4👑☸ Cattāri Ariya-saccaṃ 四聖諦

4👑☸ → MN‍ → MN 72    🔝
 MN 72 – MN 72 Aggi-vaccha: With Vacchagotta on Fire
    MN 72.1 - (Vacchagotta asked Buddha metaphysical questions)
    MN 72.2 - (Buddha avoids all 10 of those speculative views)
    MN 72.3 - (Buddha says thickets of views are suffering and don’t lead to nirvana )
    MN 72.4 - (instead he sees rise and fall of aggregates)
    MN 72.5 - (Vacchagotta asks if arahants get reborn)
    MN 72.6 - (Buddha uses simile of fire ↔ arahants not getting reborn)
    MN 72.7 - (Vacchagotta compares sangha to heartwood of tree)

detailed TOC

 MN 72 – MN 72 Aggi-vaccha: With Vacchagotta on Fire
    MN 72.1 - (Vacchagotta asked Buddha metaphysical questions)
    MN 72.2 - (Buddha avoids all 10 of those speculative views)
    MN 72.3 - (Buddha says thickets of views are suffering and don’t lead to nirvana )
    MN 72.4 - (instead he sees rise and fall of aggregates)
    MN 72.5 - (Vacchagotta asks if arahants get reborn)
    MN 72.6 - (Buddha uses simile of fire ↔ arahants not getting reborn)
    MN 72.7 - (Vacchagotta compares sangha to heartwood of tree)

72 – MN 72 Aggi-vaccha: With Vacchagotta on Fire



(derived from B. Sujato 2018/12)
Evaṃ me sutaṃ—​
 So I have heard.
ekaṃ samayaṃ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṃ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.
 At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.
Atha kho vacchagotto paribbājako yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṃ sammodi.
 Then the wanderer Vacchagotta went up to the Buddha and exchanged greetings with him.
Sammodanīyaṃ kathaṃ sāraṇīyaṃ vītisāretvā ekamantaṃ nisīdi. Ekamantaṃ nisinno kho vacchagotto paribbājako bhagavantaṃ etadavoca:
 When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to the Buddha:

72.1 - (Vacchagotta asked Buddha metaphysical questions)


