This sūtra exists today in (at least) four versions found in Pali and Middle Chinese: EĀ 44.6, MN 1, T56, and MĀ 106. While all four versions are apparently derived from some common teaching, it’s easiest to think of them as two recensions, each with two witnesses: MN 1 and EĀ 44.6 are one closely related pair, and T56 and MĀ 106 are another. It seems possible that the real difference is that T56 and MĀ 106 represent the Sarvāstivāda tradition, which has a shorter and longer version, and MN 1 and EĀ 44.6 represent another tradition, which also exists today as a shorter and longer version.
In this first comparison, I will present EĀ 44.6 and MN 1. Part 2 will present a similar analysis of T56 and MĀ 106. In Part 3, I’ll attempt to suss out what we can of a potential ancestor text that all four developed from.
The Common Features of EĀ 44.6 vs. MN 1
The close relationship between these two sūtras is made clear in several ways:
1. Similar Titles
The Pali title mūlapariyāya is typically interpreted to mean “the root cause” or the “the root teaching method.” The Buddha also refers to the discourse as sabbadhammamūlapariyāya, or “teaching method of the root of all things.” EĀ 44.6 is named 一切諸法之本 by the Buddha in both the introduction and conclusion of the text, and a shortened form is found in Chapter 44’s uddana verse1 (法之本 @ T125.2.769b6). This title could easily be read as “the root of all things” or “the root of all teaching methods.”
2. Internal Structure
These two sūtras bear a strong resemblance in their overall structure, more so than they do with T56 and MĀ 106. This table summarizes the parallel structure of these two texts along side that of the other parallels:
| EĀ 44.6 | MN 1 | T56 / MĀ 106 |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction | Introduction | |
| Ordinary person | Ordinary person | Ascetics and Priests (1) |
| Noble disciple | Trainee | Ascetics and Priests (2) |
| Arhat disciple | Arhat disciple (1) | |
| Arhat (2) | ||
| Arhat (3) | ||
| Arhat (4) | ||
| Tathāgata | Tathāgata (1) | Tathāgata |
| Tathāgata (2) | ||
| Conclusion |
3. The List of Concepts
They show a great deal of similarity with each other in the general make-up of the list of concepts used to illustrate the various ways people do or don’t indulge in conceptualization. The commonality can be seen when these lists are placed alongside each other and MĀ 106:
| EĀ 44.6 | MN 1 | MĀ 106 |
|---|---|---|
| Earth, water, fire air | Earth, water, fire, air | Earth, water, fire, air |
| People and gods | Creatures and gods | Spirits and gods |
| Brahmas, Mahābrahmā, Ābhāsvara, Śubhakṛtsna, Bṛhatphala, Avṛhātapa | Pajāpati, Brahma, Ābhassara, Subhakiṇha, Vehapphala, Abhibhu | Prajāpati, Brahmā, Avṛha, Atapa, Purity (Subha?) |
| The four formless heavens | The four formless heavens | The four formless heavens |
| oneness, distinction, and diversity | ||
| What’s seen, heard, wanted, and knowledge | What’s seen (diṭṭha), heard (suta), thought (muta), known (viññāta) | what’s seen, heard, discerned, known, found, investigated, mental thought, mental intention, from this world to that world, from that world to this world |
| Oneness and diversity | Oneness and diversity | |
| The totality and Nirvāṇa | Everything and Nibbāna | Everything |
This list varies the most in the form heavens included and the types of experience, and these are the two sections where we see the more agreement between EĀ 44.6 and MN 1 than with T56 and MĀ 106.
A curiosity of these parallel lists is the last item in the list of form heavens. It’s possible that abhibhu in MN 1 was a phonetic corruption of an older Prakrit word like aviyādava that’s transliterated in EĀ 44.6. This word resolves to Gandhari avi’ā-adavā, or avṛha and atapa in Sanskrit. If that’s the case, then it may well be that all the parallels included these two heavens at one time, but the tradition that EĀ 44.6 and MN 1 represent inserted Ābhāsvara, Śubhakṛtsna, and Bṛhatphala as well.
For MĀ 106, we have a separate mystery in what “Purity” translated. Presumably it was a heaven, yet the Subha heavens are below Avṛha and Atapa, so perhaps it refers to the Śuddhāvāsa heavens instead with only the word Śuddha. T56 ends the form heavens in the same way, which leaves us with the same problem.
