Thus have I heard—At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling in Sāvatthi, in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. There, the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus, “Bhikkhus.”
“Venerable sir,” those bhikkhus replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this:
“Here, bhikkhus, there is an ascetic, a second ascetic, a third ascetic, a fourth ascetic. The doctrines of others are empty of ascetics. That is how, bhikkhus, you rightly roar your lion’s roar.
It is possible, bhikkhus, that wanderers of other sects might say: ‘But on the strength of what [argument] or with the support of what [authority] do the venerable ones say: “Here, there is an ascetic, a second ascetic, a third ascetic, a fourth ascetic. The doctrines of others are empty of ascetics”?’ Those wanderers of other sects who speak thus, bhikkhus, should be replied to as follows: ‘There are, friends, four things declared to us by the Blessed One—the knower, the seer, the |Arahant::a worthy one, an epithet of a fully awakened being [arahant]|, the perfectly Awakened One—which we, observing in ourselves, say thus:
’Here, there is an ascetic, a second ascetic, a third ascetic, a fourth ascetic. The doctrines of others are empty of ascetics. What four? We have |confidence::inspiration, faith, trust [pasāda]| in the Teacher, we have confidence in the |Dhamma::teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [dhamma]|, we have fulfillment of virtues, and our companions in the Dhamma—both householders and monastics—are dear and agreeable to us. These, friend, are the four things declared to us by the Blessed One who knows and sees, the Arahant, the perfectly Awakened One, which we, observing in ourselves, say thus: “Here, there is an ascetic, a second ascetic, a third ascetic, a fourth ascetic. The doctrines of others are empty of ascetics.”‘
It is possible, bhikkhus, that wanderers of other sects might say: ’Friends, we too have confidence in our teacher, we too have confidence in our teachings, we too have fulfillment of virtues, and our companions in the teaching—both householders and monastics—are dear and agreeable to us. So, friends, what is the distinction here, what is the disparity, what is the difference between you and us?‘
Those wanderers of other sects who ask thus may be answered in this way: ‘How then, friends, is there one goal or are there many goals?’ Answering rightly, the wanderers of other sects would answer thus: ‘Friends, there is one goal, not many.’
Then they should be asked: ’How then, friends, is that goal for one |with passion::with lust, desire, infatuation [sarāga]| or for one |free from passion::without lust [vītarāga]|?‘ Answering rightly, the wanderers of other sects would answer thus: ’Friends, that goal is for one free from passion, not for one with passion.‘
Then they should be asked: ’How then, friends, is that goal for one |with aversion::with hatred, with ill-will [sadosa]| or for one free from aversion?‘ Answering rightly, the wanderers of other sects would answer thus: ’Friends, that goal is for one free from aversion, not for one with aversion.‘
Then they should be asked: ’How then, friends, is that goal for one |who is deluded::who is befuddled, who is confused [samoha]| or one who is free from delusion?‘ Answering rightly, the wanderers of other sects would answer thus: ’Friends, that goal is for one free from delusion, not for one who is deluded.‘
Then they should be asked: ’How then, friends, is that goal for one |with craving::with wanting, yearning, longing, attachment, lit. thirst [taṇhā]| or for one |free from craving::without wanting, yearning, longing, attachment [vītataṇhā]|?‘ Answering rightly, the wanderers of other sects would answer thus: ’Friends, that goal is for one free from craving, not for one with craving.‘
Then they should be asked: ’How then, friends, is that goal for one |with clinging::with attachment, who grasps, who appropriates, who takes possession of [saupādāna]| or for one without clinging?‘ Answering rightly, the wanderers of other sects would answer thus: ’Friends, that goal is for one without clinging, not for one with clinging.‘
Then they should be asked: ’How then, friends, is that goal for one |with vision::with realization, with insight [vidassu]| or for one without vision?‘ Answering rightly, the wanderers of other sects would answer thus: ’Friends, that goal is for one with vision, not for one without vision.‘
Then they should be asked: ’How then, friends, is that goal for one who favors and opposes, or for one who does not favor and oppose?‘ Answering rightly, the wanderers of other sects would answer thus: ’Friends, that goal is for one who does not favor and oppose, not for one who favors and opposes.‘
Then they should be asked: ’How then, friends, is that goal for one who |delights in mental proliferation::enjoys manifold ideas, various opinions, takes pleasure in conceptualization [papañcārāma]| or for one who does not delight in mental proliferation?‘ Answering rightly, the wanderers of other sects would answer thus: ’Friends, that goal is for one who does not delight in mental proliferation, not for one who delights in mental proliferation.‘
Bhikkhus, there are these two views: |the view of existence::belief in being [bhavadiṭṭhi]| and the |view of non-existence::belief in non-being [vibhavadiṭṭhi]|. Any ascetics or brahmins who rely on the view of existence, who have arrived at the view of existence, who are fixed on the view of existence, are opposed to the view of non-existence. Any ascetics or brahmins who rely on the view of non-existence, who have arrived at the view of non-existence, who are fixed on the view of non-existence, are opposed to the view of existence.
