Buddhist Suttas — SBE Vol. 11 (Clarendon Press, 1881) page scans

he place where the Samara Gotama is ; and when we have come there, let us ask the Samara Gotama touching this matter. What the Samara Gotama shall declare unto us, that let us bear in mind/

* Very well, my friend ! ' said the young Brâhman Bhâradv&^a, in assent, to the young Brâhman Vdse#/*a.

8. Then the young Brâhman Vdse/Ma and the young Brâhman BhcLradv&^a went on to the place where the Blessed One was.

1 See below, § 46.

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And when they had come there, they exchanged with the Blessed One the greetings and compliments of friendship and civility, and sat down beside him.

And while they were thus seated the young
Brâhman VâseM6a said to the Blessed One :

'As we, Gotama, were taking exercise and walking up and down, there sprung up a conversation between us on which was the true path and which the false. I said thus :

* " This is the straight path, this the direct way which leads him, who acts according to it, into a state of union with BrahmS — I mean that which has been announced by the Brahman Pokkarasâti."

' Bhiradva^a said thus :

' " This is the straight path, this the direct way which leads him, who acts according to it, into a state of union with Brahmi — I mean that which has been announced by the Brahman Târukkha."

* Regarding this matter, Gotama, there is a strife, a dispute, a difference of opinion between us/

9. * So you say, Vise/Ma, that you said thus :

' " This is the straight path, this the direct way which leads him, who acts according to it, into a state of union with BrahmA — I mean that which has been announced by the Brihrnan PokkarasAti."

* While Bhâradv&^a said thus :

* " This is the straight path, this the direct way which leads him, who acts according to it, into a state of union with Brahmfi — I mean that which has been announced by the Brâhman Târukkha."

I.

TEVIGGA SUTTA.

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' Wherein, then, O Vise/Ma, is there a strife, a dispute, a difference of opinion between you 1 ?'

10. 'Concerning the true path and the false, Gotama. Various Brahmans, Gotama, teach various paths — the Addhariya Brahmans, the Tittiriya Brâhmans, the A^andoka Brihmans, the A^andava Brâhmans, the Brahma^ariya Brahmans 2 . Are all those saving paths ? Are they all paths which will lead him, who acts according to them, into a state of union with Brahmd ?

'Just, Gotama, as near a village or a town there are many and various paths 3 , yet they all meet together in the village — just in that way are all the various paths taught by various Brâhmans — the Addhariya Brdhmans, the Tittiriya Brâhmans, the Af^andoka Brâhmans, the A^andava Brâhmans, the Brahmaiariya Brâhmans. Are all these saving paths ? Are they all paths which will lead him, who acts according to them, into a state of union with Brahm& ?'

11.

ious paths taught by various Brâhmans — the Addhariya Brdhmans, the Tittiriya Brâhmans, the Af^andoka Brâhmans, the A^andava Brâhmans, the Brahmaiariya Brâhmans. Are all these saving paths ? Are they all paths which will lead him, who acts according to them, into a state of union with Brahm& ?'

11. ' Do you say that they all lead aright, Vise/Ma ?'
' I say so, Gotama/

' Do you really say that they all lead aright,
Vâse///fca ? '

' So I say, Gotama/

1 This is either mildly sarcastic — as much as to say, ' that is six to one, and half a dozen to the other ' — or is intended to lead on Vase/Ma to confess still more directly the fact that the different theologians held inconsistent opinions.

2 P. here Atthariyd, but below Addhariyd (Sans. Adhvaryu); D. Titittiriyd, T. Tattiriy&, P. apparently Titthiriyd (Sans. Taittiriya) ; D. ^anddva, T. P. omit (? Sans. -Oandasa) ; all three MSS. Af^andoka (Sans, .Oandoga) ; P. Bavhadi^d here and below ^avhadi^d for Brahma^ariyi (? Sans. BrahmaHri). See ' Lotus/ p. 493- s Maggani, which is noteworthy as a curious change of gender.

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ON KNOWLEDGE OF THE VEDAS.

CH.

12. 'But then, VâsenAa, is there a single one of the Brâhmans versed in the Three Vedas who has ever seen BrahmS, face to face ? '

* No, indeed, Gotama ! '

' But is there then, Vâse/A4a, a single one of the teachers of the Brâhmans versed in the Three Vedas who has seen Brahmd face to face ?'