Differences Between EĀ 44.6 and MN 1
These two sūtras have a number of striking differences, too:
Expansion of Introduction and Conclusion
EĀ 44.6 has expanded both the introduction and conclusion compared to MN 1. EĀ’s introduction takes a moment to praise and name the teaching, and it’s conclusion wraps up the discourse with the Buddha bestowing a formal title and enjoining the monks to practice earnestly. In both texts, the Buddha addresses the monks and they respond.
Expansion of Iterations of the Main Formula
MN 1 has doubled the number of recitations of the list of concepts by repeating it three times for the arhat and once for the Tathāgata. This expansion seems fairly superficial, but ostensibly the added recitations are opportunities to describe the awakening of both in piecemeal fashion. EĀ 44.6 would appear to preserve the original discourse in this regard. What is interesting, however, is that the EĀ version does include the passages that MN 1 uses to create the additional iterations of the formula.2
EĀ 44.6 Doesn’t Mention “Self” and “What Belongs to Self”
The actual discussion of each concept is much simpler and makes no mention of a self or what belongs to a self the way MN 1, MĀ 106, and T56 do. This difference is interesting when we consider the larger sweep of Buddhist philosophical history, which saw the formulation and expansion of the concept of emptiness. The earliest form of that concept was that sentient beings were “empty” of a permanent self, nor did they “belong” to such a self. This was a repudiation of eternal soul theories that were popular throughout human history. That concept was eventually expanded to assert the emptiness of all things, arriving at a kind of non-essentialist nominalism. Whether or not this was the original teaching of the Buddha is unclear, but it certainly gained wide acceptance among Buddhists.
In this context, we could see EĀ 44.6 as an earlier “pre-emptiness” version of this sūtra. Instead of emptiness of self, EĀ 44.6 speaks of being attached, affected, and delighting in each item in the list. This is a theme that we see in many other Buddhist texts, such as in the Aggregates Saṃyutka of SĀ and SN. Whether or not this definition of liberation predates the right knowledge/emptiness teachings is of course difficult to really know. We can see a developmental history of the latter that appears to have gradually replaced the teaching of liberation as freedom from attachment and desire until we arrive at the fully mature Mahāyāna teaching, but when exactly either idea began is difficult to ascertain.
Below is a comparison of the treatments of earth for each category of practitioner in each version of the text:
| EĀ 44.6 | MN 1 | T56 | MĀ 106 |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Ordinary Person | |||
| 彼觀此地如實知之：『此是地如審是地；如實是地。』⋯於中而自娛樂。所以然者，非智者之所說也。 | pathaviṁ pathavito sañjānāti; pathaviṁ pathavito saññatvā pathaviṁ maññati, pathaviyā maññati, pathavito maññati, pathaviṁ meti maññati, pathaviṁ abhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Apariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. | 諸有沙門婆羅門，於地有地想。樂於地、計於地為我，彼言地是我。我說彼未知。 | 若有沙門、梵志於地有地想：『地即是神，地是神所，神是地所。』彼計地即是神已，便不知地。 |
| They observe this earth and really know it: “This is earth. Truly, this is earth. Really, this is earth” … They delight themselves in this. The reason for that is the teachings of unwise people. | They perceive earth as earth. Having perceived earth as earth, they conceive it to be earth, they conceive it in earth, they conceive it as earth, they conceive that ‘earth is mine’, they take pleasure in earth. Why is that? Because they haven’t completely understood it, I say. | There are ascetics and priests who conceive about earth that there is earth. They delight in earth and suppose that earth is a self. They say, “Earth is self.” I say they have yet to know it. | Suppose there are ascetics or priests who conceive about earth that there is earth: “Earth is the soul,” “earth belongs to the soul,” or “the soul belongs to earth.” Having conceived that earth is the soul, they don’t know earth. |
| The Trainee Disciple | |||
