Thus I have heard: One time, the Buddha was staying on the shore of Monkey Pond of Vaiśālī.
There was a Jain disciple in Vaiśālī who was intelligent and astute. He had a good understanding of various philosophies and was proud of his erudition. He had a nuanced knowledge about the philosophies that he had broadly collected, having entered their minute details. He taught Dharma for an assembly which went beyond that of other philosophers. He often had the thought, “No ascetic or priest is a match for me. I could even debate the Tathāgata! When the philosophers hear my name, their foreheads drip, their armpits become wet, and sweat flows from their hair pores. The wind of my doctrine blows down grass and knocks down trees, breaks up metal and stone, and subdues nāga elephants. How could any human philosopher face me?”
There was then a monk named Aśvajit. Early in the morning, he put on his robes and took his bowl. He was dignified and serene as he walked, keeping his gaze straight ahead as he went to solicit alms in the city. At the time, that Jain disciple Satyaka was also headed out to a village on some minor business. When he reached the city gate, he saw the monk Aśvajit from a distance as he was approaching the city. Satyaka asked him, “How does the ascetic Gautama teach Dharma for his disciples? What things does he teach his disciples so that they will cultivate it?”
Aśvajit said, “Agnivaiśyāyana, the Bhagavān teaches the Dharma to his disciples in this way so that they may cultivate their training. He says, ‘Monks, you must observe no self in form, observe no self in feeling … conception … volition … awareness. These five acquired aggregates are observed using this diligent method as being like illnesses, abcesses, thorns, and killers. They are impermanent, painful, empty, and not self.’”
Satyaka wasn’t pleased when he heard him say this. He said, “Aśvajit, surely you heard it wrong. The ascetic Gautama would never say that. If the ascetic Gautama said that, it would be a wrong view. I will go question him and make him stop [holding that view].”
That Jain disciple Satyaka then went to a place where some Licchavis were holding a meeting in the village. He said to them, “Today, I met [one of] the ascetic Gautama’s first disciples named Aśvajit, and we had a little debate. Given what he told me, I will be going to debate that ascetic Gautama. After going back and forth and all around with him, he will surely follow my thinking.
“I’ll be like a man who pulls up weeds and grass, holds them by their stems, and shakes the dirt off of them to remove tangles and filth. I will be likewise when I debate the ascetic Gautama and question him. I’ll grasp his main points and go back and forth and all around with him until he does what I want and leaves behind his wrong teachings.
“I’ll be like a wine merchant who grabs his wine sack, presses out the pure wine, and leaves behind the dregs. I will be likewise when I debate the ascetic Gautama and question him. I’ll [grasp his main points and] go back and forth and all around with him until he accepts the pure truth and leaves behind his wrong teachings.”
“I’ll be like a carpet weaver who acquires a carpet full of filthy things. When he wants to sell it to a merchant, he washes it with water to remove the foul dirt. I will be likewise when I go to the ascetic Gautama to debate him. I’ll go back and forth and all around while grasping his woven points until he leaves behind his dirty teachings.
“I’ll be like a royal elephant trainer leading a disoriented elephant into deep water to wash its body, legs, ears, and trunk completely and leave behind the dirt and filth. I will be likewise when I go to the ascetic Gautama to debate and question him. I’ll go back and forth and all around with him, having my way while grasping his main points until he leaves behind his dirty teachings. You Licchavis should come along with me and watch him lose.”
There was a Licchavi among them who said, “It isn’t possible for this Jain disciple Satyaka debate the ascetic Gautama.”
Someone else said, “This Jain disciple Satyaka is astute and sharp-witted. He could debate [the ascetic Gautama].”
Five hundred of the Licchavis then accompanied Satyaka as he went to visit the Buddha and debate him.
The Bhagavān was at the time sitting under a tree in the Great Forest, living the heavenly life. Then, a group of monks left their residence and went for a walk outside the forest, and they saw Satyaka coming from a distance. He eventually made his way to where they were standing and asked the monks, “Where is the ascetic Gautama staying?”
The monks replied, “He is sitting under a tree in the Great Forest, living the heavenly life.”
Satyaka then went to the Buddha, saluted him, exchanged greetings with him, and sat to one side. The prominent Licchavis also went to the Buddha. Some saluted him, and some greeted him with their palms together. After exchanging greetings with him, they stood to one side.
