7. Jaliya Sutta
The Buddha was staying in the Monastery
built by Ghosita near Kosambi. There were two wanderering ascetics named
Mundiya and Jaliya, disciples of a guru who, because of his wooden begging bowl
was known as Darupattika. They went to the Buddha and asked him : “Venerable
Gotama, is the the soul was the physical body, or the physical body the soul,
or whether the soul was one thing and the physical body another ?”
The Buddha replied that such a question
would occur only to those who are in the darkness of ignorance. He further
preached to them that the question of whether the soul and the body are the
same or different did not trouble an Arhat, one who is liberated of all
defilements.
8. Mahasihanada
Sutta
The Buddha was dwelling near the town of
Urunna, in Kannakatthala Migadaya, an area reserved for the Deer Park. At that
time a naked ascetic, named Kassapa of the wanderers’ sect, was living in the
same place. This ascetic went to visit the Buddha and asked him : “I have
heard, Oh Gotama, that the ascetic Gotama denounces all austerities. Is this a
fact or not ?” read more
The Buddha said : “How could I have
denounced all forms of austerities, having directly seen that some of their
practitioners were born in heaven and others in hell. It can be seen that the
recluse Gotama is a proponent of speaking what is proper at the exact
opportunity, what is true, what is purposeful, what is religious, what is of
good conduct. These truths can be ascertained by one’s own examination. This
device is the same as the noble eight-fold path such as, Right View, Right Thinking,
Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness,
and Right Concentration.”
The naked ascetic Kassapa replied, “The
penitential practices and austerities held in high esteem by the people are
such things as going naked, avoiding fastidiousness, consumption of food only
once in a fortnight; the eating of vegetable, raw earth roots, and fruits that
have fallen from the tree, putting on a rough and coarse apparel, making
ablution thirce a day, morning, daytime, and evening, in order to purify
oneself. Such are the customary practices of the renuncient’s life and the
Brahmana’s conduct.”
The Buddha’s stand was to regard all
these austerities as external practices only. For these can be performed with a
little effort and have no spiritual value in themselves. According to his
interpretation, the true life of renunciation and Brahmana-hood were the
establishment of friendliness devoid of enmity and animosity through the
purification of one’s mind. For thus one earns the triple wealth of conduct,
mind, and intellect, through the eight-fold path which has no alternative.
The naked ascetic Kassapa was overjoyed
with this teaching, he asked for and received initiation and ordination from
the Buddha. Practising under his guidance, he soon attained Arhatship, or the
state of liberation.
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