SA 110（一一〇） 萨遮

Thus have I heard:

Once, the Buddha was staying at the Monkey Pond in Vaiśālī. In the country of Vaiśālī, there was a Nirgrantha who was intelligent, wise, and skilled in all treatises. He was arrogant due to his intelligence. He had gathered many treatises, and his wisdom penetrated the subtle. When he taught the Dharma to the assembly, he surpassed all the teachers. He always thought: "Among all the śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas, there is none who can rival me, even the Tathāgata can debate with me. When the teachers of treatises hear my name, their foreheads, armpits, and pores sweat. My wind of debate can bend grass and break trees, crush gold and stone, and subdue all dragons and elephants. How could there be any teachers of treatises in the human world who could match me!"

At that time, there was a bhikṣu named Aśvajit. In the morning, he put on his robe, took his alms bowl, and entered the city to beg for food with dignified deportment, looking straight ahead and walking evenly. At that time, the Nirgrantha Sāṇavāsi had some minor matters to attend to, and he went to various villages. As he was leaving the city gate, he saw from afar the bhikṣu Aśvajit. He immediately went to him and asked, "How does the Śramaṇa Gautama teach the Dharma to his disciples? With what kind of Dharma does he instruct his disciples to practice?"

Aśvajit said, "Householder of the Fire Clan! The World-Honored One teaches the Dharma to his disciples in this way, instructing them to practice accordingly. He says: 'Bhikṣus! Regarding form, one should contemplate the absence of self. Regarding feeling, perception, formation, and consciousness, one should contemplate the absence of self. Diligent in contemplating these five aggregates of clinging, they are like a disease, a boil, a thorn, and a killer. They are impermanent, suffering, empty, and not-self.'"

Having heard these words, the Nirgrantha Sāṇavāsi was displeased and said, "Aśvajit! You must have misunderstood. The Śramaṇa Gautama would never say such a thing. If the Śramaṇa Gautama did say such a thing, it would be a wrong view. I shall go to him and challenge him to stop it."

At that time, the Nirgrantha Sāṇavāsi went to the assembly place of the Licchavis in the village and said to the Licchavis, "Today I saw the Śramaṇa Gautama's foremost disciple named Aśvajit. We had a brief discussion. If what he said is true, I shall go to that Śramaṇa Gautama and discuss with him. Whether advancing or retreating, turning or not, it will certainly be according to my intention.

It is like a man cutting and pulling out grass, holding the stem in his hand, shaking it in the air to remove the impurities. I will also do the same. When discussing and challenging the Śramaṇa Gautama, holding his key points, advancing or retreating, turning or not, according to his wishes, I will remove his false teachings.

It is like a wine seller holding a wine bag, pressing it to extract the clear and pure wine, removing the dregs. I will also do the same. When discussing and challenging the Śramaṇa Gautama, advancing or retreating, turning or not, taking the clear and true, removing the false teachings.

It is like a mat weaver who uses a mat to hold dirty things. When wanting to sell it, he washes it with water to remove the foul smell. I will also do the same. When going to the place of the Śramaṇa Gautama to discuss and debate, advancing or retreating, holding the main points, removing the impure teachings.

It is like a royal elephant trainer who leads a drunken elephant into deep water to wash its body, four limbs, ears, and nose, bathing it all over to remove the coarse impurities. I will also do the same. When going to the place of the Śramaṇa Gautama to discuss and debate, advancing or retreating, freely holding the main points, removing the impure teachings. You Licchavis should also go together to observe his gains and losses.

Among them, some Licchavis said, "It is impossible for Sācatya to be able to discuss and debate with the Śramaṇa Gautama.

Some said, "Sācatya is intelligent and sharp-witted, he can discuss and debate.

At that time, five hundred Licchavis went together with Sācatya to where the Buddha was, for the sake of discussing and debating.

At that time, the World-Honored One was sitting under a tree in the great forest, abiding in the heavenly abode. At that time, many bhikṣus were walking in the forest outside their rooms. They saw Sācatya coming from afar, gradually approaching the bhikṣus, and asked the bhikṣus, "Where is Śramaṇa Gautama staying?"

The bhikṣus replied, "He is in the great forest, sitting under a tree, abiding in the heavenly abode."

Sācatya then went to where the Buddha was, paid respects, and sat to one side. The Licchavi elders also went to where the Buddha was. Some paid respects, some joined their palms and asked after his well-being. After asking after his well-being, they stood to one side.

