24. Rathavinīta Sutta

1.Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was living at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrels’ Sanctuary.

2.Then a number of bhikkhus from [the Blessed One’s] native land’²⁸⁵ The parenthetical specification is supplied from MA. The Buddha’s native land is Kapilavatthu, at the foot of the Himalayas. who had spent the Rains there, went to the Blessed One, and after paying homage to him, sat down at one side. The Blessed One asked them: “Bhikkhus, who in [my] native land is esteemed by the bhikkhus there, by his companions in the holy life, in this way: ‘Having few wishes himself, he talks to the bhikkhus on fewness of wishes; content himself, he talks to the bhikkhus on contentment; secluded himself, he talks to the bhikkhus on seclusion; aloof from society himself, he talks to the bhikkhus on aloofness from society; energetic himself, he talks to the bhikkhus on arousing energy; attained to virtue himself, he talks to the bhikkhus on the attainment of virtue; attained to concentration himself, he talks to the bhikkhus on the attainment of concentration; attained to wisdom himself, he talks to the bhikkhus on the attainment of wisdom; attained to deliverance himself, he talks to the bhikkhus on the attainment of deliverance; attained to the knowledge and vision of deliverance himself, he talks to the bhikkhus on the attainment of the knowledge and vision of deliverance;²⁸⁶ The last five items form a set called the five aggregates of Dhamma (dhammakkhandhā). “Deliverance” is identified with the noble fruits, “the knowledge and vision of deliverance” with reviewing knowledge. he is one who advises, informs, instructs, urges, [146] rouses, and gladdens his companions in the holy life’?”

“Venerable sir , the venerable Puṇṇa Mantāṇiputta is so esteemed in the [Blessed One’s] native land by the bhikkhus there, by his companions in the holy life.ʺ²⁸⁷ Ven. Pu˚˚a Mantā˚iputta belonged to a brahmin family and was ordained by Ven. Aññā Kondañña at Kapilavatthu, where he continued to reside until he decided to visit the Buddha at Sāvatthı̄. He was later declared by the Buddha the most eminent bhikkhu among the preachers of the Dhamma.

3.Now on that occasion the venerable Sāriputta was seated near the Blessed One. Then it occurred to the venerable Sāriputta: “It is a gain for the venerable Puṇṇa Mantāṇiputta, it is a great gain for him that his wise companions in the holy life praise him point by point in the Teacher’s presence. Perhaps sometime or other we might meet the venerable Puṇṇa Mantāṇiputta and have some conversation with him.”

4.Then, when the Blessed One had stayed at Rājagaha as long as he chose, he set out to wander by stages to Sāvatthī. Wandering by stages, he eventually arrived at Sāvatthī, and there he lived in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park.

5.The venerable Puṇṇa Mantāṇiputta heard: “The Blessed One has arrived at Sāvatthī and is living in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park.” Then the venerable Puṇṇa Mantāṇiputta set his resting place in order, and taking his outer robe and bowl, set out to wander by stages to Sāvatthī. Wandering by stages, he eventually arrived at Sāvatthī and went to Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park, to see the Blessed One. After paying homage to the Blessed One, he sat down at one side and the Blessed One instructed, urged, roused, and gladdened him with talk on the Dhamma. Then the venerable Puṇṇa Mantāṇiputta, instructed, urged, roused, and gladdened by the Blessed One’s talk on the Dhamma, delighting and rejoicing in the Blessed One’s words, rose from his seat, and after paying homage to the Blessed One, keeping him on his right, he went to the Blind Men’s Grove for the day’s abiding.

6.Then a certain bhikkhu went to the venerable Sāriputta and said to him: “Friend Sāriputta, the bhikkhu Puṇṇa Mantāṇiputta of whom you have always spoken highly [147] has just been instructed, urged, roused, and gladdened by the Blessed One with talk on the Dhamma; after delighting and rejoicing in the Blessed One’s words, he rose from his seat, and after paying homage to the Blessed One, keeping him on his right, he has gone to the Blind Men’s Grove for the day’s abiding.”

7.Then the venerable Sāriputta hurriedly took his sitting cloth and followed close behind the venerable Puṇṇa Mantāṇiputta, keeping his head in sight. Then the venerable Puṇṇa Mantāṇiputta entered the Blind Men’s Grove and sat down for the day’s abiding at the root of a tree. The venerable Sāriputta also entered the Blind Men’s Grove and sat down for the day’s abiding at the root of a tree.