| 觀此地種，皆悉分明，知所來處。亦不著於地，無有污染之心。 | sopi pathaviṁ pathavito abhijānāti; pathaviṁ pathavito abhiññāya pathaviṁ mā maññi, pathaviyā mā maññi, pathavito mā maññi, pathaviṁ meti mā maññi, pathaviṁ mābhinandi. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Pariññeyyaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. | 諸有沙門婆羅門，計地為神通，不樂於地，不樂於地不計地為我，彼不言地是我。 | 若有沙門、梵志於地則知地： 『地非是神，地非神所，神非地所。』 彼不計地即是神已，彼便知地。 |
| They observe this element of earth, and they fully discern and understand it, know where it comes from. They aren’t attached to earth, and they don’t have any affected thoughts [about it]. | … directly knows earth as earth. Having directly known earth as earth, let them not conceive it to be earth, let them not conceive it in earth, let them not conceive it as earth, let them not conceive that ‘earth is mine’, let them not take pleasure in earth. Why is that? So that they may completely understand it, I say. | There are ascetics and priests whose supposing about earth is a spiritual penetration, and they don’t enjoy earth. Not enjoying earth, they don’t suppose that earth is self, and they don’t say, “Earth is self.” | Suppose an ascetic or priest knows about earth that it’s earth: “Earth isn’t a soul, earth doesn’t belong to a soul, and the soul doesn’t belong to earth.” Not supposing that earth is a soul, they know earth. |
| The Arhat Disciple | |||
| 彼能分別地種，都不起想著。 | sopi pathaviṁ pathavito abhijānāti; pathaviṁ pathavito abhiññāya pathaviṁ na maññati, pathaviyā na maññati, pathavito na maññati, pathaviṁ meti na maññati, pathaviṁ nābhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Pariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. | ||
| They are able to discern the element of earth and not produce any attachments or concepts [about it] at all. | … directly knows earth as earth. Having directly known earth as earth, they do not conceive it to be earth, they do not conceive it in earth, they do not conceive it as earth, they do not conceive that ‘earth is mine’, they do not take pleasure in earth. Why is that? Because they have completely understood it, I say. | ||
| The Tathāgata | |||
| 比丘，當知，如來、至真、等正覺善能分別於地。亦不著於地種，不起地種之想 | Tathāgatopi, bhikkhave, arahaṁ sammāsambuddho pathaviṁ pathavito abhijānāti; pathaviṁ pathavito abhiññāya pathaviṁ na maññati, pathaviyā na maññati, pathavito na maññati, pathaviṁ meti na maññati, pathaviṁ nābhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Pariññātantaṁ tathāgatassā’ti vadāmi. | 復次，我以地為神通，不樂地。不樂地，不以地為我，我不計地。 | 我於地則知地：『地非是神，地非神所，神非地所。』我不計地即是神已，我便知地。 |
| Monks, you should know, the Tathāgata, the Arhat and the Completely Awakened One, is able to skillfully discern earth. He is not attached to the element of earth and doesn’t produce concepts about the element of earth. | … directly knows earth as earth. Having directly known earth as earth, he does not conceive it to be earth, he does not conceive it in earth, he does not conceive it as earth, he does not conceive that ‘earth is mine’, he does not take pleasure in earth. Why is that? Because the Realized One has completely understood it to the end, I say. | Furthermore, my [supposing] about earth is a spiritual penetration, and it doesn’t delight me. Not being delighted, I don’t take earth to be self, and I don’t suppose that earth [is self, and I don’t say, “Earth is self.”] | I know about earth that it’s earth: “Earth isn’t a soul, earth doesn’t belong to a soul, and the soul doesn’t belong to earth.” Not supposing that earth is a soul, I know earth. |
Whatever historical process it was that led to these four versions, this arrangement from EĀ 44.6 to MĀ 106 seems to depict a developmental spectrum. It begins with a version (EĀ 44.6) that makes no mention of the concept of self but rather discusses attachment to and delight in concepts. It ends with a version (MĀ 106) that instead denies that the real view of earth involves seeing it as a self or belonging to a self without any mention of attachment or affect. The two versions in between (MN 1 and T56) combine elements of these two versions by mentioning both the conceptualizations about a self and delighting in said concepts. Given that MN 1 often follows the text of EĀ 44.6 quite closely, one is left to wonder if the inclusion of the emptiness of self isn’t a later redaction similar to the doubling of text’s length.
With that last observation, I will wrap up this essay with a correspondence table that places the parallel passages in EĀ 44.6 and MN 1 alongside each other.
