1At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

Then several mendicants robed up in the morning and, taking their bowls and robes, entered Sāvatthī for alms. Then it occurred to him: “It’s too early to wander for alms in Sāvatthī. Why don’t we go to the monastery of the wanderers who follow other paths?”

2Then they went to the monastery of the wanderers who follow other paths, and exchanged greetings with the wanderers there. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, they sat down to one side. The wanderers said to them:

3“Reverends, the ascetic Gotama teaches his disciples like this: ‘Please, mendicants, directly know all things. Meditate having directly known all things.’ We too teach our disciples: ‘Please, reverends, directly know all things. Live having directly known all things.’ What, then, is the difference between the ascetic Gotama’s teaching and instruction and ours?”

4Those mendicants neither approved nor dismissed that statement of the wanderers who follow other paths. They got up from their seat, thinking: “We will learn the meaning of this statement from the Buddha himself.”

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5-8Then, after the meal, when they returned from alms-round, they went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened.

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9“Mendicants, when wanderers who follow other paths say this, you should say to them: ‘One thing: question, passage for recitation, and answer. Two … three … four … five … six … seven … eight … nine … ten things: question, passage for recitation, and answer.’ Questioned like this, the wanderers who follow other paths would be stumped, and, in addition, would get frustrated. Why is that? Because they’re out of their element. I don’t see anyone in this world — with its gods, Māras, and Brahmās, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans — who could provide a satisfying answer to these questions except for the Realized One or his disciple or someone who has heard it from them.

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10‘One thing: question, passage for recitation, and answer.’ That’s what I said, but why did I say it? Becoming completely disillusioned, dispassionate, and freed regarding one thing, seeing its limits and fully comprehending its meaning, a mendicant makes an end of suffering in this very life. What one thing? ‘All sentient beings are sustained by food.’ Becoming completely disillusioned, dispassionate, and freed regarding this one thing, seeing its limits and fully comprehending its meaning, a mendicant makes an end of suffering in this very life.

‘One thing: question, passage for recitation, and answer.’ That’s what I said, and this is why I said it.

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11What two? Name and form. …

12What three? Three feelings. …

13What four? The four foods. …

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14What five? The five grasping aggregates. …

15What six? The six interior sense fields. …

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16What seven? The seven planes of consciousness. …

17What eight? The eight worldly conditions. …

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18What nine? The nine abodes of sentient beings. …

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19‘Ten things: question, passage for recitation, and answer.’ That’s what I said, but why did I say it? Becoming completely disillusioned, dispassionate, and freed regarding ten things, seeing their limits and fully comprehending their meaning, a mendicant makes an end of suffering in this very life. What ten? The ten ways of performing unskillful deeds. Becoming completely disillusioned, dispassionate, and freed regarding these ten things, seeing their limits and fully comprehending their meaning, a mendicant makes an end of suffering in this very life.

‘Ten things: question, passage for recitation, and answer.’ That’s what I said, and this is why I said it.”

1Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya sāvatthiṁ piṇḍāya pavisiṁsu. Atha kho tesaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ etadahosi:  "atippago kho tāva sāvatthiyaṁ piṇḍāya carituṁ; yannūna mayaṁ yena aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ ārāmo tenupasaṅkameyyāmā"ti.

2Atha kho te bhikkhū yena aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ ārāmo tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā tehi aññatitthiyehi paribbājakehi saddhiṁ sammodiṁsu. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinne kho te bhikkhū te aññatitthiyā paribbājakā etadavocuṁ: 

3"Samaṇo, āvuso, gotamo sāvakānaṁ evaṁ dhammaṁ deseti:  ‘etha tumhe, bhikkhave, sabbaṁ dhammaṁ abhijānātha, sabbaṁ dhammaṁ abhiññāya viharathā’ti; mayampi kho, āvuso, sāvakānaṁ evaṁ dhammaṁ desema:  ‘etha tumhe, āvuso, sabbaṁ dhammaṁ abhijānātha, sabbaṁ dhammaṁ abhiññāya viharathā’ti. Idha no, āvuso, ko viseso ko adhippayāso kiṁ nānākaraṇaṁ samaṇassa vā gotamassa amhākaṁ vā, yadidaṁ dhammadesanāya vā dhammadesanaṁ anusāsaniyā vā anusāsanin"ti?

