62(8)Knowledge
Here I follow the uddana verse of Be.The Ce version is not clear to me.
Thus have I heard.On one occasion the Blessed One was wandering on tour among the Kosalans together with a large Sangha of bhikkhus when he arrived at a Kosalan town named Dandakappaka.
Then the Blessed One left the highway and sat down on a seat that was prepared for him at the foot of a tree,
and those bhikkhus entered Dandakappaka to search for a rest house.
Then the Venerable Ananda together with a number of bhikkhus,went down to the Aciravatī River to bathe.
Having finished bathing and come back out,he stood in one robe drying his body.
Then a certain bhikkhu approached the Venerable Ananda
and said to him:
"Friend Ananda,was it after full consideration that the Blessed One declared of Devadatta:
Devadatta is bound for the plane of misery,bound for hell,and he will remain there for the eon,unredeemable,'or did he say this only figuratively?"
"It was just in this way,friend,that the Blessed One declared it."
As at 6:44,III348,910.It seems that this is Ananda's way of simply confirming that the Buddha had said something without committing himself to an interpretation of the statement.
Then the Venerable Ananda approached the Blessed One,
paid homage to him,sat down to one side,
and [reported what had happened,ending]:
--
[403]
--
--
--
"When this was said,Bhante,I said to that bhikkhu:
'It was just in this way,friend,that the Blessed One declared it.'"
[TheBlessed One said:]"Ananda,that bhikkhu must be either newly ordained,not long gone forth,or a foolish and incompetent elder.
For when this was declared by me definitively,how can he see any ambiguity in it?
Kathanhi nāma yam mayā ekamsena byakatam tattha dvejjhaapajjissati. The Buddha's statement here belongs to his first way of answering a question,namely,by making a categorical assertion.On the four ways of answering a question,see 3:67,4:42.I do not see even one other person,Ananda,about whom I have made a declaration after giving him such full consideration as Devadatta.
As long as I saw even a mere fraction of a hair's tip of a bright quality in Devadatta,
I did not declare of him:
'Devadatta is bound forthe plane of misery,bound for hell,and he will remain there for an eon,unredeemable.'
It was,Ananda,only when I did not see even a mere fraction of a hair's tip of a bright quality
Valaggakotinittudanamattampi sukkadhammam.Mp:"An amount that could be seen on the tip of a hair;or an amount that could be poked with the tip of a hair." in Devadattathat I declared this of him.
"Suppose there was a cesspit deeper than a man's height full of feces right up to the top,
and a man was sunk in it so that his head was submerged.
Then a man would appear desiring his good,welfare,and security,wishing to pull him out from the cesspit.
He would go around the cesspit on all sides but would not see even a mere fraction of a hair's tip of the man not smeared with feces [404]where he might get a grip and pull him out.
So too,Ananda,it was only when I did not see even a mere fraction of a hair's tip of a bright quality in Devadatta
that I declared of him:
'Devadatta is bound for the plane of misery,bound for hell,and he will remain there for an eon,unredeemable.'
"If,Ananda,you would listen to the Tathāgata's knowledges of a person's faculties,I will analyze them."
Ce and Ee have viblhajantassa,as against Be vibhajissami,which Ee notes as a variant from a Burmese manuscript.The Be read- ing seems a normalization,but since the Ce/Ee reading leaves the sentence grammatically incomplete,I follow.Be.The plural -nanani is in the text,and thus I use the plural"knowledges" even though it sounds odd in English."It is the time for this,Blessed One!
It is the time for this,Fortunate One!The Blessed One should analyze his knowledges of a person's faculties.
Having heard this from the Blessed One,the bhikkhus will retain it in mind."
"Well then,Ananda,listen and attend closely.
I will speak."
"Yes,Bhante,"the Venerable Ananda replied.
The Blessed One said this:
(1)"Here,Ananda,having encompassed his mind with my own mind,I understand some person thus:
'Wholesome qualities and unwholesome qualities are found in this person.'
On a later occasion,having encompassed his mind with my own mind,I understand him thus:
This person's wholesome qualities have disappeared,unwholesome qualities are manifest,
but he has a wholesome root that has not been eradicated.From that wholesome root
I read with Ce kusalamala,as against Be and Ee kusala.of his the wholesome will appear:
Thus this person will not be subject to decline in the future.'
