1.1PTS 3.116Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā vesāliyaṁ viharati mahāvane kūṭāgārasālāyaṁ.At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof.¹1.2Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā anurādho bhagavato avidūre araññakuṭikāyaṁ viharati.Now at that time Venerable Anurādha was staying not far from the Buddha in a wilderness hut.1.3Atha kho sambahulā aññatitthiyā paribbājakā yenāyasmā anurādho tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmatā anurādhena saddhiṁ sammodiṁsu.Then several wanderers of other religions went up to Venerable Anurādha and exchanged greetings with him.1.4Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te aññatitthiyā paribbājakā āyasmantaṁ anurādhaṁ etadavocuṁ:When the greetings and polite conversation were over, they sat down to one side and said to him:

1.5“yo so, āvuso anurādha, tathāgato uttamapuriso paramapuriso paramapattipatto, taṁ tathāgato imesu catūsu ṭhānesu paññāpayamāno paññāpeti:“Reverend Anurādha, when a Realized One is describing a realized one—a supreme person, highest of people, who has reached the highest point—they describe them in these four ways:²1.6‘hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti vā, ‘na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti vā, ‘hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti vā, ‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti vā”ti?After death, a realized one still exists, or no longer exists, or both still exists and no longer exists, or neither still exists nor no longer exists.”

2.1Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā anurādho te aññatitthiye paribbājake etadavoca:When they said this, Venerable Anurādha said to those wanderers:

2.2“yo so āvuso tathāgato uttamapuriso paramapuriso paramapattipatto taṁ tathāgato aññatra imehi catūhi ṭhānehi paññāpayamāno paññāpeti:“Reverends, when a Realized One is describing a realized one—a supreme person, highest of people, who has reached the highest point—they describe them other than these four ways:2.3‘hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti vā, ‘na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti vā, ‘hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti vā, ‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti vā”ti.After death, a realized one still exists, or no longer exists, or both still exists and no longer exists, or neither still exists nor no longer exists.”2.4Evaṁ vutte, aññatitthiyā paribbājakā āyasmantaṁ anurādhaṁ etadavocuṁ:When he said this, the wanderers said to him:

2.5“so cāyaṁ bhikkhu navo bhavissati acirapabbajito, thero vā pana bālo abyatto”ti.“This mendicant must be junior, recently gone forth, or else a foolish, incompetent senior mendicant.”2.6Atha kho aññatitthiyā paribbājakā āyasmantaṁ anurādhaṁ navavādena ca bālavādena ca apasādetvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkamiṁsu.Then, after rebuking Venerable Anurādha by calling him “junior” and “foolish”, the wanderers rose from their seats and left.

3.1PTS 3.117Atha kho āyasmato anurādhassa acirapakkantesu tesu aññatitthiyesu paribbājakesu etadahosi:Soon after they had left, Anurādha thought:

3.2“sace kho maṁ te aññatitthiyā paribbājakā uttariṁ pañhaṁ puccheyyuṁ.“If those wanderers were to inquire further,3.3Kathaṁ byākaramāno nu khvāhaṁ tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ vuttavādī ceva bhagavato assaṁ, na ca bhagavantaṁ abhūtena abbhācikkheyyaṁ, dhammassa cānudhammaṁ byākareyyaṁ, na ca koci sahadhammiko vādānuvādo gārayhaṁ ṭhānaṁ āgaccheyyā”ti?how should I answer them so as to repeat what the Buddha has said, and not misrepresent him with an untruth? How should I explain in line with his teaching, so that there would be no legitimate grounds for rebuttal and criticism?”

4.1Atha kho āyasmā anurādho yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā …pe… ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā anurādho bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:Then Venerable Anurādha went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him all that had happened.4.2“idhāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavato avidūre araññakuṭikāyaṁ viharāmi.4.3Atha kho, bhante, sambahulā aññatitthiyā paribbājakā yenāhaṁ tenupasaṅkamiṁsu …pe… maṁ etadavocuṁ:4.4‘yo so, āvuso anurādha, tathāgato uttamapuriso paramapuriso paramapattipatto taṁ tathāgato imesu catūsu ṭhānesu paññāpayamāno paññāpeti—4.5hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇāti vā, na hoti …4.6hoti ca na ca hoti, neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇāti vā’”ti?

5.1Evaṁ vuttāhaṁ, bhante, te aññatitthiye paribbājake etadavocaṁ:5.2“yo so, āvuso, tathāgato uttamapuriso paramapuriso paramapattipatto, taṁ tathāgato aññatra imehi catūhi ṭhānehi paññāpayamāno paññāpeti:5.3‘hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti vā …pe…5.4‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇā’ti vāti.5.5Evaṁ vutte, bhante, te aññatitthiyā paribbājakā maṁ etadavocuṁ:5.6‘so cāyaṁ bhikkhu na vo bhavissati acirapabbajito thero vā pana bālo abyatto’ti.5.7Atha kho maṁ, bhante, te aññatitthiyā paribbājakā navavādena ca bālavādena ca apasādetvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkamiṁsu.