Side by Side Correspondence of EĀ 44.6 and MN 1
| （六） 法之本 | 1. Mūlapariyāyasutta |
|---|---|
| 聞如是：一時，佛在優迦羅竹園中。與大比丘眾五百人俱。 | Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā ukkaṭṭhāyaṁ viharati subhagavane sālarājamūle. |
| 爾時，世尊告諸比丘：「我今與汝當說妙法，初善、中善、竟善，義理、深邃，清淨修行梵行。此經名曰：『一切諸法之本』。汝等善思念之。」 | Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “bhikkhavo”ti. “Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca: “sabbadhammamūlapariyāyaṁ vo, bhikkhave, desessāmi. Taṁ suṇātha, sādhukaṁ manasi karotha, bhāsissāmī”ti. |
| 諸比丘對曰：「如是，世尊！」是時，諸比丘從佛受教。 | “Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. |
| 佛告之曰：「彼云何名為一切諸法之本？於是，比丘，凡夫之人不覩賢聖之教，亦不掌護如來言教。不親近善知識，不受善知識言教。彼觀此地如實知之：『此是地如審是地；如實是地。』 | Bhagavā etadavoca: “Idha, bhikkhave, assutavā puthujjano ariyānaṁ adassāvī ariyadhammassa akovido ariyadhamme avinīto, sappurisānaṁ adassāvī sappurisadhammassa akovido sappurisadhamme avinīto— pathaviṁ pathavito sañjānāti; pathaviṁ pathavito saññatvā pathaviṁ maññati, pathaviyā maññati, pathavito maññati, pathaviṁ meti maññati, pathaviṁ abhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Apariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. |
| 亦復『是水』， | Āpaṁ āpato sañjānāti; āpaṁ āpato saññatvā āpaṁ maññati, āpasmiṁ maññati, āpato maññati, āpaṁ meti maññati, āpaṁ abhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Apariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. |
| 亦復『是火』， | Tejaṁ tejato sañjānāti; tejaṁ tejato saññatvā tejaṁ maññati, tejasmiṁ maññati, tejato maññati, tejaṁ meti maññati, tejaṁ abhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Apariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. |
| 亦復『是風。』 | Vāyaṁ vāyato sañjānāti; vāyaṁ vāyato saññatvā vāyaṁ maññati, vāyasmiṁ maññati, vāyato maññati, vāyaṁ meti maññati, vāyaṁ abhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Apariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. |
| 四事合以為人，愚者之所娛樂。 | Bhūte bhūtato sañjānāti; bhūte bhūtato saññatvā bhūte maññati, bhūtesu maññati, bhūtato maññati, bhūte meti maññati, bhūte abhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Apariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. |
| 天自知為天，樂於天中天。 | Deve devato sañjānāti; deve devato saññatvā deve maññati, devesu maññati, devato maññati, deve meti maññati, deve abhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Apariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. |
| Pajāpatiṁ pajāpatito sañjānāti; pajāpatiṁ pajāpatito saññatvā pajāpatiṁ maññati, pajāpatismiṁ maññati, pajāpatito maññati, pajāpatiṁ meti maññati, pajāpatiṁ abhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Apariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. | |
| 梵天自知為梵天。 | Brahmaṁ brahmato sañjānāti; brahmaṁ brahmato saññatvā brahmaṁ maññati, brahmasmiṁ maññati, brahmato maññati, brahmaṁ meti maññati, brahmaṁ abhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Apariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. |
| 大梵自知為大梵，無能出者； | |
| 光音天還自相知由光音天來； | Ābhassare ābhassarato sañjānāti; ābhassare ābhassarato saññatvā ābhassare maññati, ābhassaresu maññati, ābhassarato maññati, ābhassare meti maññati, ābhassare abhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Apariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. |
| 遍淨天自知為遍淨天。 | Subhakiṇhe subhakiṇhato sañjānāti; subhakiṇhe subhakiṇhato saññatvā subhakiṇhe maññati, subhakiṇhesu maññati, subhakiṇhato maññati, subhakiṇhe meti maññati, subhakiṇhe abhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Apariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. |
| 果實天自知為果實天而不錯亂。 | Vehapphale vehapphalato sañjānāti; vehapphale vehapphalato saññatvā vehapphale maññati, vehapphalesu maññati, vehapphalato maññati, vehapphale meti maññati, vehapphale abhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Apariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. |