Suppose seeds that are intact,unspoiled,not damaged by wind and the sun's heat,fecund,well preserved,were deposited in well-prepared soil in a good field.
Wouldn't you know:These seeds will grow,increase,and mature'?"
"Yes,Bhante.".
"In the same way,Ananda,having encompassed his mind with my own mind...[405]...
...
I understand him thus:
'This person's wholesome qualities have disappeared,unwholesome qualities are manifest,
but he has a wholesome root that has not been eradicated.From that wholesome root of his the wholesome will appear.
Thus this person will not be subject to decline in the future.'
In this way,Ananda,the Tathagataknows a person by encompassing his mind with his own mind.
In this way,the Tathāgata has knowledge of a person's faculties,acquired by encompassing his mind with his own mind.
In this way,the Tathāgata knows the future origination of qualities by encompassing [another's]mind with his own mind.
(2)"Then,Ananda,having encompassed his mind with my own mind,I understand some person thus:
'Wholesome qualities and unwholesome qualities are found in this person.'
On a later occasion,having encompassed his mind with my own mind,I understand him thus:
'This person's unwholesome qualities have disappeared,wholesome qualities are manifest,
but he has an unwholesome root that has not been eradicated.From that unwholesome root of his the unwholesome will appear:
Thus this person will be subject to decline in the futuire.'
Suppose,Ananda,seeds that are intact,unspoiled,not damaged by wind and the sun's heat,fecund,well preserved,were deposited on a wide rock.
Wouldn't you know:'These seeds will not grow,increase,and mature'?"
"Yes,Bhante."
"In the same way,Ananda,having encompassed his mind with my own mind...
---I understand him thus:
'This person's unwholesome qualities have disappeared,wholesome qualities are manifest,
tbut he has an unwholesome root that has not been eradicated.From that unwholesome root of his the unwholesome will appear.
Thus this person [406]will be subject to decline in the future.'
In this way,Ananda,the Tathagata knows a person by encompassing his mind with his own mind.
In this way,the Tathagata has knowledge of a person's faculties,acquired by encompassing his mind with his own mind.
In this way,the Tathāgata knows the future origination of qualities by encompassing [another's]mind with his own mind.
(3)"Then,Ananda,having encompassed his mind with my own mind,I understand some person thus:
'Wholesome qualities and unwholesome qualities are found in this person.
On a later occasion,having encompassed his mind with my own mind,I understand him thus:
'This person does not have even a mere fraction of a hair's tip of a bright quality.This person possesses exclusively black,unwholesome qualities.With the breakup of the body,after death,he will be reborn in the plane of misery,in a bad destination,in the lower world,in hell.'
Suppose,Ananda,seeds that are broken,spoiled,damaged by wind and the sun's heat,were deposited in well-prepared soil in a good field.
Wouldn't you know:These seeds will not grow,increase,and mature'?"
"Yes,Bhante."
"In the same way,Ananda,having encompassed his mind with my own mind...
...
...I understand him thus:
"This person does not have even a mere fraction of a hair's tip of a bright quality.This person possesses exclusively black,unwholesome qualities.With the breakup of the body,after death,he will be reborn in the plane of misery,in a bad destination,in the lower world,in hell.'
In this way,Ananda,the Tathāgata knows a person by encompassing his mind with his own mind.
In this way,theTathāgata has knowledge of a person's faculties,acquired by encompassing his mind with his own mind.
In this way,theTathāgata knows the future origination of qualities by encompassing [another's]mind with his own mind."
When this was said,the Venerable Ananda said to the Blessed
One:
[407]"Is it possible,Bhante,to describe three other persons as the counterparts of those three?"
"It is possible,Ananda,"the Blessed One said.
(4)"Here,Ananda,having encompassed his mind with myown mind,I understand some person thus:
'Wholesome qualities and unwholesome qualities are found in this person.'
On a later occasion,having encompassed his mind with my own mind,I understand him thus:
'This person's wholesome qualities have disappeared,unwholesome qualities are manifest,
but he has a wholesome root that has not been eradicated.That,too,is about to be completely destroyed.
Thus this person will be subject to decline in the future.'
Suppose,Ananda,coals that are burning,blazing,and glowing were deposited on a wide rock.
