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Thank you very much for this detailed explanation, Sir🙏🏿.
- During my time as a temporary bhikkhu in Thailand, The bhikkhus said that “Lord Buddha Gautama transcended all the bodies of Samsarā”. At first, I didn’t understand this concept and thought that it only occurred during parinibbānna. Now it’s clear!
Thank you for the explanations, Sir !!
Sir Lal: “A Buddha (or an Arahant) had transcended the human realm, even though born a human.
Even though the physical body that he was born with died, the Tathāgata status was attained at the Buddhahood. Those four questions are asked with the wrong assumption that the physical body was the Buddha.”
- Thank you for highlighting this point, Sir🙏🏿. It’s a deeper point that many people, including myself, will need to think about and assimilate.
TEN UN-ANSWERED QUESTIONS (AVYĀKATA) OF LORD GAUTAMA BUDDHA
In the Panha Vyākarana sutta of the Anguttara Nikāya (collection of the Buddha’s numerical discourses), the Buddha has described four different ways of answering questions that the Buddha Himself seems to have practised. They are:
1. Questions to be answered categorically such as yes or no (ekamsa vyākaranīya).
2. Questions to be answered analytically in detail (vibhajja vyākaranīya).
3. Questions that need a counter-question (patipuccha vyākaranīya).
4. Questions to be left aside without answering (thapanīya).
There are many occasions recorded in the Buddhist scriptures when Lord Gautama Buddha has resorted to the fourth way of responding to a question by maintaining silence or by saying that those questions were not declared by the Buddha. As recorded in several discourses, the Buddha was asked a list of ten questions by several people, for which the Buddha has not provided any answers. For example, in the Aggi Vacchagotta sutta of the Majjhima Nikāya (collection of the Buddha’s middle-length discourses), a wanderer named Vacchagotta went to the Buddha and asked whether the Buddha held the following ten views:
1. The world is eternal.
2. The world is not eternal.
3. The world is finite.
4. The world is infinite.
5. The soul and the body are the same thing.
6. The soul is one thing and the body another.
7. After death, a Tathāgata exists.
8. After death, a Tathāgata does not exist.
9. After death, a Tathāgata both exists and does not exist.
10. After death, a Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist.
The Buddha responded by saying that the Buddha did not hold any such views and gave the following reasons for not holding such views.
“It is a thicket of views, a wilderness of views, a contortion of views, a writhing of views, a fetter of views. It is accompanied by suffering, distress, despair, and fever, and it does not lead to disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, to calm, direct knowledge, full awakening and Nibbana.”
Out of the ten unanswered questions, the first four questions deal with the world: Whether the world is eternal or not eternal and whether the world is finite or infinite. The next two questions deal with the issue of assuming the presence of a permanent entity called a self or a soul in sentient beings. The two questions are whether the body and the soul are the same or two different things. The last four questions are related to the issue of whether a Tathāgata exists after death or not. In the commentarial literature, there are two explanations for the term “Tathāgata”. One explanation is that Tathāgata means a fully awakened, liberated person such as a Buddha or an Arahant. The other explanation is that it refers to any living being (satta). Out of the two explanations, it is more likely that the word “Tathāgata” refers to an enlightened person rather than to any living being. It should be noted that the Buddha may have been asked these ten questions because, the other sectarian religious leaders and their followers in India during the time of the Buddha, were preoccupied with philosophical and metaphysical issues related to these ten questions.
- The post is too long to post in full. I will put the relevant suttas that were cited to support the article.
Majjhima Nikāya called Cūla Mālunkyaputta, Moggallāna sutta of the Samyutta Nikāya, Vacchagotta sutta of the Samyutta Nikāya, Khema sutta of the Samyutta Nikāya, Anurādha sutta of the Samyutta Nikāya,Aggi Vacchagotta sutta of the Majjhima Nikāya.
In the Buddhist literature, several speculative views have been expressed as to why the Buddha declined to answer those ten unanswered questions. One view is that the Buddha perhaps did not know the answers to those questions. Lord Gautama Buddha was a Samma Sambuddha who attained enlightenment and Buddhahood through his efforts with no assistance from any teacher. A Samma Sambuddha is believed to possess six extraordinary super knowledges that no one else possesses and one of them is the Buddha’s Omniscience (Sabbannuta nāna). The term “Sabbannu” is made up of two parts, “Sabba” meaning “All” and “Nu” meaning “Knowledge” or “Knowing”. Hence, the Buddha possessed the knowledge of everything that needed to be known. So, it is not unreasonable to assume that the Buddha must have known the answers to those ten questions and has decided not to discuss them for some reason, and the exact reason was known only to the Buddha Himself. But we can gather some evidence from the Buddhist scriptures as to why the Buddha may not have answered those ten unanswered questions.