| 阿毘耶陀天自知為阿毘耶陀天。 | Abhibhuṁ abhibhuto sañjānāti; abhibhuṁ abhibhuto saññatvā abhibhuṁ maññati, abhibhusmiṁ maññati, abhibhuto maññati, abhibhuṁ meti maññati, abhibhuṁ abhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Apariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. |
| 空處天自知為空處天。 | Ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ ākāsānañcāyatanato sañjānāti; ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ ākāsānañcāyatanato saññatvā ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ maññati, ākāsānañcāyatanasmiṁ maññati, ākāsānañcāyatanato maññati, ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ meti maññati, ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ abhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Apariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. |
| 識處天自知為識處天。 | Viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ viññāṇañcāyatanato sañjānāti; viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ viññāṇañcāyatanato saññatvā viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ maññati, viññāṇañcāyatanasmiṁ maññati, viññāṇañcāyatanato maññati, viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ meti maññati, viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ abhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Apariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. |
| 不用處天自知為不用處天。 | Ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ ākiñcaññāyatanato sañjānāti; ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ ākiñcaññāyatanato saññatvā ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ maññati, ākiñcaññāyatanasmiṁ maññati, ākiñcaññāyatanato maññati, ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ meti maññati, ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ abhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Apariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. |
| 有想無想處天自知為有想無想處天。 | Nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ nevasaññānāsaññāyatanato sañjānāti; nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ nevasaññānāsaññāyatanato saññatvā nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ maññati, nevasaññānāsaññāyatanasmiṁ maññati, nevasaññānāsaññāyatanato maññati, nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ meti maññati, nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ abhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Apariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. |
| 見者自知為見。 | Diṭṭhaṁ diṭṭhato sañjānāti; diṭṭhaṁ diṭṭhato saññatvā diṭṭhaṁ maññati, diṭṭhasmiṁ maññati, diṭṭhato maññati, diṭṭhaṁ meti maññati, diṭṭhaṁ abhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Apariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. |
| 聞者自知為聞。 | Sutaṁ sutato sañjānāti; sutaṁ sutato saññatvā sutaṁ maññati, sutasmiṁ maññati, sutato maññati, sutaṁ meti maññati, sutaṁ abhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Apariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. |
| Mutaṁ mutato sañjānāti; mutaṁ mutato saññatvā mutaṁ maññati, mutasmiṁ maññati, mutato maññati, mutaṁ meti maññati, mutaṁ abhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Apariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. | |
| 欲者自知為欲。 | |
| 智者自知為智。 | Viññātaṁ viññātato sañjānāti; viññātaṁ viññātato saññatvā viññātaṁ maññati, viññātasmiṁ maññati, viññātato maññati, viññātaṁ meti maññati, viññātaṁ abhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Apariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. |
| 一類自知為一類。 | Ekattaṁ ekattato sañjānāti; ekattaṁ ekattato saññatvā ekattaṁ maññati, ekattasmiṁ maññati, ekattato maññati, ekattaṁ meti maññati, ekattaṁ abhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Apariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. |
