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MN 95 From… Caṅkīsutta: With Caṅkī

…Then Kāpaṭika thought, “The ascetic Gotama is engaging with me. Why don’t I ask him a question?” Then he said, “Mister Gotama, regarding that which by the lineage of testament and by canonical authority is the ancient hymnal of the brahmins, the brahmins come to the categorical conclusion: ‘This is the only truth, other ideas are silly.’ What do you say about this?”

“Well, Bhāradvāja, is there even a single one of the brahmins who says this: ‘I know this, I see this: this is the only truth, other ideas are silly’?”

“No, Mister Gotama.”

“Well, is there even a single teacher of the brahmins, or a teacher’s teacher, or anyone back to the seventh generation of teachers, who says this: ‘I know this, I see this: this is the only truth, other ideas are silly’?”

“No, Mister Gotama.”

“Well, what of the ancient seers of the brahmins, namely Aṭṭhaka, Vāmaka, Vāmadeva, Vessāmitta, Yamadaggi, Aṅgīrasa, Bhāradvāja, Vāseṭṭha, Kassapa, and Bhagu? They were the authors and propagators of the hymns. Their hymnal was sung and propagated and compiled in ancient times; and these days, brahmins continue to sing and chant it, chanting what was chanted and teaching what was taught. Did even they say: ‘We know this, we see this: this is the only truth, other ideas are silly’?”

“No, Mister Gotama.”

“So, Bhāradvāja, it seems that there is not a single one of the brahmins, not even anyone back to the seventh generation of teachers, nor even the ancient seers of the brahmins who say: ‘We know this, we see this: this is the only truth, other ideas are silly.’

Suppose there was a queue of blind men, each holding the one in front: the first one does not see, the middle one does not see, and the last one does not see. In the same way, it seems to me that the brahmins’ statement turns out to be like a queue of blind men: the first one does not see, the middle one does not see, and the last one does not see. What do you think, Bhāradvāja? This being so, doesn’t the brahmins’ faith turn out to be baseless?”

“The brahmins don’t just honor this because of faith, but also because of oral transmission.”

“First you relied on faith, now you speak of oral transmission. These five things can be seen to turn out in two different ways. What five?

  1. Faith,
  2. endorsement,
  3. oral transmission,
  4. reasoned train of thought,
  5. and acceptance of a view after deliberation.

Even though you have full faith in something, it may be vacuous, hollow, and false. And even if you don’t have full faith in something, it may be true and real, not otherwise. Even though you fully endorse something … something may be well transmitted … something may be well thought out … something may be well deliberated, it may be vacuous, hollow, and false. And even if something is not well deliberated, it may be true and real, not otherwise. For a sensible person who is preserving truth this is not sufficient to come to the categorical conclusion: ‘This is the only truth, other ideas are silly.’”

“But Mister Gotama, how do you define the preservation of truth?”

“If a person has faith, they preserve truth by saying, ‘Such is my faith.’ But they don’t yet come to the categorical conclusion: ‘This is the only truth, other ideas are silly.’ If a person has a belief … or has received an oral transmission … or has a reasoned reflection about something … or has accepted a view after contemplation, they preserve truth by saying, ‘Such is the view I have accepted after contemplation.’ But they don’t yet come to the categorical conclusion: ‘This is the only truth, other ideas are silly.’ That’s how the preservation of truth is defined, Bhāradvāja. I describe the preservation of truth as defined in this way. But this is not yet the awakening to the truth.”

“That’s how the preservation of truth is defined, Mister Gotama. We regard the preservation of truth as defined in this way. But Mister Gotama, how do you define awakening to the truth?”

“Bhāradvāja, take the case of a mendicant living supported by a town or village. A householder or their child approaches and scrutinizes them for three kinds of things: things that arouse greed, things that provoke hate, and things that promote delusion. ‘Does this venerable have any qualities that arouse greed? Such qualities that, were their mind to be overwhelmed by them, they might say that they know, even though they don’t know, or that they see, even though they don’t see; or that they might encourage others to do what is for their lasting harm and suffering?’ Scrutinizing them they find: ‘This venerable has no such qualities that arouse greed. Rather, that venerable has bodily and verbal behavior like that of someone without greed. And the principle that they teach is deep, hard to see, hard to understand, peaceful, sublime, beyond the scope of logic, subtle, comprehensible to the astute. It’s not easy for someone with greed to teach this.’

Scrutinizing them in this way they see that they are purified of qualities that arouse greed. Next, they search them for qualities that provoke hate. ‘Does this venerable have any qualities that provoke hate? Such qualities that, were their mind to be overwhelmed by them, they might say that they know, even though they don’t know, or that they see, even though they don’t see; or that they might encourage others to do what is for their lasting harm and suffering?’ Scrutinizing them they find: ‘This venerable has no such qualities that provoke hate. Rather, that venerable has bodily and verbal behavior like that of someone without hate. And the principle that they teach is deep, hard to see, hard to understand, peaceful, sublime, beyond the scope of logic, subtle, comprehensible to the astute. It’s not easy for someone with hate to teach this.’

Scrutinizing them in this way they see that they are purified of qualities that provoke hate. Next, they scrutinize them for qualities that promote delusion. ‘Does this venerable have any qualities that promote delusion? Such qualities that, were their mind to be overwhelmed by them, they might say that they know, even though they don’t know, or that they see, even though they don’t see; or that they might encourage others to do what is for their lasting harm and suffering?’ Scrutinizing them they find: ‘This venerable has no such qualities that promote delusion. Rather, that venerable has bodily and verbal behavior like that of someone without delusion. And the principle that they teach is deep, hard to see, hard to understand, peaceful, sublime, beyond the scope of logic, subtle, comprehensible to the astute. It’s not easy for someone with delusion to teach this.’

Scrutinizing them in this way they see that they are purified of qualities that promote delusion.

  • Next, they place faith in them.
  • When faith has arisen they approach the teacher.
  • They pay homage,
  • actively listen,
  • hear the teachings,
  • remember the teachings,
  • reflect on their meaning,
  • and accept them after deliberation.
  • Then enthusiasm springs up;
  • they apply zeal, weigh up, and strive.
  • Striving, they directly realize the ultimate truth, and see it with penetrating wisdom.

That’s how the awakening to truth is defined, Bhāradvāja. I describe the awakening to truth as defined in this way. But this is not yet the attainment of truth.”

“That’s how the awakening to truth is defined, Mister Gotama. I regard the awakening to truth as defined in this way. But Mister Gotama, how do you define the attainment of truth?”

“By the cultivation, development, and making much of these very same things there is the attainment of truth. That’s how the attainment of truth is defined, Bhāradvāja. I describe the attainment of truth as defined in this way.”…


Read the entire translation of Majjhima Nikāya 95 Caṅkīsutta: With Caṅkī by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net or DhammaTalks.org. Or listen on PaliAudio.com or SC-Voice.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

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