Dighanikaya 4: 4. Soṇadaṇḍasuttavaṇṇanā

"Thus have I heard… and so forth… among the Aṅgas": this is the Soṇadaṇḍa Sutta. Herein, this is the explanation of novel terms. "Among the Aṅgas": 'Aṅgas' are royal princes belonging to the country who have received this designation because of their pleasing limbs. Even a single country that is their residence is called 'Aṅga' by conventional usage; in that country, "among the Aṅgas". "A tour": here too an unhurried tour and a continuous tour are intended. At that time, it is said, as the Blessed One surveyed the ten-thousandfold world system, the brahmin Soṇadaṇḍa appeared within the net of his knowledge. Then the Blessed One reflected: 'This brahmin appears in the net of my knowledge. Does he indeed have the supporting conditions?' While investigating, he saw: 'When I go there, his disciples will speak of the brahmin's virtues in twelve ways and will not allow him to come into my presence. But he will shatter their argument, speak of my virtues in twenty-nine ways, approach me, and ask a question. At the conclusion of the question's explanation, he will go for refuge.' Having seen this, he set out for that country accompanied by an entourage of five hundred monks. Therefore it is said: "wandering on a tour among the Aṅgas… and so forth… arrived at Campā."

"On the bank of the Gaggarā Lotus Pond": not far from that city of Campā there is a lotus pond known as 'Gaggarā' because it was excavated by the chief queen named Gaggarā. On its banks, all around, there is a large campaka grove adorned with flowers of five colors such as blue. There the Blessed One resided in that campaka grove fragrant with the scent of flowers. In reference to that, it is said: "on the bank of the Gaggarā Lotus Pond." "By Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha": here, that king is 'of Magadha' (Māgadha) because he is the lord of the Magadhans. He is 'Seniya' because he is endowed with a great army (senā). 'Bimbī' means gold; therefore, because of his complexion resembling pure gold, he is called 'Bimbisāra'.

"Band upon band": having become many and combined, they are bands. "In groups": they have a group in each direction, hence 'in groups'. "Gathered into companies": previously they were without companies inside the city, but having come outside, they attained the state of being a company, hence 'gathered into companies'. "Addressed the herald": 'herald' (khattā) refers to a minister capable of answering questions that are asked; he addressed him. "Let them wait": let them wait for a moment, do not let them go—this is what is said.

Account of Soṇadaṇḍa's Virtues

"Of various provinces": those born in various realms, in different realms such as Kāsi, Kosala, and so forth, or those are their dwellings, or they have come from there—hence 'of various provinces'; of those [brahmins] of various provinces. "On some business or other": in that city, it is said, brahmins assemble for two types of business—either to take part in a sacrifice or to recite the mantras. And at that time there was no sacrifice in that city; but they had assembled in the presence of Soṇadaṇḍa to recite the mantras. In reference to that, it was said: "on some business or other." Having heard of his going, they thought: "This Soṇadaṇḍa is an eminent brahmin, and for the most part other brahmins have gone for refuge to the ascetic Gotama, but he alone has not gone. If this one goes there, he will surely be turned by the ascetic Gotama's converting magic and go to him for refuge. Then there will no longer be an assembly of brahmins even at his doorstep either. Come, let us make an obstacle to his going!" Having conferred together, they went there. In reference to that, it is said: "Then those brahmins…" and so forth.

Therein, "by this factor too": for this reason too. Having thus spoken this reason, they thought further: "No being whatsoever fails to be pleased when their own praise is spoken. Come, let us prevent his going by speaking his praise!" And they spoke of the reasons beginning with: "Indeed, master Soṇadaṇḍa is well-born on both sides."

"On both sides": on both parties. "Both on the mother's side and on the father's side": the master's mother was a brahmin, his mother's mother was a brahmin, and her mother was a brahmin; his father was a brahmin, his father's father was a brahmin, and his father was a brahmin; thus the master is well-born on both sides, both on the mother's side and on the father's side. "Of pure womb": the meaning is that your mother's womb, the belly, is completely pure. But in "with a womb that digests evenly," the fire element born of kamma is called 'womb' (gahaṇī).

