Evaṁ me sutaṁ—So I have heard. ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: There the Buddha addressed the bhikkhus, “bhikkhavo”ti. “Bhikkhus!”
“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. “Bhante,” they replied. Bhagavā etadavoca: The Buddha said this:
“vīmaṁsakena, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā parassa cetopariyāyaṁ ajānantena 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. Bhante, 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. “Yes, Bhante,” they replied. Bhagavā etadavoca: The Buddha said this:
“Vīmaṁsakena, bhikkhave, bhikkhunā parassa cetopariyāyaṁ ajānantena dvīsu dhammesu tathāgato samannesitabbo cakkhusotaviññeyyesu dhammesu: “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: ‘ye saṅkiliṭṭhā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, saṁvijjanti vā te tathāgatassa no vā’ti? ‘Are defiled things that are visible and audible seen or heard in the Realized One or not?’ Tamenaṁ samannesamāno evaṁ jānāti: Scrutinizing him they find that ‘ye saṅkiliṭṭhā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, na te tathāgatassa saṁvijjantī’ti. defiled things that are visible and audible are not found in the Realized One.
Yato naṁ samannesamāno evaṁ jānāti: ‘ye saṅkiliṭṭhā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, na te tathāgatassa saṁvijjantī’ti, tato naṁ uttariṁ samannesati: They scrutinize further: ‘ye vītimissā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, saṁvijjanti vā te tathāgatassa no vā’ti? ‘Are mixed things that are visible and audible seen or heard in the Realized One or not?’ Tamenaṁ samannesamāno evaṁ jānāti: Scrutinizing him they find that ‘ye vītimissā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, na te tathāgatassa saṁvijjantī’ti. mixed things that are visible and audible are not found in the Realized One.
Yato naṁ samannesamāno evaṁ jānāti: ‘ye vītimissā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, na te tathāgatassa saṁvijjantī’ti, tato naṁ uttariṁ samannesati: They scrutinize further: ‘ye vodātā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, saṁvijjanti vā te tathāgatassa no vā’ti? ‘Are clean things that are visible and audible seen or heard in the Realized One or not?’ Tamenaṁ samannesamāno evaṁ jānāti: Scrutinizing him they find that ‘ye vodātā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, saṁvijjanti te tathāgatassā’ti. clean things that are visible and audible are found in the Realized One.
Yato naṁ samannesamāno evaṁ jānāti: ‘ye vodātā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, saṁvijjanti te tathāgatassā’ti, tato naṁ uttariṁ samannesati: They scrutinize further: ‘dīgharattaṁ samāpanno ayamāyasmā imaṁ kusalaṁ dhammaṁ, udāhu ittarasamāpanno’ti? ‘Did this venerable attain this good state a long time ago, or just recently?’ Tamenaṁ samannesamāno evaṁ jānāti: Scrutinizing him they find that ‘dīgharattaṁ samāpanno ayamāyasmā imaṁ kusalaṁ dhammaṁ, nāyamāyasmā ittarasamāpanno’ti. the venerable attained this good 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: They scrutinize further: ‘ñattajjhāpanno ayamāyasmā bhikkhu yasappatto, saṁvijjantassa idhekacce ādīnavā’ti? ‘Are certain woes found in that venerable bhikkhu who has achieved fame and renown?’ Na tāva, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno idhekacce ādīnavā saṁvijjanti yāva na ñattajjhāpanno hoti yasappatto. For, bhikkhus, so long as a bhikkhu has not achieved fame and renown, certain woes are not found in them. Yato ca kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu ñattajjhāpanno hoti yasappatto, athassa idhekacce ādīnavā saṁvijjanti. But when they achieve fame and renown, those woes appear. Tamenaṁ samannesamāno evaṁ jānāti: Scrutinizing him they find that ‘ñattajjhāpanno ayamāyasmā bhikkhu yasappatto, nāssa idhekacce ādīnavā saṁvijjantī’ti. those woes 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: They scrutinize further: ‘abhayūparato ayamāyasmā, nāyamāyasmā bhayūparato; ‘Is this venerable restrained without or through fear?” vītarāgattā kāme na sevati khayā rāgassā’ti? Is it because of the destruction of passion, the ending of passion that he doesn’t indulge in sensuality?’ Tamenaṁ samannesamāno evaṁ jānāti: Scrutinizing him they find that ‘abhayūparato ayamāyasmā, nāyamāyasmā bhayūparato; that venerable is restrained without fear; he is not restrained through fear. vītarāgattā kāme na sevati khayā rāgassā’ti. It’s because of the destruction of passion, the ending of passion that he doesn’t indulge in sensuality.
Tañce, bhikkhave, bhikkhuṁ pare evaṁ puccheyyuṁ: If others should ask that bhikkhu, ‘ke panāyasmato ākārā, ke anvayā, yenāyasmā evaṁ vadesi—‘But what reason and evidence does the venerable have for saying this?’ abhayūparato ayamāyasmā, nāyamāyasmā bhayūparato; vītarāgattā kāme na sevati khayā rāgassā’ti. Sammā byākaramāno, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ byākareyya: Answering rightly, the bhikkhu should say, ‘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. ‘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 by them. Yet that venerable doesn’t look down on them for that. Sammukhā kho pana metaṁ bhagavato sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ—Also, I have heard and learned this in the presence of the Buddha: abhayūparatohamasmi, nāhamasmi bhayūparato, vītarāgattā kāme na sevāmi khayā rāgassā’ti. “I am restrained without fear, not through fear. It’s because of the destruction of passion, the ending of passion that I don’t indulge in sensuality.”