Any ascetics or brahmins who do not understand as they actually are the |arising::appearance, origination [samudaya]|, the |passing away::disappearing, vanishing, subsiding [atthaṅgama]|, the |gratification::satisfaction, pleasure, enjoyment, sweetness [assāda]|, the |drawback::disadvantage, unsatisfactoriness, inadequacy, danger [ādīnava]|, and the |escape::way out, remedy [nissaraṇa]| in regard to these two views are with passion, with aversion, with delusion, with craving, with clinging, without vision, given to favoring and opposing, delighting in and indulging in mental proliferation. They are not freed from birth, aging, and death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair. They are not freed from suffering, I say.
Any ascetics or brahmins who understand as they actually are the arising, the passing away, the gratification, the drawback, and the escape in regard to these two views are without passion, without aversion, without delusion, without craving, without clinging, with vision, not given to favoring and opposing, not delighting in and indulging in mental proliferation. They are freed from birth, aging, and death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair. They are freed from suffering, I say.
Four Kinds of Clinging
Bhikkhus, there are these four kinds of clinging. What four? 1) Clinging to sensual pleasures, 2) clinging to views, 3) clinging to rules and observances, and 4) clinging to a doctrine of self.
1) There are, bhikkhus, some ascetics and Brahmins claiming to be proponents of the |complete comprehension::full understanding [pariñña]| of all kinds of clinging. However, they do not rightly proclaim the complete comprehension of all kinds of clinging. They proclaim the comprehension of clinging to sensual pleasures, but they do not proclaim the comprehension of clinging to views, at rules and observances, and at a theory of self. And what is the reason for this? These respected ascetics and brahmins, bhikkhus, do not truly understand these three instances of clinging as they really are. Therefore, these ascetics and brahmins, while claiming to be proponents of the complete comprehension of all kinds of clinging, only proclaim the comprehension of clinging to sensual pleasures, but they do not proclaim the comprehension of clinging to views, clinging to rules and observances, and clinging to a theory of self.
2) There are, bhikkhus, some ascetics and Brahmins claiming to be proponents of the complete comprehension of all kinds of clinging. However, they do not rightly proclaim the complete comprehension of all kinds of clinging. They proclaim the comprehension of clinging to sensual pleasures and the comprehension of clinging to views, but they do not proclaim the comprehension of clinging to rules and observances and at a theory of self. And what is the reason for this? These respected ascetics and Brahmins, bhikkhus, do not truly understand these two instances of clinging as they really are. Therefore, these ascetics and Brahmins, while claiming to be proponents of the complete comprehension of all kinds of clinging, only proclaim the comprehension of clinging to sensual pleasures and clinging to views, but they do not proclaim the comprehension of clinging to rules and observances and clinging to a theory of self.
3) There are, bhikkhus, some ascetics and Brahmins claiming to be proponents of the complete comprehension of all kinds of clinging. However, they do not rightly proclaim the complete comprehension of all kinds of clinging. They proclaim the comprehension of clinging to sensual pleasures, the comprehension of clinging to views, and the comprehension of clinging to rules and observances, but they do not proclaim the comprehension of clinging to a theory of self. And what is the reason for this? These respected ascetics and Brahmins, bhikkhus, do not truly understand this one instance of clinging as it really is. Therefore, these ascetics and Brahmins, while claiming to be proponents of the complete comprehension of all kinds of clinging, only proclaim the comprehension of clinging to sensual pleasures, clinging to views, and clinging to rules and observances, but they do not proclaim the comprehension of clinging to a theory of self.
Bhikkhus, in such a teaching and discipline as that, it is plain that confidence in the Teacher is not rightly directed, that confidence in the teaching is not rightly directed, that confidence in the fulfillment of virtues is not rightly directed, and that affection for the companions in the teaching is not rightly directed. Why is that? Because that is how it is when the teaching and discipline is poorly taught, poorly proclaimed, not leading to deliverance, not conducive to tranquility, not made known by a perfectly Awakened One.
