MN 63
Cula-Malunkyovada Sutta
The Shorter Instructions to Malunkya
Translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro BhikkhuPTS: M i 426
Source: Transcribed from a file provided by the translator.
Copyright © 1998 Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
Access to Insight edition © 1998
For free distribution. This work may be republished, reformatted,
reprinted, and redistributed in any medium. It is the author's wish,
however, that any such republication and redistribution be made available
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I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Savatthi at
Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's monastery. Then, as Ven. Malunkyaputta was alone
in seclusion, this train of thought arose in his awareness: "These positions
that are undeclared, set aside, discarded by the Blessed One — 'The cosmos is
eternal,' 'The cosmos is not eternal,' 'The cosmos is finite,' 'The cosmos is
infinite,' 'The soul & the body are the same,' 'The soul is one thing and the
body another,' 'After death a Tathagata exists,' 'After death a Tathagata does
not exist,' 'After death a Tathagata both exists & does not exist,' 'After death
a Tathagata neither exists nor does not exist' — I don't approve, I don't accept
that the Blessed One has not declared them to me. I'll go ask the Blessed One
about this matter. If he declares to me that 'The cosmos is eternal,' that 'The
cosmos is not eternal,' that 'The cosmos is finite,' that 'The cosmos is
infinite,' that 'The soul & the body are the same,' that 'The soul is one thing
and the body another,' that 'After death a Tathagata exists,' that 'After death
a Tathagata does not exist,' that 'After death a Tathagata both exists & does
not exist,' or that 'After death a Tathagata neither exists nor does not exist,'
then I will live the holy life under him. If he does not declare to me that 'The
cosmos is eternal,'... or that 'After death a Tathagata neither exists nor does
not exist,' then I will renounce the training and return to the lower life."
Then, when it was evening, Ven. Malunkyaputta arose from seclusion and went to
the Blessed One. On arrival, having bowed down, he sat to one side. As he was
sitting there he said to the Blessed One, "Lord, just now, as I was alone in
seclusion, this train of thought arose in my awareness: 'These positions that
are undeclared, set aside, discarded by the Blessed One... I don't approve, I
don't accept that the Blessed One has not declared them to me. I'll go ask the
Blessed One about this matter. If he declares to me that "The cosmos is
eternal,"... or that "After death a Tathagata neither exists nor does not
exist," then I will live the holy life under him. If he does not declare to me
that "The cosmos is eternal,"... or that "After death a Tathagata neither exists
nor does not exist," then I will renounce the training and return to the lower
life.'
"Lord, if the Blessed One knows that 'The cosmos is eternal,' then may he
declare to me that 'The cosmos is eternal.' If he knows that 'The cosmos is not
eternal,' then may he declare to me that 'The cosmos is not eternal.' But if he
doesn't know or see whether the cosmos is eternal or not eternal, then, in one
who is unknowing & unseeing, the straightforward thing is to admit, 'I don't
know. I don't see.'... If he doesn't know or see whether after death a Tathagata
exists... does not exist... both exists & does not exist... neither exists nor
does not exist,' then, in one who is unknowing & unseeing, the straightforward
thing is to admit, 'I don't know. I don't see.'"
"Malunkyaputta, did I ever say to you, 'Come, Malunkyaputta, live the holy life
under me, and I will declare to you that 'The cosmos is eternal,' or 'The cosmos
is not eternal,' or 'The cosmos is finite,' or 'The cosmos is infinite,' or 'The
soul & the body are the same,' or 'The soul is one thing and the body another,'
or 'After death a Tathagata exists,' or 'After death a Tathagata does not
exist,' or 'After death a Tathagata both exists & does not exist,' or 'After
death a Tathagata neither exists nor does not exist'?"
"No, lord."
"And did you ever say to me, 'Lord, I will live the holy life under the Blessed
One and [in return] he will declare to me that 'The cosmos is eternal,' or 'The
cosmos is not eternal,' or 'The cosmos is finite,' or 'The cosmos is infinite,'
or 'The soul & the body are the same,' or 'The soul is one thing and the body
another,' or 'After death a Tathagata exists,' or 'After death a Tathagata does
not exist,' or 'After death a Tathagata both exists & does not exist,' or 'After
death a Tathagata neither exists nor does not exist'?"
"No, lord."
"Then that being the case, foolish man, who are you to be claiming
grievances/making demands of anyone?
"Malunkyaputta, if anyone were to say, 'I won't live the holy life under the
Blessed One as long as he does not declare to me that "The cosmos is
eternal,"... or that "After death a Tathagata neither exists nor does not
exist,"' the man would die and those things would still remain undeclared by the
Tathagata.
"It's just as if a man were wounded with an arrow thickly smeared with poison.