Satyaka said to the Buddha, “I have heard that Gautama teaches the Dharma in this way and instructs his disciples in this way. He teaches his disciples: ‘You must observe no self in form, observe no self in feeling … conception … volition … awareness. These five acquired aggregates are observed using this diligent method as being like illnesses, abcesses, thorns, and killers. They are impermanent, painful, empty, and not self.’ Does Gautama teach in this way? Did the one who conveyed this to me misrepresent Gautama? Do you speak as he said, or do you not? Did he speak according to Dharma? Did he explain it going from one thing to the next? Hasn’t someone who accepts something else come to question you so as to refute this position?”
The Buddha told Satyaka, “What you have heard was said as I say it, explained according to the Dharma, and explained by going from one thing to the next. They didn’t misrepresent me, nor has anyone questioned me so as to refute this position. Why is that? I really do declare the Dharma in this way for my disciples, and I really do often instruct my disciples. So that they can follow this Dharma teaching, I have them observe no self in form, observe no self in feeling … conception … volition … awareness. These five acquired aggregates are observed using this diligent method as being like illnesses, abcesses, thorns, and killers. They are impermanent, painful, empty, and not self.”
Satyaka said to the Buddha, “Gautama, I’d like to use an analogy now.”
The Buddha told Satyaka, “This is a good time for it.”
“Just as everything that’s done in the world is supported by the Earth, form in this way is a person’s self, and good and evil are born from it. Feeling … conception … volition … awareness is a person’s self, and good and evil are born from it. Again, just as there is a realm of people, a realm of spirits, and plants and trees that are supported by the Earth where they are born and grow, form is in this way a person’s self. Feeling … conception … volition … awareness is a person’s self.”
The Buddha told Agnivaiśyāyana, “You say that form is a person’s self, that feeling … conception … volition … awareness is a person’s self?”
He replied, “Yes, Gautama. Form is a person’s self, feeling … conception … volition … awareness is a person’s self. This is said by everyone in these assemblies.”
The Buddha told Agnivaiśyāyana, “Will you be building the basis of your argument by quoting other people?”
Satyaka said to the Buddha, “Form really is a person’s self.”
The Buddha told Agnivaiśyāyana, “Now, I will question you. You tell me what you think. Take the example of a king who punishes criminals in his kingdom by killing, binding, exiling, whipping, or cutting off their hands and feet. Suppose he rewards someone by granting them his elephants, horses, vehicles, cities, or treasures. Wouldn’t all that be possible?”
He replied, “He could do that, Gautama.”
The Buddha told Agnivaiśyāyana, “Isn’t it customary that rulers can freely do as they like?”
He replied, “Yes, Gautama.”
The Buddha told Agnivaiśyāyana, “You say that form is self, that feeling … conception … volition … awareness is self. Can they freely do as they like? Can they be made be this way or made not to be that way?”
Satyaka then remained silent.
The Buddha told Agnivaiśyāyana, “Answer quickly, answer quickly! Why are you silent?”
He said this three times, but Satyaka was as silent as before.
There was then a vajra warrior yakṣa spirit wielding a vajra hammer that hovered in the sky while fully engulfed in flames. It was right over Satyaka’s head when it said, “The Bhagavān has questioned you three times. Why haven’t you answered him? I’m going to smash your head into seven peices with this vajra hammer!”
Only Satyaka could see that spirit warrior because of the Buddha’s miraculous power. The rest of the assembly didn’t see it. Satyaka became terrified and said to the Buddha, “It’s not so, Gautama!”
The Buddha told Satyaka, “Take your time and think about it. Afterward, tell me how you understand it. You had said to this assembly before that form is self, that feeling … conception … volition … awareness is self, but you don’t say that now? Your earlier and later statements contradict each other. You always said before, ‘Form is self, feeling … conception … volition … awareness is self.’ Agnivaiśyāyana, now I ask you, is form permanent, or is it impermanent?”
He replied, “Impermanent, Gautama.”
Again, he asked, “Is something that’s impermanent painful?”
He replied, “It’s painful, Gautama.”
Again, he asked, “Something that’s impermanent and painful is subject to change. Would a well-versed noble disciple see in that a self, something different than self, or that either is present in the other?”
He replied, “No, Gautama.”
Feeling, conception, volition, and awareness were discussed in the same way.
The Buddha told Agnivaiśyāyana, “You thought it through and spoke afterward.”
Again, he asked, “Agnivaiśyāyana, suppose one has yet to become free of greed for form, yet to become free of desire for it, yet to become free of thoughts about it, yet to become free of craving for it, and yet to become free of thirst for it, and then that form changes and becomes something else. Wouldn’t that bring sorrow, lamentation, trouble, and pain?”
He replied, “Yes, Gautama.”
Feeling, conception, volition, and awareness are discussed in the same way.
He again asked, “Agnivaiśyāyana, suppose someone is free of greed for form, free of desire for it, free of thoughts about it, free of craving for it, and free of thirst for it, and then that form changes and becomes something else. That wouldn’t produce sorrow, lamentation, trouble, and pain, would it?”