| 若干類自知為若干類。 | Nānattaṁ nānattato sañjānāti; nānattaṁ nānattato saññatvā nānattaṁ maññati, nānattasmiṁ maññati, nānattato maññati, nānattaṁ meti maññati, nānattaṁ abhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Apariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. |
| 悉具足自知為悉具足。 | Sabbaṁ sabbato sañjānāti; sabbaṁ sabbato saññatvā sabbaṁ maññati, sabbasmiṁ maññati, sabbato maññati, sabbaṁ meti maññati, sabbaṁ abhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Apariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. |
| 涅槃自知為涅槃。 | Nibbānaṁ nibbānato sañjānāti; nibbānaṁ nibbānato saññatvā nibbānaṁ maññati, nibbānasmiṁ maññati, nibbānato maññati, nibbānaṁ meti maññati, nibbānaṁ abhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Apariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. |
| 於中而自娛樂。所以然者，非智者之所說也。 | |
| Puthujjanavasena paṭhamanayabhūmiparicchedo niṭṭhito. | |
| 「若聖弟子往覲聖人，承受其法，與善知識從事，恒親近善知識。觀此地種，皆悉分明，知所來處。亦不著於地，無有污染之心。 | Yopi so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sekkho appattamānaso anuttaraṁ yogakkhemaṁ patthayamāno viharati, sopi pathaviṁ pathavito abhijānāti; pathaviṁ pathavito abhiññāya pathaviṁ mā maññi, pathaviyā mā maññi, pathavito mā maññi, pathaviṁ meti mā maññi, pathaviṁ mābhinandi. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Pariññeyyaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. |
| 水、火、風亦復如是⋯人⋯天⋯梵王⋯光音⋯遍淨⋯果實⋯阿毘耶陀天⋯空處⋯識處⋯不用處⋯有想無想處⋯見⋯聞⋯念⋯知⋯一種⋯若干種⋯乃至⋯於涅槃，亦不著於涅槃，不起涅槃之想。所以然者，皆由善分別、善觀察。 | Āpaṁ …pe… tejaṁ … vāyaṁ … bhūte … deve … pajāpatiṁ … brahmaṁ … ābhassare … subhakiṇhe … vehapphale … abhibhuṁ … ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ … viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ … ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ … nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ … diṭṭhaṁ … sutaṁ … mutaṁ … viññātaṁ … ekattaṁ … nānattaṁ … sabbaṁ … nibbānaṁ nibbānato abhijānāti; nibbānaṁ nibbānato abhiññāya nibbānaṁ mā maññi, nibbānasmiṁ mā maññi, nibbānato mā maññi, nibbānaṁ meti mā maññi, nibbānaṁ mābhinandi. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Pariññeyyaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. |
| Sekkhavasena dutiyanayabhūmiparicchedo niṭṭhito. | |
| 「若彼比丘漏盡阿羅漢，所作已辦，捨於重擔，盡生死原本，平等解脫。彼能分別地種，都不起想著。地種 | Yopi so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu arahaṁ khīṇāsavo vusitavā katakaraṇīyo ohitabhāro anuppattasadattho parikkhīṇabhavasaṁyojano sammadaññāvimutto, sopi pathaviṁ pathavito abhijānāti; pathaviṁ pathavito abhiññāya pathaviṁ na maññati, pathaviyā na maññati, pathavito na maññati, pathaviṁ meti na maññati, pathaviṁ nābhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Pariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. |
| ⋯人⋯天⋯梵王⋯乃至⋯有想無想處亦復如是⋯至⋯於涅槃，不著涅槃，不起涅槃之想。所以然者，皆由壞婬、怒、癡之所致也。 | Āpaṁ …pe… tejaṁ … vāyaṁ … bhūte … deve … pajāpatiṁ … brahmaṁ … ābhassare … subhakiṇhe … vehapphale … abhibhuṁ … ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ … viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ … ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ … nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ … diṭṭhaṁ … sutaṁ … mutaṁ … viññātaṁ … ekattaṁ … nānattaṁ … sabbaṁ … nibbānaṁ nibbānato abhijānāti; nibbānaṁ nibbānato abhiññāya nibbānaṁ na maññati, nibbānasmiṁ na maññati, nibbānato na maññati, nibbānaṁ meti na maññati, nibbānaṁ nābhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Pariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi. |
| Khīṇāsavavasena tatiyanayabhūmiparicchedo niṭṭhito. | |
| Yopi so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu arahaṁ khīṇāsavo vusitavā katakaraṇīyo ohitabhāro anuppattasadattho parikkhīṇabhavasaṁyojano sammadaññā vimutto, sopi pathaviṁ pathavito abhijānāti; pathaviṁ pathavito abhiññāya pathaviṁ na maññati, pathaviyā na maññati, pathavito na maññati, pathaviṁ meti na maññati, pathaviṁ nābhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? Khayā rāgassa, vītarāgattā. | |
