Sāriputta and Koṭṭhita (2)
Sāriputta-Koṭṭhita Sutta (SN 44:4)
On one occasion Ven. Sāriputta and Ven. Mahā Koṭṭhita were staying near Vārāṇasī in the Deer Park at Isipatana. Then Ven. Mahā Koṭṭhita, emerging from his seclusion in the evening, went to Ven. Sāriputta and exchanged courteous greetings with him. After an exchange of friendly greetings & courtesies, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he said to Ven. Sāriputta, “Now then, friend Sāriputta, does the Tathāgata exist after death?”
“That, friend, has not been declared by the Blessed One: ‘The Tathāgata exists after death.’”
“Well then, friend Sāriputta, does the Tathāgata not exist after death?”
“Friend, that too has not been declared by the Blessed One: ‘The Tathāgata does not exist after death.’”
“Then does the Tathāgata both exist and not exist after death?”
“That has not been declared by the Blessed One: ‘The Tathāgata both exists and does not exist after death.’”
“Well then, does the Tathāgata neither exist nor not exist after death?”
“That too has not been declared by the Blessed One: ‘The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death.’”
“Now, friend Sāriputta, when asked if the Tathāgata exists after death, you say, ‘That has not been declared by the Blessed One: “The Tathāgata exists after death.”’ When asked if the Tathāgata does not exist after death… both exists and does not exist after death… neither exists nor does not exist after death, you say, ‘That too has not been declared by the Blessed One: “The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death.”’ Now, what is the cause, what is the reason, why that has not been declared by the Blessed One?”
“For one who doesn't know & see form as it has come to be, who doesn't know & see the origination of form… the cessation of form… the path of practice leading to the cessation of form, as it has come to be, there occurs the thought, ‘The Tathāgata exists after death’ or ‘The Tathāgata does not exist after death’ or ‘The Tathāgata both exists and does not exist after death’ or ‘The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death.’
“For one who doesn't know & see feeling as it has come to be…
“For one who doesn't know & see perception as it has come to be…
“For one who doesn't know & see fabrications as they have come to be…
“For one who doesn't know & see consciousness as it has come to be, who doesn't know & see the origination of consciousness… the cessation of consciousness… the path of practice leading to the cessation of consciousness, as it has come to be, there occurs the thought, ‘The Tathāgata exists after death’ or ‘The Tathāgata does not exist after death’ or ‘The Tathāgata both exists and does not exist after death’ or ‘The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death.’
“But for one who knows & sees form as it has come to be, who knows & sees the origination of form… the cessation of form… the path of practice leading to the cessation of form, as it has come to be, the thought, ‘The Tathāgata exists after death’ or ‘The Tathāgata does not exist after death’ or ‘The Tathāgata both exists and does not exist after death’ or ‘The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death’ doesn’t occur.
“For one who knows & sees feeling as it has come to be…
“For one who knows & sees perception as it has come to be…
“For one who knows & sees fabrications as they have come to be…
“For one who knows & sees consciousness as it has come to be, who knows & sees the origination of consciousness… the cessation of consciousness… the path of practice leading to the cessation of consciousness, as it has come to be, the thought, ‘The Tathāgata exists after death’ or ‘The Tathāgata does not exist after death’ or ‘The Tathāgata both exists and does not exist after death’ or ‘The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death’ doesn’t occur.
“This is the cause, this is the reason, why that has not been declared by the Blessed One.”