“Kiṃ nu kho, bho gotama, ‘sassato loko, idameva saccaṃ moghamaññan’ti—
 “Master Gotama, is this your view: ‘The world is eternal. This is the only truth, other ideas are stupid’?”
evaṃdiṭṭhi bhavaṃ gotamo”ti?
“Na kho ahaṃ, vaccha, evaṃdiṭṭhi:
 “That’s not my view, Vaccha.”
‘sassato loko, idameva saccaṃ moghamaññan’”ti.
“Kiṃ pana, bho gotama, ‘asassato loko, idameva saccaṃ moghamaññan’ti—
 “Then is this your view: ‘The world is not eternal. This is the only truth, other ideas are stupid’?”
evaṃdiṭṭhi bhavaṃ gotamo”ti?
“Na kho ahaṃ, vaccha, evaṃdiṭṭhi:
 “That’s not my view, Vaccha.”
‘asassato loko, idameva saccaṃ moghamaññan’”ti.
“Kiṃ nu kho, bho gotama, ‘antavā loko, idameva saccaṃ moghamaññan’ti—
 “Then is this your view: ‘The world is finite. This is the only truth, other ideas are stupid’?”
evaṃdiṭṭhi bhavaṃ gotamo”ti?
“Na kho ahaṃ, vaccha, evaṃdiṭṭhi:
 “That’s not my view, Vaccha.”
‘antavā loko, idameva saccaṃ moghamaññan’”ti.
“Kiṃ pana, bho gotama, ‘anantavā loko, idameva saccaṃ moghamaññan’ti—
 “Then is this your view: ‘The world is infinite. This is the only truth, other ideas are stupid’?”
evaṃdiṭṭhi bhavaṃ gotamo”ti?
“Na kho ahaṃ, vaccha, evaṃdiṭṭhi:
 “That’s not my view, Vaccha.”
‘anantavā loko, idameva saccaṃ moghamaññan’”ti.
“Kiṃ nu kho, bho gotama, ‘taṃ jīvaṃ taṃ sarīraṃ, idameva saccaṃ moghamaññan’ti—
 “Then is this your view: ‘The soul and the body are the same thing. This is the only truth, other ideas are stupid’?”
evaṃdiṭṭhi bhavaṃ gotamo”ti?
“Na kho ahaṃ, vaccha, evaṃdiṭṭhi:
 “That’s not my view, Vaccha.”
‘taṃ jīvaṃ taṃ sarīraṃ, idameva saccaṃ moghamaññan’”ti.
“Kiṃ pana, bho gotama, ‘aññaṃ jīvaṃ aññaṃ sarīraṃ, idameva saccaṃ moghamaññan’ti—
 “Then is this your view: ‘The soul and the body are different things. This is the only truth, other ideas are stupid’?”
evaṃdiṭṭhi bhavaṃ gotamo”ti?
“Na kho ahaṃ, vaccha, evaṃdiṭṭhi:
 “That’s not my view, Vaccha.”
‘aññaṃ jīvaṃ aññaṃ sarīraṃ, idameva saccaṃ moghamaññan’”ti.
“Kiṃ nu kho, bho gotama, ‘hoti tathāgato paraṃ maraṇā, idameva saccaṃ moghamaññan’ti—
 “Then is this your view: ‘A Realized One exists after death. This is the only truth, other ideas are stupid’?”
evaṃdiṭṭhi bhavaṃ gotamo”ti?
“Na kho ahaṃ, vaccha, evaṃdiṭṭhi:
 “That’s not my view, Vaccha.”
‘hoti tathāgato paraṃ maraṇā, idameva saccaṃ moghamaññan’”ti.
“Kiṃ pana, bho gotama, ‘na hoti tathāgato paraṃ maraṇā, idameva saccaṃ moghamaññan’ti—
 “Then is this your view: ‘A Realized One doesn’t exist after death. This is the only truth, other ideas are stupid’?”
evaṃdiṭṭhi bhavaṃ gotamo”ti?
“Na kho ahaṃ, vaccha, evaṃdiṭṭhi:
 “That’s not my view, Vaccha.”
‘na hoti tathāgato paraṃ maraṇā, idameva saccaṃ moghamaññan’”ti.
“Kiṃ nu kho, bho gotama, ‘hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṃ maraṇā, idameva saccaṃ moghamaññan’ti—
 “Then is this your view: ‘A Realized One both exists and doesn’t exist after death. This is the only truth, other ideas are stupid’?”
evaṃdiṭṭhi bhavaṃ gotamo”ti?
“Na kho ahaṃ, vaccha, evaṃdiṭṭhi:
 “That’s not my view, Vaccha.”
‘hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṃ maraṇā, idameva saccaṃ moghamaññan’”ti.
“Kiṃ pana, bho gotama, ‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṃ maraṇā, idameva saccaṃ moghamaññan’ti—
 “Then is this your view: ‘A Realized One neither exists nor doesn’t exist after death. This is the only truth, other ideas are stupid’?”
evaṃdiṭṭhi bhavaṃ gotamo”ti?
“Na kho ahaṃ, vaccha, evaṃdiṭṭhi:
 “That’s not my view, Vaccha.”
‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṃ maraṇā, idameva saccaṃ moghamaññan’”ti.

72.2 - (Buddha avoids all 10 of those speculative views)