In the Simsāpā sutta of the Samyutta Nikāya, the Buddha picked up a few simsāpā leaves with his hand and asked the monks which was more numerous; the few simsāpā leaves in the hand or all the leaves in the simsāpā forest. The monks answered that the leaves in the hand were few and that all the leaves in the forest were far more numerous. The Buddha said that in the same way, those things that the Buddha has known through direct knowledge but has not taught are far more numerous than what the Buddha has taught. It was because those things were not connected to the holy life and would not lead to one’s liberation from suffering. This is a clear statement from the Buddha that what the Buddha taught to others is minute compared to the vast knowledge that the Buddha has known through direct knowledge.
- Is it true that we should leave these 10 questions aside or can some of them be accessible?
SAMBUDDHA SUTTA: DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A SAMMĀ SAMBUDDHA AND AN ARAHANT
There, the Buddha addressed the monks:
“Monks, the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Awakened One, who is liberated by non-clinging through disenchantment, dispassion, and cessation regarding form, is called a Perfectly Enlightened One.”
“A monk, liberated by wisdom, who is also liberated by non-clinging through disenchantment, dispassion, and cessation regarding form, is called one liberated by wisdom.”
“Monks, the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Awakened One, who is liberated by non-clinging through disenchantment, dispassion, and cessation regarding feeling, is called a Perfectly Enlightened One.”
“A monk, liberated by wisdom, who is also liberated by non-clinging through disenchantment, dispassion, and cessation regarding feeling, is called one liberated by wisdom.”
“Monks, the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Awakened One, who is liberated by non-clinging through disenchantment, dispassion, and cessation regarding perception, is called a Perfectly Enlightened One.”
“A monk, liberated by wisdom, who is also liberated by non-clinging through disenchantment, dispassion, and cessation regarding perception, is called one liberated by wisdom.”
“Monks, the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Awakened One, who is liberated by non-clinging through disenchantment, dispassion, and cessation regarding mental formations, is called a Perfectly Enlightened One.”
“A monk, liberated by wisdom, who is also liberated by non-clinging through disenchantment, dispassion, and cessation regarding mental formations, is called one liberated by wisdom.”
“Monks, the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Awakened One, who is liberated by non-clinging through disenchantment, dispassion, and cessation regarding consciousness, is called a Perfectly Enlightened One.”
“A monk, liberated by wisdom, who is also liberated by non-clinging through disenchantment, dispassion, and cessation regarding consciousness, is called one liberated by wisdom.”
“Monks, what then, is the difference between the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Awakened One, and the monk who is liberated by wisdom?”
“Venerable Sir, our teachings are rooted in the Blessed One, guided by the Blessed One, have the Blessed One as the refuge. Venerable Sir, it would be good, if the Blessed One were to clarify the meaning of this. Having heard the Blessed One, the monks will remember it.”
“Well then, monks, listen and pay close attention, I will speak.”
“Yes, Venerable Sir.” The monks replied.
“Monks, the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Awakened One, gave rise to the un-arisen path, caused the unborn path to be born, and explained the unexplained path. He is the knower of the path, the discoverer of the path, the expert on the path. And monks, His disciples now dwell as followers of that path, accomplishing it afterwards.”
“Monks, this is the difference between the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Awakened One, and the monk who is liberated by wisdom.”
- It is interesting to see, in this sutta, that Lord Buddha speaks of only one type of arahant (Paññāvimutta). Of course, this is not the only type of arahant. Other reference:Sammāsambuddhasutta
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HOW CAN WEALTH AND SONS BELONG, WHEN EVEN ONE’S SELF DOES NOT BELONG?
“Puttā matthi dhanam matthi, iti bālo vihaññati,
attā hi attano natthi, kuto puttā kuto dhanaṁ.”
“I have sons, I have wealth, the fool is so afflicted,
when even himself is not his own, how can sons and wealth be his.”
“I have read elsewhere (don’t remember the reference) that it can decrease to as low as 10 years.”
- It is in the Cakkavati Sutta, sir. There will come a time, bhikkhus, when these people will have children who live for ten years. Bhavissati, bhikkhave, so samayo, yaṁ imesaṁ manussānaṁ dasavassāyukā puttā bhavissanti.Among the people who live for ten years, girls will be marriageable at five. The age of onset of puberty has been dropping globally over the past century, with isolated cases as young as five. Dasavassāyukesu, bhikkhave, manussesu pañcavassikā kumārikā alaṁpateyyā bhavissanti.
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- Yes, thank you, Sir. I have heard that some Brahmas and Devas can end their Bhava before it naturally ends. Venerable Moggaliputta Tissa and Nagasena are examples. Lord Buddha also did this when he was a Brahma bodhisatta. This story is in the Nimi Jataka.
- The first humans were like Brahmas with solid bodies so their lives must have been extremely long. They come from the Abhassara loka. I have also heard that 100,000 and 80 years are the two extremes where a Lord Buddha can appear. Humans therefore live much longer than 100,000 years. Above 100,000 years they can’t understand tilakkhana, they do not see the need to free themselves from suffering. Below 80 years old they are too immoral to understand tilakkhana. Overall life expectancy increases or decreases depending on the Silā of the majority of humans.