"Back to the seventh generation of grandfathers": here, the father's father is a grandfather; a generation of grandfathers is a generation belonging to the grandfather. 'Generation' (yuga) means a lifespan. But this is merely a mode of expression. In reality, the grandfather himself is the 'generation of grandfathers'. Above that, all previous ancestors are included by the mention of the grandfather alone. Thus back to the seventh ancestor, he is of pure womb. Alternatively, they show: "unimpeached and irreproachable in respect of birth." "Unimpeached": he was not rejected or cast aside, saying, 'Remove him, what is the use of him?' "Irreproachable": he was not reproached, nor had he ever received abuse or blame. For what reason? "In respect of birth." The meaning is: also by speech of such a kind as, 'This one is of low birth.'

"Wealthy": a master. "Of great wealth": endowed with abundant wealth. For in the master's house there is great wealth like dust and sand on the earth, but the ascetic Gotama is without wealth and maintains himself by filling his belly with alms—this is what they indicate. "Of great possessions": having great enjoyment in terms of the five strands of sensual pleasure. Thus, whatever virtue they mention, they speak thinking, 'By way of opposition to it, we will show only a fault in the Blessed One.'

‘Handsome’ means more handsome than other men, of superior appearance. ‘Pleasing to behold’ means worthy of seeing, since it does not satiate even those who look for a whole day. ‘Inspiring confidence’ means generating confidence in the mind merely by seeing. ‘Excellence’ means beauty; excellence of complexion is ‘excellence of complexion’, meaning endowed with that perfection of complexion. But the ancients say: ‘They call the body the lotus, and complexion is just complexion.’ In their view, complexion and lotus are ‘complexion-lotus’. The state thereof is ‘excellence of complexion’. Thus, ‘by supreme excellence of complexion’ means both by supreme, purified complexion and by perfection of bodily form. ‘Brahma-colored’ means having an excellent complexion; meaning endowed with a golden complexion that is supreme even among purified complexions. ‘Having a Brahma-like presence’ means endowed with a body just like the body of the Great Brahmā. ‘Not small in scope for viewing’ means they illustrate: ‘The scope for viewing the body of the venerable one is not small, it is vast; all your limbs and minor members are pleasing to behold, and they are also magnificent.’

‘One who has morality’ means virtuous. ‘One whose morality is mature, developed’ means of mature morality. ‘With mature morality’ means with mature, developed morality. ‘Endowed’ means possessed of. This is a synonym for the phrase ‘of mature morality’. All this they say with reference merely to the five precepts.

In ‘of fair speech’ and so forth: one whose speech is fair, beautiful, rounded in words and syllables is ‘of fair speech’. One whose delivery of speech is fair, sweet, is ‘of fair delivery’. ‘Delivery’ means the sound of utterance. ‘Polite’ means belonging to the city because of being complete in virtues; or ‘polite’ because of belonging to the city. ‘Polite’ means like the delicateness of an urban woman; [endowed] with that polite [speech]. ‘Clear’ means unobstructed, free of faults such as being indistinct or drawn out. ‘Not dribbling’ means free of dribbling saliva. For in whomever speaks saliva dribbles, or drool flows out, or drops of spit come out, his speech is called dribbling; the meaning is the opposite of that. ‘Making the meaning understood’ means capable of making understood the meaning spoken by clarifying the beginning, middle, and end.

"Old" (jiṇṇa) means worn out by old age. "Aged" (vuddha) means one who has reached the limit of the growth of the limbs and body parts. "Advanced in years" (mahallaka) means endowed with great age. The meaning is: born long ago. "Far gone in life's journey" (addhagata) means one who has traveled a long journey; the meaning is that he has lived through two or three reigns of kings. "Arrived at the final stage" (vayoanuppatta) means arrived at the last stage of life; the last stage of life is the last third of a hundred-year lifespan.

Moreover, "old" means of ancient lineage; the meaning is: of a family succession continuing for a long time. "Aged" means endowed with the growth of virtues such as virtuous conduct and proper behavior. "Advanced in years" means endowed with great wealth. "Far gone in life's journey" means one who has set out on the path, whose character is conduct that does not transgress the limits of the brahmins' vows and observances. "Arrived at the final stage" means one who, having attained seniority by birth as well, has reached the final stage of life.

