Cūla-malunkyasuttaṃ – Advice To Venerable Malunkhyaputta

MAJJHIMA NIKĀYA II
II. 2. 3 Cūla-malunkyasuttaṃ
(63) Advice to Venerable Malunkhyaputta

I heard thus. At one time the Blessed One was living in the monastery offered by Anāthapiṇḍika in Jet’s grove in Sāvatthi. When venerable Malunkhyaputta was in his seclusion this thought occurred to him These views are unexplained, put aside by the Blessed One: Is the world eternal or not eternal, is it limited or unlimited? Is the soul and body the same, is the soul different from the body? Is the Thus Gone One after death. Isn’t the Thus Gone One after death? Or is it the Thus Gone One is and isn’t after death? Or the Thus Gone One neither is, nor is not after death? I do not like these things unexplained by the Blessed One. If the Blessed One explains them, I will lead the holy life under him, or else I will give up robes. These were the thoughts and discurcive thoughts that occurred to venerable Malunkhyaputta in his seclusion

Then venerable Malunkhyaputta got up from his seclusion, approachedṭhe Blessed One, worshipped and sat on a side and said, ’Venerable sir, in my seclusion this thought occurred to me These views are unexplained and put aside by the Blessed One: Is the world eternal or not? Is it limited or unlimited, Is the soul and body the same, or is the soul different from the body? Is the Thus Gone One after death? Isn’t the Thus Gone One after death? Or is it, the Thus Gone One is and isn’t after death? Or is it, the Thus Gone One neither is nor is not after death? I do not like these things unexplained by the Blessed One. If the Blessed One explains them, to me, I will lead the holy life, otherwise I will give up robes: If the Blessed One knows the world is eternal, may the Blessed One declare the world is eternal. If the Blessed One knows, the world is not eternal may the Blessed One declare the world is not eternal. If the Blessed One does not know whether the world is eternal or not eternal, he should be straightforward and say I do not know and see this. : If the Blessed One knows the world is limited, may the Blessed One declare the world is limited. If the Blessed One knows the world is not limited, may the Blessed One declare the world is not limited. If the Blessed One does not know whether the world is limited or not limited he should be straightforward and say I do not know and see this. : If the Blessed One knows whether the soul and body is the same. May the Blessed One declare the soul and body is the same. If the Blessed One knows, the soul is different from the body, may the Blessed One declare the soul is different from the body If the Blessed One does not know whether the soul and body is the same or the soul is different from body. He should be straightforward and say I do not know and see this. If the Blessed One knows the Thus Gone One is after death, may the Blessed One declare the Thus Gone One is after death. If the Blessed One knows The Thus Gone One is not after death, may the Blessed One declare, the Thus Gone One is not after death If the Blessed One does not know whether the Thus Gone One is after death or the Thus Gone One is not after death. Should be straightforward and say, I do not know and see this. : If the Blessed One knows the Thus Gone One is not after death, may the Blessed One declare the Thus Gone One is not after death. If the Blessed One does not know, The Thus Gone One is, or is not after death, should be straightforward and say I do not know and see this. If the Blessed One knows the Thus Gone One is, and is not after death, may the Blessed One declare the Thus Gone One is, and is not after death. If the Blessed One does not know The Thus Gone One neither is nor is not after death, may the Blessed One declare, the Thus Gone One neither is nor is not after death. If the Blessed One does not know whether the Thus Gone One neither is, nor is not after death or the Thus Gone One neither is not or is not, not that after death, he should be straightforward and say I do not know and see this:

Malunkhyaputta, did I tell you, Come Malunkhyaputta lead the holy life in my dispensation I will declare to you, whether the world is eternal or not eternal The Thus Gone One neither is not or is not, not that after death.? No, venerable sir. Then did you tell me, venerable sir, I will lead the holy life in your dispensation if you declare to me whether the world is eternal or not?The Thus Gone One neither is not, nor is not that, after death? No, venerable sir. Malunkhyaputta, I did not ask you to lead the holy life in my dispensation, with a promise to declare to you whether the world is eternal or not eternal and the thus Gone One neither is not or is not, not that after death and you did not tell me venerable sir, I will lead the holy life in your dispensation if you declare to me whether the world is eternal or not eternal and The Thus Gone One neither is not nor is not, not that after death. When this is so, what is the reason to give up robes?