8.Then, when it was evening, the venerable Sāriputta rose from meditation, went to the venerable Puṇṇa Mantāṇiputta, and exchanged greetings with him. When this courteous and amiable talk was finished, he sat down at one side and said to the venerable Puṇṇa Mantāṇiputta:

9.“Is the holy life lived under our Blessed One, friend?”—“Yes, friend.”—“But, friend, is it for the sake of purification of virtue that the holy life is lived under the Blessed One?”—“No, friend.”—“Then is it for the sake of purification of mind that the holy life is lived under the Blessed One?”—“No, friend.”—“Then is it for the sake of purification of view that the holy life is lived under the Blessed One?”—“No, friend.”—“Then is it for the sake of purification by overcoming doubt that the holy life is lived under the Blessed One?”—“No, friend.”—“Then is it for the sake of purification by knowledge and vision of what is the path and what is not the path that the holy life is lived under the Blessed One?”—“No, friend.”—“Then is it for the sake of purification by knowledge and vision of the way that the holy life is lived under the Blessed One?”—“No, friend.”—“Then is it for the sake of purification by knowledge and vision that the holy life is lived under the Blessed One?”—“No, friend.”²⁸⁸ Although these seven purifications (satta visuddhi) are mentioned elsewhere in the Pali Canon (at DN iii.288, with two added: purification by wisdom and purification by deliverance), it is curious that they are not analysed as a set anywhere in the Nikāyas; and this becomes even more puzzling when both these great disciples seem to recognise them as a fixed group of doctrinal categories. The sevenfold scheme forms, however, the scaffolding for the entire Visuddhimagga, which defines the different stages by means of the fully developed commentarial traditions on concentration and insight meditation.

In brief, “purification of virtue” (sı̄lavisuddhi) is the unbroken adherence to the moral precepts one has undertaken, explained by Vsm with reference to the moral training of a bhikkhu as the “fourfold purification of virtue.” “Purification of mind” (cittavisuddhi) is the overcoming of the five hindrances through the attainment of access concentration and the jhānas. “Purification of view” (diṭṭhivisuddhi) is the understanding that defines the nature of the five aggregates constituting a living being. “Purification by overcoming doubt” (kankhāvitaraṇavisuddhi ) is the understanding of conditionality. “Purification by knowledge and vision of what is the maggāmaggañāṇadassanavisuddhi path and what is not the path” ( ) is the correct discrimination between the false path of the ecstatic, exhilarating experiences and the true path of insight into impermanence, suffering, and not self. “Purification by knowledge and vision of the way” (paṭipadāñāṇadassanavisuddhi) comprises the ascending series of insight knowledges up to the supramundane paths. And “purification by knowledge and vision” (ñāṇadassanavisuddhi) is the supramundane paths.

10.“Friend, when asked: ‘But, friend, is it for the sake of purification of virtue that the holy life is lived under the Blessed One?’ you replied: ‘No, friend.’ When asked: ‘Then is it for the sake of purification of mind…purification of view…purification by overcoming doubt…purification by knowledge and vision of what is the path and what is not the path…purification by knowledge and vision of the way…purification by knowledge and vision that the holy life is lived under the Blessed One?’ you replied: ‘No, friend.’ For the sake of what then, friend, [148] is the holy life lived under the Blessed One?”

“Friend, it is for the sake of final Nibbāna without clinging that the holy life is lived under the Blessed One.”²⁸⁹ MA glosses anupādā parinibbāna as appaccayaparinibbāna, “final Nibbāna that has no condition,” explaining that upādāna has two meanings: grasping (gahṇa), as in the usual passage on the four types of clinging; and condition (paccaya), as illustrated by this passage. The commentators explain “final Nibbāna without clinging” either as the fruit of arahantship, because it cannot be grasped by any of the four types of clinging; or as Nibbāna the unconditioned, because it has not arisen through any condition.

11.“But, friend, is purification of virtue final Nibbāna without clinging?”—“No, friend.”—“Then is purification of mind final Nibbāna without clinging?”—“No, friend.”—“Then is purification of view final Nibbāna without clinging?”—“No, friend.”—“Then is purification by overcoming doubt final Nibbāna without clinging?” —“No, friend.”—“Then is purification by knowledge and vision of what is the path and what is not the path final Nibbāna without clinging?”—“No, friend.”—“Then is purification by knowledge and vision of the way final Nibbāna without clinging?” —“No, friend.”—“Then is purification by knowledge and vision final Nibbāna without clinging?”—“No, friend.”—“But, friend, is final Nibbāna without clinging to be attained without these states?”—“No, friend.”

12.“When asked: ‘But, friend, is purification of virtue final Nibbāna without clinging?’ you replied: ‘No, friend.’ When asked: ‘Then is purification ofmind…purification of view…purification by overcoming d oubt …pur ifica t ion by knowledge and vision of what is the path and what is not the path… purification by knowledge and vision of the way…purification by knowledge and vision final Nibbāna without clinging?’ you replied: ‘No, friend.’ And when asked: ‘But, friend, is final Nibbāna without clinging to be attained without these states?’ you replied: ‘No, friend.’ But how, friend, should the meaning of these statements be regarded?”

13.“Friend, if the Blessed One had described purification of virtue as final Nibbāna without clinging, he would have described what is still accompanied by clinging as final Nibbāna without clinging. If the Blessed One had described purification of mind … purification of view … purification by over coming doubt…purification by knowledge and vision of what is the path doubt...purification by knowledge and vision of what is the path and what is not the path…purification by knowledge and vision of the way…purification by knowledge and vision as final Nibbāna without clinging, he would have described what is still accompanied by clinging as final Nibbāna without clinging.²⁹⁰ MA explains that the first six stages are “accompanied by clinging” in the sense both of being conditioned and of existing in one who still has grasping; the seventh stage, being supramundane, only in the sense of being conditioned. And if final Nibbāna without clinging were to be attained without these states, then an ordinary person would have attained final Nibbāna, for an ordinary person is without these states.

