Kathavatthu 18.3: Karuṇākathā
Kathāvatthu 18.3
- Language
- Pāli
Contents
Karuṇākathā
18.3.1.1
Natthi buddhassa bhagavato karuṇāti?
Does the Buddha, the Blessed One, have no compassion?
Controverted Point: That the Exalted Buddha felt no pity.
18.3.1.2
Āmantā.
Yes.
Controverted Point: That the Exalted Buddha felt no pity.
18.3.1.3
Natthi buddhassa bhagavato mettāti?
Does the Buddha, the Blessed One, have no loving-kindness?
Theravādin: But this implies that neither did he feel love or sympathetic joy or equanimity. You deny. But could he have these and yet lack pity?
18.3.1.4
Na hevaṃ vattabbe …pe…
It should not be said thus …pe…
18.3.1.5
natthi buddhassa bhagavato karuṇāti?
does the Buddha, the Blessed One, have no compassion?
18.3.1.6
Āmantā.
Yes.
18.3.1.7
Natthi buddhassa bhagavato muditā …pe…
Does the Buddha, the Blessed One, have no empathetic joy …pe…
18.3.1.8
upekkhāti?
no equanimity?
18.3.1.9
Na hevaṃ vattabbe …pe….
It should not be said thus …pe….
18.3.2.1
Atthi buddhassa bhagavato mettāti?
Does the Buddha, the Blessed One, have loving-kindness?
18.3.2.2
Āmantā.
Yes.
18.3.2.3
Atthi buddhassa bhagavato karuṇāti?
Does the Buddha, the Blessed One, have compassion?
18.3.2.4
Na hevaṃ vattabbe …pe…
It should not be said thus …pe…
18.3.2.5
atthi buddhassa bhagavato muditā …pe…
does the Buddha, the Blessed One, have empathetic joy …pe…
18.3.2.6
upekkhāti?
equanimity?
18.3.2.7
Āmantā.
Yes.
18.3.2.8
Atthi buddhassa bhagavato karuṇāti?
Does the Buddha, the Blessed One, have compassion?
18.3.2.9
Na hevaṃ vattabbe …pe….
It should not be said thus …pe….
18.3.3.1
Natthi buddhassa bhagavato karuṇāti?
Does the Buddha, the Blessed One, have no compassion?
Your proposition implies also that he was ruthless. Yet you agree that the Exalted One was pitiful, kindly to the world, compassionate towards the world, and went about to do it good. Nay, did not the Exalted One win to the attainment of universal pity?
18.3.3.2
Āmantā.
Yes.
18.3.3.3
Bhagavā akāruṇikoti?
Is the Blessed One uncompassionate?
18.3.3.4
Na hevaṃ vattabbe …pe…
It should not be said thus …pe…
18.3.3.5
nanu bhagavā kāruṇiko lokahito lokānukampako lokatthacaroti?
Is not the Blessed One compassionate, working for the welfare of the world, having sympathy for the world, acting for the benefit of the world?
18.3.3.6
Āmantā.
Yes.
18.3.3.7
Hañci bhagavā kāruṇiko lokahito lokānukampako lokatthacaro, no ca vata re vattabbe—
If the Blessed One is compassionate, working for the welfare of the world, having sympathy for the world, acting for the benefit of the world, then surely you should not say:
18.3.3.8
“natthi buddhassa bhagavato karuṇā”ti …pe….
“There is no compassion in the Buddha, the Blessed One” …pe….
18.3.4.1
Natthi buddhassa bhagavato karuṇāti?
Is there no compassion in the Buddha, the Blessed One?
18.3.4.2
Āmantā.
Yes.
18.3.4.3
Nanu bhagavā mahākaruṇāsamāpattiṃ samāpajjīti?
Did not the Blessed One attain the attainment of great compassion?
18.3.4.4
Āmantā.
Yes.
18.3.4.5
Hañci bhagavā mahākaruṇāsamāpattiṃ samāpajji, no ca vata re vattabbe—
If the Blessed One attained the attainment of great compassion, then surely you should not say:
18.3.4.6
“natthi buddhassa bhagavato karuṇā”ti.
“There is no compassion in the Buddha, the Blessed One.”
18.3.5.1
Atthi buddhassa bhagavato karuṇāti?
Is there compassion in the Buddha, the Blessed One?
Uttarāpathaka: But if there was no passion (rāga) in the Exalted One, surely there was in him no compassion (karuṇā)?
18.3.5.2
Āmantā.
Yes.
Uttarāpathaka: But if there was no passion (rāga) in the Exalted One, surely there was in him no compassion (karuṇā)?
18.3.5.3
Bhagavā sarāgoti?
Does the Blessed One have lust?
Uttarāpathaka: But if there was no passion (rāga) in the Exalted One, surely there was in him no compassion (karuṇā)?
18.3.5.4
Na hevaṃ vattabbe.
It should not be said thus.
Uttarāpathaka: But if there was no passion (rāga) in the Exalted One, surely there was in him no compassion (karuṇā)?
18.3.5.5
Tena hi natthi buddhassa bhagavato karuṇāti.
Therefore, there is no compassion in the Buddha, the Blessed One.
Uttarāpathaka: But if there was no passion (rāga) in the Exalted One, surely there was in him no compassion (karuṇā)?
18.3.5.6
Karuṇākathā niṭṭhitā.
Discussion of compassion is finished.
Translations (2)
- Points of Controversy, or Subjects of Discourse — Shwe Zan Aung & Caroline A. F. Rhys Davids 1915, English
- English (machine translation) — English, machine translation
Commentaries (2)
- Mūlaṭīkā — Ānanda (Vanaratana), Pāli
- Pañcappakaraṇaṭṭhakathā — Buddhaghosa, Pāli
Discussed in (3)
- Early Monastic Buddhism — Dutt 1941, English
- The Bodhisattva Doctrine in Buddhist Sanskrit Literature — Dayal 1932, English
- Buddhist Philosophy in India and Ceylon — Keith 1923, English