Bhikkhus, when the Tathāgata, accomplished and perfectly Awakened One, claims to be a proponent of the complete comprehension of all kinds of clinging, he rightly proclaims the complete comprehension of all kinds of clinging—he proclaims the comprehension of clinging to sensual pleasures, clinging to views, clinging to rules and observances, and clinging to a doctrine of self.
Bhikkhus, in such a teaching and discipline as that, it is plain that confidence in the Teacher is rightly directed, that confidence in the teaching is rightly directed, that confidence in the fulfillment of virtues is rightly directed, and that affection for the companions in the teaching is rightly directed. Why is that? Because that is how it is when the teaching and discipline is well taught, well proclaimed, leading to deliverance, conducive to tranquility, made known by a perfectly Awakened One.
The Source of Clinging
Bhikkhus, now these four kinds of clinging have what as their |source::foundation, cause [nidāna]|, what as their |arising::appearance, origination [samudaya]|, what as their |characteristic::nature, quality, type [jātika]|, and from what do they |come into being::generated by [pabhava]|? These four kinds of clinging have craving as their source, craving as their arising, craving as their characteristic, and they come into being from craving.
And this craving, bhikkhus, has what as its source, what as its arising, what as its characteristic, and from what does it come into being? Craving has |felt experience::pleasant, neutral or painful sensation, feeling, second of the five aggregates [vedanā]| as its source, felt experience as its arising, felt experience as its characteristic, and it comes into being from felt experience.
And this felt experience, bhikkhus, has what as its source, what as its arising, what as its characteristic, and from what does it come into being? Felt experience has |contact::sense impingement, raw experience, touch [phassa]| as its source, contact as its arising, contact as its characteristic, and it comes into being from contact.
And this contact, bhikkhus has what as its source, what as its arising, what as its characteristic, and from what does it come into being? This contact has the |six sense bases::the six internal sense faculties - eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind - that enable sensory experience [saḷāyatana]| as its source, the six sense bases as its arising, the six sense bases as its characteristic, and it comes into being from the six sense bases.
And these six sense bases, bhikkhus, have what as their source, what as their arising, what as their characteristic, and from what do they come into being? These six sense bases have |name and form::combination of mental processes [intending, attention, contact, sensation, and perceiving] and physical form that constitute an individual being, the mental and physical objects of consciousness [nāmarūpa]| as their source, name and form as their arising, name and form as their characteristic, and they come into being from name and form.
And this name and form, bhikkhus, has what as its source, what as its arising, what as its characteristic, and from what does it come into being? This name and form has |consciousness::quality of awareness — subjective awareness of experiences and the knowing of objects through the six sense doors [sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, and mind] [viññāṇa]| as its source, consciousness as its arising, consciousness as its characteristic, and it comes into being from consciousness.
And this consciousness, bhikkhus, has what as its source, what as its arising, what as its characteristic, and from what does it come into being? This consciousness has |volitional formations::intentions, choices, decisions, karmic activity [saṅkhāra]| as its source, volitional formations as its arising, volitional formations as its characteristic, and it comes into being from volitional formations.
And these volitional formations, bhikkhus, have what as their source, what as their arising, what as their characteristic, and from what do they come into being? These volitional formations have |ignorance::fundamental unawareness or misunderstanding of the true nature of reality, not experientially understanding the four noble truths [avijjā]| as their source, ignorance as their arising, ignorance as their characteristic, and they come into being from ignorance.
Bhikkhus, when ignorance is abandoned and |wisdom::clear apprehension of how things have come to be, direct knowing [vijja]| has arisen in a bhikkhu, then with the fading away of ignorance and the arising of wisdom, he no longer clings to sensual pleasures, no longer clings to views, no longer clings to rules and observances, no longer clings to a doctrine of self. By not clinging, he remains |unperturbed::without agitation, without worry, untroubled, undisturbed, unshaken [aparitassa]|. Remaining unperturbed, he personally attains |complete quenching [of mental defilements]::complet cooling of mental defilements [parinibbuta]|.
They understand: ’Birth is ended, the spiritual life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming to any state of being.‘”
The Blessed One said this. Those bhikkhus were satisfied and rejoiced in the Blessed One’s words.