14.“As to that, friend, I shall give you a simile, for some wise men understand the meaning of a statement by means of a simile. Suppose that King Pasenadi of Kosala while living at Sāvatthī [149] had some urgent business to settle at Sāketa, and that between Sāvatthī and Sāketa seven relay chariots were kept ready for him. Then King Pasenadi of Kosala, leaving Sāvatthī through the inner palace door, would mount the first relay chariot, and by means of the first relay chariot he would arrive at the second relay chariot; then he would dismount from the first chariot and mount the second chariot, and by means of the second chariot, he would arrive at the third chariot…by means of the third chariot, he would arrive at the fourth chariot…by means of the fourth chariot, he would arrive at the fifth chariot…by means of the fifth chariot, he would arrive at the sixth chariot…by means of the sixth chariot, he would arrive at the seventh chariot, and by means of the seventh chariot he would arrive at the inner palace door in Sāketa. Then, when he had come to the inner palace door, his friends and acquaintances, his kinsmen and relatives, would ask him: ‘Sire, did you come from Sāvatthī to the inner palace door in Sāketa by means of this relay chariot?’ How then should King Pasenadi of Kosala answer in order to answer correctly?”

“In order to answer correctly, friend, he should answer thus: ‘Here, while living at Sāvatthī I had some urgent business to settle at Sāketa, and between Sāvatthī and Sāketa seven relay chariots were kept ready for me. Then, leaving Sāvatthī through the inner palace door, I mounted the first relay chariot, and by means of the first relay chariot I arrived at the second relay chariot; then I dismounted from the first chariot and mounted the second chariot, and by means of the second chariot I arrived at the third…fourth…fifth…sixth…seventh chariot, and by means of the seventh chariot I arrived at the inner palace door in Sāketa.’ In order to answer correctly he should answer thus.”

15.“So too, friend, purification of virtue is for the sake of reaching purification of mind; purification of mind is for the sake of reaching purification of view; purification of view is for the sake of reaching purification by overcoming doubt; purification by overcoming doubt [150] is for the sake of reaching purification by knowledge and vision of what is the path and what is not the path; purification by knowledge and vision of what is the path and what is not the path is for the sake of reaching purification by knowledge and vision of the way; purification by knowledge and vision of the way is for the sake of reaching purification by knowledge and vision; purification by knowledge and vision is for the sake of reaching final Nibbāna without clinging. It is for the sake of final Nibbāna without clinging that the holy life is lived under the Blessed One.”

16.When this was said, the venerable Sāriputta asked the venerable Puṇṇa Mantāṇiputta: “What is the venerable one’s name, and how do his companions in the holy life know the venerable one?ʺ²⁹¹ MA says that Sāriputta asked this only as a way of greeting Pu˚˚a Mantā˚iputta since he already knew his name. Pu˚˚a, however, had never seen Sāriputta before and so must have been genuinely surprised to meet the great disciple.

“My name is Puṇṇa, friend, and my companions in the holy life know me as Mantāṇiputta.”

“It is wonderful, friend, it is marvellous! Each profound question has been answered, point by point, by the venerable Puṇṇa Mantāṇiputta as a learned disciple who understands the Teacher’s Dispensation correctly. It is a gain for his companions in the holy life, it is a great gain for them that they have the opportunity to see and honour the venerable Puṇṇa Mantāṇiputta. Even if it were by carrying the venerable Puṇṇa Mantāṇiputta about on a cushion on their heads that his companions in the holy life would get the opportunity to see and honour him, it would be a gain for them, a great gain for them. And it is a gain for us, a great gain for us that we have the opportunity to see and honour the venerable Puṇṇa Mantāṇiputta.”

17.When this was said, the venerable Puṇṇa Mantāṇiputta asked the venerable Sāriputta: “What is the venerable one’s name, and how do his companions in the holy life know the venerable one?”

“My name is Upatissa, friend, and my companions in the holy life know me as Sāriputta.ʺ

“Indeed, friend, we did not know that we were talking with the venerable Sāriputta, the disciple who is like the Teacher himself. ²⁹² Satthukappa. MA says that this is the highest praise that can be spoken of a disciple. If we had known that this was the venerable Sāriputta, we should not have said so much. It is wonderful, friend, it is marvellous! Each profound question has been posed, point by point, by the venerable Sāriputta as a learned disciple who understands the Teacher’s Dispensation correctly. It is a gain for his companions in the holy life, it is a great gain for them that they have the opportunity to see and honour the venerable Sāriputta. Even if it were by carrying the venerable Sāriputta about on a cushion on their heads that his companions in the holy life would get the opportunity to see and honour him, [151] it would be a gain for them, a great gain for them. And it is a gain for us, a great gain for us that we have the opportunity to see and honour the venerable Sāriputta.”

Thus it was that these two great beings rejoiced in each other’s good words.