Viyahapannatti 5.4: Uddeśaka 4: śabda

“Venerable Sir! Does an unliberated human hear sounds being played, namely: sounds of conches, or sounds of horns, or sounds of small conches, or sounds of kharamukhīs, or sounds of potās, or sounds of piripiriyās, or sounds of paṇavas, or sounds of drums, or sounds of bhaṃbhās, or sounds of horambhas, or sounds of kettle-drums, or sounds of cymbals, or sounds of dundubhis, or stringed instruments, or percussion instruments, or solid instruments, or wind instruments?”
“Yes, Gautama! An unliberated human hears sounds being played, namely: sounds of conches, and so on, up to wind instruments.”
“Venerable Sir, does he hear them touched [by the auditory organ] or untouched?”
“Gautama! He hears them touched, not untouched.”
“Venerable Sir, those which he hears touched, does he hear them entered or un-entered?”
“Gautama! He hears them entered, not un-entered.”
“Venerable Sir, those which he hears entered, does he hear them immediately entered or intermediately entered?”
“Gautama! He hears them immediately entered, not intermediately entered.”
“Venerable Sir, those which he hears immediately entered, does he hear them subtle or gross?”
“Gautama! He hears subtle ones as well, and gross ones as well.”
“Venerable Sir, those which he hears subtle as well as gross, does he hear them above, below, or horizontally?”
“Gautama! He hears them above as well, below as well, and horizontally as well.”
“Venerable Sir, those which he hears above as well, below as well, and horizontally as well, does he hear them at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end?”
“Gautama! He hears them at the beginning as well, in the middle as well, and at the end as well.”
“Venerable Sir, those which he hears at the beginning as well, in the middle as well, and at the end as well, does he hear them within range or out of range?”
“Gautama! He hears them within range, not out of range.”
“Venerable Sir, those which he hears within range, does he hear them in sequence or out of sequence?”
“Gautama! He hears them in sequence, not out of sequence.”
“Venerable Sir, those which he hears in sequence, does he hear them from three directions […] up to from six directions?”
“Gautama! By necessity, he hears them from six directions.”
“Venerable Sir! Does an unliberated human hear sounds that are near or that are distant?”
“Gautama! He hears sounds that are near, not that are distant.”
“Venerable Sir, just as an unliberated human hears sounds that are near, not that are distant, does an omniscient one likewise hear sounds that are near or that are distant?”
“Gautama! An omniscient one knows and sees sound whether near or distant, all [sounds] far and close, endless [sounds].”
“For what reason, Venerable Sir, is it said: ‘An omniscient one knows and sees sound whether near or distant, all far and close, endless’?”
“Gautama! In the eastern direction, an omniscient one knows the finite and also knows the infinite. Likewise in the south, in the west, in the north, above, and below, he knows the finite and also knows the infinite.
An omniscient one knows everything; an omniscient one sees everything.
An omniscient one knows in all respects; an omniscient one sees in all respects.
An omniscient one knows at all times; an omniscient one sees at all times.
An omniscient one knows in all modes; an omniscient one sees in all modes.
Endless is the knowledge of an omniscient one; endless is the intuition of an omniscient one.
Unveiled is the knowledge of an omniscient one; unveiled is the intuition of an omniscient one. For that reason, Gautama, it is said: ‘An omniscient one knows and sees sound whether near or distant, all far and close, endless.’”