At that time, Sācatya said to the Buddha, "I heard the Gautama teach the Dharma and instruct his disciples like this - he instructs his disciples to observe the selflessness of form, feeling, perception, formation, and consciousness, and to diligently observe these five aggregates as being like a disease, a boil, a thorn, a killer, impermanent, suffering, empty, and selfless. Is this the teaching of the Gautama, or is it the slander of the transmitters? Is it as it is said, or not as it is said? Is it said according to the Dharma, or in accordance with the Dharma? Is there no difference in tolerance to come and challenge, causing one to fall into defeat?"

The Buddha told Sācatya, "As you have heard, it is as it is said, as it is according to the Dharma, and in accordance with the Dharma. It is not slanderous, and there is no challenging question that can cause one to fall into defeat. Why is that? I truly teach the Dharma to my disciples like that. I truly always instruct my disciples to follow the Dharma teachings and observe the selflessness of form, feeling, perception, formation, and consciousness. I observe these five aggregates as being like a disease, a boil, a thorn, a killer, impermanent, suffering, empty, and selfless."

Sācatya said to the Buddha, "Gautama! I will now give an analogy."

The Buddha told Sācatya, "It is the right time."

"It is like all worldly activities relying on the earth. In this way, form is the self and person, from which good and evil arise; feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness are the self and person, from which good and evil arise. Moreover, it is like the human realm, the divine realm, herbs, and trees, all growing and flourishing based on the earth; in this way, form is the self and person, feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness are the self and person."

The Buddha said to the householder Kāśyapa, "You say that form is the self and person, and feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness are the self and person, is that so?"

He replied, "So it is, Gautama! Form is the self and person, and feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness are the self and person. All these people say this."

The Buddha said to the householder Kāśyapa, "First establish your own thesis, and then lead others?"

The son of the Śākyas said to the Buddha, "Form is indeed the self and person."

The Buddha said to the householder Kāśyapa, "I will now ask you, please answer as you wish. For example, if a king in his own country has someone who commits a crime, he can kill, bind, banish, whip, or cut off their hands and feet; if someone has merit, he can bestow upon them elephants, horses, carriages, cities, and treasures. Is this so?"

He replied, "It is so, Gautama!"

The Buddha said to the householder Kāśyapa, "Can all masters be self-willed?"

He replied, "It is so, Gautama!"

The Buddha said to the householder Kāśyapa, "You say that form is me, and feeling, perception, formation, and consciousness are me. Can you be self-willed and make them so, or not so?"

At that time, the son of the Sāṃkhya teacher remained silent.

The Buddha said to the householder Kāśyapa, "Speak quickly! Why are you silent?"

The Sāṃkhya teacher's son remained silent again.

At that time, a Vajrapāṇi spirit held a vajra staff with blazing flames in the sky above the head of the Sāṃkhya teacher's son, saying, "The World-Honored One has asked you three times, why do you not answer? I will smash your head into seven pieces with this vajra staff."

By the Buddha's spiritual power, only the Sāṃkhya teacher's son saw the Vajra spirit, while the others did not see it. The Sāṃkhya teacher's son was greatly terrified and said to the Buddha, "No, Gautama!"

The Buddha said to the Sāṃkhya teacher's son, "Think carefully and then explain. You previously said in the assembly that form is me, and feeling, perception, formation, and consciousness are me. Do you now say that? It contradicts your previous statements. You previously always said, 'Form is me, and feeling, perception, formation, and consciousness are me.' Fire-born householder! I now ask you, is form permanent or impermanent?"

He replied, "Impermanent, Gautama!"

He further asked, "Is what is impermanent suffering?"

He replied, "It is suffering, Gautama!"

He further asked, "Is what is impermanent and suffering a changeable phenomenon? Can the learned noble disciples see self, other, or characteristics in it?"

He replied, "No, Gautama!"

The same is said of feeling, perception, formation, and consciousness.

The Buddha said to the householder Huizhong, "Think carefully before you speak."

He further asked the householder Huizhong, "If one has not yet abandoned desire, craving, recollection, affection, and thirst for form, and that form changes or becomes different, will one then give rise to sorrow, lamentation, pain, and distress?"

He replied, "Yes, Gautama!"

The same can be said for feeling, perception, formation, and consciousness.

He further asked, "Householder Kāśyapa, when one is free from craving, desire, thought, affection, and thirst for form, and that form changes or transforms, does one not give rise to sorrow, lamentation, pain, and distress?"

He replied, "So it is, Gautama! It is true and not otherwise."