Tatra, bhikkhave, tathāgatova uttariṁ paṭipucchitabbo: Next, they should ask the Realized One himself about this, ‘ye saṅkiliṭṭhā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, saṁvijjanti vā te tathāgatassa no vā’ti? ‘Are defiled things that are visible and audible seen or heard in the Realized One or not?’ Byākaramāno, bhikkhave, tathāgato evaṁ byākareyya: The Realized One would answer, ‘ye saṅkiliṭṭhā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, na te tathāgatassa saṁvijjantī’ti. ‘Defiled things that are visible and audible are not found in the Realized One.’
‘Ye vītimissā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, saṁvijjanti vā te tathāgatassa no vā’ti? ‘Are mixed things that are visible and audible seen or heard in the Realized One or not?’ Byākaramāno, bhikkhave, tathāgato evaṁ byākareyya: The Realized One would answer, ‘ye vītimissā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, na te tathāgatassa saṁvijjantī’ti. ‘Mixed things that are visible and audible are not found in the Realized One.’
‘Ye vodātā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, saṁvijjanti vā te tathāgatassa no vā’ti? ‘Are clean things that are visible and audible seen or heard in the Realized One or not?’ Byākaramāno, bhikkhave, tathāgato evaṁ byākareyya: The Realized One would answer, ‘ye vodātā cakkhusotaviññeyyā dhammā, saṁvijjanti te tathāgatassa; ‘Clean things that are visible and audible are found in the Realized One. etaṁ pathohamasmi, etaṁ gocaro, no ca tena tammayo’ti. I am in the range and territory of those things, but I am not determined by them.’
Evaṁvādiṁ kho, bhikkhave, satthāraṁ arahati sāvako upasaṅkamituṁ dhammassavanāya. A disciple ought to approach a teacher who has such a doctrine in order to listen to the teaching. Tassa satthā dhammaṁ deseti uttaruttariṁ paṇītapaṇītaṁ kaṇhasukkasappaṭibhāgaṁ. The teacher explains the teaching with its higher and higher stages, with its better and better stages, with its dark and bright sides. Yathā yathā kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno satthā dhammaṁ deseti uttaruttariṁ paṇītapaṇītaṁ kaṇhasukkasappaṭibhāgaṁ tathā tathā so tasmiṁ dhamme abhiññāya idhekaccaṁ dhammaṁ dhammesu niṭṭhaṁ gacchati, satthari pasīdati: When he comprehends a certain principle of those teachings, in accordance with how they were taught, the bhikkhu comes to a conclusion about the teachings. He gains confidence in the teacher: ‘sammāsambuddho bhagavā, svākkhāto bhagavatā dhammo, suppaṭipanno saṅgho’ti. ‘The Blessed One is a fully awakened Buddha! The Dhamma is well explained! The Saṅgha is practicing well!’
Tañce, bhikkhave, bhikkhuṁ pare evaṁ puccheyyuṁ: If others should ask that bhikkhu, ‘ke panāyasmato ākārā, ke anvayā, yenāyasmā evaṁ vadesi—‘But what reason and evidence does the venerable have for saying this?’ sammāsambuddho bhagavā, svākkhāto bhagavatā dhammo, suppaṭipanno saṅgho’ti? Sammā byākaramāno, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ byākareyya: Answering rightly, the bhikkhu should say, ‘idhāhaṁ, āvuso, yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁ dhammassavanāya. ‘Friends, I approached the Buddha to listen to the teaching. Tassa me bhagavā dhammaṁ deseti uttaruttariṁ paṇītapaṇītaṁ kaṇhasukkasappaṭibhāgaṁ. He explained the teaching with its higher and higher stages, with its better and better stages, with its dark and bright sides. Yathā yathā me, āvuso, bhagavā dhammaṁ deseti uttaruttariṁ paṇītapaṇītaṁ kaṇhasukkasappaṭibhāgaṁ tathā tathāhaṁ tasmiṁ dhamme abhiññāya idhekaccaṁ dhammaṁ dhammesu niṭṭhamagamaṁ, satthari pasīdiṁ—When I comprehended a certain principle of those teachings, in accordance with how they were taught, I came to a conclusion about the teachings. I gained confidence in the teacher: sammāsambuddho bhagavā, svākkhāto bhagavatā, dhammo, suppaṭipanno saṅgho’ti. “The Blessed One is a fully awakened Buddha! The Dhamma 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; When someone’s faith is settled, rooted, and planted in the Realized One in this manner, with these reasons and aspects, it’s said to be grounded faith that’s based on evidence. daḷhā asaṁhāriyā samaṇena vā brāhmaṇena vā devena vā mārena vā brahmunā vā kenaci vā lokasmiṁ. It is strong, and cannot be shifted by any ascetic or brahmin or god or Māra or Brahmā or by anyone in the world. Evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tathāgate dhammasamannesanā hoti. That is how there is legitimate scrutiny of the Realized One, Evañca pana tathāgato dhammatāsusamanniṭṭho hotī”ti. and that is how the Realized One is legitimately well-scrutinized.”
Idamavoca bhagavā. That is what the Buddha said. Attamanā te bhikkhū bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandunti. Pleased, the bhikkhus delighted in what the Buddha said.
Vīmaṁsakasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ sattamaṁ.
Origin URL: https://suttas.hillsidehermitage.org/?q=mn47