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Saṁyutta Nikāya — The Linked Discourses

Vol 1:
Verses
SN1-11
Vol 2:
Causation
SN12-21
Vol 3:
Aggregates
SN22-34
Vol 4:
Sense Bases
SN35-44
Vol 5:
Great Book
SN45-56

12. Nidānasaṁyutta: On Causation

III. The Ten Powers — SN12.26: With Upavāṇa

1At Sāvatthī.

Then Venerable Upavāṇa went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:

2“Sir, there are some ascetics and brahmins who declare that suffering is made by oneself. There are some who declare that suffering is made by another. There are some who declare that suffering is made by both oneself and another. There are some who declare that suffering arises by chance, not made by oneself or another.

What does the Buddha say about this? How does he explain it? How should we answer so as to repeat what the Buddha has said, and not misrepresent him with an untruth? How should we explain in line with his teaching, with no legitimate grounds for rebuke and criticism?”

3“Upavāṇa, I have said that suffering is dependently originated. Dependent on what? Dependent on contact. Saying this you would repeat what I have said, and not misrepresent me with an untruth. You would explain in line with my teaching, and there would be no legitimate grounds for rebuke and criticism.

4In the case of those ascetics and brahmins who declare that suffering is made by oneself, that’s conditioned by contact. … In the case of those who declare that suffering arises by chance, not made by oneself or another, that’s also conditioned by contact.

5In the case of those ascetics and brahmins who declare that suffering is made by oneself, it’s impossible that they will experience that without contact. In the case of those who declare that suffering arises by chance, not made by oneself or another, it’s impossible that they will experience that without contact.”

1Sāvatthiyaṁ vihārati.

Atha kho āyasmā upavāṇo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā upavāṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: 

2"Santi pana, bhante, eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā sayaṅkataṁ dukkhaṁ paññapenti. Santi pana, bhante, eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā paraṅkataṁ dukkhaṁ paññapenti. Santi pana, bhante, eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā sayaṅkatañca paraṅkatañca dukkhaṁ paññapenti. Santi pana, bhante, eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā asayaṅkāraṁ aparaṅkāraṁ adhiccasamuppannaṁ dukkhaṁ paññapenti.

Idha no, bhante, bhagavā kiṁvādī kimakkhāyī kathaṁ byākaramānā ca mayaṁ vuttavādino ceva bhagavato assāma, na ca bhagavantaṁ abhūtena abbhācikkheyyāma, dhammassa cānudhammaṁ byākareyyāma, na ca koci sahadhammiko vādānupāto gārayhaṁ ṭhānaṁ āgaccheyyā"ti?

3"Paṭiccasamuppannaṁ kho, upavāṇa, dukkhaṁ vuttaṁ mayā. Kiṁ paṭicca? Phassaṁ paṭicca. Iti vadaṁ vuttavādī ceva me assa, na ca maṁ abhūtena abbhācikkheyya, dhammassa cānudhammaṁ byākareyya, na ca koci sahadhammiko vādānupāto gārayhaṁ ṭhānaṁ āgaccheyya.

4Tatra, upavāṇa, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā sayaṅkataṁ dukkhaṁ paññapenti, tadapi phassapaccayā. Yepi te … pe … yepi te … pe … yepi te samaṇabrāhmaṇā asayaṅkāraṁ aparaṅkāraṁ adhiccasamuppannaṁ dukkhaṁ paññapenti tadapi phassapaccayā.

5Tatra, upavāṇa, ye te samaṇabrāhmaṇā sayaṅkataṁ dukkhaṁ paññapenti, te vata aññatra phassā paṭisaṁvedissantīti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati. Yepi te … pe … yepi te … pe … yepi te samaṇabrāhmaṇā asayaṅkāraṁ aparaṅkāraṁ adhiccasamuppannaṁ dukkhaṁ paññapenti, te vata aññatra phassā paṭisaṁvedissantīti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjatī"ti.

Chaṭṭhaṁ.