“‘Kiṃ nu kho, bho gotama, sassato loko, idameva saccaṃ moghamaññanti—
 “Master Gotama, when asked these ten questions, you say: ‘That’s not my view.’
evaṃdiṭṭhi bhavaṃ gotamo’ti iti puṭṭho samāno ‘na kho ahaṃ, vaccha, evaṃdiṭṭhi—
sassato loko, idameva saccaṃ moghamaññan’ti vadesi.
‘Kiṃ pana, bho gotama, asassato loko, idameva saccaṃ moghamaññanti—
evaṃdiṭṭhi bhavaṃ gotamo’ti iti puṭṭho samāno ‘na kho ahaṃ, vaccha, evaṃdiṭṭhi—
asassato loko, idameva saccaṃ moghamaññan’ti vadesi.
‘Kiṃ nu kho, bho gotama, antavā loko, idameva saccaṃ moghamaññanti—
evaṃdiṭṭhi bhavaṃ gotamo’ti iti puṭṭho samāno ‘na kho ahaṃ, vaccha, evaṃdiṭṭhi—
antavā loko, idameva saccaṃ moghamaññan’ti vadesi.
‘Kiṃ pana, bho gotama, anantavā loko, idameva saccaṃ moghamaññanti—
evaṃdiṭṭhi bhavaṃ gotamo’ti iti puṭṭho samāno ‘na kho ahaṃ, vaccha, evaṃdiṭṭhi—
anantavā loko, idameva saccaṃ moghamaññan’ti vadesi.
‘Kiṃ nu kho, bho gotama, taṃ jīvaṃ taṃ sarīraṃ, idameva saccaṃ moghamaññanti—
evaṃdiṭṭhi bhavaṃ gotamo’ti iti puṭṭho samāno ‘na kho ahaṃ, vaccha, evaṃdiṭṭhi—
taṃ jīvaṃ taṃ sarīraṃ, idameva saccaṃ moghamaññan’ti vadesi.
‘Kiṃ pana, bho gotama, aññaṃ jīvaṃ aññaṃ sarīraṃ, idameva saccaṃ moghamaññanti—
evaṃdiṭṭhi bhavaṃ gotamo’ti iti puṭṭho samāno ‘na kho ahaṃ, vaccha, evaṃdiṭṭhi—
aññaṃ jīvaṃ aññaṃ sarīraṃ, idameva saccaṃ moghamaññan’ti vadesi.
‘Kiṃ nu kho, bho gotama, hoti tathāgato paraṃ maraṇā, idameva saccaṃ moghamaññanti—
evaṃdiṭṭhi bhavaṃ gotamo’ti iti puṭṭho samāno ‘na kho ahaṃ, vaccha, evaṃdiṭṭhi—
hoti tathāgato paraṃ maraṇā, idameva saccaṃ moghamaññan’ti vadesi.

72.3 - (Buddha says thickets of views are suffering and don’t lead to nirvana )


Kiṃ pana bho gotamo ādīnavaṃ sampassamāno evaṃ imāni sabbaso diṭṭhigatāni anupagato”ti?
 Seeing what drawback do you avoid all these convictions?”
“‘Sassato loko’ti kho, vaccha, diṭṭhigatametaṃ diṭṭhigahanaṃ diṭṭhikantāro diṭṭhivisūkaṃ diṭṭhivipphanditaṃ diṭṭhisaṃyojanaṃ sadukkhaṃ savighātaṃ saupāyāsaṃ sapariḷāhaṃ, na nibbidāya na virāgāya na nirodhāya na upasamāya na abhiññāya na sambodhāya na nibbānāya saṃvattati.
 “Each of these ten convictions is the thicket of views, the desert of views, the trick of views, the evasiveness of views, the fetter of views. They’re beset with anguish, distress, and fever. They don’t lead to disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, peace, insight, awakening, and nirvana.
‘Asassato loko’ti kho, vaccha … pe …
‘antavā loko’ti kho, vaccha … pe …
‘anantavā loko’ti kho, vaccha … pe …
‘taṃ jīvaṃ taṃ sarīran’ti kho, vaccha … pe …
‘aññaṃ jīvaṃ aññaṃ sarīran’ti kho, vaccha … pe …
‘hoti tathāgato paraṃ maraṇā’ti kho, vaccha … pe …
‘na hoti tathāgato paraṃ maraṇā’ti kho, vaccha … pe …
‘hoti ca na ca hoti tathāgato paraṃ maraṇā’ti kho, vaccha … pe …
‘neva hoti na na hoti tathāgato paraṃ maraṇā’ti kho, vaccha, diṭṭhigatametaṃ diṭṭhigahanaṃ diṭṭhikantāro diṭṭhivisūkaṃ diṭṭhivipphanditaṃ diṭṭhisaṃyojanaṃ sadukkhaṃ savighātaṃ saupāyāsaṃ sapariḷāhaṃ, na nibbidāya na virāgāya na nirodhāya na upasamāya na abhiññāya na sambodhāya na nibbānāya saṃvattati.
Imaṃ kho ahaṃ, vaccha, ādīnavaṃ sampassamāno evaṃ imāni sabbaso diṭṭhigatāni anupagato”ti.
 Seeing this drawback I avoid all these convictions.”