The same can be said for feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness.

"Householder, it is like a person whose body is afflicted with many sufferings, always accompanied by suffering. If that suffering is not cut off or abandoned, can they attain happiness?"

He replied, "No, Gautama!"

So it is, Householder! The body is afflicted with many sufferings, always accompanied by suffering. If that suffering is not cut off or abandoned, happiness cannot be attained. Householder, it is like a person carrying an axe into the forest, seeking solid wood. Seeing a large and straight banana tree, they cut off its roots and leaves, peeled off its bark, and exhausted it, but there was no solidity at all. Householder, you are also like this, setting up your own thesis. I now seek the true meaning well, but there is no solidity at all, like a banana tree. Yet you dare to speak in this assembly. I do not see any śramaṇa or brāhmaṇa who can discuss with the Tathāgata, the Arhat, the Perfectly Enlightened One, without being defeated. Yet you say, 'My wind of debate can bend grass and break trees, destroy gold and stone, subdue dragons and elephants, and make their foreheads sweat, their armpits sweat, and their pores drip.' Now you yourself debate your own meaning without establishing it. The characteristics you boasted of before to subdue others, you now take for yourself, but you cannot move a single hair of the Tathāgata.

At that time, the World-Honored One, in the midst of the great assembly, lifted up his upper robe to reveal his chest, saying, "Look, can you move a single hair of the Tathāgata?"

At that time, the son of the Sāṃkhya teacher was silent, his head lowered, ashamed and pale. At that time, there was an outcaste named Tumoqie in the assembly. He rose from his seat, adjusted his robes, joined his palms, and said to the Buddha, "World-Honored One! Please listen to my analogy.

The Buddha told Tumoqie, "It is the right time."

Tumoqie said to the Buddha, "World-Honored One! It is like someone holding a bushel or a peck, taking two or three bushels from a large heap of grain. Now this son of the Sāṃkhya teacher is also like this. World-Honored One! It is like a wealthy elder with many possessions suddenly committing an offense, and all his wealth and possessions are confiscated by the king. The son of the Sāṃkhya teacher is also like this. All his eloquence is absorbed by the Tathāgata.

"It is like a large body of water near a city or village, where men, women, and children all go to play in the water. They catch crabs and cut off their legs, then place them on land. Without legs, they cannot return to the water. The son of the Sāṃkhya teacher is also like this. All his eloquence is cut off by the Tathāgata and he will never dare to come to the Tathāgata again to debate."

At that time, the son of the Sāṃkhya teacher was filled with anger and cursed and spat at Tumoqie, saying, "You coarse and ignorant one! How dare you speak without thinking! I am debating with the śramaṇa Gautama myself. What business is it of yours?"

After rebuking Tumoqie, the son of the Sāṃkhya teacher said to the Buddha, "Forget about those vulgar and contemptible words. I now have something else to ask."

The Buddha told the son of the Sāṃkhya teacher, "Ask as you please. I will answer according to your questions."

"How does Gautama teach his disciples to be free from doubt?"

The Buddha said to the householder of the fire clan, "I teach my disciples to truly observe all existing forms, whether past, future, or present, internal or external, coarse or subtle, beautiful or ugly, far or near, as not being the self, not different from the self, or not in the self. The same applies to feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness. They must see the traces of their practice, not destroy them, and be able to accomplish them. They must be disgusted, know, and see, and guard the gate of immortality. Although they may not fully attain everything, they still head towards nirvāṇa. Such disciples can be free from doubt according to my teachings."

He further asked, "Gautama! How do you teach your disciples to attain the exhaustion of all taints, the non-outflow, liberation of the mind, liberation through wisdom, and to know and realize for themselves in this very life: 'My birth is ended, the holy life has been established, what was to be done has been done, and I know that I will not be subject to any future lives'?"

The Buddha said to the householder of the fire clan, "It is precisely through this teaching that all existing forms, whether past, future, or present, internal or external, coarse or subtle, beautiful or ugly, far or near, are truly known as not being the self, not different from the self, or not in the self. The same applies to feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness. At that time, they accomplish three kinds of unsurpassed - unsurpassed wisdom, unsurpassed liberation, and unsurpassed liberation through wisdom and insight. Having accomplished these three kinds of unsurpassed, they respectfully honor and make offerings to the great teacher as if he were the Buddha. The World-Honored One awakens to all dharmas and uses these dharmas to tame his disciples, enabling them to attain peace, fearlessness, taming, tranquility, and ultimate nirvāṇa. The World-Honored One teaches the Dharma for the sake of nirvāṇa. Householder of the fire clan! My disciples attain the exhaustion of all taints in this teaching, attain liberation of the mind, liberation through wisdom, and know and realize for themselves in this very life: 'My birth is ended, the holy life has been established, what was to be done has been done, and I know that I will not be subject to any future lives'."