4Atha kho te bhikkhū tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ bhāsitaṁ neva abhinandiṁsu nappaṭikkosiṁsu. Anabhinanditvā appaṭikkositvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkamiṁsu:  "Bhagavato santike etassa bhāsitassa atthaṁ ājānissāmā"ti.

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5Atha kho te bhikkhū sāvatthiyaṁ piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkantā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ: 

6"Idha mayaṁ, bhante, pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya sāvatthiṁ piṇḍāya pavisimhā. Tesaṁ no, bhante, amhākaṁ etadahosi:  ‘atippago kho tāva sāvatthiyaṁ piṇḍāya carituṁ; yannūna mayaṁ yena aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ ārāmo tenupasaṅkameyyāmā’ti. Atha kho mayaṁ, bhante, yena aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ ārāmo tenupasaṅkamimhā; upasaṅkamitvā tehi aññatitthiyehi paribbājakehi saddhiṁ sammodimhā. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdimhā. Ekamantaṁ nisinne kho, bhante, aññatitthiyā paribbājakā amhe etadavocuṁ: 

7‘Samaṇo, āvuso, gotamo sāvakānaṁ evaṁ dhammaṁ deseti – etha tumhe, bhikkhave, sabbaṁ dhammaṁ abhijānātha, sabbaṁ dhammaṁ abhiññāya viharathāti; mayampi kho, āvuso, sāvakānaṁ evaṁ dhammaṁ desema – etha tumhe, āvuso, sabbaṁ dhammaṁ abhijānātha, sabbaṁ dhammaṁ abhiññāya viharathāti. Idha no, āvuso, ko viseso ko adhippayāso kiṁ nānākaraṇaṁ samaṇassa vā gotamassa amhākaṁ vā, yadidaṁ dhammadesanāya vā dhammadesanaṁ anusāsaniyā vā anusāsanin’ti?

8Atha kho mayaṁ, bhante, tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ bhāsitaṁ neva abhinandimhā nappaṭikkosimhā. Anabhinanditvā appaṭikkositvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkamimhā:  ‘bhagavato santike etassa bhāsitassa atthaṁ ājānissāmā’"ti.

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9"Evaṁvādino, bhikkhave, aññatitthiyā paribbājakā evamassu vacanīyā:  ‘eko, āvuso, pañho eko uddeso ekaṁ veyyākaraṇaṁ, dve pañhā dve uddesā dve veyyākaraṇāni, tayo pañhā tayo uddesā tīṇi veyyākaraṇāni, cattāro pañhā cattāro uddesā cattāri veyyākaraṇāni, pañca pañhā pañcuddesā pañca veyyākaraṇāni, cha pañhā cha uddesā cha veyyākaraṇāni, satta pañhā sattuddesā satta veyyākaraṇāni, aṭṭha pañhā aṭṭhuddesā aṭṭha veyyākaraṇāni, nava pañhā navuddesā nava veyyākaraṇāni, dasa pañhā dasuddesā dasa veyyākaraṇānī’ti. Evaṁ puṭṭhā, bhikkhave, aññatitthiyā paribbājakā na ceva sampāyissanti, uttari ca vighātaṁ āpajjissanti. Taṁ kissa hetu? Yathā taṁ, bhikkhave, avisayasmiṁ. Nāhaṁ taṁ, bhikkhave, passāmi sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya yo imesaṁ pañhānaṁ veyyākaraṇena cittaṁ ārādheyya, aññatra tathāgatena vā tathāgatasāvakena vā ito vā pana sutvā.