72.4 - (instead he sees rise and fall of aggregates)


“Atthi pana bhoto gotamassa kiñci diṭṭhigatan”ti?
 “But does Master Gotama have any convictions at all?”
“Diṭṭhigatanti kho, vaccha, apanītametaṃ tathāgatassa.
 “The Realized One has done away with convictions.
Diṭṭhañhetaṃ, vaccha, tathāgatena:
 For the Realized One has seen:
‘iti rūpaṃ, iti rūpassa samudayo, iti rūpassa atthaṅgamo;
 ‘Such is form, such is the origin of form, such is the ending of form.
iti vedanā, iti vedanāya samudayo, iti vedanāya atthaṅgamo;
 Such is feeling, such is the origin of feeling, such is the ending of feeling.
iti saññā, iti saññāya samudayo, iti saññāya atthaṅgamo;
 Such is perception, such is the origin of perception, such is the ending of perception.
iti saṅkhārā, iti saṅkhārānaṃ samudayo, iti saṅkhārānaṃ atthaṅgamo;
 Such are co-doings, such is the origin of co-doings, such is the ending of co-doings.
iti viññāṇaṃ, iti viññāṇassa samudayo, iti viññāṇassa atthaṅgamo’ti.
 Such is consciousness, such is the origin of consciousness, such is the ending of consciousness.’
Tasmā tathāgato sabbamaññitānaṃ sabbamathitānaṃ sabbaahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānusayānaṃ khayā virāgā nirodhā cāgā paṭinissaggā anupādā vimuttoti vadāmī”ti.
 That’s why the Realized One is freed with the ending, fading away, cessation, giving up, and letting go of all conceivings, all worries, and all ego, possessiveness, or underlying tendency to conceit, I say.”

72.5 - (Vacchagotta asks if arahants get reborn)


“Evaṃ vimuttacitto pana, bho gotama, bhikkhu kuhiṃ upapajjatī”ti?
 “But Master Gotama, when a monk’s mind is freed like this, where are they reborn?”
“Upapajjatīti kho, vaccha, na upeti”.
 “‘They’re reborn’ doesn’t apply, Vaccha.”
“Tena hi, bho gotama, na upapajjatī”ti?
 “Well then, are they not reborn?”
“Na upapajjatīti kho, vaccha, na upeti”.
 “‘They’re not reborn’ doesn’t apply, Vaccha.”
“Tena hi, bho gotama, upapajjati ca na ca upapajjatī”ti?
 “Well then, are they both reborn and not reborn?”
“Upapajjati ca na ca upapajjatīti kho, vaccha, na upeti”.
 “‘They’re both reborn and not reborn’ doesn’t apply, Vaccha.”
“Tena hi, bho gotama, neva upapajjati na na upapajjatī”ti?
 “Well then, are they neither reborn nor not reborn?”
“Neva upapajjati na na upapajjatīti kho, vaccha, na upeti”.
 “‘They’re neither reborn nor not reborn’ doesn’t apply, Vaccha.”
“‘Evaṃ vimuttacitto pana, bho gotama, bhikkhu kuhiṃ upapajjatī’ti iti puṭṭho samāno ‘upapajjatīti kho, vaccha, na upetī’ti vadesi.
 “Master Gotama, when asked all these questions, you say: ‘It doesn’t apply.’
‘Tena hi, bho gotama, na upapajjatī’ti iti puṭṭho samāno ‘na upapajjatīti kho, vaccha, na upetī’ti vadesi.
‘Tena hi, bho gotama, upapajjati ca na ca upapajjatī’ti iti puṭṭho samāno ‘upapajjati ca na ca upapajjatīti kho, vaccha, na upetī’ti vadesi.
‘Tena hi, bho gotama, neva upapajjati na na upapajjatī’ti iti puṭṭho samāno ‘neva upapajjati na na upapajjatīti kho, vaccha, na upetī’ti vadesi.
Etthāhaṃ, bho gotama, aññāṇamāpādiṃ, ettha sammohamāpādiṃ.
 I fail to understand this point, Master Gotama; I’ve fallen into confusion.
Yāpi me esā bhoto gotamassa purimena kathāsallāpena ahu pasādamattā sāpi me etarahi antarahitā”ti.
 And I’ve now lost even the degree of clarity I had from previous discussion with Master Gotama.”

