Canki Sutta(excerpt)

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標  題: Canki Sutta(excerpt)
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Majjhima Nikaya 95
Canki Sutta
With Canki
(excerpt)
For free distribution only, as a gift of Dhamma 

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.... Now at that time the Blessed One was sitting & exchanging courtesies &
conversation with some very senior brahmins. It so happened that a brahmin 
student named Kapadika was seated in the assembly: young, shaven-headed, 
sixteen years old, a master of the Three Vedas with their vocabularies, 
liturgy, phonology, & etymologies, and the histories as a fifth; skilled in 
philology & grammar, well-versed in cosmology & the marks of a great man. 
While the very senior brahmins were conversing with the Blessed One, he kept 
breaking in & interrupting their talk. So the Blessed One scolded him, "
Venerable Bharadvaja, don't break in & interrupt while the very senior 
brahmins are conversing. Wait until they are finished talking." 
When this was said, the brahmin Canki said to the Blessed One, "Master Gotama,
don't scold the brahmin student Kapadika. He is a clansman, learned, wise, 
with good delivery. He is capable of taking part in this discussion with 
Master Gotama." 

Then the thought occurred to the Blessed One, "Yes, this brahmin student 
Kapadika must be accomplished in the texts of the Three Vedas, inasmuch as the
brahmins honor him so." 

Then the thought occurred to Kapadika, "When Gotama the contemplative meets my
gaze with his, I will ask him a question." 

And so the Blessed One, encompassing Kapadika's awareness with his 
awareness, met his gaze. Kapadika thought, "Gotama the contemplative has 
turned to me. Suppose I ask him a question." So he said to the Blessed One, "
Master Gotama, with regard to the ancient hymns of the brahmins -- passed down
through oral transmission & included in their canon -- the brahmins have 
come to the definite conclusion that "Only this is true; anything else is 
worthless." What does Master Gotama have to say to this?" 

"Tell me, Bharadvaja, is there among the brahmins even one brahmin who says, 
'This I know; this I see; only this is true; anything else is worthless?'" 

"No, Master Gotama." 

"And has there been among the brahmins even one teacher or teacher's teacher 
back through seven generations who said, 'This I know; this I see; only this 
is true; anything else is worthless?'" 

"No, Master Gotama." 

"And among the brahmin seers of the past, the creators of the hymns, the 
composers of the hymns -- those ancient hymns, sung, repeated, & collected, 
which brahmins at present still sing, still chant, repeating what was said, 
repeating what was spoken -- i.e., Atthaka, Vamaka, Vamadeva, Vessamitta, 
Yamataggi, Angirasa, Bharadvaja, Vasettha, Kassapa & Bhagu: was there even one
of these who said, 'This we know; this we see; only this is true; anything 
else is worthless?'" 

"No, Master Gotama." 

"So then, Bharadvaja, it seems that there isn't among the brahmins even one 
brahmin who says, 'This I know; this I see; only this is true; anything else 
is worthless.' And there hasn't been among the brahmins even one teacher or 
teacher's teacher back through seven generations who said, 'This I know; 
this I see; only this is true; anything else is worthless.' And there hasn't 
been among the brahmin seers of the past, the creators of the hymns, the 
composers of the hymns ... even one who said, 'This we know; this we see; only
this is true; anything else is worthless.' Suppose there were a row of blind 
men, each holding on to the one in front of him: the first one doesn't see, 
the middle one doesn't see, the last one doesn't see. In the same way, the 
statement of the brahmins turns out to be a row of blind men, as it were: 
the first one doesn't see, the middle one doesn't see, the last one doesn't 
see. So what do you think, Bharadvaja: this being the case, doesn't the 
conviction of the brahmins turn out to be groundless?" 

"It's not only out of conviction, Master Gotama, that the brahmins honor this.
They also honor it as unbroken tradition." 

"Bharadvaja, first you went by conviction. Now you speak of unbroken 
tradition. There are five things that can turn out in two ways in the here-&-
now. Which five? Conviction, liking, unbroken tradition, reasoning by analogy,
& an agreement through pondering views. These are the five things that can 
turn out in two ways in the here-&-now. Now some things are firmly held in 
conviction and yet vain, empty, & false. Some things are not firmly held in 
conviction, and yet they are genuine, factual, & unmistaken. Some things are 
well-liked ... truly an unbroken tradition ... well-reasoned ... Some things 
are well-pondered and yet vain, empty, & false. Some things are not well-
pondered, and yet they are genuine, factual, & unmistaken. In these cases it 
isn't proper for a knowledgeable person who safeguards the truth to come to 
a definite conclusion, 'Only this is true; anything else is worthless." 

"But to what extent, Master Gotama, is there the safeguarding of the truth? To
what extent does one safeguard the truth? We ask Master Gotama about the 
safeguarding of the truth." 