Account of the Virtues of the Buddha

"When this was said" means when this had been spoken by those brahmins. Soṇadaṇḍa thought: "These brahmins praise me on account of birth and the like, but it is not proper for me to delight in my own praise. Come now, having refuted their assertion and made known the greatness of the ascetic Gotama, let me cause them to go there"; and having thought so, he said, "Well then, gentlemen, listen to me too," and so on. In that passage, even those virtues such as "well-born on both sides" which were similar to his own virtues—considering: "Who am I, and what are the virtues such as excellence of birth of the ascetic Gotama?" and regarding them as far superior to his own virtues—he proclaimed, while the others he proclaimed purely to illustrate the greatness of the Blessed One.

"We ourselves are the ones worthy": thus, while determining, he explains this point: "If one should be approached on account of greatness of virtues—for just as a mustard seed compared to Sineru, a puddle in a cow's footprint compared to the great ocean, a dewdrop compared to the water in the seven great lakes is tiny and inferior, even so, compared to the ascetic Gotama's virtues such as excellence of birth, our virtues are tiny and inferior; therefore, we ourselves are the ones worthy to approach the venerable Gotama for the sake of seeing him."

"Having abandoned a great circle of relatives": having abandoned eighty thousand families on the mother's side and eighty thousand families on the father's side, thus one hundred and sixty thousand families, he went forth.

"Both underground and aboveground": here, wealth stored in the ground having filled lotus pools smoothed with plaster in the royal courtyard and in the pleasure grove with the seven treasures is called "underground." Wealth kept having filled the upper towers of the palaces and so on is called "aboveground." This, indeed, came to him through his family lineage. Moreover, on the very day of the Tathāgata's birth, four treasure urns arose: Saṅkha, Ela, Uppala, and Puṇḍarīka. Among them, Saṅkha was a gāvuta in extent, Ela was half a yojana, Uppala was three gāvutas, and Puṇḍarīka was a yojana. In these too, whatever was taken out refilled immediately; thus it should be understood that the Blessed One went forth having abandoned abundant coin and gold.

"While still young" means being merely a youth. "With intensely black hair" means with exceedingly black hair, having hair resembling the color of collyrium, is the meaning. "With auspicious" means with splendid. "First stage of life" means in the first of the three stages of life. "Unwilling" means not desiring. This genitive case is used in the sense of disregard. "Their faces were wet with tears" means having tearful faces; "their" means of those tearful-faced ones; the meaning is: whose faces were wet with tears. "Crying" means wailing and lamenting. "No mean room" (akhuddāvakāsa): here, it should be understood that the scope for beholding the Blessed One is simply immeasurable.

Here this is the story: In Rājagaha, a certain brahmin, having heard that one cannot measure the ascetic Gotama, took a bamboo sixty cubits long at the time the Blessed One was entering for alms, stood outside the city gate, and when the Blessed One arrived, took the bamboo and stood near him. The bamboo reached only up to the Blessed One's knees. On the next day, having joined two bamboos together, he stood near him. The Blessed One, appearing only waist-high above the two bamboos, said: "Brahmin, what are you doing?" "I am taking your measure." "Brahmin, even if you were to come having joined bamboos standing so as to fill the entire cavity of the universe, you would not be able to take my measure. For the perfections were not fulfilled by me for four incalculables and a hundred thousand aeons in such a way that another could take my measure. Incomparable, brahmin, is the Tathāgata, immeasurable." Having said this, he spoke a verse in the Dhammapada:

"When honoring those such as these,
who are quenched and free from fear from any quarter,
no one is able to calculate the merit
as being 'just so much.'"

At the conclusion of the verse, eighty-four thousand living beings drank the deathless.

There is also another story: Rāhu, lord of the asuras, was four thousand eight hundred yojanas high. The span of his arms was one thousand two hundred yojanas. His thickness was six hundred yojanas. The width of the palms of his hands and the soles of his feet was three hundred yojanas. The joints of his fingers were fifty yojanas. The space between his eyebrows was fifty yojanas. His mouth was two hundred yojanas wide, three hundred yojanas deep, and three hundred yojanas in circumference. His neck was three hundred yojanas. His forehead was three hundred yojanas. His head was nine hundred yojanas. Thinking, "I am so tall, I will not be able to bend down and look at the Teacher," he did not come. One day, having heard the praise of the Blessed One, he came, thinking: "I will look somehow or other."