72.6 - (Buddha uses simile of fire ↔ arahants not getting reborn)


“Alañhi te, vaccha, aññāṇāya, alaṃ sammohāya.
 “No wonder you don’t understand, Vaccha, no wonder you’re confused.
Gambhīro hāyaṃ, vaccha, dhammo duddaso duranubodho santo paṇīto atakkāvacaro nipuṇo paṇḍitavedanīyo.
 For this principle is deep, hard to see, hard to understand, peaceful, sublime, beyond the scope of reason, subtle, comprehensible to the astute.
So tayā dujjāno aññadiṭṭhikena aññakhantikena aññarucikena aññatrayogena aññatrācariyakena.
 It’s hard for you to understand, since you have a different view, creed, belief, practice, and tradition.
Tena hi, vaccha, taññevettha paṭipucchissāmi; yathā te khameyya tathā naṃ byākareyyāsi.
 Well then, Vaccha, I’ll ask you about this in return, and you can answer as you like.
Taṃ kiṃ maññasi, vaccha,
 What do you think, Vaccha?
sace te purato aggi jaleyya, jāneyyāsi tvaṃ:
 Suppose a fire was burning in front of you. Would you know:
‘ayaṃ me purato aggi jalatī’”ti?
 ‘This fire is burning in front of me’?”
“Sace me, bho gotama, purato aggi jaleyya, jāneyyāhaṃ:
 “Yes, I would, Master Gotama.”
‘ayaṃ me purato aggi jalatī’”ti.
“Sace pana taṃ, vaccha, evaṃ puccheyya:
 “But Vaccha, suppose they were to ask you:
‘yo te ayaṃ purato aggi jalati ayaṃ aggi kiṃ paṭicca jalatī’ti, evaṃ puṭṭho tvaṃ, vaccha, kinti byākareyyāsī”ti?
 ‘This fire burning in front of you: what does it depend on to burn?’ How would you answer?”
“Sace maṃ, bho gotama, evaṃ puccheyya:
‘yo te ayaṃ purato aggi jalati ayaṃ aggi kiṃ paṭicca jalatī’ti, evaṃ puṭṭho ahaṃ, bho gotama, evaṃ byākareyyaṃ:
 “I would answer like this:
‘yo me ayaṃ purato aggi jalati ayaṃ aggi tiṇakaṭṭhupādānaṃ paṭicca jalatī’”ti.
 ‘This fire burning in front of me burns in dependence on grass and logs as fuel.’”
“Sace te, vaccha, purato so aggi nibbāyeyya, jāneyyāsi tvaṃ:
 “Suppose that fire burning in front of you was nirvana'd. Would you know:
‘ayaṃ me purato aggi nibbuto’”ti?
 ‘This fire in front of me is nirvana'd’?”
“Sace me, bho gotama, purato so aggi nibbāyeyya, jāneyyāhaṃ:
 “Yes, I would, Master Gotama.”
‘ayaṃ me purato aggi nibbuto’”ti.
“Sace pana taṃ, vaccha, evaṃ puccheyya:
 “But Vaccha, suppose they were to ask you:
‘yo te ayaṃ purato aggi nibbuto so aggi ito katamaṃ disaṃ gato—
 ‘This fire in front of you that is nirvana'd: in what direction did it go—
puratthimaṃ vā dakkhiṇaṃ vā pacchimaṃ vā uttaraṃ vā’ti, evaṃ puṭṭho tvaṃ, vaccha, kinti byākareyyāsī”ti?
 east, south, west, or north?’ How would you answer?”
“Na upeti, bho gotama, yañhi so, bho gotama, aggi tiṇakaṭṭhupādānaṃ paṭicca ajali tassa ca pariyādānā aññassa ca anupahārā anāhāro nibbutotveva saṅkhyaṃ gacchatī”ti.
 “It doesn’t apply, Master Gotama. The fire depended on grass and logs as fuel. When that runs out, and no more fuel is added, the fire is reckoned to have become nirvana'd due to lack of fuel.”
“Evameva kho, vaccha, yena rūpena tathāgataṃ paññāpayamāno paññāpeyya taṃ rūpaṃ tathāgatassa pahīnaṃ ucchinnamūlaṃ tālāvatthukataṃ anabhāvaṃkataṃ āyatiṃ anuppādadhammaṃ.
 “In the same way, Vaccha, any form by which a Realized One might be described has been cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated, and unable to arise in the future.
Rūpasaṅkhayavimutto kho, vaccha, tathāgato gambhīro appameyyo duppariyogāḷho—
 A Realized One is freed from reckoning in terms of form. They’re deep, immeasurable, and hard to fathom,
seyyathāpi mahāsamuddo.
 like the ocean.
Upapajjatīti na upeti, na upapajjatīti na upeti, upapajjati ca na ca upapajjatīti na upeti, neva upapajjati na na upapajjatīti na upeti.
 ‘They’re reborn’, ‘they’re not reborn’, ‘they’re both reborn and not reborn’, ‘they’re neither reborn nor not reborn’—none of these apply.
Yāya vedanāya tathāgataṃ paññāpayamāno paññāpeyya sā vedanā tathāgatassa pahīnā ucchinnamūlā tālāvatthukatā anabhāvaṅkatā āyatiṃ anuppādadhammā.
 Any feeling …
Vedanāsaṅkhayavimutto kho, vaccha, tathāgato gambhīro appameyyo duppariyogāḷho—
seyyathāpi mahāsamuddo.
Upapajjatīti na upeti, na upapajjatīti na upeti, upapajjati ca na ca upapajjatīti na upeti, neva upapajjati na na upapajjatīti na upeti.
Yāya saññāya tathāgataṃ paññāpayamāno paññāpeyya sā saññā tathāgatassa pahīnā ucchinnamūlā tālāvatthukatā anabhāvaṅkatā āyatiṃ anuppādadhammā.
 perception …
Saññāsaṅkhayavimutto kho, vaccha, tathāgato gambhīro appameyyo duppariyogāḷho—
seyyathāpi mahāsamuddo.
Upapajjatīti na upeti, na upapajjatīti na upeti, upapajjati ca na ca upapajjatīti na upeti, neva upapajjati na na upapajjatīti na upeti.
Yehi saṅkhārehi tathāgataṃ paññāpayamāno paññāpeyya te saṅkhārā tathāgatassa pahīnā ucchinnamūlā tālāvatthukatā anabhāvaṅkatā āyatiṃ anuppādadhammā.
 co-doings …
Saṅkhārasaṅkhayavimutto kho, vaccha, tathāgato gambhīro appameyyo duppariyogāḷho—
seyyathāpi mahāsamuddo.
Upapajjatīti na upeti, na upapajjatīti na upeti, upapajjati ca na ca upapajjatīti na upeti, neva upapajjati na na upapajjatīti na upeti.
Yena viññāṇena tathāgataṃ paññāpayamāno paññāpeyya taṃ viññāṇaṃ tathāgatassa pahīnaṃ ucchinnamūlaṃ tālāvatthukataṃ anabhāvaṅkataṃ āyatiṃ anuppādadhammaṃ.
 consciousness by which a Realized One might be described has been cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated, and unable to arise in the future.
Viññāṇasaṅkhayavimutto kho, vaccha, tathāgato gambhīro appameyyo duppariyogāḷho—
 A Realized One is freed from reckoning in terms of consciousness. They’re deep, immeasurable, and hard to fathom,
seyyathāpi mahāsamuddo.
 like the ocean.
Upapajjatīti na upeti, na upapajjatīti na upeti, upapajjati ca na ca upapajjatīti na upeti, neva upapajjati na na upapajjatīti na upetī”ti.
 ‘They’re reborn’, ‘they’re not reborn’, ‘they’re both reborn and not reborn’, ‘they’re neither reborn nor not reborn’—none of these apply.”