"If a person has conviction, his statement, 'This is my conviction,' 
safeguards the truth. But he doesn't yet come to the definite conclusion 
that 'Only this is true; anything else is worthless.' To this extent, 
Bharadvaja, there is the safeguarding of the truth. To this extent one 
safeguards the truth. I describe this as the safeguarding of the truth. But it
is not yet an awakening to the truth. 

"If a person likes something ... holds an unbroken tradition ... has something
reasoned through analogy ... has something he agrees to, having pondered 
views, his statement, 'This is what I agree to, having pondered views,' 
safeguards the truth. But he doesn't yet come to the definite conclusion 
that 'Only this is true; anything else is worthless.' To this extent, 
Bharadvaja, there is the safeguarding of the truth. To this extent one 
safeguards the truth. I describe this as the safeguarding of the truth. But it
is not yet an awakening to the truth. 

"Yes, Master Gotama, to this extent there is the safeguarding of the truth. To
this extent one safeguards the truth. We regard this as the safeguarding of 
the truth. But to what extent is there an awakening to the truth? To what 
extent does one awaken to the truth? We ask Master Gotama about awakening to 
the truth." 

"There is the case, Bharadvaja, where a monk lives in dependence on a 
certain village or town. Then a householder or householder's son goes to him 
and observes him with regard to three mental qualities -- qualities based on 
greed, qualities based on aversion, qualities based on delusion: 'Are there in
this venerable one any such qualities based on greed that, with his mind 
overcome by these qualities, he might say, "I know," while not knowing, or 
say, "I see," while not seeing; or that he might urge another to act in a 
way that was for his/her long-term harm & pain?' As he observes him, he 
comes to know, 'There are in this venerable one no such qualities based on 
greed .... His bodily behavior & verbal behavior are those of one not 
greedy. And the Dhamma he teaches is deep, hard to see, hard to realize, 
tranquil, refined, beyond the scope of conjecture, subtle, to-be-experienced 
by the wise. This Dhamma can't easily be taught by a person who's greedy. 

When, on observing that the monk is purified with regard to qualities based on
greed, he next observes him with regard to qualities based on aversion: 'Are 
there in this venerable one any such qualities based on aversion that, with 
his mind overcome by these qualities, he might say, "I know," while not 
knowing, or say, "I see," while not seeing; or that he might urge another to 
act in a way that was for his/her long-term harm & pain?' As he observes 
him, he comes to know, 'There are in this venerable one no such qualities 
based on aversion .... His bodily behavior & verbal behavior are those of 
one not aversive. And the Dhamma he teaches is deep, hard to see, hard to 
realize, tranquil, refined, beyond the scope of conjecture, subtle, to-be-
experienced by the wise. This Dhamma can't easily be taught by a person who'
s aversive. 

When, on observing that the monk is purified with regard to qualities based on
aversion, he next observes him with regard to qualities based on delusion: '
Are there in this venerable one any such qualities based on delusion that, 
with his mind overcome by these qualities, he might say, "I know," while not 
knowing, or say, "I see," while not seeing; or that he might urge another to 
act in a way that was for his/her long-term harm & pain?' As he observes 
him, he comes to know, 'There are in this venerable one no such qualities 
based on delusion .... His bodily behavior & verbal behavior are those of 
one not deluded. And the Dhamma he teaches is deep, hard to see, hard to 
realize, tranquil, refined, beyond the scope of conjecture, subtle, to-be-
experienced by the wise. This Dhamma can't easily be taught by a person who'
s deluded. 

When, on observing that the monk is purified with regard to qualities based on
delusion, he places conviction in him. With the arising of conviction, he 
visits him & grows close to him. Growing close to him, he lends ear. Lending 
ear, he hears the Dhamma. Hearing the Dhamma, he remembers it. Remembering it,
he penetrates the meaning of those dhammas. Penetrating the meaning, he 
comes to an agreement through pondering those dhammas. There being an 
agreement through pondering those dhammas, desire arises. With the arising 
of desire, he becomes willing. Willing, he contemplates (lit: "weighs," "
compares"). Contemplating, he makes an exertion. Exerting himself, he both 
realizes the ultimate meaning of the truth with his body and sees by 
penetrating it with discernment. 

"To this extent, Bharadvaja, there is an awakening to the truth. To this 
extent one awakens to the truth. I describe this as an awakening to the truth.
But it is not yet the final attainment of the truth. 

"Yes, Master Gotama, to this extent there is an awakening to the truth. To 
this extent one awakens to the truth. We regard this as an awakening to the 
truth. But to what extent is there the final attainment of the truth? To 
what extent does one finally attain the truth? We ask Master Gotama about 
the final attainment of the truth." 

"The cultivation, development, & pursuit of those very same qualities: to this
extent, Bharadvaja, there is the final attainment of the truth. To this extent
one finally attains the truth. I describe this as the final attainment of 
the truth." 