"Venerable Sir! Would an unliberated human laugh or become eager?"
"Yes, he would laugh or become eager."
"Venerable Sir, just as an unliberated human would laugh or become eager, would an omniscient one likewise laugh or become eager?"
"Gautama! That is not correct."
"For what reason, Venerable Sir, is it said: 'Just as an unliberated human would laugh or become eager, an omniscient one would not likewise laugh or become eager'?"
"Gautama! It is because living beings laugh or become eager through the arising of conduct-deluding karma. That does not exist for an omniscient one. For that reason, Gautama, it is said: 'Just as an unliberated human would laugh or become eager, an omniscient one would not likewise laugh or become eager.'"
"Venerable Sir, while laughing or becoming eager, how many karma types does a jīva bind?"
"Gautama! He binds seven types or eight types. Thus up to the celestial beings. In plural, with the exception of [the general category of] jīvas and one-sensed beings, there are three alternatives.
"Venerable Sir! Would an unliberated human sleep or doze?"
"Yes, he would sleep or doze."
"Venerable Sir, just as an unliberated human would sleep or doze, would an omniscient one likewise sleep or doze?"
"Gautama! That is not correct."
"For what reason, Venerable Sir, is it said: 'Just as an unliberated human would sleep or doze, an omniscient one would not likewise sleep or doze'?"
"Gautama! It is because living beings sleep or doze through the arising of perception-obscuring karma. That does not exist for an omniscient one. For that reason, Gautama, it is said: 'Just as an unliberated human would sleep or doze, an omniscient one would not likewise sleep or doze.'"
"Venerable Sir, while sleeping or dozing, how many karma types does a jīva bind?"
"Gautama! He binds seven types or eight types. Thus up to the celestial beings. In plural, with the exception of [the general category of] jīvas and one-sensed beings, there are three alternatives."

"Venerable Sir! Is it that Hariṇagameṣin, Śakra's messenger, when transferring a woman's embryo, transfers it from the womb to the womb? Does he transfer it from the womb to the birth canal? Does he transfer it from the birth canal to the womb? Or does he transfer it from the birth canal to the birth canal?"
"Gautama! He does not transfer it from the womb to the womb, he does not transfer it from the womb to the birth canal, he does not transfer it from the birth canal to the birth canal; touching it again and again, without affliction, he transfers it without affliction from the birth canal to the womb."
"Venerable Sir! Is Hariṇagameṣin, Śakra's messenger, capable of inserting or extracting a woman's embryo through the tip of a nail or through a pore of the hair?"
"Yes, he is capable. And he would not cause that embryo any affliction or disease, but he would make a skin incision. And having made it extremely subtle, he would insert it or extract it."

At that time and in that period, there was a disciple of the Śramaṇa, the Venerable Mahāvīra, a young monk named Atimukta, naturally gentle, naturally pacified, with naturally attenuated anger, pride, deceit, and greed, endowed with softness and mildness, secluded, and disciplined.
Then, on one occasion, when a great mass of rain was falling, that young monk Atimukta set out outside to ease nature, taking his broom and alms-bowl under his arm.
Then that young monk Atimukta saw a flowing stream of water; having seen it, he built an earthen dam, and having built it, saying 'My boat, my boat,' like a boatman making his alms-bowl into a boat, sailed it along the water and amused himself. And the senior monks saw him. They went to where the Śramaṇa, the Venerable Mahāvīra was, and having approached, spoke thus:
"Indeed, Beloved of the Gods, you have a disciple, a young monk named Atimukta. Venerable Sir, in how many rebirths will that young monk Atimukta become perfected, enlightened, liberated, completely unburdened, and make an end of all suffering?"
'O Noble Ones!' the Śramaṇa, the Venerable Mahāvīra said thus to those senior monks: "Indeed, Noble Ones, my disciple, the young monk named Atimukta, is naturally gentle […] up to […] disciplined; that young monk Atimukta will become perfected […] up to […] make an end [of all suffering] in this very birth. Therefore, Noble Ones, do not disparage, reproach, revile, blame, or disrespect the young monk Atimukta! Beloved of the Gods, tirelessly look after the young monk Atimukta, tirelessly support him, tirelessly attend upon him with food, drink, and modest reverence! The young monk Atimukta is indeed one who puts an end [to karma], one in his final embodiment."
Then those revered senior monks, having been addressed thus by the Śramaṇa, the Venerable Mahāvīra, venerated and paid homage to the Śramaṇa, the Venerable Mahāvīra, and tirelessly looked after the young monk Atimukta, tirelessly supported him, and tirelessly attended upon him with food, drink, and modest reverence.