His friends & companions, kinsmen & relatives would provide him with a surgeon,
and the man would say, 'I won't have this arrow removed until I know whether the
man who wounded me was a noble warrior, a priest, a merchant, or a worker.' He
would say, 'I won't have this arrow removed until I know the given name & clan
name of the man who wounded me... until I know whether he was tall, medium, or
short... until I know whether he was dark, ruddy-brown, or golden-colored...
until I know his home village, town, or city... until I know whether the bow
with which I was wounded was a long bow or a crossbow... until I know whether
the bowstring with which I was wounded was fiber, bamboo threads, sinew, hemp,
or bark... until I know whether the shaft with which I was wounded was wild or
cultivated... until I know whether the feathers of the shaft with which I was
wounded were those of a vulture, a stork, a hawk, a peacock, or another bird...
until I know whether the shaft with which I was wounded was bound with the sinew
of an ox, a water buffalo, a langur, or a monkey.' He would say, 'I won't have
this arrow removed until I know whether the shaft with which I was wounded was
that of a common arrow, a curved arrow, a barbed, a calf-toothed, or an oleander
arrow.' The man would die and those things would still remain unknown to him.
"In the same way, if anyone were to say, 'I won't live the holy life under the
Blessed One as long as he does not declare to me that 'The cosmos is
eternal,'... or that 'After death a Tathagata neither exists nor does not
exist,' the man would die and those things would still remain undeclared by the
Tathagata.
"Malunkyaputta, it's not the case that when there is the view, 'The cosmos is
eternal,' there is the living of the holy life. And it's not the case that when
there is the view, 'The cosmos is not eternal,' there is the living of the holy
life. When there is the view, 'The cosmos is eternal,' and when there is the
view, 'The cosmos is not eternal,' there is still the birth, there is the aging,
there is the death, there is the sorrow, lamentation, pain, despair, & distress
whose destruction I make known right in the here & now.
"It's not the case that when there is the view, 'The cosmos is finite,' there is
the living of the holy life. And it's not the case that when there is the view,
'The cosmos is infinite,' there is the living of the holy life. When there is
the view, 'The cosmos is finite,' and when there is the view, 'The cosmos is
infinite,' there is still the birth, there is the aging, there is the death,
there is the sorrow, lamentation, pain, despair, & distress whose destruction I
make known right in the here & now.
"It's not the case that when there is the view, 'The soul & the body are the
same,' there is the living of the holy life. And it's not the case that when
there is the view, 'The soul is one thing and the body another,' there is the
living of the holy life. When there is the view, 'The soul & the body are the
same,' and when there is the view, 'The soul is one thing and the body another,'
there is still the birth, there is the aging, there is the death, there is the
sorrow, lamentation, pain, despair, & distress whose destruction I make known
right in the here & now.
"It's not the case that when there is the view, 'After death a Tathagata
exists,' there is the living of the holy life. And it's not the case that when
there is the view, 'After death a Tathagata does not exist,' there is the living
of the holy life. And it's not the case that when there is the view, 'After
death a Tathagata both exists & does not exist,' there is the living of the holy
life. And it's not the case that when there is the view, 'After death a
Tathagata neither exists nor does not exist' there is the living of the holy
life. When there is the view, 'After death a Tathagata exists'... 'After death a
Tathagata does not exist'... 'After death a Tathagata both exists & does not
exist'... 'After death a Tathagata neither exists nor does not exist,' there is
still the birth, there is the aging, there is the death, there is the sorrow,
lamentation, pain, despair, & distress whose destruction I make known right in
the here & now.
"So, Malunkyaputta, remember what is undeclared by me as undeclared, and what is
declared by me as declared. And what is undeclared by me? 'The cosmos is
eternal,' is undeclared by me. 'The cosmos is not eternal,' is undeclared by me.
'The cosmos is finite'... 'The cosmos is infinite'... 'The soul & the body are
the same'... 'The soul is one thing and the body another'... 'After death a
Tathagata exists'... 'After death a Tathagata does not exist'... 'After death a
Tathagata both exists & does not exist'... 'After death a Tathagata neither
exists nor does not exist,' is undeclared by me.
"And why are they undeclared by me? Because they are not connected with the
goal, are not fundamental to the holy life. They do not lead to disenchantment,
dispassion, cessation, calming, direct knowledge, self-awakening, Unbinding.
That's why they are undeclared by me.
"And what is declared by me? 'This is stress,' is declared by me. 'This is the
origination of stress,' is declared by me. 'This is the cessation of stress,' is
declared by me. 'This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of
stress,' is declared by me. And why are they declared by me? Because they are
connected with the goal, are fundamental to the holy life. They lead to
disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, calming, direct knowledge,
self-awakening, Unbinding. That's why they are declared by me.
"So, Malunkyaputta, remember what is undeclared by me as undeclared, and what is
declared by me as declared."
That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, Ven. Malunkyaputta delighted in
the Blessed One's words.
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