"Yes, Master Gotama, to this extent there is the final attainment of the 
truth. To this extent one finally attains the truth. We regard this as the 
final attainment of the truth. But what quality is most helpful for the 
final attainment of the truth? We ask Master Gotama about the quality most 
helpful for the final attainment of the truth." 

"Exertion is most helpful for the final attainment of the truth, Bharadvaja. 
If one didn't make an exertion, one wouldn't finally attain the truth. Because
one makes an exertion, one finally attains the truth. Therefore, exertion is 
most helpful for the final attainment of the truth." 

"But what quality is most helpful for exertion? We ask Master Gotama about the
quality most helpful for exertion." 

"Contemplating is most helpful for exertion, Bharadvaja. If one didn't 
contemplate, one wouldn't make an exertion. Because one contemplates, one 
makes an exertion. Therefore, contemplating is most helpful for exertion." 

"But what quality is most helpful for contemplating? ..." 

"Being willing .... If one weren't willing, one wouldn't contemplate ...." 

"But what quality is most helpful for being willing? ..." 

"Desire .... If desire didn't arise, one wouldn't be willing ...." 

"But what quality is most helpful for desire? ..." 

"Coming to an agreement through pondering dhammas .... If one didn't come to 
an agreement through pondering dhammas, desire wouldn't arise ...." 

"But what quality is most helpful for coming to an agreement through pondering
dhammas? ..." 

"Penetrating the meaning .... If one didn't penetrate the meaning, one 
wouldn't come to an agreement through pondering dhammas ...." 

"But what quality is most helpful for penetrating the meaning? ...." 

"Remembering the Dhamma .... If one didn't remember the Dhamma, one wouldn't 
penetrate the meaning ...." 

"But what quality is most helpful for remembering the Dhamma? ... " 

"Hearing the Dhamma .... If one didn't hear the Dhamma, one wouldn't 
remember the Dhamma ...." 

"But what quality is most helpful for hearing the Dhamma? ... " 

"Lending ear .... If one didn't lend ear, one wouldn't hear the Dhamma ...." 

"But what quality is most helpful for lending ear? ... " 

"Growing close .... If one didn't grow close, one wouldn't lend ear ...." 

"But what quality is most helpful for growing close? ... " 

"Visiting .... If one didn't visit, one wouldn't grow close ...." 

"But what quality is most helpful for visiting? We ask Master Gotama about the
quality most helpful for visiting." 

"Conviction is most helpful for visiting, Bharadvaja. If conviction [in a 
person] didn't arise, one wouldn't visit [that person]. Because conviction 
arises, one visits. Therefore, conviction is most helpful for visiting." 

"We have asked Master Gotama about safeguarding the truth, and Master Gotama 
has answered about safeguarding the truth. We like that & agree with that,
[1] and so we are gratified. We have asked Master Gotama about awakening to 
the truth, and Master Gotama has answered about awakening to the truth. We 
like that & agree with that, and so we are gratified. We have asked Master 
Gotama about finally attaining the truth, and Master Gotama has answered about
finally attaining the truth. We like that & agree with that, and so we are 
gratified. We have asked Master Gotama about the quality most helpful for 
finally attaining the truth, and Master Gotama has answered about the 
quality most helpful for finally attaining the truth. We like that & agree 
with that, and so we are gratified. Whatever we have asked Master Gotama, 
Master Gotama has answered it. We like that & agree with that, and so we are 
gratified. 

"We used to think, 'Who are these bald-headed "contemplatives," these 
menial, dark offspring of [Brahma] the Kinsman's feet?[2] Who are they to know
the Dhamma?' But now Master Gotama has inspired within us a contemplative-love
for contemplatives, a contemplative-confidence in contemplatives, a 
contemplative-respect for contemplatives. Magnificent, Master Gotama! 
Magnificent! In many ways has Master Gotama made the Dhamma clear -- just as 
if he were to place upright what has been overturned, to reveal what has 
been hidden, to point out the way to one who is lost, or to set out a lamp 
in the darkness so that those with eyes might see forms. I go to Master Gotama
for refuge, to the Dhamma, & to the community of monks. May Master Gotama 
remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge from this day forward, 
for life." 


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Notes
1. Notice that Kapadika is careful to safeguard the truth in the way he 
expresses his approval for the Buddha's teachings. [Go back] 

2. The brahmins regarded Brahma as their original ancestor, and so called 
him their "Kinsman." The commentary notes that they regarded themselves as 
born from his mouth, while other castes were born from lower parts of his 
body, down to contemplatives (samana), who they said were born from his 
feet. [Go back] 


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See also: AN III.66; AN IX.1.
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Revised: Fri 1 December 2000
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/majjhima/mn95.html
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