At that time, in that period, two gods of great supernatural power and up to great majesty appeared from the Mahāśukra kalpa, from the Mahāsāmāṇa celestial abode, in the presence of the Śramaṇa Lord Mahāvīra. Then those gods paid homage and bowed down to the Śramaṇa Lord Mahāvīra, and in mind alone asked this kind of question:
‘Venerable Sir! How many hundreds of disciples of the Beloved of the gods will attain liberation and up to make an end [to suffering]?’
Then the Śramaṇa Lord Mahāvīra, having been asked in mind by those gods, answered this kind of question in mind alone to those gods: ‘Thus indeed, O Beloved of the gods! Seven hundred of my disciples will attain liberation and up to make an end [to suffering].’
Then those gods, having asked the Śramaṇa Lord Mahāvīra in mind and having been answered in mind alone this kind of question, being pleased, delighted, rejoiced in heart, glad, joyful-minded, exceedingly cheerful, their hearts expanding with delight, paid homage and bowed down to the Śramaṇa Lord Mahāvīra; having paid homage and bowed down, listening with devotion in mind alone, bowing down, facing [him] with modesty, with joined hands, they attended upon him.
At that time, in that period, the eldest disciple of the Śramaṇa Lord Mahāvīra, the homeless ascetic named Indrabhūti, up to nearby, with knees raised, head bowed, absorbed in meditation, dwelt applying himself to self-restraint and austerity. Then, while that Venerable Gautama was in a pause between meditations, this kind of internal, reflected, wished-for, mental thought arose:
‘Thus indeed, two gods of great supernatural power and up to great majesty have appeared in the presence of the Śramaṇa Lord Mahāvīra; but indeed I do not know those gods, from which kalpa or heaven or celestial abode, or for what purpose, have they come here so quickly? Therefore, let me go to the Śramaṇa Lord Mahāvīra, pay homage, bow down, up to attend upon him, and ask these kinds of questions.’ Reflecting thus, having reflected, he rose up from his seat; having risen, he went to where the Śramaṇa Lord Mahāvīra was, up to attended upon him.
‘Gautama!’ The Śramaṇa Lord Mahāvīra said thus to the Venerable Gautama: ‘Indeed, Gautama, while you were in a pause between meditations, did this kind of internal [thought arise], up to you have come quickly to my presence—is this matter correct, Gautama?’
‘Yes, [Lord], it is so.’
‘Then go, Gautama! These very gods will explain these kinds of matters.’
Then the Venerable Gautama, having been permitted by the Śramaṇa Lord Mahāvīra, paid homage and bowed down to the Śramaṇa Lord Mahāvīra, and set out to go to where those gods were.
Then those gods saw the Venerable Gautama coming; having seen him, pleased, delighted, rejoiced in heart, glad, joyful-minded, exceedingly cheerful, their hearts expanding with delight, they quickly arose; having quickly arisen, they advanced, went to where the Venerable Gautama was, up to bowed down, and spoke thus:
‘Thus indeed, Venerable Sir! We two gods of great supernatural power and up to great majesty appeared from the Mahāśukra kalpa, from the Mahāsāmāṇa celestial abode, in the presence of the Śramaṇa Lord Mahāvīra. Then we paid homage and bowed down to the Śramaṇa Lord Mahāvīra; having paid homage and bowed down, we asked this kind of question in mind alone:
“Venerable Sir! How many hundreds of disciples of the Beloved of the gods will attain liberation and up to make an end [to suffering]?”
Then the Śramaṇa Lord Mahāvīra, having been asked in mind by us, answered this kind of question to us in mind alone: “Thus indeed, O Beloved of the gods! Seven hundred of my disciples [will attain liberation and] up to make an end [to suffering].” Then we, having asked the Śramaṇa Lord Mahāvīra in mind alone and having been answered this kind of question in mind alone, paid homage and bowed down to the Śramaṇa Lord Mahāvīra, up to attended upon him.’ Having said this, they paid homage and bowed down to the Venerable Gautama; having paid homage and bowed down, they returned in the very direction from which they had appeared.

‘Venerable Sir!’—The Venerable Gautama paid homage and bowed down to the Śramaṇa Lord Mahāvīra, up to spoke thus:
‘Venerable Sir! Should gods be called “restrained”?’
‘Gautama! That meaning is not correct; this would be a false imputation against the gods.’
‘Venerable Sir! Should they also be called “unrestrained”?’
‘Gautama! That meaning is not correct; this would be a harsh statement regarding the gods.’
‘Venerable Sir! Should they be called “partially restrained”?’
‘Gautama! That meaning is not correct; this would be untrue regarding the gods.’
‘Then what, Venerable Sir, should the gods be called?’
‘Gautama! The gods should be called “non-restrained” [no-saṃyata].’

