Four Views of Eternity and
Non-eternity
(Ekacca Sassata Ditthi)
38. There are, bhikkhus, some samanas and
brahmanas who, holding the dualistic view of eternity and non-eternity, put
forward four reasons to show that atta as well as loka is in some
cases eternal find in others not eternal. On what authority and on what basis
do these respected samanas and brahmanas, holding the dualistic view of
eternity and non-eternity, put forward four reasons to show that atta as
well as loka is in some cases eternal and in others not eternal?
The First
Category of Ekacca Sassata Ditthi
39. There, indeed, is such a time, bhikkhus,
as when this world system gets dissolved, as it does at times, after a lapse of
many aeons. When the world system becomes thus dissolved, beings are reborn
mostly in the Abhassara2 plane of existence (of radiant Brahmas).
When they are born there because of jhana mind, they are nurtured by rapture,
resplendent with light from their own bodies, sojourning in the heavens and
living in splendour. And they remain there for aeons.
2. Abhassara: The
Abhassara plane of existence, to which Brahmas of flashing radiance belong, is
the third of the three Second jhana Brahma realms in the thirty-one planes of
existence. See. Appendix A5 for the thirty-one planes of existence.
40. There, indeed, is such a time, bhikkhus,
as when this world system rises again, as it does at times, after a lapse of
many aeons. When the world system thus rises again, there appears a palatial
Brahma-abode (brahma-vimana, one or all three of Brahma realms of first jhana),
void of all life. At that time, a certain being from the Abhassara plane of
existence dies, either at the end of his span of life, or on the exhaustion of
the stock of his meritorious deeds, and is reborn in that empty palatial Brahma
realm. When he is born there because of jhana mind, he is nurtured by rapture,
resplendent with light from his own body, sojourning in the heavens and living
in splendour. Thus he re mains there for aeons.
41. Living there alone for aeons, there
arises in him mental weariness and a longing for company thus: "Would that
some other beings come to this place!" And then other beings from the
Abhassara plane of existence die either at the end of their span of life, or on
the exhaustion of the stock of their meritorious deeds, and are reborn in that
palatial Brahma realm. When they are born there because of jhana mind, they are
nurtured by rapture, resplendent with light from their own bodies, sojourning
in the heavens and living in splendour. Thus they remain there for aeons.
42. Then, bhikkhus, the being who was the
first to be reborn there thinks to himself thus:
"I am the Brahma, the great Brahma, the
conqueror, the unconquered, the all-seeing, the subjector of all to his wishes,
the omnipotent, the maker, the creator, the supreme, the controller, the one
confirmed in the practice of jhana, and father to all that have been and shall
be. I have created these other beings. Why can I say so? I can say so because a
while ago I thought to myself: 'Would that some other beings come to this
place!' As I wished so, other beings have appeared in this place."
And then other beings who appeared later
think to themselves:
"This honourable personage is the
Brahma, the great Brahma, the conqueror, the unconquered, the all-seeing, the
subjector of all to his wishes, the omnipotent, the maker, the creator, the
supreme, the controller, the one confirmed in the practice of jhana, and father
to all that have been and shall be. This honourable Brahma has created us. Why
can we say so? We can say so because, as we see, he appeared in this place
first, whereas we appeared only after him."
43. Among them, bhikkhus, the one who
appeared first lives longer, and is more beautiful and more powerful (than the
others). Those beings who appeared later have a shorter life, and are less
beautiful and less powerful (than the one who first appeared).
44. Then, bhikkhus, there arises this
possibility. A being dies in the Brahma plane of existence and is reborn in
this human world; and there he renounces the worldly life for the homeless life
of a recluse. And having thus renounced the worldly life and become a homeless
recluse, he achieves utmost mental concentration by dint of ardent, steadfast,
persevering exertion, mindfulness and right attentiveness. Having established
his mind in highest concentration, he can recollect that former existence (of a
Brahma); but he cannot recollect beyond that.
He says thus:
"That honourable personage is the
Brahma, the great Brahma, the conqueror, the unconquered, the all-seeing, the
subjector of all to his wishes, the omnipotent, the maker, the creator, the
supreme, the controller, the one confirmed in the practice of jhana, and father
to all that have been and shall be. That honourable Brahma has created us. He
is permanent, stable, eternal, immutable and as everlasting as all things
eternal. We, who were created by the honourable Brahma, are impermanent,
changeable, short-lived and mortal. Thus have we come into this human
world."
This, bhikkhus, is the first possibility. It
is based on this, holding on to this, that some samanas and brahmanas, holding
the dualistic view of eternity and non-eternity, propound that atta as
well as loka is in some cases eternal and in others not eternal. (4+1=5)
The Second
Category of Ekacca Sassata Ditthi
45. In the second category (of ekacca sassata
ditthi) on what authority and on what basis do the respected samanas and
brahmanas, holding the dualistic view of eternity and non-eternity, propound
that atta as well as loka is in some cases eternal and in others
not eternal?
Bhikkhus! There are devas known as
Khiddapadosikas who, absorbed in merry-making and pleasure-seeking for a long
time, forget to take nutriment and through such forgetfulness die in that abode
of the devas.
46. Then, bhikkhus, there arises this
possibility. A certain being dies in that world of devas and is reborn in this
human world; and there he renounces the worldly life for the homeless life of a
recluse. And having thus renounced the worldly life and become a homeless
recluse, he achieves utmost mental concentration by dint of ardent, steadfast,
persevering exertion, mindfulness and right attentiveness. Having established
his mind in highest concentration, he can recollect that former existence (of a
deva); but he cannot recollect beyond that.
