Lokāyatikasutta
A Cosmologist
Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.
At Sāvatthī.
Atha kho lokāyatiko brāhmaṇo yena bhagavā …pe…
Then a brahmin cosmologist went up to the Buddha …
ekamantaṁ nisinno kho lokāyatiko brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
Seated to one side he said to the Buddha:
“Kiṁ nu kho, bho gotama, sabbamatthī”ti?
“Worthy Gotama, does all exist?”
“‘Sabbamatthī’ti kho, brāhmaṇa, jeṭṭhametaṁ lokāyataṁ”.
“‘All exists’: this is the oldest cosmology, brahmin.”
“Kiṁ pana, bho gotama, sabbaṁ natthī”ti?
“Then does all not exist?”
“‘Sabbaṁ natthī’ti kho, brāhmaṇa, dutiyametaṁ lokāyataṁ”.
“‘All does not exist’: this is the second cosmology.
“Kiṁ nu kho, bho gotama, sabbamekattan”ti?
“Well, is all a unity?”
“‘Sabbamekattan’ti kho, brāhmaṇa, tatiyametaṁ lokāyataṁ”.
“‘All is a unity’: this is the third cosmology.
“Kiṁ pana, bho gotama, sabbaṁ puthuttan”ti?
“Then is all a plurality?”
“‘Sabbaṁ puthuttan’ti kho, brāhmaṇa, catutthametaṁ lokāyataṁ.
“‘All is a plurality’: this is the fourth cosmology.
Ete te, brāhmaṇa, ubho ante anupagamma majjhena tathāgato dhammaṁ deseti:
Avoiding these two extremes, the Realized One teaches by the middle way:
‘avijjāpaccayā saṅkhārā;
‘Ignorance is a condition for choices.
saṅkhārapaccayā viññāṇaṁ …pe…
Choices are a condition for consciousness. …
evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa samudayo hoti.
That is how this entire mass of suffering originates.
Avijjāya tveva asesavirāganirodhā saṅkhāranirodho;
When ignorance fades away and ceases with nothing left over, choices cease.
saṅkhāranirodhā viññāṇanirodho …pe…
When choices cease, consciousness ceases. …
evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hotī’”ti.
That is how this entire mass of suffering ceases.’”
Evaṁ vutte, lokāyatiko brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
When he said this, the brahmin cosmologist said to the Buddha,
“abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama …pe…
“Excellent, worthy Gotama! Excellent! …
ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.
From this day forth, may the worthy Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”