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10‘Eko pañho eko uddeso ekaṁ veyyākaraṇan’ti, iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ. Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ? Ekadhamme, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sammā nibbindamāno sammā virajjamāno sammā vimuccamāno sammā pariyantadassāvī sammadatthaṁ abhisamecca diṭṭheva dhamme dukkhassantakaro hoti. Katamasmiṁ ekadhamme? ‘Sabbe sattā āhāraṭṭhitikā’−  imasmiṁ kho, bhikkhave, ekadhamme bhikkhu sammā nibbindamāno sammā virajjamāno sammā vimuccamāno sammā pariyantadassāvī sammadatthaṁ abhisamecca diṭṭheva dhamme dukkhassantakaro hoti.

‘Eko pañho eko uddeso ekaṁ veyyākaraṇan’ti, iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ idametaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ. (1)

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11‘Dve pañhā dve uddesā dve veyyākaraṇānī’ti, iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ. Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ? Dvīsu, bhikkhave, dhammesu bhikkhu sammā nibbindamāno sammā virajjamāno sammā vimuccamāno sammā pariyantadassāvī sammadatthaṁ abhisamecca diṭṭheva dhamme dukkhassantakaro hoti. Katamesu dvīsu? Nāme ca rūpe ca – imesu kho, bhikkhave, dvīsu dhammesu bhikkhu sammā nibbindamāno sammā virajjamāno sammā vimuccamāno sammā pariyantadassāvī sammadatthaṁ abhisamecca diṭṭheva dhamme dukkhassantakaro hoti.

‘Dve pañhā dve uddesā dve veyyākaraṇānī’ti, iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ idametaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ. (2)

12‘Tayo pañhā tayo uddesā tīṇi veyyākaraṇānī’ti, iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ. Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ? Tīsu, bhikkhave, dhammesu bhikkhu sammā nibbindamāno sammā virajjamāno sammā vimuccamāno sammā pariyantadassāvī sammadatthaṁ abhisamecca diṭṭheva dhamme dukkhassantakaro hoti. Katamesu tīsu? Tīsu vedanāsu – imesu kho, bhikkhave, tīsu dhammesu bhikkhu sammā nibbindamāno sammā virajjamāno sammā vimuccamāno sammā pariyantadassāvī sammadatthaṁ abhisamecca diṭṭheva dhamme dukkhassantakaro hoti.

‘Tayo pañhā tayo uddesā tīṇi veyyākaraṇānī’ti, iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ idametaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ. (3)

13‘Cattāro pañhā cattāro uddesā cattāri veyyākaraṇānī’ti, iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ. Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ? Catūsu, bhikkhave, dhammesu bhikkhu sammā nibbindamāno sammā virajjamāno sammā vimuccamāno sammā pariyantadassāvī sammadatthaṁ abhisamecca diṭṭheva dhamme dukkhassantakaro hoti. Katamesu catūsu? Catūsu āhāresu – imesu kho, bhikkhave, catūsu dhammesu bhikkhu sammā nibbindamāno sammā virajjamāno sammā vimuccamāno sammā pariyantadassāvī sammadatthaṁ abhisamecca diṭṭheva dhamme dukkhassantakaro hoti.

‘Cattāro pañhā cattāro uddesā cattāri veyyākaraṇānī’ti, iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ idametaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ. (4)

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14‘Pañca pañhā pañcuddesā pañca veyyākaraṇānī’ti, iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ. Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ? Pañcasu, bhikkhave, dhammesu bhikkhu sammā nibbindamāno sammā virajjamāno sammā vimuccamāno sammā pariyantadassāvī sammadatthaṁ abhisamecca diṭṭheva dhamme dukkhassantakaro hoti. Katamesu pañcasu? Pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu – imesu kho, bhikkhave, pañcasu dhammesu bhikkhu sammā nibbindamāno sammā virajjamāno sammā vimuccamāno sammā pariyantadassāvī sammadatthaṁ abhisamecca diṭṭheva dhamme dukkhassantakaro hoti.

