Brahmajalasutta 2.26
Brahmajālasutta 2.26
- Language
- Pāli
2.26.1
Tatiye ca bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā kimāgamma kimārabbha amarāvikkhepikā tattha tattha pañhaṃ puṭṭhā samānā vācāvikkhepaṃ āpajjanti amarāvikkhepaṃ?
And what is the third ground on which they rely?
2.26.2
Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā ‘idaṃ kusalan’ti yathābhūtaṃ nappajānāti, ‘idaṃ akusalan’ti yathābhūtaṃ nappajānāti.
It’s when some ascetic or brahmin doesn’t truly understand what is skillful and what is unskillful.
2.26.3
Tassa evaṃ hoti:
They think:
2.26.4
‘ahaṃ kho “idaṃ kusalan”ti yathābhūtaṃ nappajānāmi, “idaṃ akusalan”ti yathābhūtaṃ nappajānāmi.
‘I don’t truly understand what is skillful and what is unskillful.
2.26.5
Ahañce kho pana “idaṃ kusalan”ti yathābhūtaṃ appajānanto “idaṃ akusalan”ti yathābhūtaṃ appajānanto “idaṃ kusalan”ti vā byākareyyaṃ, “idaṃ akusalan”ti vā byākareyyaṃ;
Suppose I were to declare that something was skillful or unskillful.
2.26.6
santi hi kho samaṇabrāhmaṇā paṇḍitā nipuṇā kataparappavādā vālavedhirūpā, te bhindantā maññe caranti paññāgatena diṭṭhigatāni,
There are astute ascetics and brahmins who are subtle, accomplished in the doctrines of others, hair-splitters. You’d think they live to demolish convictions with their intellect.
2.26.7
te maṃ tattha samanuyuñjeyyuṃ samanugāheyyuṃ samanubhāseyyuṃ.
They might pursue, press, and grill me about that.
2.26.8
Ye maṃ tattha samanuyuñjeyyuṃ samanugāheyyuṃ samanubhāseyyuṃ, tesāhaṃ na sampāyeyyaṃ.
I’d be stumped by such a grilling.
2.26.9
Yesāhaṃ na sampāyeyyaṃ, so mamassa vighāto.
That would be stressful for me,
2.26.10
Yo mamassa vighāto, so mamassa antarāyo’ti.
and that stress would be an obstacle.’
2.26.11
Iti so anuyogabhayā anuyogaparijegucchā nevidaṃ kusalanti byākaroti, na panidaṃ akusalanti byākaroti, tattha tattha pañhaṃ puṭṭho samāno vācāvikkhepaṃ āpajjati amarāvikkhepaṃ:
So from fear and disgust with examination they avoid stating whether something is skillful or unskillful. Whenever they’re asked a question, they resort to verbal flip-flops and endless flip-flops:
2.26.12
‘evantipi me no; tathātipi me no; aññathātipi me no; notipi me no; no notipi me no’ti.
‘I don’t say it’s like this. I don’t say it’s like that. I don’t say it’s otherwise. I don’t say it’s not so. And I don’t deny it’s not so.’
2.26.13
Idaṃ, bhikkhave, tatiyaṃ ṭhānaṃ, yaṃ āgamma yaṃ ārabbha eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā amarāvikkhepikā tattha tattha pañhaṃ puṭṭhā samānā vācāvikkhepaṃ āpajjanti amarāvikkhepaṃ.
This is the third ground on which some ascetics and brahmins rely when resorting to verbal flip-flops and endless flip-flops.
Translations (5)
- Наставление о величайшей сети — Russian
- Najobuhvatnija mreža gledišta — sr
- Das göttliche Netz — German
- The Divine Net — English
- Brahmajala Sutta (Dialogues of the Buddha) — English
Commentaries (1)
- Sumaṅgalavilāsinī — Buddhaghosa, Pāli
Linked texts (3)
- 長阿含經 — Classical Chinese
- 梵網六十二見經 — Classical Chinese
- Mahāniddesa — Pāli