Then the Blessed One, knowing his disposition, thought: “In which of the four postures should I show [myself]?” and considered: “One standing up appears tall even if short. I will show myself to him lying down.” Having said, “Ānanda, prepare a couch in the precinct of the perfumed chamber,” he adopted the lion's posture there. Rāhu came and looked up at the reclining Blessed One with neck craned, like the full moon in the midst of the sky. And when it was asked, “Why is this, lord of the asuras?” [he replied,] “Blessed One, [thinking] ‘I will not be able to bend down and look,’ I did not come.” “Not with downcast face, lord of the asuras, were the perfections fulfilled by me. Only having made them facing upwards was the gift given.” On that day Rāhu went for refuge. In this way the Blessed One is no small opportunity for viewing.

Virtuous with the fourfold purification of morality: but that morality is noble, supreme, and completely purified. Hence it is said: “of noble morality.” This very [morality] is wholesome in the sense of being blameless. Hence it is said: “of wholesome morality.” “By wholesome morality” is a synonym for this.

“Teacher of teachers to many”: at each teaching of the Dhamma by the Blessed One, eighty-four thousand living beings and even immeasurable gods and humans drink the deathless of the paths and fruits; therefore he is a teacher to many. But to the disciples who are to be trained, he is a teacher of teachers.

“One whose sensual desire is destroyed”: here indeed, all defilements are destroyed in the Blessed One. The brahmin, however, does not know them. He speaks of [his] quality only according to the extent of his own knowledge. “Devoid of fickleness”: devoid of the fickleness spoken of thus: “adorning the bowl, adorning the robe, adorning the lodging, or fondness and pampering of this foul body, and so on.”

“Honoring the non-evil”: he wanders having placed the non-evil nine transcendent Dhammas at the fore. “For the holy generation”: for the generation of brahmins consisting of Sāriputta, Moggallāna, Mahākassapa, and others; and he is held in honor by this generation. For the meaning is: this generation wanders placing the ascetic Gotama at the fore. Furthermore, “honoring the non-evil” means: evil is not put at the fore, he does not wander placing evil at the fore, meaning he does not desire evil. For whom? For the holy generation. Even for the generation of brahmins opposed to him, he is unopposed, desiring only their welfare and happiness—this is what is said.

“From beyond the realm”: from another realm. “From beyond the provinces”: from another province. “They come to ask questions”: wise khattiyas and others, as well as devas, brahmas, nāgas, gandhabbas, and others come, [thinking,] “We will formulate questions and ask them.” Among them, some notice a fault in their question or an incapacity to receive the answer, and sit silently without asking at all. Some ask. To some, the Blessed One, having aroused enthusiasm for the question, gives the answer. In this way, the doubts of all of them, upon reaching the Blessed One, break like the waves of the great ocean upon reaching the shore.

“One who says, ‘Come, welcome’”: to each one who has come into his presence among devas, humans, monastics, and householders, he speaks thus: “Come, welcome”—this is the meaning. “Affable”: in this regard, what is affability? He is endowed with the affability spoken of in the manner beginning: “That speech which is blameless, pleasing to the ear,” meaning one of gentle speech. “Congenial”: skilled in hospitality; to those of the four assemblies who have arrived, he is one who speaks words of greeting first, as if dispelling all the fatigue of the road in the manner beginning: “Is it tolerable, monks, is it manageable?”—this is the meaning. “Without a frown”: just as some, having approached an assembly, are stiff-faced and scowling, he is not like this; rather, upon seeing an assembly, his lotus-face blossoms like a lotus touched by the morning sun, and becomes radiant like the full moon. “Open-faced”: just as some, as if with overturned faces, do not say anything to an assembled audience and are exceedingly difficult to converse with, he is not of such a kind. But the ascetic Gotama is easy to converse with. Remorse does not arise in those who have approached his presence, [wondering,] “Why have we come here?”; rather, he shows that having heard the Dhamma, they are joyful. “First to speak”: when speaking, he speaks first; and he speaks only what is timely, measured, and connected with the benefit, not useless talk.

“Nor in that village”: where the Blessed One resides, it is said that powerful deities take up protection; relying on that, there is no adversity for humans. For only the earth-goblins and the like harass humans, and by the deities' power they depart far away. Moreover, even through the power of the Blessed One's loving-kindness, non-humans do not harass humans.

In the phrases beginning with “possessing a community”: he has a community that is to be instructed or generated by himself, thus he is “possessing a community.” He has such a group, thus he is “possessing a group”; or this is a synonym for the previous term. A teacher of a group by way of training in conduct, thus a “group-teacher.” “Of many sectarians”: of numerous founders of sects. “In whatever way”: for any reason whatsoever, even merely by being an ascetic or the like. “Gathers”: approaches from all sides, increases.