Malunkhyaputta, if some one were to say I will not lead the holy life in the dispensation of the Blessed One until it is declared to me whether the world is eternal or not and the Thus Gone One neither is not nor is not, not that after death. Those things would never be declared by the Thus Gone One, and that person would die. It is like a man shot with a poisoned arrow, and his friends, co-associates and blood relations would call a surgeon to attend on him. He would say, I will not pull out this arrow until I know, the one who shot this arrow is of warrior, brahmin, householder or out castes’ clan. I will not pull out this arrow until, I knew, the name and family of the one who shot this arrow. I will not pull out this arrow until, I knew whether the one who shot this arrow is short or tall or of middling size. I will not pull out, this arrow until, I knew whether the one who shot this arrow is dark, or fair or tan. I will not pull out this arrow until, I knew the town, village or the hamlet from which he came. I will not pull out this arrow until, I knew the kind of bow used, I will not pull out the arrow until, I knew the kind of string used for the bow. I will not pull out this arrow until, I knew the kind of shaft used to shoot. Malunkhyaputta, this man will die before he knew all this In the same manner, Malunkhyaputta, if anyone was to say I will not lead the holy life in the dispensation of the Blessed One until, it is declared to me whether the world is eternal or not and The Thus Gone One neither is not nor is not, not that after death. Those things will never be declared by the Thus Gone One, and that person will die.

Malunkhyaputta, with the view, the world is eternal, a holy life is not lead, even with the view the world is not eternal, a holy life is not lead. Malunkhyaputta, withthe view the world is eternal or even the world is not eternal, there is birth, decay, death, grief, lament, unpleasantness and displeasure, I declare he is destroyed here and now. Malunkhyaputta, with the view, the world is limited, a holy life is not lead, even with the view the world is not limited, a holy life is not lead. Malunkhyaputta, with the view the world is limited or even the world is not limited, there is birth, decay, death, grief, lament, unpleasantness and displeasure, I declare he is destroyed here and now. Malunkhyaputta, with the view, the soul and body is the same, a holy life is not lead, even with the view the soul is different from the body, a holy life is not lead. Malunkhyaputta, with the view, the soul and body is the same or even with the view the soul is different from the body, there is birth, decay, death, grief, lament, unpleasantness and displeasure, I declare he is destroyed here and now.

Malunkhyaputta, with the view, the Thus Gone One is, after death, a holy life is not lead. Even with the view the Thus Gone One is not after death, a holy life is not lead. Malunkhyaputta, with the view the Thus Gone One is after death or even the view the Thus Gone One is not after death, there is birth, decay, death, grief, lament, unpleasantness and distress. I declare he is destroyed here and now Malunkhyaputta, with the view, the Thus Gone One is and is not after death, a holy life is not lead. Even with the view the Thus Gone One neither is, nor is not after death. A holy life is not lead. Malunkhyaputta, with the view the Thus Gone One is and is not after death or even the view the Thus Gone One neither is nor is not after death, there is birth, decay, death, grief, lament, unpleasantness and distress. I declare he is destroyed here and now.

Therefore Malunkhyaputta, bear the undeclared as undeclared. Malunkhyaputta, what are the not declared? The world is eternal, is not declared by me. The world is not eternal, is limited, is not limited. The soul and body are the same. The soul is different from the body. The Thus Gone One is, after death. The Thus Gone One, is not after death. The Thus Gone One is and is not after death. The Thus Gone One neither is, nor is not after death, are not declared by me. Malunkhyaputta, why are these not declared by me? They are not the essential for the principles of the holy life, they do not lead to turning away, to detachment, to cessation, to appeasement, to realisation, to enlightenment and to extinction. Malunkhyaputta, what are the declared by me? This, is unpleasant, is declared. This, is its arising, is delcared. This, is its cessation is declared. This is the path to its cessation, is declared. Malunkhyaputta, why are these declared by me? These are the essentials for the principles of the holy life, they lead to turning away, to detachment, to cessation, to appeasement, to realisation, to enlightenment and to extinction. Malunkhyaputta, I declare them. Bear the undeclared as undeclared and the declared as declared.

The Blessed One said thus and venerable Malunkhyaputta delighted in the words of the Blessed One.