' No, indeed, Gotama ! '

* But is there then, Vise/Z^a, a single one of the pupils of the teachers of the Brâhmans versed in the Three Vedas who has seen Brahm& face to face ?'

' No, indeed, Gotama ! '

' But is there then, Vâse/Ma, a single one of the Brâhmans up to the seventh generation who has seen Brahm& face to face ?'

'No, indeed, Gotama V

13. 'Well then, V£se//^a, those ancient Tfoshis of the Brâhmans versed in the Three Vedas, the authors of the verses, the utterers of the verses, whose ancient form of words so chaunted, uttered, or composed, the Brâhmans of to-day chaunt over again or repeat ; intoning or reciting exactly as has been intoned or recited — to wit, A/Maka, Vâmaka, Vimadeva, Vessâmitta, Yamataggi, Angirasa, Bhfiradvi^a, Vâse/Ma, Kassapa, and Bhagu 1 — did even they speak thus, saying : " We know it, we have seen it, where Brahmfi is, whence BrahmA is, whither Brahma is?"'

' Not so, Gotama!'

14. 4 Then you say, Vâse/Ma [that not one of the Brihmans, or of their teachers, or of their pupils, even up to the seventh generation, has ever seen Brahmcl face to face. And that even the Tfoshis of

1 See Mah£ Vagga VI, 35, 2.

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TEVIGGA SUTTA.

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old, the authors and utterers of the verses, of the ancient form of words which the Brâhmans of to-day so carefully intone and recite precisely as they have been handed down — even they did not pretend to know or to have seen where or whence or whither BrahmS. is] 1 .

I.

TEVIGGA SUTTA.

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old, the authors and utterers of the verses, of the ancient form of words which the Brâhmans of to-day so carefully intone and recite precisely as they have been handed down — even they did not pretend to know or to have seen where or whence or whither BrahmS. is] 1 . So that the Brâhmans versed in the Three Vedas have forsooth said thus : " What we know not, what we have not seen, to a state of union with that we can show the way, and can say : ' This is the straight path, this is the direct way which leads him, who acts according to it, into a state of union with Brahm& ! ' "

* Now what think you, Vfise/Afca ? Does it not follow, this being so, that the talk of the Brâhmans, versed though they be in the Three Vedas, is foolish talk ? '

* In sooth, Gotama, that being so, it follows that the talk of the Brâhmans versed in the Three Vedas is foolish talk ! '

15. 'Verily, Vfise#/fca, that Brâhmans versed in the Three Vedas should be abje to show the way to a state of union with that which they do not know, neither have seen — such a condition of things has no existence !

' Just, Vase/Ma, as when a string of blind men are clinging one to the other 2 , neither can the foremost

1 In the text §§ 12, 13 are repeated word for word.

2 Andhavefli paramparazB sawsattl The Phayre MS. has replaced ve«i by pavewi, after the constant custom of the Burmese MSS. to improve away unusual or difficult expressions. Buddhaghosa explains andhavewi by andhapavewi, and tells a tale of a wicked wight, who meeting a company of blind men, told them of a certain village wherein plenty of good food was to be had. When they besought him for hire to lead them there, he took the money, made one blind man catch hold of his stick, the next of that one, and so on, and then led them on till they came to a wilderness. There he deserted them, and they all — still

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OX KNOWLEDGE OF THE VEDAS.

CH.

see, nor can the middle one see, nor can the hindmost see — just even so, methinks, Vfise//^a, is the talk of the Brihmans versed in the Three Vedas but blind talk: the first sees not, the middle one sees not, nor can the latest see. The talk then of these Brihmans versed in the Three Vedas turns out to be ridiculous, mere words, a vain and empty thing ! '

1 6. 'Now what think you, Vdse/Ma? CantheBrâhmans versed in the Three Vedas — like other, ordinary, folk — see the sun and the moon as they pray to, and praise, and worship them, turning round with clasped hands towards the place whence they rise and where they set ? '

' Certainly, Gotama, they [can] V

1 7. ' Now what think you, Vksetifa.