‘Venerable Sir! In which language do gods speak? And which language, when spoken, is superior?’
‘Gautama! The gods speak in the Ardhamāgadhī language. And that Ardhamāgadhī language, when spoken, is superior.’

‘Venerable Sir! Does a kevalin know and see one who makes an end [to rebirth], or one in their final body?’
‘Yes, [Gautama,] he knows and sees [them].’
‘Venerable Sir! Just as a kevalin knows and sees one who makes an end, or one in their final body, does a non-omniscient [chadmastha] also likewise know and see one who makes an end, or one in their final body?’
‘Gautama! That meaning is not correct. He knows and sees [them] having heard [it], or by means of valid cognition [pramāṇa].’
‘What is that “having heard [it]”?’
‘Having heard [it] indeed from a kevalin, or from a kevalin’s lay follower, or from a kevalin’s female lay follower, or from a kevalin’s lay votary [upāsaka], or from a kevalin’s female lay votary [upāsikā], or from an adherent of their side, or from an adherent’s lay follower, or from an adherent’s female lay follower, or from an adherent’s lay votary, or from an adherent’s female lay votary. That is what “having heard [it]” means.’

"And what is pramāṇa?"
"Pramāṇa is declared to be of four kinds, namely: perception, inference, analogy, and scripture. As [explained] in the Anuyogadvāra, so should pramāṇa be understood, up to: beyond that, both the text and the meaning are not self-scripture (ātmāgama), nor immediate scripture (anantarāgama), but traditional scripture (paramparāgama)."

"Venerable Sir! Does a kevalin know and see the final karma or final dissipation (nirjarā)?"
"Yes, he knows and sees [it]."
"Venerable Sir! Just as a kevalin knows and sees the final karma or final dissipation, does one who is unliberated (chadmastha) also know and see the final karma or final dissipation?"
"Gautama! That meaning is not competent. He knows and sees by hearing, or by means of pramāṇa. Just as the passage concerning the terminator (antakara), so too concerning final karma should everything be understood in full without remainder."

"Venerable Sir! Can a kevalin maintain exalted mind or speech?"
"Yes, he can maintain [them]."
"Venerable Sir! When a kevalin maintains exalted mind or speech, do the vaimānika gods know and see that?"
"Gautama! Some know and see, some do not know and do not see."
"Venerable Sir! For what reason is it said: 'Some know and see, some do not know and do not see'?"
"Gautama! Vaimānika gods are declared to be of two kinds, namely: those reborn as deceitful ones with wrong view (mithyādṛṣṭi), and those reborn as non-deceitful ones with right view (samyagdṛṣṭi). There, those who are reborn as deceitful ones with wrong view do not know and do not see. There, those who are reborn as non-deceitful ones with right view know and see."
"For what reason?"
"Gautama! The non-deceitful ones with right view are declared to be of two kinds, namely: the immediately reborn and the non-immediately reborn. There, those who are immediately reborn do not know and do not see. There, those who are non-immediately reborn know and see."
"For what reason?"
"Gautama! The non-immediately reborn are declared to be of two kinds, namely: the undeveloped (aparyāpta) and the fully developed (paryāpta). There, those who are undeveloped do not know and do not see. There, those who are fully developed know and see."
"For what reason?"
"Gautama! The fully developed are declared to be of two kinds, namely: the inattentive (anupayukta) and the attentive (upayukta). There, those who are inattentive do not know and do not see. There, those who are attentive know and see. For that reason, Gautama, it is said: 'Some know and see, some do not know and do not see.'"

