At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling in |Sāketa::Ayodhya| at Kāḷakā‘s park. There, the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: “Bhikkhus.”
“Venerable sir,” the bhikkhus responded to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this:
“Bhikkhus, in this world with its |deities::gods [devas]|, |Māras::demons, tempters, beings of delusion|, |Brahmas::Gods; celestial beings residing in the Brahmā realms, often considered to be highly refined and long-lived deities. [brahmā]|, among this generation with its ascetics and brahmins, with kings and commoners, whatever is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, attained, sought after, and examined by the mind — that I know.
In this world with its |deities::gods [devas]|, |Māras::demons, tempters, beings of delusion|, |Brahmas::Gods; celestial beings residing in the Brahmā realms, often considered to be highly refined and long-lived deities. [brahmā]|, among this generation with its ascetics and brahmins, kings and commoners, whatever is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, attained, sought after, and examined by the mind — that I have directly known. It has been known by the Tathāgata, but the Tathāgata does not take a stand on it.
Bhikkhus, if I were to say, ’In this world with its |deities::gods [devas]|, |Māras::demons, tempters, beings of delusion|, |Brahmas::Gods; celestial beings residing in the Brahmā realms, often considered to be highly refined and long-lived deities. [brahmā]|, among this generation with its ascetics and brahmins, kings and commoners, whatever is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, attained, sought after, and examined by the mind — that I do not know,‘ that would be a falsehood on my part.
Bhikkhus, if I were to say, ’In this world with its |deities::gods [devas]|, |Māras::demons, tempters, beings of delusion|, |Brahmas::Gods; celestial beings residing in the Brahmā realms, often considered to be highly refined and long-lived deities. [brahmā]|, among this generation with its ascetics and brahmins, kings and commoners, whatever is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, attained, sought after, and examined by the mind — that I both know and do not know,‘ that would be just the same.
Bhikkhus, if I were to say, ’In this world with its |deities::gods [devas]|, |Māras::demons, tempters, beings of delusion|, |Brahmas::Gods; celestial beings residing in the Brahmā realms, often considered to be highly refined and long-lived deities. [brahmā]|, among this generation with its ascetics and brahmins, kings and commoners, whatever is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, attained, sought after, and examined by the mind — that I neither know nor do not know,‘ that would be a fault on my part.
Thus, bhikkhus, having seen what can be seen, the Tathāgata does not |formulate::build notions of, to conceptualize| the seen, does not formulate the unseen, does not formulate what can be seen, does not formulate one who sees. Having heard what can be heard, he does not formulate the heard, does not formulate the unheard, does not formulate what can be heard, does not formulate one who hears. Having sensed what can be sensed, he does not formulate the sensed, does not formulate the unsensed, does not formulate what can be sensed, does not formulate one who senses. Having cognized what can be cognized, he does not formulate the cognized, does not formulate the uncognized, does not formulate what can be cognized, does not formulate one who cognizes.
Thus, bhikkhus, being ever stable among things seen, heard, sensed, and cognized, the Tathāgata is the stable one. And I say, there is no stable one more excellent or sublime than that stable one.”
“Whatever is seen, heard, or sensed,
clung to and considered truth by others;
The stable one, among those wrapped in self-views,
would not assert as true or false.
Having directly seen this dart,
where beings cling to and become attached;
’I know, I see, it is just so,’
the Tathāgatas cling to nothing.”