3-33-1 Vacchagottavaggo | Samyutta

Chapter XII

33 Vacchagottasamyutta
Connected Discourses with Vacchagotta

1 Because of Not Knowing (1)

At Sāvatthī.

Then the wanderer Vacchagotta approached the Blessed One and exchanged greetings with him. When they had concluded their greetings and cordial talk, he sat down to one side and said to him:

Master Gotama, what is the cause and reason why these various speculative views arise in the world: ‘The world is eternal’ or ‘The world is not eternal’;

or ‘The world is finite’ or ‘The world is infinite’; or ‘The soul and the body are the same’ or ‘The soul is one thing, the body is another’;

or ‘The Tathāgata exists after death,’ or ‘The Tathāgata does not exist after death,’

or ‘The Tathāgata both exists and does not exist after death,’ or ‘The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death’?

It is, Vaccha, because of not knowing form, its origin, its cessation, and the way leading to its cessation that those various speculative views arise in the world: ‘The world is eternal’ … or ‘The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death.’

- This, Vaccha, is the cause and reason why those various speculative views arise in the world.

2 Because of Not Knowing (2)

At Sāvatthī….

It is, Vaccha, because of not knowing feeling, its origin, its cessation, and the way leading to its cessation that those various speculative views arise in the world: ‘The world is eternal’ … or ‘The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death.’

- This, Vaccha, is the cause and reason why those various speculative views arise in the world.

3 Because of Not Knowing (3)

… It is, Vaccha, because of not knowing perception, its origin, its cessation, and the way leading to its cessation that those various speculative views arise in the world….

4 Because of Not Knowing (4)

… It is, Vaccha, because of not knowing volitional formations, their origin, their cessation, and the way leading to their cessation that those various speculative views arise in the world….

5 Because of Not Knowing (5)

… It is, Vaccha, because of not knowing consciousness, its origin, its cessation, and the way leading to its cessation that those various speculative views arise in the world….

6–10 Because of Not Seeing

… It is, Vaccha, because of not seeing form … feeling … perception … volitional formations … consciousness, its origin, its cessation, and the way leading to its cessation that those various speculative views arise in the world….

11–15 Because of Not Breaking Through

… It is, Vaccha, because of not breaking through to form … feeling … perception … volitional formations … consciousness, its origin, its cessation, and the way leading to its cessation that those various speculative views arise in the world….

16–20 Because of Not Comprehending

(The same, but read not comprehending form, etc.)

21–25 Because of Not Penetrating

26–30 Because of Not Discerning

31–35 Because of Not Discriminating

36–40 Because of Not Differentiating

41–45 Because of Not Examining

46–50 Because of Not Closely Examining

51–55 Because of Not Directly Cognizing

… It is, Vaccha, because of not directly cognizing form … feeling … perception … volitional formations … consciousness, its origin, its cessation, and the way leading to its cessation

- that those various speculative views arise in the world: ‘The world is eternal’ … or ‘The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death.’

This, Vaccha, is the cause and reason why those various speculative views arise in the world:

‘The world is eternal’ or ‘The world is not eternal’; or ‘The world is finite’ or ‘The world is infinite’; or ‘The soul and the body are the same’ or ‘The soul is one thing, the body is another’;

or ‘The Tathāgata exists after death,’ or ‘The Tathāgata does not exist after death,’

or ‘The Tathāgata both exists and does not exist after death,’ or ‘The Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist after death.’