6.1PTS 3.118Tassa mayhaṁ, bhante, acirapakkantesu tesu aññatitthiyesu paribbājakesu etadahosi:6.2‘sace kho maṁ te aññatitthiyā paribbājakā uttariṁ pañhaṁ puccheyyuṁ.6.3Kathaṁ byākaramāno nu khvāhaṁ tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ vuttavādī ceva bhagavato assaṁ, na ca bhagavantaṁ abhūtena abbhācikkheyyaṁ, dhammassa cānudhammaṁ byākareyyaṁ, na ca koci sahadhammiko vādānuvādo gārayhaṁ ṭhānaṁ āgaccheyyā’”ti?

7.1“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, anurādha,“What do you think, Anurādha?7.2rūpaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?Is form permanent or impermanent?”

7.3“Aniccaṁ, bhante”.“Impermanent, sir.”

7.4“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vā taṁ sukhaṁ vā”ti?“But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?”

7.5“Dukkhaṁ, bhante”.“Suffering, sir.”

7.6“Yaṁ panāniccaṁ dukkhaṁ vipariṇāmadhammaṁ kallaṁ nu taṁ samanupassituṁ:“But if it’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus:7.7‘etaṁ mama, esohamasmi, eso me attā’”ti?‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”

7.8“No hetaṁ, bhante”.“No, sir.”

7.9“Vedanā …“Is feeling …” …7.10saññā …“… perception …” …7.11saṅkhārā …“… choices …” …7.12viññāṇaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?“Is consciousness permanent or impermanent?”

7.13“Aniccaṁ, bhante” …pe…“Impermanent, sir.” …7.14tasmātiha …pe…“So you should truly see …7.15evaṁ passaṁ …pe…Seeing this …7.16nāparaṁ itthattāyāti pajānāti”.They understand: ‘… there is nothing further for this place.’

8.1“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, anurādha,What do you think, Anurādha?8.2rūpaṁ tathāgatoti samanupassasī”ti?Do you consider that the label ‘realized one’ applies to form?”

8.3“No hetaṁ, bhante”.“No, sir.”

8.4“Vedanaṁ …“Do you consider that the label ‘realized one’ applies to feeling?” …8.5saññaṁ …“… perception?” …8.6saṅkhāre …“… choices?” …8.7viññāṇaṁ tathāgatoti samanupassasī”ti?“… consciousness?”

8.8“No hetaṁ, bhante”.“No, sir.”

9.1“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, anurādha,“What do you think, Anurādha?9.2rūpasmiṁ tathāgatoti samanupassasī”ti?Do you consider that the label ‘realized one’ applies in relation to form?”

9.3“No hetaṁ, bhante”.“No, sir.”

9.4“Aññatra rūpā tathāgatoti samanupassasī”ti?“Do you consider that the label ‘realized one’ applies apart from form?”

9.5“No hetaṁ, bhante”.“No, sir.”

9.6“Vedanāya …pe…“Do you consider that the label ‘realized one’ applies in relation to feeling?” …9.7aññatra vedanāya …pe…“… apart from feeling?” …9.8saññāya …“… in relation to perception?” …9.9aññatra saññāya …“… apart from perception?” …9.10saṅkhāresu …“… in relation to choices?” …9.11aññatra saṅkhārehi …“… apart from choices?” …9.12viññāṇasmiṁ …“… in relation to consciousness?” …9.13aññatra viññāṇā tathāgatoti samanupassasī”ti?“… apart from consciousness?”

9.14“No hetaṁ, bhante”.“No, sir.”

10.1“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, anurādha,“What do you think, Anurādha?10.2rūpaṁ … vedanā … saññā … saṅkhārā … viññāṇaṁ tathāgatoti samanupassasī”ti?Do you consider that the label ‘realized one’ applies to one who has form?” … “… feeling?” … “… perception?” … “… choices?” … “… consciousness?”

10.3“No hetaṁ, bhante”.“No, sir.”

11.1“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, anurādha,“What do you think, Anurādha?11.2ayaṁ so arūpī … avedano … asaññī … asaṅkhāro … aviññāṇo tathāgatoti samanupassasī”ti?Do you consider that the label ‘realized one’ applies to that one who is without form?” … “… feeling?” … “… perception?” … “… choices?” … “… consciousness?”

11.3“No hetaṁ, bhante”.“No, sir.”

12.1PTS 3.119“Ettha ca te, anurādha, diṭṭheva dhamme saccato thetato tathāgate anupalabbhiyamāne kallaṁ nu te taṁ veyyākaraṇaṁ:“In that case, Anurādha, since a realized one is not found by you as a genuine fact in this very life, is it cogent for you to declare:12.2‘yo so, āvuso, tathāgato uttamapuriso paramapuriso paramapattipatto taṁ tathāgato aññatra imehi catūhi ṭhānehi paññāpayamāno paññāpeti—‘Reverends, when a Realized One is describing a realized one—a supreme person, highest of people, who has reached the highest point—they describe them other than these four ways:12.3hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇāti vā … na hoti … hoti ca na ca hoti … neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṁ maraṇāti vā’”ti?After death, a realized one still exists, or no longer exists, or both still exists and no longer exists, or neither still exists nor no longer exists’?”

12.4“No hetaṁ, bhante”.“No, sir.”

13.1“Sādhu sādhu, anurādha.“Good, good, Anurādha!13.2Pubbe cāhaṁ, anurādha, etarahi ca dukkhañceva paññapemi, dukkhassa ca nirodhan”ti.In the past, as today, what I describe is suffering and the cessation of suffering.”³

13.3Catutthaṁ.