| Āpaṁ …pe… tejaṁ … vāyaṁ … bhūte … deve … pajāpatiṁ … brahmaṁ … ābhassare … subhakiṇhe … vehapphale … abhibhuṁ … ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ … viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ … ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ … nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ … diṭṭhaṁ … sutaṁ … mutaṁ … viññātaṁ … ekattaṁ … nānattaṁ … sabbaṁ … nibbānaṁ nibbānato abhijānāti; nibbānaṁ nibbānato abhiññāya nibbānaṁ na maññati, nibbānasmiṁ na maññati, nibbānato na maññati, nibbānaṁ meti na maññati, nibbānaṁ nābhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? Khayā rāgassa, vītarāgattā. | |
| Khīṇāsavavasena catutthanayabhūmiparicchedo niṭṭhito. | |
| Yopi so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu arahaṁ khīṇāsavo vusitavā katakaraṇīyo ohitabhāro anuppattasadattho parikkhīṇabhavasaṁyojano sammadaññāvimutto, sopi pathaviṁ pathavito abhijānāti; pathaviṁ pathavito abhiññāya pathaviṁ na maññati, pathaviyā na maññati, pathavito na maññati, pathaviṁ meti na maññati, pathaviṁ nābhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? Khayā dosassa, vītadosattā. | |
| Āpaṁ …pe… tejaṁ … vāyaṁ … bhūte … deve … pajāpatiṁ … brahmaṁ … ābhassare … subhakiṇhe … vehapphale … abhibhuṁ … ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ … viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ … ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ … nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ … diṭṭhaṁ … sutaṁ … mutaṁ … viññātaṁ … ekattaṁ … nānattaṁ … sabbaṁ … nibbānaṁ nibbānato abhijānāti; nibbānaṁ nibbānato abhiññāya nibbānaṁ na maññati, nibbānasmiṁ na maññati, nibbānato na maññati, nibbānaṁ meti na maññati, nibbānaṁ nābhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? Khayā dosassa, vītadosattā. | |
| Khīṇāsavavasena pañcamanayabhūmiparicchedo niṭṭhito. | |
| Yopi so, bhikkhave, bhikkhu arahaṁ khīṇāsavo vusitavā katakaraṇīyo ohitabhāro anuppattasadattho parikkhīṇabhavasaṁyojano sammadaññāvimutto, sopi pathaviṁ pathavito abhijānāti; pathaviṁ pathavito abhiññāya pathaviṁ na maññati, pathaviyā na maññati, pathavito na maññati, pathaviṁ meti na maññati, pathaviṁ nābhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? Khayā mohassa, vītamohattā. | |
| Āpaṁ …pe… tejaṁ … vāyaṁ … bhūte … deve … pajāpatiṁ … brahmaṁ … ābhassare … subhakiṇhe … vehapphale … abhibhuṁ … ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ … viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ … ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ … nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ … diṭṭhaṁ … sutaṁ … mutaṁ … viññātaṁ … ekattaṁ … nānattaṁ … sabbaṁ … nibbānaṁ nibbānato abhijānāti; nibbānaṁ nibbānato abhiññāya nibbānaṁ na maññati, nibbānasmiṁ na maññati, nibbānato na maññati, nibbānaṁ meti na maññati, nibbānaṁ nābhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? Khayā mohassa, vītamohattā. | |
| Khīṇāsavavasena chaṭṭhanayabhūmiparicchedo niṭṭhito. | |
| 「比丘，當知，如來、至真、等正覺善能分別於地。亦不著於地種，不起地種之想⋯ | Tathāgatopi, bhikkhave, arahaṁ sammāsambuddho pathaviṁ pathavito abhijānāti; pathaviṁ pathavito abhiññāya pathaviṁ na maññati, pathaviyā na maññati, pathavito na maññati, pathaviṁ meti na maññati, pathaviṁ nābhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Pariññātantaṁ tathāgatassā’ti vadāmi. |
| 所以然者，皆由破愛網之所致。因有有生，因生有老死。皆悉除盡，是故如來成最正覺。」 | Āpaṁ …pe… tejaṁ … vāyaṁ … bhūte … deve … pajāpatiṁ … brahmaṁ … ābhassare … subhakiṇhe … vehapphale … abhibhuṁ … ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ … viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ … ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ … nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ … diṭṭhaṁ … sutaṁ … mutaṁ … viññātaṁ … ekattaṁ … nānattaṁ … sabbaṁ … nibbānaṁ nibbānato abhijānāti; nibbānaṁ nibbānato abhiññāya nibbānaṁ na maññati, nibbānasmiṁ na maññati, nibbānato na maññati, nibbānaṁ meti na maññati, nibbānaṁ nābhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Pariññātantaṁ tathāgatassā’ti vadāmi. |