"Venerable Sir! Are the anuttaropapātika gods able, remaining right there, to engage in talk or conversation with a kevalin who is here?"
"Yes, they are able."
"Venerable Sir! For what reason is it said: 'The anuttaropapātika gods are able, remaining right there, to engage in talk or conversation with a kevalin who is here'?"
"Gautama! When the anuttaropapātika gods, remaining right there, ask about a meaning, a reason, a question, a cause, or an explanation, the kevalin who is here explains the meaning, the reason, the question, the cause, or the explanation. For that reason, Gautama, it is said: 'The anuttaropapātika gods are able, remaining right there, to engage in talk or conversation with a kevalin who is here.'"
"Venerable Sir! When the kevalin who is here explains a meaning, a reason, a question, a cause, or an explanation, do the anuttaropapātika gods, remaining right there, know and see that?"
"Yes, they know and see [it]."
"Venerable Sir! For what reason is it said: 'When the kevalin who is here explains a meaning, a reason, a question, a cause, or an explanation, the anuttaropapātika gods, remaining right there, know and see that'?"
"Gautama! Those gods have acquired, obtained, and fully possessed infinite matter groups of mind (manodravyavargaṇā). For that reason, Gautama, it is said: 'When the kevalin who is here explains a meaning, a reason, a question, a cause, or an explanation, the anuttaropapātika gods, remaining right there, know and see that.'"

"Venerable Sir! Are the anuttaropapātika gods those whose delusion is activated (udīrṇa)? Those whose delusion is calmed (upaśānta)? Or those whose delusion is destroyed (kṣīṇa)?"
"Gautama! They are not those whose delusion is activated; their delusion is calmed; they are not those whose delusion is destroyed."

"Venerable Sir! Does a kevalin know and see by means of sense organs (ādāna)?"
"Gautama! That meaning is not competent."
"Venerable Sir! For what reason is it said: 'A kevalin does not know and see by means of sense organs'?"
"Gautama! To the east, a kevalin knows both the finite and the infinite. Likewise to the south, to the west, to the north, above, and below, he knows both the finite and the infinite.
A kevalin knows everything; a kevalin sees everything.
A kevalin knows from everywhere; a kevalin sees from everywhere.
A kevalin knows at all times; a kevalin sees at all times.
A kevalin knows in all states; a kevalin sees in all states.
Infinite is the knowledge of a kevalin; infinite is the intuition of a kevalin.
Unobscured is the knowledge of a kevalin; unobscured is the intuition of a kevalin. For that reason, Gautama, it is said: 'A kevalin does not know and see by means of sense organs.'"

“Venerable Sir, when an omniscient in this moment remains occupying certain space-points with a hand, or a foot, or an arm, or a thigh, is an omniscient capable, even in a subsequent moment, of remaining occupying those very space-points with a hand, or a foot, or an arm, or a thigh?”
“Gautama, this meaning is not tenable.”
“For what reason, Venerable Sir, is it said that when an omniscient in this moment remains occupying certain space-points with a hand, or a foot, or an arm, or a thigh, an omniscient is not capable, even in a subsequent moment, of remaining occupying those very space-points with a hand, or a foot, or an arm, or a thigh?”
“Gautama, an omniscient's physical instruments are unsteady on account of energy, activity, and soul-substance.
And because the physical instruments are unsteady, when an omniscient in this moment remains occupying certain space-points with a hand, or a foot, or an arm, or a thigh, an omniscient is not capable, even in a subsequent moment, of remaining occupying those very space-points with a hand, or a foot, or an arm, or a thigh.
For that reason, Gautama, it is said that when an omniscient in this moment remains occupying certain space-points with a hand, or a foot, or an arm, or a thigh, an omniscient is not capable, even in a subsequent moment, of remaining occupying those very space-points with a hand, or a foot, or an arm, or a thigh.”

“Is one who knows the fourteen Pūrvas capable, Venerable Sir, of producing and displaying a thousand pots from a pot, a thousand cloths from a cloth, a thousand mats from a mat, a thousand chariots from a chariot, a thousand umbrellas from an umbrella, [and] a thousand staffs from a staff?”
“Yes, he is capable.”
“For what reason is one who knows the fourteen Pūrvas capable of producing up to displaying [them]?”
“Gautama, one who knows the fourteen Pūrvas has obtained, attained, and fully acquired infinite substances being divided by way of heap-division.
For that reason, Gautama, it is said that one who knows the fourteen Pūrvas is capable of producing and displaying a thousand pots from a pot, a thousand cloths from a cloth, a thousand mats from a mat, a thousand chariots from a chariot, a thousand umbrellas from an umbrella, [and] a thousand staffs from a staff.”
“So it is, Venerable Sir! So it is, Venerable Sir!”