72.7 - (Vacchagotta compares sangha to heartwood of tree)


Evaṃ vutte, vacchagotto paribbājako bhagavantaṃ etadavoca:
 When he said this, the wanderer Vacchagotta said to the Buddha:
“seyyathāpi, bho gotama, gāmassa vā nigamassa vā avidūre mahāsālarukkho.
 “Master Gotama, suppose there was a large sal tree not far from a town or village.
Tassa aniccatā sākhāpalāsā palujjeyyuṃ, tacapapaṭikā palujjeyyuṃ, pheggū palujjeyyuṃ;
 And because it’s impermanent, its branches and foliage, bark and shoots, and softwood would fall off.
so aparena samayena apagatasākhāpalāso apagatatacapapaṭiko apagataphegguko suddho assa, sāre patiṭṭhito;
 After some time it would be rid of branches and foliage, bark and shoots, and softwood, consisting purely of heartwood.
evameva bhoto gotamassa pāvacanaṃ apagatasākhāpalāsaṃ apagatatacapapaṭikaṃ apagatapheggukaṃ suddhaṃ, sāre patiṭṭhitaṃ.
 In the same way, Master Gotama’s dispensation is rid of branches and foliage, bark and shoots, and softwood, consisting purely of heartwood.
Abhikkantaṃ, bho gotama … pe …
 Excellent, Master Gotama! …
upāsakaṃ maṃ bhavaṃ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṃ saraṇaṃ gatan”ti.
 From this day forth, may Master Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”
(end of sutta⏹️)


☸ Lucid 24.org 🐘🐾‍