| Tathāgatavasena sattamanayabhūmiparicchedo niṭṭhito. | |
| Tathāgatopi, bhikkhave, arahaṁ sammāsambuddho pathaviṁ pathavito abhijānāti; pathaviṁ pathavito abhiññāya pathaviṁ na maññati, pathaviyā na maññati, pathavito na maññati, pathaviṁ meti na maññati, pathaviṁ nābhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Nandī dukkhassa mūlan’ti— iti viditvā ‘bhavā jāti bhūtassa jarāmaraṇan’ti. Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, ‘tathāgato sabbaso taṇhānaṁ khayā virāgā nirodhā cāgā paṭinissaggā anuttaraṁ sammāsambodhiṁ abhisambuddho’ti vadāmi. | |
| Āpaṁ …pe… tejaṁ … vāyaṁ … bhūte … deve … pajāpatiṁ … brahmaṁ … ābhassare … subhakiṇhe … vehapphale … abhibhuṁ … ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ … viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ … ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ … nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ … diṭṭhaṁ … sutaṁ … mutaṁ … viññātaṁ … ekattaṁ … nānattaṁ … sabbaṁ … nibbānaṁ nibbānato abhijānāti; nibbānaṁ nibbānato abhiññāya nibbānaṁ na maññati, nibbānasmiṁ na maññati, nibbānato na maññati, nibbānaṁ meti na maññati, nibbānaṁ nābhinandati. Taṁ kissa hetu? ‘Nandī dukkhassa mūlan’ti— iti viditvā ‘bhavā jāti bhūtassa jarāmaraṇan’ti. Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, ‘tathāgato sabbaso taṇhānaṁ khayā virāgā nirodhā cāgā paṭinissaggā anuttaraṁ sammāsambodhiṁ abhisambuddho’ti vadāmī”ti. | |
| Tathāgatavasena aṭṭhamanayabhūmiparicchedo niṭṭhito. | |
| 佛說此語時，是時諸比丘不受其教。所以然者，由魔波旬閉塞心意故。 | |
| 「此經名曰：『一切諸法之本』。我今具足說之。諸佛世尊所應修行，我今已具足施行。汝等當念閑居樹下，端意坐禪，思惟妙義。今不為者，後悔無益。此是我之教誡也。」 | |
| 爾時，諸比丘聞佛所說歡喜，奉行。 | Idamavoca bhagavā. Na te bhikkhū bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandunti. |
Notes
- Discerning readers may notice that this is the fifth title listed in the uddana, not the sixth. This is an artifact of the corruption that took place at some point after the initial translation of EĀ that resulted in sūtras being inserted and sometimes disordered. The uddana for Chapter 44 most likely bears witness to its original contents. It lists ten sūtras rather than eleven. The content of EĀ 44.5 and EĀ 44.7 both match the titles that come before and after 法之本 (繫縛 and 病, respectively), which indicates that the order of these sūtras has been preserved. Further comparison of the uddana titles with the sūtras in Chapter 44 indicates that EĀ 44.3 was the later insertion.
- Specifically, at the end of the case of the arhat in EĀ, the section concludes with “The reason for that is that it’s brought about by the destruction of lust, hatred, and delusion” (所以然者，皆由壞婬、怒、癡之所致也). At the end of the four iterations of the arhat’s case in MN 1, we read (1) “I say, they’ve completely understood it” (‘pariññātaṁ tassā’ti vadāmi), (2) “free of greed because of the destruction of greed” (khayā rāgassa, vītarāgattā), (3) “free of hate due to the destruction of hate” (khayā dosassa, vītadosattā), and (4) “free of delusion due to the destruction of delusion” (khayā mohassa, vītamohattā).
For the case of the Tathāgata, EĀ concludes with: “The reason for that is that it’s brought about by breaking the snare of delight. There is birth because of existence, and there is old age and death because of birth. Having brought all that to an end, he therefore is Tathāgata, and supreme and perfectly awakened one.” (所以然者，皆由破愛網之所致，因有有生，因生有老死。皆悉除盡，是故如來成最正覺). In MN 1, the two versions of the Tathāgata case conclude with (1) “because the Realized One has completely understood it to the end, I say.” (‘pariññātantaṁ tathāgatassā’ti vadāmi), and (2) “because he has understood that taking pleasure is the root of suffering, and that rebirth comes from continued existence; whoever has come to be gets old and dies” (iti viditvā ‘bhavā jāti bhūtassa jarāmaraṇan’ti).