“They become guests to us”: they are newcomers, novices, guests to us—this is the meaning. “I master”: I know. “Of boundless praise”: he shows, “[His praise] is immeasurable even by an omniscient one of such nature, how much more so by someone like me.” And this too has been said:

“Even a Buddha could speak the praise of a Buddha,
For an aeon, if speaking nothing else;
The long, enduring aeon would come to an end in the meantime,
[Yet] the praise of the Tathāgata would not come to an end.”

Having heard this account of the Teacher's virtues, those brahmins thought: 'Just as the brahmin Soṇadaṇḍa speaks the praises of the ascetic Gotama, indeed the master Gotama possesses supreme virtues. Now, our teacher, although knowing his virtues, has waited too long. Come, let us follow him!' Thus they followed him. Therefore, when this was said, 'those brahmins' and so forth was stated. In that passage, 'surely fitting' (alameva) means entirely appropriate. 'Even with a bag of provisions' (api puṭosenā): puṭosa refers to provisions for a journey; the meaning is that it is entirely appropriate to approach even taking that. There is also the reading puṭaṃsena; its meaning is: one who has a bag on his shoulder (aṃsa) is a puṭaṃsa; thus, 'by one carrying a shoulder-bag'. For it means even carrying a bag of provisions on one's shoulder.

Explanation of Soṇadaṇḍa's Reflections

'Having entered within the grove of trees' (tirovanasaṇḍagatassa) means having gone inside the grove of trees, having entered inside the monastery. 'Having extended an añjali' (añjaliṃ paṇāmetvā): these people took both sides; they thought: 'If those of wrong view reprove us, asking, "Why did you venerate the ascetic Gotama?", we will say to them, "Does merely raising the hands in an añjali constitute veneration?" If those of right view reprove us, asking, "Why did you not venerate the Blessed One?", we will say, "Does veneration consist only in striking the ground with one's head? Is not performing an añjali also veneration?"' 'Name and clan' (nāmagottaṃ): saying, 'Master Gotama, I am the son of so-and-so, named Datta, named Mitta, arrived here,' they announce their name. Saying, 'Master Gotama, I am a Vāseṭṭha, a Kaccāna by clan, arrived here,' they announce their clan. It is said that these poor, decrepit gentlemen acted in this way thinking, 'We shall become well known in the midst of the assembly through our names and clans.' Those, however, who sat down in silence were hypocrites and utter fools. Among them, the hypocrites sat down silently to free themselves [from obligation], thinking: 'Engaging in even one or two conversations leads to familiarity, and once there is familiarity, it is improper not to offer one or two alms.' The utter fools sat down in silence anywhere just out of ignorance, like a thrown lump of clay.

Explanation of the Designations of a Brahmin

'Mind with mind' (cetasā cetoparivitakkaṃ): the Blessed One, reflecting, 'Since the time he arrived, this brahmin has been sitting with a downcast face and a stiff body; what is he pondering, what indeed is he thinking?', knew his thought with His own mind. Hence it was said: 'having known the reflection of his mind with His mind.' 'Troubles himself' (vihaññati) means falls into vexation. 'Having surveyed the assembly' (anuviloketvā parisaṃ): through the Blessed One asking a question concerning his own tenets, his body and mind became completely tranquil, like one dying in water who has been lifted out and placed on dry ground; then, in order to win over the assembly, as if saying through a mere glance, 'Let the sirs attend to my words,' he surveyed the assembly and spoke thus to the Blessed One.

"Of those holding the sacrificial ladle" means either the first or the second among the brahmins taking up the ladle to perform a sacrifice: this is the meaning. The ancients say: "Of those accepting the great sacrifice offered with the sacrificial ladle." Thus the brahmin properly answered the question according to his own doctrine. But the Blessed One, in order to point out the supreme brahmin in particular, said: "Of these, however..." and so forth. "They said this": thinking, "If one endowed with birth, physical beauty, and mantras is not a brahmin, who then in the world will be a brahmin? This Soṇadaṇḍa is ruining us; come, let us reject his assertion," they said this. "Depreciates" means rejects. "Encroaches" means intrudes. They said this with the intention: "If you wish out of devotion to go to the ascetic Gotama for refuge, go; do not break the brahmin's doctrine!"

