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SN 44.9PTS SN 4.3982 min read

The Debating Hall

Kutūhalasālāsutta

The wanderer Vacchagotta reports to the Buddha a conversation among ascetics on the views of the six heretical teachers as to where a perfected one is reborn. Unsure of what the Buddha’s position was, he asks how it is to be understood. The Buddha says it is like a flame that burns dependent on fuel, and goes out when that fuel is extinguished.

Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 44.9Linked Discourses 44.9
  • 0.21. Abyākatavagga1. The Undeclared Points

0.3KutūhalasālāsuttaThe Debating Hall

1.1PTS 4.398Atha kho vacchagotto paribbājako yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi.Then the wanderer Vacchagotta went up to the Buddha and exchanged greetings with him.1.2Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho vacchagotto paribbājako bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side, and said to the Buddha:

2.1“Purimāni, bho gotama, divasāni purimatarāni sambahulānaṁ nānātitthiyānaṁ samaṇabrāhmaṇānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ kutūhalasālāyaṁ sannisinnānaṁ sannipatitānaṁ ayamantarākathā udapādi:“Worthy Gotama, a few days ago several ascetics, brahmins, and wanderers who follow various other religions were sitting together in the debating hall, and this discussion came up among them:12.2‘ayaṁ kho pūraṇo kassapo saṅghī ceva gaṇī ca gaṇācariyo ca ñāto yasassī titthakaro sādhusammato bahujanassa.‘This Pūraṇa Kassapa leads an order and a community, and tutors a community. He’s a well-known and famous religious founder, deemed holy by many people.2.3Sopi sāvakaṁ abbhatītaṁ kālaṅkataṁ upapattīsu byākaroti:When a disciple passes away, he declares that2.4“asu amutra upapanno, asu amutra upapanno”ti.this one is reborn here, while that one is reborn there.2.5Yopissa sāvako uttamapuriso paramapuriso paramapattipatto tampi sāvakaṁ abbhatītaṁ kālaṅkataṁ upapattīsu byākaroti:And as for a disciple who is a supreme person, highest of people, having reached the highest point, when they pass away he also declares that2.6“asu amutra upapanno, asu amutra upapanno”ti.this one is reborn here, while that one is reborn there.

3.1PTS 4.399Ayampi kho makkhali gosālo …pe…This bamboo-staffed ascetic Gosāla …3.2ayampi kho nigaṇṭho nāṭaputto …pe…the Jain ascetic of the Ñātika clan …3.3ayampi kho sañcayo belaṭṭhaputto …pe…Sañjaya Belaṭṭhiputta …3.4ayampi kho pakudho kaccāno …pe…Pakudha Kaccāyana …3.5ayampi kho ajito kesakambalo saṅghī ceva gaṇī ca gaṇācariyo ca ñāto yasassī titthakaro sādhusammato bahujanassa.Ajita of the hair blanket leads an order and a community, and tutors a community. He’s a well-known and famous religious founder, deemed holy by many people.3.6Sopi sāvakaṁ abbhatītaṁ kālaṅkataṁ upapattīsu byākaroti:When a disciple passes away, he declares that3.7“asu amutra upapanno, asu amutra upapanno”ti.this one is reborn here, while that one is reborn there.3.8Yopissa sāvako uttamapuriso paramapuriso paramapattipatto tampi sāvakaṁ abbhatītaṁ kālaṅkataṁ upapattīsu byākaroti:And as for a disciple who is a supreme person, highest of people, having reached the highest point, when they pass away he also declares that3.9“asu amutra upapanno, asu amutra upapanno”ti.this one is reborn here, while that one is reborn there.

4.1Ayampi kho samaṇo gotamo saṅghī ceva gaṇī ca gaṇācariyo ca ñāto yasassī titthakaro sādhusammato bahujanassa.This ascetic Gotama leads an order and a community, and tutors a community. He’s a well-known and famous religious founder, deemed holy by many people.4.2Sopi sāvakaṁ abbhatītaṁ kālaṅkataṁ upapattīsu byākaroti:When a disciple passes away, he declares that4.3“asu amutra upapanno, asu amutra upapanno”ti.this one is reborn here, while that one is reborn there.

