Tevijjasutta 20.1-9

20.1

“Evameva kho, vāseṭṭha, na kira tevijjehi brāhmaṇehi brahmā sakkhidiṭṭho, napi kira tevijjānaṃ brāhmaṇānaṃ ācariyehi brahmā sakkhidiṭṭho, napi kira tevijjānaṃ brāhmaṇānaṃ ācariyapācariyehi brahmā sakkhidiṭṭho.

“In the same way,

20.2

Napi kira tevijjānaṃ brāhmaṇānaṃ yāva sattamā ācariyāmahayugehi brahmā sakkhidiṭṭho.

20.3

Yepi kira tevijjānaṃ brāhmaṇānaṃ pubbakā isayo mantānaṃ kattāro mantānaṃ pavattāro, yesamidaṃ etarahi tevijjā brāhmaṇā porāṇaṃ mantapadaṃ gītaṃ pavuttaṃ samihitaṃ, tadanugāyanti, tadanubhāsanti, bhāsitamanubhāsanti, vācitamanuvācenti, seyyathidaṃ—aṭṭhako vāmako vāmadevo vessāmitto yamataggi aṅgīraso bhāradvājo vāseṭṭho kassapo bhagu, tepi na evamāhaṃsu:

20.4

‘mayametaṃ jānāma, mayametaṃ passāma, yattha vā brahmā, yena vā brahmā, yahiṃ vā brahmā’ti.

20.5

Teva tevijjā brāhmaṇā evamāhaṃsu:

20.6

‘yaṃ na jānāma, yaṃ na passāma, tassa sahabyatāya maggaṃ desema—ayameva ujumaggo ayamañjasāyano niyyāniko niyyāti takkarassa brahmasahabyatāyā’ti.

20.7

Taṃ kiṃ maññasi, vāseṭṭha, nanu evaṃ sante tevijjānaṃ brāhmaṇānaṃ appāṭihīrakataṃ bhāsitaṃ sampajjatī”ti?

doesn’t the statement of those brahmins turn out to have no demonstrable basis?”

20.8

“Addhā kho, bho gotama, evaṃ sante tevijjānaṃ brāhmaṇānaṃ appāṭihīrakataṃ bhāsitaṃ sampajjatī”ti.

“Clearly that’s the case, worthy Gotama.”

20.9

“Sādhu, vāseṭṭha, te vata, vāseṭṭha, tevijjā brāhmaṇā yaṃ na jānanti, yaṃ na passanti, tassa sahabyatāya maggaṃ desessanti—ayameva ujumaggo ayamañjasāyano niyyāniko niyyāti takkarassa brahmasahabyatāyāti netaṃ ṭhānaṃ vijjati.

“Good, Vāseṭṭha. For it is impossible that they should teach the path to that which they neither know nor see.