Saṁyutta Nikāya 44.9 1.

Kutūhalasālāsutta

Abyākatavagga Kutūhalasālāsutta Atha kho vacchagotto paribbājako yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi.

Then the wanderer Vacchagotta approached the Blessed One; having approached, he exchanged greetings with the Blessed One.

Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.

After exchanging greetings and cordial talk, he sat down to one side.

Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho vacchagotto paribbājako bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “Purimāni, bho gotama, divasāni purimatarāni sambahulānaṁ nānātitthiyānaṁ samaṇabrāhmaṇānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ kutūhalasālāyaṁ sannisinnānaṁ sannipatitānaṁ ayamantarākathā udapādi: ‘ayaṁ kho pūraṇo kassapo saṅghī ceva gaṇī ca gaṇācariyo ca ñāto yasassī titthakaro sādhusammato bahujanassa.

Sitting to one side, the wanderer Vacchagotta said to the Blessed One: Master Gotama, in the past few days, a discussion arose among several ascetics and brahmins of various sects who were gathered together in the debating hall.

Sopi sāvakaṁ abbhatītaṁ kālaṅkataṁ upapattīsu byākaroti: “asu amutra upapanno, asu amutra upapanno”ti. Yopissa sāvako uttamapuriso paramapuriso paramapattipatto tampi sāvakaṁ abbhatītaṁ kālaṅkataṁ upapattīsu byākaroti: “asu amutra upapanno, asu amutra upapanno”ti. Ayampi kho makkhali gosālo …pe…

They said: This Pūraṇa Kassapa is a leader of a community, a teacher of a community, well-known and famous, and considered by many to be a holy man. He too declares the destination of his disciples who have passed away, saying: This one has been reborn there, that one has been reborn there.

ayampi kho nigaṇṭho nāṭaputto …pe… ayampi kho sañcayo belaṭṭhaputto …pe… ayampi kho pakudho kaccāno …pe… ayampi kho ajito kesakambalo saṅghī ceva gaṇī ca gaṇācariyo ca ñāto yasassī titthakaro sādhusammato bahujanassa.

Similarly, Makkhali Gosāla, Nigaṇṭha Nātaputta, Sañcaya Belaṭṭhaputta, Pakudha Kaccāyana, and Ajita Kesakambala are all leaders of communities, teachers of communities, well-known and famous, and considered by many to be holy men.

Sopi sāvakaṁ abbhatītaṁ kālaṅkataṁ upapattīsu byākaroti: “asu amutra upapanno, asu amutra upapanno”ti.

They too declare the destination of their disciples who have passed away, saying: This one has been reborn there, that one has been reborn there.

Yopissa sāvako uttamapuriso paramapuriso paramapattipatto tampi sāvakaṁ abbhatītaṁ kālaṅkataṁ upapattīsu byākaroti: “asu amutra upapanno, asu amutra upapanno”’ti.

But the ascetic Gotama is also a leader of a community, a teacher of a community, well-known and famous, and considered by many to be a holy man.

Ayampi kho samaṇo gotamo saṅghī ceva gaṇī ca gaṇācariyo ca ñāto yasassī titthakaro sādhusammato bahujanassa. Sopi sāvakaṁ abbhatītaṁ kālaṅkataṁ upapattīsu byākaroti: ‘asu amutra upapanno, asu amutra upapanno’ti. Yopissa sāvako uttamapuriso paramapuriso paramapattipatto tañca sāvakaṁ abbhatītaṁ kālaṅkataṁ upapattīsu na byākaroti: ‘asu amutra upapanno, asu amutra upapanno’ti.

He too declares the destination of his disciples who have passed away, saying: This one has been reborn there, that one has been reborn there. But when it comes to his foremost disciples, those who have attained the highest goal, he does not declare their destination, saying: This one has been reborn there, that one has been reborn there.

Api ca kho naṁ evaṁ byākaroti: ‘acchecchi taṇhaṁ, vivattayi saṁyojanaṁ, sammā mānābhisamayā antamakāsi dukkhassā’ti.

Instead, he declares: He has cut off craving, severed the fetters, and through right knowing, made an end of suffering.

Tassa mayhaṁ, bho gotama, ahu deva kaṅkhā, ahu vicikicchā: ‘kathaṁ nāma samaṇassa gotamassa dhammo abhiññeyyo’”ti?

This, Master Gotama, caused me to have doubt and uncertainty: How is the Dhamma of the ascetic Gotama to be known?

“Alañhi te, vaccha, kaṅkhituṁ, alaṁ vicikicchituṁ.

It is fitting for you to doubt, Vaccha, it is fitting for you to be uncertain.

Kaṅkhanīye ca pana te ṭhāne vicikicchā uppannā.

Doubt has arisen in you about a matter that should be doubted.

Saupādānassa khvāhaṁ, vaccha, upapattiṁ paññāpemi no anupādānassa.

I, Vaccha, declare the rebirth of one with attachments, not of one without attachments.

Seyyathāpi, vaccha, aggi saupādāno jalati, no anupādāno; evameva khvāhaṁ, vaccha, saupādānassa upapattiṁ paññāpemi, no anupādānassā”ti.

Just as a fire burns with fuel, not without fuel, so too, Vaccha, I declare the rebirth of one with attachments, not of one without attachments.

“Yasmiṁ, bho gotama, samaye acci vātena khittā dūrampi gacchati, imassa pana bhavaṁ gotamo kiṁ upādānasmiṁ paññāpetī”ti?

Master Gotama, when a flame is blown by the wind and goes far, what does Master Gotama declare to be its fuel?

“Yasmiṁ kho, vaccha, samaye acci vātena khittā dūrampi gacchati, tamahaṁ vātūpādānaṁ paññāpemi.

When, Vaccha, a flame is blown by the wind and goes far, I declare that it is fueled by the wind.

Vāto hissa, vaccha, tasmiṁ samaye upādānaṁ hotī”ti.

For at that time, Vaccha, the wind is its fuel.

“Yasmiñca pana, bho gotama, samaye imañca kāyaṁ nikkhipati, satto ca aññataraṁ kāyaṁ anupapanno hoti, imassa pana bhavaṁ gotamo kiṁ upādānasmiṁ paññāpetī”ti?

And when, Master Gotama, a person lays down this body and is not yet reborn in another body, what does Master Gotama declare to be his fuel?

“Yasmiṁ kho, vaccha, samaye imañca kāyaṁ nikkhipati, satto ca aññataraṁ kāyaṁ anupapanno hoti, tamahaṁ taṇhūpādānaṁ vadāmi.

When, Vaccha, a person lays down this body and is not yet reborn in another body, I declare that it is fueled by craving.

Taṇhā hissa, vaccha, tasmiṁ samaye upādānaṁ hotī”ti. Navamaṁ.

For at that time, Vaccha, craving is his fuel.