4.4Yopissa sāvako uttamapuriso paramapuriso paramapattipatto tañca sāvakaṁ abbhatītaṁ kālaṅkataṁ upapattīsu na byākaroti:But as for a disciple who is a supreme person, highest of people, having reached the highest point, when they pass away he doesn’t declare that4.5“asu amutra upapanno, asu amutra upapanno”ti.this one is reborn here, while that one is reborn there.4.6Api ca kho naṁ evaṁ byākaroti:Rather, he declares that they have4.7“acchecchi taṇhaṁ, vivattayi saṁyojanaṁ, sammā mānābhisamayā antamakāsi dukkhassā”’ti.cut off craving, cast off the fetters, and by rightly comprehending conceit have made an end of suffering.’4.8Tassa mayhaṁ, bho gotama, ahu deva kaṅkhā, ahu vicikicchā:I had doubt and uncertainty about that:4.9‘kathaṁ nāma samaṇassa gotamassa dhammo abhiññeyyo’”ti?‘How on earth can I understand the ascetic Gotama’s teaching?’”

5.1“Alañhi te, vaccha, kaṅkhituṁ, alaṁ vicikicchituṁ.“Vaccha, no wonder you’re doubting and uncertain.5.2Kaṅkhanīye ca pana te ṭhāne vicikicchā uppannā.Doubt has come up in you about an uncertain matter.

5.3Saupādānassa khvāhaṁ, vaccha, upapattiṁ paññāpemi no anupādānassa.I describe rebirth for someone who grasps fuel, not for someone who does not.5.4Seyyathāpi, vaccha, aggi saupādāno jalati, no anupādāno;It’s like a fire which only burns with fuel, not without fuel.25.5evameva khvāhaṁ, vaccha, saupādānassa upapattiṁ paññāpemi, no anupādānassā”ti.In the same way I describe rebirth for someone who grasps fuel, not for someone who doesn’t grasp fuel.”

6.1PTS 4.400“Yasmiṁ, bho gotama, samaye acci vātena khittā dūrampi gacchati, imassa pana bhavaṁ gotamo kiṁ upādānasmiṁ paññāpetī”ti?“But when a flame is blown away by the wind, what does the worthy Gotama say is its fuel then?”

6.2“Yasmiṁ kho, vaccha, samaye acci vātena khittā dūrampi gacchati, tamahaṁ vātūpādānaṁ paññāpemi.“At such a time, I say that it’s fueled by the wind.6.3Vāto hissa, vaccha, tasmiṁ samaye upādānaṁ hotī”ti.For the wind is its fuel then.”

6.4“Yasmiñca pana, bho gotama, samaye imañca kāyaṁ nikkhipati, satto ca aññataraṁ kāyaṁ anupapanno hoti, imassa pana bhavaṁ gotamo kiṁ upādānasmiṁ paññāpetī”ti?“But when someone who is attached has laid down this body and has not been reborn in one of the realms, what does the worthy Gotama say is their fuel then?”3

6.5“Yasmiṁ kho, vaccha, samaye imañca kāyaṁ nikkhipati, satto ca aññataraṁ kāyaṁ anupapanno hoti, tamahaṁ taṇhūpādānaṁ vadāmi.“When someone who is attached has laid down this body, Vaccha, and has not been reborn in one of the realms, I say they’re fueled by craving.6.6Taṇhā hissa, vaccha, tasmiṁ samaye upādānaṁ hotī”ti.For craving is their fuel then.”

6.7Navamaṁ.

Translator’s notes

  1. Compare the similar passage at MN 77:6.3, which also introduces the six ascetic teachers.

    ↩ sn44.9:2.1
  2. The simile of the fire going out for lack of fuel is famously discussed with Vacchagotta in MN 72.

    ↩ sn44.9:5.4
  3. This is one of several passages that acknowledge an “in-between state” after death and before rebirth. See also SN 12.11:1.3, SN 35.87:11.8, SN 46.3:9.5.

    In parallel phrases, aññataraṁ qualifies the realm of rebirth (eg. AN 6.34:1.5: aññataraṁ brahmalokaṁ upapanno). This must be the meaning of the second kāya here, rather than “body”.

    I read satto as “attached”, since one who has been freed would not be reborn.

    ↩ sn44.9:6.4