Wouldn't you know:"These coals will not grow,increase,and spread'?"
"Yes,Bhante."
“Or suppose,Ananda,it is evening and the sun is setting.Wouldn't you know:'Light will disappear and darkness will appear'?"
"Yes,Bhante."
"Or suppose,Ananda,it is close to midnight,the time for a meal.
Abhidose addharattam bhattakalasamaye.DOP sv addha defines addharattam as"midnight."On blattakalasamaye,Mp says "the time for a meal in the king's court"(rajakulanam bhattakalasankhate samaye).Perhaps in the Buddha's time the royal court ended the day with a midnight meal. Wouldn't you know:Light has disappeared and darkness has appeared'?"Yes,Bhante."
"In the same way,Ananda,having encompassed his mind with my own mind...
...
...I understand him thus:
'This person's wholesome qualities have disappeared,unwholesome qualities are manifest,
but he has a wholesome root that has not been eradicated.That,too,is about to be completely destroyed.
Thus this person will be subject to decline in the future.'
In this way,Ananda,the Tathāgata knows a person by encompassing his mind with his own mind.
In this way,[408]the Tathagata has knowledge of a person's faculties,acquired by encompassing his mind with his own mind.
In this way,the Tathagata knowsthe future origination of qualities by encompassing [another's] mind with his own mind.
(5)"Then,Ananda,having encompassed his mind with my own mind,I understand some person thus:
'Wholesome qualities and unwholesome qualities are found in this person.'
On a later occasion,having encompassed his mind with my own mind,I understand him thus:
'This person's unwholesome qualities have disappeared,wholesome qualities are manifest,
but he has an unwholesome root that has not been eradicated.That,too,is about to be completely destroyed.
Thus this person will not be subject to decline in the future.'
Suppose,Ananda,coals that are burning,blazing,and glowing were deposited on a heap of dry grass or firewood.
Wouldn't you know:'These coals will grow,increase,and spread'?"
"Yes,Bhante."
"Or suppose,Ananda,it is the time when the night is fading and the sun is rising.Wouldn't you know:'Darkness will disappear and light will appear'?"
"Yes,Bhante."
“Or suppose,Ananda,it is close to noon,the time for a meal.Wouldn't you know:'Darkness has disappeared and light has appeared'?
"Yes,Bhante."
"In the same way,Ananda,having encompassed his mind with my own mind...
...
...I understand him thus:
'This person's unwholesome qualities have disappeared,wholesome qualities are manifest,
but he has an unwholesome root that has not been eradicated.That,too,is about to be completely destroyed.
Thus this person will not be subject to decline in the future.'
In this way,Ananda,the Tathāgata knows a person by encompassing his mind with his own mind.
In this way,the Tathagata has knowledge of a person's faculties,[409]acquired by encompassing his mind with his own mind.
In this way,the Tathagata knows the future origination of qualities by encompassing[another's]mind with his own mind.
(6)"Then,Ananda,having encompassed his mind with my own mind,I understand some person thus:
'Wholesome qualities and unwholesome qualities are found in this person.
On a later occasion,having encompassed his mind with my own mind,I understand him thus:
'This person does not have even a mere fraction of a hair's tip of an unwholesome quality.This person possesses exclusively bright,blameless qualities.He will attain nibbāna in this very life.'
Suppose,Ananda,coals that are cool and extinguished were deposited on a heap of dry grass or firewood.
Wouldn't you know:"These coals will not grow,increase,and spread'?"
"Yes,Bhante."
"In the same way,Ananda,having encompassed the mind of someone with my own mind...
...
...I understand him thus:
'This person does not have even a mere fraction of a hair's tip of an unwholesome quality.This person possesses exclusively bright,blameless qualities.He will attain nibbāna in this very life.'
In this way,Ananda,the Tathāgata knows a person by encompass-ing his mind with his own mind.
In this way,the Tathāgata has knowledge of a person's faculties,acquired by encompassing his mind with his own mind.
In this way,the Tathāgata knows the future origination of qualities by encompassing [another's]mind with his own mind.
"Ananda,among the former three persons,one is not subject to decline,one is subject to decline,and one is bound for the plane of misery,bound for hell.
Among the latter three persons,one is not subject to decline,one is subject to decline,and one is bound to attain nibbāna."[410]