana ayamāyasmā saṅghe vā viharanto eko vā viharanto, ye ca tattha sugatā ye ca tattha duggatā, ye ca tattha gaṇamanusāsanti, ye ca idhekacce āmisesu sandissanti, ye ca idhekacce āmisena anupalittā, nāyamāyasmā taṁ tena avajānāti. Sammukhā kho pana metaṁ bhagavato sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ—abhayūparatohamasmi, nāhamasmi bhayūparato, vītarāgattā kāme na sevāmi khayā rāgassā’ti.

If others should ask that bhikkhu, ‘But what reason and evidence does the venerable have for saying this?’ Answering rightly, the bhikkhu should say, ‘Because, whether that venerable is staying in a community or alone, some people there are in a good state or a sorry state, some instruct a group, and some are seen among pleasures of the flesh, while others remain unsullied. Yet that venerable doesn’t look down on them for that. Also, I have heard and learned this in the presence of the Buddha: “I am securely stopped, not insecurely stopped. The reason I don’t indulge in sensual pleasures is that I’m free of greed because greed has ended.”’

Tatra, bhikkhave, tathāgatova uttariṁ paṭipucchitabbo: ‘ye saṅkiliṭṭhā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, saṁvijjanti vā te tathāgatassa no vā’ti? Byākaramāno, bhikkhave, tathāgato evaṁ byākareyya: ‘ye saṅkiliṭṭhā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, na te tathāgatassa saṁvijjantī’ti.

Next, they should ask the Realized One himself about this, ‘Can anything corrupt be seen or heard in the Realized One or not?’ The Realized One would answer, ‘Nothing corrupt can be seen or heard in the Realized One.’

‘Ye vītimissā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, saṁvijjanti vā te tathāgatassa no vā’ti? Byākaramāno, bhikkhave, tathāgato evaṁ byākareyya: ‘ye vītimissā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, na te tathāgatassa saṁvijjantī’ti.

‘Can anything mixed be seen or heard in the Realized One or not?’ The Realized One would answer, ‘Nothing mixed can be seen or heard in the Realized One.’

‘Ye vodātā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, saṁvijjanti vā te tathāgatassa no vā’ti? Byākaramāno, bhikkhave, tathāgato evaṁ byākareyya: ‘ye vodātā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, saṁvijjanti te tathāgatassa; etaṁ pathohamasmi, etaṁ gocaro, no ca tena tammayo’ti.

‘Can anything clean be seen or heard in the Realized One or not?’ The Realized One would answer, ‘Clean things can be seen and heard in the Realized One. I am that range and that territory, but I do not identify with that.’

Evaṁvādiṁ kho, bhikkhave, satthāraṁ arahati sāvako upasaṅkamituṁ dhammassavanāya. Tassa satthā dhammaṁ deseti uttaruttariṁ paṇītapaṇītaṁ kaṇhasukkasappaṭibhāgaṁ. Yathā yathā kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno satthā dhammaṁ deseti uttaruttariṁ paṇītapaṇītaṁ kaṇhasukkasappaṭibhāgaṁ tathā tathā so tasmiṁ dhamme abhiññāya idhekaccaṁ dhammaṁ dhammesu niṭṭhaṁ gacchati, satthari pasīdati: ‘sammāsambuddho bhagavā, svākkhāto bhagavatā dhammo, suppaṭipanno saṅgho’ti.

A disciple ought to approach a teacher who has such a doctrine in order to listen to the teaching. The teacher explains Dhamma with its higher and higher stages, with its better and better stages, with its dark and bright sides. When they directly know a certain principle of those teachings, in accordance with how they were taught, the bhikkhu comes to a conclusion about the teachings. They have confidence in the teacher: ‘The Blessed One is a fully awakened Buddha! The teaching is well explained! The Saṅgha is practicing well!’

Tañce, bhikkhave, bhikkhuṁ pare evaṁ puccheyyuṁ: ‘ke panāyasmato ākārā, ke anvayā, yenāyasmā evaṁ vadesi—sammāsambuddho bhagavā, svākkhāto bhagavatā dhammo, suppaṭipanno saṅgho’ti? Sammā byākaramāno, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ byākareyya: ‘idhāhaṁ, āvuso, yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁ dhammassavanāya. Tassa me bhagavā dhammaṁ deseti uttaruttariṁ paṇītapaṇītaṁ kaṇhasukkasappaṭibhāgaṁ. Yathā yathā me, āvuso, bhagavā dhammaṁ deseti uttaruttariṁ paṇītapaṇītaṁ kaṇhasukkasappaṭibhāgaṁ tathā tathāhaṁ tasmiṁ dhamme abhiññāya idhekaccaṁ dhammaṁ dhammesu niṭṭhamagamaṁ, satthari pasīdiṁ—sammāsambuddho bhagavā, svākkhāto bhagavatā, dhammo, suppaṭipanno saṅgho’ti.

If others should ask that bhikkhu, ‘But what reason and evidence does the venerable have for saying this?’ Answering rightly, the bhikkhu should say, ‘Friends, I approached the Buddha to listen to the teaching. He explained Dhamma with its higher and higher stages, with its better and better stages, with its dark and bright sides. When I directly knew a certain principle of those teachings, in accordance with how I was taught, I came to a conclusion about the teachings. I had confidence in the Teacher: “The Blessed One is a fully awakened Buddha! The teaching is well explained! The Saṅgha is practicing well!”’

Yassa kassaci, bhikkhave, imehi ākārehi imehi padehi imehi byañjanehi tathāgate saddhā niviṭṭhā hoti mūlajātā patiṭṭhitā, ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, ākāravatī saddhā dassanamūlikā, daḷhā; asaṁhāriyā samaṇena vā brāhmaṇena vā devena vā mārena vā brahmunā vā kenaci vā lokasmiṁ. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tathāgate dhammasamannesanā hoti. Evañca pana tathāgato dhammatāsusamanniṭṭho hotī”ti.

When someone’s faith is settled, rooted, and planted in the Realized One in this manner, with these words and phrases, it’s said to be grounded faith that’s based on evidence. It is firm, and cannot be shifted by any ascetic or brahmin or god or Māra or Brahmā or by anyone in the world. This is how to scrutinize the Realized One’s qualities. But the Realized One has already been properly searched in this way by nature.”

Idamavoca bhagavā. Attamanā te bhikkhū bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandunti.

That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, the bhikkhus approved what the Buddha said.

Vīmaṁsakasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ sattamaṁ.