SN 12.17
PTS: S ii 18
CDB i 545
Acela Sutta: To the Clothless Ascetic
translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu
© 2005–2012
Alternate translation: Walshe
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near
Rajagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrels' Sanctuary. Then early
in the morning the Blessed One, having put on his robes and
carrying his bowl and outer robe, went into Rajagaha for alms.
Kassapa-the-clothless[1] ascetic saw him coming from afar. On
seeing him, he went to him and, on arrival, exchanged courteous
greetings with him. After an exchange of friendly greetings &
courtesies, he stood to one side. As he was standing there, he said
to the Blessed One, "We would like to question Master Gotama about
a certain point, if he would take the time to answer our
question."
"This is not the time for a question, Kassapa. We have entered
among houses."
A second time... A third time Kassapa the clothless ascetic said to
him, "We would like to question Master Gotama about a certain
point, if he would take the time to answer our question."
"This is not the time for a question, Kassapa. We have entered
among houses."
When this was said, Kassapa the clothless ascetic said, "What we
want to ask isn't much."
"Then ask as you like."
"Master Gotama, is stress self-made?"
"Don't say that, Kassapa."
"Then is it other-made?"
"Don't say that, Kassapa."
"Then is it both self-made and other-made?"
"Don't say that, Kassapa."
"Then is it the case that stress, being neither self-made nor
other-made, arises spontaneously?"
"Don't say that, Kassapa."
"Then does stress not exist?"
"It's not the case, Kassapa, that stress does not exist. Stress
does exist."
"Well, in that case, does Master Gotama not know or see
stress?"
"Kassapa, it's not the case that I don't know or see stress. I know
stress. I see stress."
"Now, when asked, 'Is stress self-made?' you say, 'Don't say that,
Kassapa.' When asked, 'Then is it other-made?' you say, 'Don't say
that, Kassapa.' When asked, 'Then is it both self-made and
other-made?' you say, 'Don't say that, Kassapa.' When asked, 'Then
is it the case that stress, being neither self-made nor other-made,
arises spontaneously?' you say, 'Don't say that, Kassapa.' When
asked, 'Then does stress not exist?' you say, 'It's not the case,
Kassapa, that stress does not exist. Stress does exist.' When
asked, 'Well, in that case, does Master Gotama not know or see
stress?' you say, 'Kassapa, it's not the case that I don't know or
see stress. I know stress. I see stress.' Then explain stress to
me, lord Blessed One. Teach me about stress, lord Blessed
One!"
"'The one who acts is the one who experiences [the result of the
act]' amounts to the eternalist statement, 'Existing from the very
beginning, stress is self-made.' 'The one who acts is someone other
than the one who experiences'[2] amounts to the annihilationist
statement, 'For one existing harassed by feeling, stress is
other-made.' Avoiding these two extremes, the Tathagata teaches the
Dhamma via the middle:
From ignorance as a requisite condition come
fabrications.
From fabrications as a requisite condition comes
consciousness.
From consciousness as a requisite condition
comes name-&-form.
From name-&-form as a requisite condition
come the six sense media.
From the six sense media as a requisite
condition comes contact.
From contact as a requisite condition comes
feeling.
From feeling as a requisite condition comes
craving.
From craving as a requisite condition comes
clinging/sustenance.
From clinging/sustenance as a requisite
condition comes becoming.
From becoming as a requisite condition comes
birth.
From birth as a requisite condition, then aging
& death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair
come into play. Such is the origination of this entire mass of
stress & suffering.
"Now from the remainderless fading & cessation of that very
ignorance comes the cessation of fabrications. From the cessation
of fabrications comes the cessation of consciousness. From the
cessation of consciousness comes the cessation of name-&-form.
From the cessation of name-&-form comes the cessation of the
six sense media. From the cessation of the six sense media comes
the cessation of contact. From the cessation of contact comes the
cessation of feeling. From the cessation of feeling comes the
cessation of craving. From the cessation of craving comes the
cessation of clinging/ sustenance. From the cessation of
clinging/sustenance comes the cessation of becoming. From the
cessation of becoming comes the cessation of birth. From the
cessation of birth, then aging & death, sorrow, lamentation,
pain, distress, & despair all cease. Such is the cessation of
this entire mass of stress & suffering."
When this was said, Kassapa the clothless ascetic said,
"Magnificent, lord! Magnificent! Just as if he were to place
upright what was overturned, to reveal what was hidden, to show the
way to one who was lost, or to carry a lamp into the dark so that
those with eyes could see forms, in the same way has the Blessed
One — through many lines of reasoning — made the Dhamma clear. I go
to the Blessed One for refuge, to the Dhamma, and to the community
of monks. Let me obtain the going forth in the Blessed One's
presence, let me obtain admission."
"Anyone, Kassapa, who has previously belonged to another sect and
who desires the going forth & admission in this doctrine &
discipline, must first undergo probation for four months. If, at
the end of four months, the monks feel so moved, they give him the
going forth & admit him to the monk's state. But I know
distinctions among individuals in this matter."
"Lord, if that is so, I am willing to undergo probation for four
years. If, at the end of four years, the monks feel so moved, let
them give me the going forth & admit me to the monk's
state."
Then Kassapa the clothless ascetic obtained the going forth in the
Blessed One's presence, he obtained admission. And not long after
his admission — dwelling alone, secluded, heedful, ardent, &
resolute — he in no long time reached & remained in the supreme
goal of the holy life, for which clansmen rightly go forth from
home into homelessness, knowing & realizing it for himself in
the here & now. He knew: "Birth is ended, the holy life
fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for the sake of
this world." And thus Ven. Kassapa became another one of the
arahants."
Notes
1.
Acela: "One without cloth." Often translated as
"naked," but as MN 45 shows, such a person might wear garments made
of something other than cloth.
2.
This statement is annihilationist in implying
that personal identity is simply a series of radically different
persons, one disappearing to be replaced by another repeatedly
throughout time. In other words, the X who did the action whose
fruit X is now experiencing is a radically different X from the X
who is now experiencing it. That first X has disappeared and has
been replaced by a different one. The Buddha avoids this error —
and the eternalist error of self-causation — by refusing to get
entangled in questions of personal identity. See MN 109, SN 12.12,
and SN 12.35.