"He said this": when these brahmins were thus shouting all at once, thinking, "This talk will never reach an end; come, let me silence them and speak only with Soṇadaṇḍa," he said the words beginning with: "If to you..."

"With reasons" means with justifications. "Equally equal" means: setting aside equality in a single aspect, equal in status, equal in all aspects: this is the meaning. "I know his parents": how would he not know the parents of his sister's son? He is speaking only with reference to the illustration of his noble lineage. "He would utter even a lie": he would speak an untruth destructive to his own benefit. "What will physical beauty do?": when inner virtue is absent, what will it do? Could it possibly protect his brahminhood?—this is the meaning. But it might be said again: "They accomplish brahminhood for one established in natural morality"; even so, it is morality alone that will accomplish it, for when that is absent, he would have no brahminhood; hence physical beauty and the like are mere delusion. Having heard this, those brahmins became silent, thinking: "The teacher spoke what is true to reality; we complained without reason."

Explanation of the Discourse on Morality and Wisdom

Then the Blessed One thought: "The brahmin has answered the question. Can he stand firm on this point, or can he not?" In order to test him, he said: "Of these, however, brahmin..." and so forth. "Washed with morality" means purified by morality. "Where there is morality, there is wisdom": in whatever person there is morality, in that very person there is wisdom; whence could there be wisdom in one of bad morality? Or whence could there be morality in one devoid of wisdom, stupid, and deaf and dumb? "Morality-and-wisdom" means both morality and wisdom are morality-and-wisdom. "Wisdom-knowledge" is wisdom itself. "So it is, brahmin": the Blessed One said this, agreeing with the brahmin's statement. Therein, "wisdom washed with morality" means washed by the fourfold morality of purification. How, then, does one wash wisdom with morality? When an ordinary person's morality remains unbroken for sixty or eighty years, even at the time of death, having slain all defilements and washed wisdom with morality, he attains arahantship. Just like the sixty-year senior elder of the Kandarasāla cell. When that elder, lying on his deathbed, was groaning from severe pain, King Tissa the Great, having set out thinking "I will see the elder," stood at the door of the cell, heard that sound, and asked: "Whose sound is this?" "It is the elder's groaning sound." Thinking, "In sixty years of going forth, he has not even attained the grasping of feelings; I will not pay homage to him now," he turned back and went to pay homage to the Great Bodhi Tree. Then the young novice attendant said to the elder: "Why, venerable sir, do you bring shame upon us? Even the faithful king became remorseful, thought, 'I will not pay homage,' and left." "Why, friend?" "Because he heard the sound of your groaning." Saying, "In that case, make room for me," he suppressed the pain, attained arahantship, and gave a sign to the novice: "Go, friend; now have the king pay homage to us." The novice went and said: "They say you may now pay homage to the elder." The king, paying homage to the elder by prostrating like a falling crocodile, said: "I do not pay homage to the venerable one's arahantship; rather, I pay homage only to the morality protected while standing on the plane of an ordinary person." In this way, one is said to wash wisdom with morality. For one, however, who has no inner moral restraint, but through being one of quick comprehension washes morality with wisdom at the conclusion of a four-line verse and attains arahantship together with the analytical knowledges: this is called washing morality with wisdom. Just like the chief minister Santati.

"Which, however, is that, brahmin?": why did he say this? The Blessed One, it is said, considered: "Brahmins in the brahmin doctrine designate the five precepts as 'morality', and the wisdom of grasping the three Vedas as 'wisdom'. They do not know any higher distinction. What if, having shown the brahmin the morality of the path and the morality of the fruit, and the wisdom of the path and the wisdom of the fruit, which are higher distinctions, I should conclude the discourse with the pinnacle of arahantship?" Then, desiring to speak of this, he asked: "Which, however, is that morality, brahmin, and which is that wisdom?" Then the brahmin thought: "I have answered the question according to my own doctrine. But the ascetic Gotama turns around and questions me again; now, will I be able to answer so as to satisfy his mind, or not? If I am not able, even the shame that arose earlier will be broken. But when one is unable, there is no fault in saying 'I cannot.'" So turning around and throwing the burden back onto the Blessed One, he said the words beginning with: "We have gone only this far..." Therein, "we have gone only this far" means: only this word, 'morality-and-wisdom', is the utmost for us; we have gone only this far, and beyond this we do not know the meaning of this statement: this is the meaning.