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Origin of Life – One Creates One’s Own Future Lives
“For example, one human may have that human existence for 10,000 years, and another may have only 900 years.”
- Sir Lal, does that mean a human bhava can last millions of years in an antarakappa where a human birth lasts for 100,000 years?
Oh yes, rrkk01, that’s an excellent analogy! I agree that this way of explaining it is suitable for young people like us. We’ve been surrounded by all kinds of stimulation since childhood, much more so than our parents were. Although these simulations were created for Kāma ragā, with attention, we can see the Dhamma through them.
Nice post Gopinadh! May you attain all the stages of Magga phala 🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿
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- I agree with you that mundane terms are easier for a Puthujuna to understand. Indeed, the vast majority of Buddhists today are Puthujunas! We are in a period of decline of Sasana. The Dhamma may be viewed superficially at first, but over time the concepts will become deeper and deeper. If it was impossible for a puthujuna to understand the profound terms then they would not have an ariya or even a Lord Buddha. We have all been puthujunas for infinite times. If we succeed in becoming Ariya it is because we make the effort to understand life at a more subtle level. We understand that there is no refuge in this infinite Samsarā and that there is no point in chasing the mirages of the 31 planes of existence. But for a good start, the terms impermanence and non-self (no fixed entity) are good. The majority of Buddhists today do not make the effort to free themselves from the cycle of rebirth. They are Buddhists because of the culture of their country. They are attached to rituals and superficial terms. Some even believe in the existence of a fixed soul that goes from life to life! It is not completely wrong to use these terms what is wrong is to limit yourself to them. It’s like saying that Spain is planet Earth. Spain is part of the Planet but it is not the planet. It’s a tiny part of this planet. I’m sure there are many ways to interpret tilakkhana. Lord Buddha used several allegories to highlight them. However, impermanence and not-self are only the surfaces.
- Bāhirānattātītānāgatasutta “Mendicants, sights of the past and future are not in our control.
- It’s not completely wrong to view them this way. However, this way of looking at tilakkhana is superficial. Yes, these are aspects of Tilakkhana but they are not the deep aspects. For example, Annica’s “inability not to maintain things to our satisfaction” suggests a certain impermanence. However, suffering is also impermanent! Even though we spend the majority of our time in the Apayas, sooner or later we end up leaving them. We are happy to come out of these states of suffering. Impermanence here is rather beneficial! The problem is that most Buddhists these days associate impermanence with suffering. Yes, all phenomena are impermanent. What Annica means is that we will be unable to permanently maintain phenomena to our liking. Let us admit that a bhikkhu says “The eye and visual consciousness is Annica”. Of course, the eye is impermanent at the end of the body it will disintegrate and lose its functions. No need for Ariyas to remind us. What it says is that the eye will not be to our liking in the long term. In our quest for happiness through the eye and visual consciousness, we will suffer and we will never reach our goal. Certainly, we will have small moments of pleasure but it is nothing compared to the infinity of suffering that we suffered in Samsarā and that we will encounter in an immeasurable future. This is valid for the other 5 senses.
- Anatta means non-control. Yes, the idea of the absence of a permanent entity in each of us that is always in control is compatible with the Dhamma. However, there is someone who acts and undergoes the Vipāka of a past Kamma. It is therefore false to say that there is no one. There is a male human named Gad who comes from Cameroon and who speaks to another male human named Tobi who comes from Germany. In the ultimate sense, there are only the 5 aggregates that interact. The conditions of the past have shaped these two people. These 2 people are two distinct lifestreams and suffer positive or negative consequences from their respective Karmas. Of course, they will change and be able to be free, if in one of their lives they become arahants. There is a self but it constantly changes without a fixed identity according to the conditions of the current of life. However, we agree that no fixed and eternal self goes from life to life without ever changing. Anatta tells us that we are unable to control these changes and that the vast majority of the time they happen without our knowledge. The vast majority of the time this change leads one to the Apayas. Let us assume that a non-Buddhist person commits anantariya bad Kamma at the age of 20 and he will live to the age of 100 in this jati and his human bhava has 3000 years left. From the moment the act is committed, there is a change in that person. He will be able to perform positive actions for the rest of her remaining 80 years but whatever the action his mind will grasp the gati of a being from Niraya at the cuti patisandhi moment. His human bhava will be destroyed even if there are still 3000 years left. For 80 years, the person has not been aware that he has committed an act that will automatically land him in an Apaya upon his death. These changes are out of control (Anatta) however, there is a niraya being who is born spontaneously as a result of the actions of a human. They are two different people but they are the same lifestream. I specified non-Buddhist because the vast majority of them do not have the concept of anantariya Kamma.
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