He answered, “Yes, Gautama. There truly would be no difference.”
Feeling, conception, volition, and awareness are discussed in the same way.
“Agnivaiśyāyana, it’s like a man whose infant suffers many pains, and he always shares its pain. If that pain neither stops nor is relinquished, will he be happy?”
He replied, “No, Gautama.”
“So it is, Agnivaiśyāyana. His infant has many pains, and he always shares its pain. If that pain neither stops nor is relinquished, he cannot be happy.
“Agnivaiśyāyana, it’s like a man who takes an axe into the mountains looking for solid hardwood. He sees a plantain tree that’s huge and straight. When he cuts into its root leaves and peels away the layers until they’re completely gone, there’s no solid core to it. Agnivaiśyāyana, you’ve likewise established the starting point of your philosophy.
“Now, I’ve well sought its true meaning, and it’s entirely lacking a solid core like that plantain tree, but there are those in this assembly who venture to say that something does. I don’t see anyone among ascetics or priests who can debate the knowledge and vision of the Tathāgata, the Arhat, and the Completely Awakened One with their own knowledge and vision and not be defeated. Yet, they say of themselves, ‘The wind of my doctrine blows down grass and knocks down trees, breaks up metal and stone, and subdues nāga elephants. Its basics make their foreheads drip, their armpits become wet, and sweat flows from their hair pores.’ Now, your own philosophy and your own doctrine weren’t established by you. You boasted before that you could defeat others, but now everything that you’ve acquired couldn’t budge a single hair on the Tathāgata.”
Right there in that large assembly, the Bhagavān took off his upper robe to show them his chest. “All of you can try and see if you can budge a single hair on the Tathāgata. Is there a way?”
Satyaka then hung his head in silence, so ashamed that he turned pale. Then there was a Licchavi in the audience named Durmukha. He rose from his seat, adjusted his robes, and said to the Buddha with his palms together: “Bhagavān, please allow me to tell a parable.”
The Buddha told Durmukha, “This is a good time for it.”
Durmukha said to the Buddha, “Bhagavān, it’s like someone who takes a scoop from a large pile of grain or takes two or three scoops. Now, this Satyaka is likewise. Bhagavān, it’s like when a prominent man with great riches carelessly commits a crime. All his valuables go to the king’s household. Satyaka is likewise. All of his eloquence has been collected by the Tathāgata.
“It’s like the men, women, boys, and girls in a coastal city or village who wade into the water to entertain themselves. They pick a crab out of the water, chop off its legs, and leave it on the shore. Without its legs, it isn’t able to return to the water. Satyaka the Jain disciple is likewise. All of his arguments have been chopped off by the Tathāgata. He’ll never consider coming to debate the Tathāgata again.
At that point, Satyaka became infuriated and yelled at Durmukha, “Your sloppy metaphors are untrue! What are you going on about? I’m have a debate with the ascetic Gautama! What business do you have getting involved?”
After scolding Durmukha, Satyaka again spoke to the Buddha, “Putting aside the vulgar speech of that commoner, I have a particular question to ask now.”
The Buddha told Satyaka, “You may ask your question. I will answer what you ask.”
“How is it, Gautama? How do you teach your disciples so that they are free of doubts?”
The Buddha told Agnivaiśyāyana, “I teach my disciples that whatever forms there are, whether past, future, or present, internal or external, crude or fine, beautiful or ugly, or distant or near, all those forms are not self, not different than self, and neither is present in the other. Feeling, conception, volition, and awareness are likewise. Those trainees are sure to see the path and not destroy it. They’ll have the capacity to accomplish it, to know and see disillusionment, and to guard the entry to ambrosia. Although not all disciples attain their final end, they’ll still be headed toward nirvāṇa. Disciples become free of doubts when I teach the Dharma in this way.”
Satyaka also asked, “Again, Gautama, how do you teach your disciples in the Buddha’s Dharma to attain the end of contaminants, become uncontaminated, and be liberated in mind and wisdom such that they realize for themselves in the present life, ‘My births have been ended, the religious life has been established, the task has been accomplished, and I know myself that I wont be subject to a later existence’?”
The Buddha told Agnivaiśyāyana, “The correct way is this principle: Whatever forms there are, whether past, future, or present, internal or external, crude or fine, beautiful or ugly, or distant or near, all those forms are not self, not different than self, and neither is present in the other. Feeling, conception, volition, and awareness are likewise.