He says thus:
"Those honourable devas, who are not
Khiddapadosikas, are not absorbed in merry making and pleasure-seeking for a
long time. And as they are not absorbed in merry-making and pleasure-seeking
for a long time, they do not forget to take nutriment. And since they are not
forgetful they do not die in that abode of the devas. They remain permanent,
stable, eternal, immutable and as everlasting as all things eternal. But we
Khiddapadosikas were absorbed in merry-making and pleasure-seeking for a long
time; and because we were absorbed in merry-making and pleasure-seeking for a
long time, we forgot to take nutriment. Through such forgetfulness we died in
that world of the devas. We are impermanent, changeable, short-lived and
mortal. Thus have we come into this human world."
This, bhikkhus, is the second possibility. It
is based on this that some samanas and brahmanas, holding the dualistic view of
eternity and non-eternity, propound that atta as well as loka is
in some cases eternal and in others not eternal. (4+2=6)
The Third
Category of Ekacca Sassata Ditthi
47. In the third category (of ekacca sassata
ditthi) on what authority and on what basis do the respected samanas and
brahmanas, holding the dualistic view of eternity and non-eternity, propound
that atta as well as loka is in some cases eternal and in others
not eternal?
Bhikkhus! There are devas known as
Manopadosikas who stare hard and long at one another (with jealousy). Staring
hard and long thus at one another, they develop mutual hatred; becoming
exhausted both physically and mentally, they die in that world of devas.
48. Then, bhikkhus, there arises this
possibility. A certain being dies in that world of devas and is reborn in this
human world; and there he renounces the worldly life for the homeless life of a
recluse. And having thus renounced the worldly life and become a homeless
recluse, he achieves utmost mental concentration by dint of ardent, steadfast,
persevering exertion, mindfulness and right attentiveness. Having established
his mind in highest concentration, he can recollect that former existence (of a
deva); but he cannot recollect beyond that.
He says thus:
"Those honourable devas who are not
Manopadosikas do not stare hard and long at one another (with jealousy). They
do not, therefore, develop mutual hatred. Not becoming exhausted both
physically and mentally they do not die in that world of devas. They remain
permanent, stable, eternal, immutable and as everlasting as all things eternal.
But we Manopadosikas, who stared hard and long at one another (with jealousy),
developed mutual hatred and became exhausted both physically and mentally. And
we died in that world of devas. We are impermanent, changeable, short-lived and
mortal. Thus have we come into this human world."
This, bhikkhus, is the third possibility. It
is based on this that some samanas and brahmanas, holding the dualistic view of
eternity and non-eternity, propound that atta as well as loka is
in some cases eternal and in others not eternal. (4+3=7)
The Fourth
Category of Ekacca Sassata Ditthi
49. In the fourth category (of ekacca
sassata-ditthi) on what authority and on what basis do the respected samanas
and brahmanas, holding the dualistic view of eternity and non-eternity,
propound that atta as well as loka is in some cases eternal and
in others not eternal?
Bhikkhus! in this world a certain samana or
brahmana is given to logic and investigation. He uses various methods of
reasoning, conducts investigations and gives his views, saying :
"This which is called eye, ear, nose,
tongue and the physical body is the atta which is impermanent, unstable,
not eternal and mutable. But this which is called mind, thought or
consciousness, is the atta which is permanent, stable. eternal,
immutable and as everlasting as things eternal."
Bhikkhus! This is the fourth possibility. It
is based on this that some samanas and brahmanas, holding the dualistic view of
eternity and non-eternity, propound that atta as well as loka is
in some cases eternal and in others not eternal. (4+4—8)
50. Bhikkhus! These samanas and brahmanas,
holding the dualistic view of eternity and non-eternity, demonstrate on these
four grounds that atta as well as loka is in some cases eternal
and in others not eternal.
Bhikkhus! When any samanas and or brahmanas,
holding the dualistic view of eternity and non-eternity, demonstrate that
atta as well as loka is in some cases eternal and in others not
eternal, all of them proffer these four, or one of these four, lines of
reasoning and not any other line of reasoning.
51. Bhikkhus! The Tathagata knows the
destination, the next existence in which one holding these four views would be
reborn, if these views are thus held on to, if these views are thus grasped.
The Tathagata knows these four views. He also
knows the dhamma which surpasses them. Knowing that dhamma, he does not view it
in the wrong way. Since he does not view it in the wrong way, he realizes by
himself the extinction of defilements (i.e., greed, anger, and ignorance of the
Four Ariya Truths).
Bhikkhus! Since the Tathagata rightly knows
the arising of feeling (vedana) and its cause, the cessation of feeling
and its cause, its pleasantness, its faults, and freedom from attachment to it,
he becomes liberated without any clinging, (i. e., he realizes
Nibbana)1.
52. Thus, bhikkhus, these are the dhammas
which are profound, hard to see, hard to comprehend, tranquil, noble,
surpassing logic, subtle and intelligible only to the ariyas. The Tathagata has
set them forth after realization of these dhammas by himself through
Sabbannuta Nana (Perfect Wisdom). Anyone wishing to praise correctly the
true virtues of the Tathagata should do so in terms of these dhammas.
1. The Buddha achieved four
maggas, by means of four Satipatthanas. In this paragraph, the Buddha was
referring to vedananupassana Satipatthana, which is one of the four.
Vdananupassana Satipatthana
requires one to be mindful of feeling, whenever it appears, before any train of
thought takes place. If he can do so steadfastly, he will perceive the anicca,
dukkha, anatta nature of the five khandhas. This perception is conducive to the
achievement of maggas.
By means of vedananupassana
Satipatthana, the Bodhisatta perceived the impermanent, oppressive, soulless
nature of vedana. This perception was conducive to his achievement of freedom
from dukkha, where there was absolute extinction of kilesas
(defilements).
This paragraph is meant to
disillusion those who believe "vedana (feeling)" to be atta.
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