Māgandhiya Sutta | Sn IV-9

9. Māgandhiya Sutta

Discourse on the Brahmin Māgandhiya

841. On seeing (Māra's daughters) Taṇhā, Aratī and Rāga, no sexual desire was aroused in me;

how could the appearance of this girl, stuffed as she is with excrement and urine, ever entice me, I'd rather not touch her, your daughter Māgandhiya, with my foot. (1)

842. You disdain my elegant daughter, adored by many monarchs;

may I know what you believe in what you practise, and how you live on and the nature of your life experience? (2)

843. (Said the Buddha):

Māgandhiya) I do not pass judgment on views and try to pronounce my own, seeing through the falsity of views, I do not uphold any.

I have searched within and have seen Peace. (3)

844. (Said Māgandhiya, the Brahmin):

O Muni, you said you reject all views, resolutely held and seriously speculated on by others; and mentioned about Inner Peace.

Pray tell me what is that Inner Peace according to the wise? (4)

845. (Said the Buddha):

(Māgandhiya) I do not say that purity is attainable by means of a certain belief or things heard (such as magical invention) for things perceived (through séance) or observance of precepts and perverted rituals.

(At the same time) purity is not attainable without certain right understanding, right things heard, right perceptions right precepts and right observances.

The pacified one (Arahant) forsaking (the 5 kinds of darkening forces), and adopting (the 5 kinds of purifying practices) gains independence (of craving and false views) and abandons lust for life. (5)

846. (Said Māgandhiya):

(O Muni) according to you, one does not get purified by means of a certain belief or things heard (such as magical invention) or things perceived through séance) or observance or precepts and perverted rituals;

(in the same breath) you said one cannot get purified without certain right understanding, right things heard, right perceptions, right precepts, and right observances.

Your teaching seems highly mysterious to me.

(Whereas) certain monks and Brahmins believe that (false) views are purifying. (6)

847. (Said the Buddha):

"Māgandhiya, you ask repeatedly with your strong leaning on (false) views. No wonder you do not make out what I said, since you hold certain views as dear.

You have not given the slightest attention to what I said. That's why you do not make out head or tail of it. (7)

848. Māgandhiya, one who is in the habit of comparing himself with others, such as, “he's my equal” or “he’s outstanding” or “he's inferior to me”, is inclined to quarrel.

For the one who is indifferent to the 3 kinds of vanity, (said above), there's no notion of equality or superiority or inferiority. (8)

849. How would an Arahant (Brāhmaṇa) say that (my view) is the truth?

And how would he quarrel with anyone that (the other view) is false?

He has no consideration whatever about whether he is equal or superior, or inferior to anyone. So whom should he quarrel with regarding views? (9)

850. Forsaking the dwelling-house (of one's sense-bases), and all resting-places (of sense-objects), an Arahant while in the village does not mix with society;

all sensuality stilled in him, he does not hoard any karmic forces that would result in rebirth. Such a detached one seeks no quarrel with anyone. (10)

851. In this life an Arahant rejects all (false) views and takes up the Noble Practice; he does not say about them since he never cared to learn them.

The Padumā Lotus growing as it does in the water is not smeared with water.

So also, an Arahant who has adopted peace (Nibbāna), who speaks about, Nibbāna only, is unpolluted by sensual desires or any worldly existence. (11)

852. An Arahant is not inclined to (false) views. Practical knowledge does not make him conceited. He is not one made up of views or of craving.

He does not depend on meritorious actions. He will never be lured back to the house, where craving and false views are ever present. (12)

853. An absence of perceptions frees one from bonds; overcoming the defilements frees one from delusion. Those who are possessed of perceptions and (false) beliefs, go about in life annoying one another. (13)

End of the Ninth Māgandhiya Sutta