‘Pañca pañhā pañcuddesā pañca veyyākaraṇānī’ti, iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ idametaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ. (5)

15‘Cha pañhā cha uddesā cha veyyākaraṇānī’ti, iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ. Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ? Chasu, bhikkhave, dhammesu bhikkhu sammā nibbindamāno sammā virajjamāno sammā vimuccamāno sammā pariyantadassāvī sammadatthaṁ abhisamecca diṭṭheva dhamme dukkhassantakaro hoti. Katamesu chasu? Chasu ajjhattikesu āyatanesu – imesu kho, bhikkhave, chasu dhammesu bhikkhu sammā nibbindamāno sammā virajjamāno sammā vimuccamāno sammā pariyantadassāvī sammadatthaṁ abhisamecca diṭṭheva dhamme dukkhassantakaro hoti.

‘Cha pañhā cha uddesā cha veyyākaraṇānī’ti, iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ idametaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ. (6)

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16‘Satta pañhā sattuddesā satta veyyākaraṇānī’ti, iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ. Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ? Sattasu, bhikkhave, dhammesu bhikkhu sammā nibbindamāno sammā virajjamāno sammā vimuccamāno sammā pariyantadassāvī sammadatthaṁ abhisamecca diṭṭheva dhamme dukkhassantakaro hoti. Katamesu sattasu? Sattasu viññāṇaṭṭhitīsu – imesu kho, bhikkhave, sattasu dhammesu bhikkhu sammā nibbindamāno sammā virajjamāno sammā vimuccamāno sammā pariyantadassāvī sammadatthaṁ abhisamecca diṭṭheva dhamme dukkhassantakaro hoti.

‘Satta pañhā sattuddesā satta veyyākaraṇānī’ti, iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ idametaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ. (7)

17‘Aṭṭha pañhā aṭṭhuddesā aṭṭha veyyākaraṇānī’ti, iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ. Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ? Aṭṭhasu, bhikkhave, dhammesu bhikkhu sammā nibbindamāno sammā virajjamāno sammā vimuccamāno sammā pariyantadassāvī sammadatthaṁ abhisamecca diṭṭheva dhamme dukkhassantakaro hoti. Katamesu aṭṭhasu? Aṭṭhasu lokadhammesu – imesu kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭhasu dhammesu bhikkhu sammā nibbindamāno … pe … dukkhassantakaro hoti.

‘Aṭṭha pañhā aṭṭhuddesā aṭṭha veyyākaraṇānī’ti, iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ idametaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ. (8)

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18‘Nava pañhā navuddesā nava veyyākaraṇānī’ti, iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ. Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ? Navasu, bhikkhave, dhammesu bhikkhu sammā nibbindamāno sammā virajjamāno sammā vimuccamāno sammā pariyantadassāvī sammadatthaṁ abhisamecca diṭṭheva dhamme dukkhassantakaro hoti. Katamesu navasu? Navasu sattāvāsesu – imesu kho, bhikkhave, navasu dhammesu bhikkhu sammā nibbindamāno sammā virajjamāno sammā vimuccamāno sammā pariyantadassāvī sammadatthaṁ abhisamecca diṭṭheva dhamme dukkhassantakaro hoti.

‘Nava pañhā navuddesā nava veyyākaraṇānī’ti, iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ idametaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ. (9)

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19‘Dasa pañhā dasuddesā dasa veyyākaraṇānī’ti, iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ. Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ? Dasasu, bhikkhave, dhammesu bhikkhu sammā nibbindamāno sammā virajjamāno sammā vimuccamāno sammā pariyantadassāvī sammadatthaṁ abhisamecca diṭṭheva dhamme dukkhassantakaro hoti. Katamesu dasasu? Dasasu akusalesu kammapathesu – imesu kho, bhikkhave, dasasu dhammesu bhikkhu sammā nibbindamāno sammā virajjamāno sammā vimuccamāno sammā pariyantadassāvī sammadatthaṁ abhisamecca diṭṭheva dhamme dukkhassantakaro hoti.

‘Dasa pañhā dasuddesā dasa veyyākaraṇānī’ti, iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ idametaṁ paṭicca vuttan"ti. (10)

Sattamaṁ.