Sāṇakavāsa said to the Buddha, "Gautama! It is like a strong man with a sharp blade descending in disorder, which can still be avoided; but Gautama's discussion is difficult to escape. It is like a venomous snake, which can still be avoided; a raging fire in a vast wilderness, which can still be avoided; a ferocious drunken elephant, which can also be avoided; a mad and hungry lion, which can all be avoided; but it is difficult to escape from the discussion in the hands of the śramaṇa Gautama. I am not an ordinary person, a frivolous and contemptible man. I am not fully equipped for discussion. It is for the sake of discussion that I have come to Gautama.

Śramaṇa Gautama! This Vaiśālī is a prosperous and peaceful country. There are the Śītavana stūpa, the lacquer aśoka tree stūpa, the many sons stūpa, the Gautama at the Koṭigāma stūpa, the Brahmā upholds stūpa, the abandoning of heavy burdens stūpa, and the Mālaya stūpa. May the World-Honored One find peace and happiness in this Vaiśālī country. May the devas, māras, Brahmā, śramaṇas, brāhmaṇas, and all the world always be able to pay respect, serve, and make offerings to the World-Honored One. May these devas, māras, Brahmā, śramaṇas, brāhmaṇas, and all the world find peace and happiness for a long time. Please stay here. Tomorrow, together with the great assembly, accept my humble meal.

At that time, the World-Honored One silently accepted. Sāṇakavāsa, knowing that the Buddha had silently accepted the invitation, was delighted and followed the Buddha's wishes. He rose from his seat and left.

At that time, Sāṇakavāsa spoke to the Licchavis on the road, saying: "I have already invited Śramaṇa Gautama and the great assembly to a meal. Each of you should prepare a pot of food and bring it to me."

The Licchavis each returned to their homes, prepared the food overnight, and brought it to Sāṇakavāsa in the morning. Sāṇakavāsa swept and arranged the seats in the morning, prepared clean water, and sent a messenger to the Buddha, saying: "The time has come."

At that time, the World-Honored One, together with the great assembly, put on his robe, took his alms bowl, and went to where Sāṇakavāsa was. The great assembly sat in front. Sāṇakavāsa personally offered pure food and drink, satisfying the great assembly. After eating, they washed their bowls. Sāṇakavāsa, knowing that the Buddha had finished eating and washing his bowl, took a low seat and sat in front of the Buddha. At that time, the World-Honored One spoke a verse of rejoicing for Sāṇakavāsa, saying:

Among all great assemblies, offering fire is the best; among the Veda
scriptures, the Brāhmaṇa is the best; among humans, the king is the
best; among rivers and seas, the ocean is the best; among stars
the moon is the best; among days, the sun is the best
among the devas and humans of the ten directions, the Perfectly Enlightened
One is the best.

At that time, the World-Honored One, for Sāṇakavāsa, spoke the Dharma in various ways, showing, teaching, illuminating, and delighting him, and then returned to his original place.

At that time, the bhikṣus on the road discussed together: "The five hundred Licchavis each prepare food and drink for Sāṇakavāsa. Where will those Licchavis obtain merit? Where will Sāṇakavāsa obtain merit?"

At that time, the bhikṣus returned to their own abodes, took up their robes and bowls, washed their feet, went to where the Buddha was, bowed their heads at his feet, sat to one side, and said to the Buddha: "World-Honored One! We were discussing on the road just now: The five hundred Licchavis prepare food and drink for Sāṇakavāsa to make offerings to the World-Honored One and the great assembly. Where will those Licchavis obtain merit? Where will Sāṇakavāsa obtain merit?"

The Buddha told the bhikṣus: "Those Licchavis prepare food and drink for Sāṇakavāsa. They obtain merit through the connection with Sāṇakavāsa. Sāṇakavāsa obtains merit through the Buddha's merits. Those Licchavis obtain the result of giving with attachment, anger, and delusion as the cause. Sāṇakavāsa obtains the result of giving without attachment, anger, and delusion as the cause."

The Ten Questions of Tārā Dharma, Flame, and
Xianni Ārāda, the Elder West, Hair Tip, Sāṇakavāsa