“At that point, they become unsurpassed in three ways: unsurpassed in knowledge, unsurpassed in the path, and unsurpassed in liberation. After becoming unsurpassed in these three ways, they salute, honor, and support their great teacher like the Buddha. The Bhagavān realizes all these principles and then trains his disciples with them. This allows them to become secure, confident, disciplined, peaceful, and finally reach nirvāṇa. The Bhagavān teaches Dharma to his disciples for their nirvāṇa.
“Agnivaiśyāyana, my disciples in this Dharma reach the end of the contaminants and attain liberation in mind and liberation in wisdom. In the present life, they realize for themselves: ‘My births have been ended, the religious life has been established, and the task has been accomplished. I know myself that I wont be subject to a later existence.’”
Satyaka said to the Buddha, “Gautama, just as an energetic man who weilds his sword wildly can still be escaped, one can be freed by the hand of Gautama’s philosophy with difficulty. It’s like a viper in a basket that can still be dodged, a blazing fire can still be avoided, a rampaging elephant that can still be escaped, or a ravenous lion that can still be escaped. One can be freed by the hand of the ascetic Gautama’s arguments with difficulty, but it’s not that I am a common, dismissive, or vulgar man with unprepared arguments. I came to visit Gautama because of his arguments.
“Ascetic Gautama, this land of Vaiśālī is abundant and prosperous. It has the Cāpāla Shrine, Saptārmaka Shrine, Bahuputraka Shrine, Gautamanyagrodha Shrine, Sālavrata Shrine, Dhuranikṣepana Shrine, and Mallamakuṭa Shrine. Bhagavān, you should be content here in Vaiśālī. Gods like Māra and Brahmā, ascetics and priests, and worldly people who visit the Bhagavān always salute, serve, and support him. This brings contentment for a long night to these gods like Māra and Brahmā and those ascetics and priests. Please stop here tomorrow morning and accept my meager food with this astute and great assembly!”
The Bhagavān then silently accepted this. When he knew the Buddha, the Bhagavān, had silently accepted his invitation, Satyaka rejoiced and was glad. He rose from his seat and departed.
While they were on the road, Satyaka told the Licchavis, “I’ve offered to provide a meal to the ascetic Gautama and everyone in his large assembly. Each of you, make a pot of food and bring it to my place.”
Each of those Licchavis returned to their homes and prepared the offerings by starlight. They brought them to Satyaka’s place early in the morning. Satyaka mopped, swept, and preparing seats. Once he had arranged the offerings and clean water, he dispatched a messenger to tell the Buddha, “The time has arrived.”
The Bhagavān and the large assembly then put on their robes and took their bowls to Satyaka’s place, and the congregation sat in front. Satyaka respectfully provided them pure food with his own hands until the assembly was satisfied. After eating, they finished by washing their bowls. When he knew the Buddha was done eating and had washed his bowl, Satyaka fetched a humble seat and sat in front of the Buddha. The Bhagavān then recited these verses to gladden Satyaka:
“Among all the great congregations,
Those who tend the fire are supreme.
Among the Vedic scriptures,
The Sāvitrī is supreme.
Among men, the king is supreme.
Among rivers, the ocean is supreme.
Among stars, the moon is supreme.
Among lights, the sun is supreme.
Among gods and people everywhere,
The Completely Awakened One is supreme.”
The Bhagavān then taught Dharma to Satyaka in various ways. After he had shown, taught, illuminated, and gladdened Satyaka, he returned home.
The monks then debated among themselves while they were on the road: “What merits will each of those five hundred Licchavis gain from preparing the meals for Satyaka? What merits will Satyaka the Jain disciple gain from it?”
When the monks got back to their own residences, they put away their robes and bowls and washed their feet. Then, they went to the Bhagavān, bowed their heads at his feet, and withdrew to sit to one side. They said to the Buddha, “Bhagavān, we were debating among ourselves while we were on the road: ‘Those five hundred Licchavis had prepared the meals for Satyaka the Jain disciple to give as offerings to the Bhagavān and his large assembly. What merits will those Licchavis gain from this? What merits will Satyaka the Jain disciple gain from it?’”
The Buddha told the monks, “Those Licchavis who prepared the meals for Satyaka the Jain disciple gained merits brought about by Satyaka. Satyaka has gained merits from the Buddha’s virtue. Those Licchavis will obtain the rewards of generosity with the conditions of having greed, hatred, and delusion. Satyaka will obtain the rewards of generosity with the conditions of having no greed, hatred, or delusion.”
Summary Verse
Pāṭala’s ten questions,
[171] Kṣema, [172] Yamaka, and [173] Sainya,
[174] Anurādha and [175] the prominent man,
[176] West, [177] a hair tip, and [178] Satyaka.