Anthology of Discourses 4.9

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1. Anthology of Discourses 4.9
2. With Māgaṇḍiya
3. “Even when I saw the sirens
   Craving, Delight, and Lust,
4. I had no desire for sex.
5. What is this body full of piss and shit?
6. I wouldn’t even want to touch it with my foot.”
7. “If you do not want a gem such as this,
8. a lady desired by many rulers of men,
9. then what manner of theory,
   precepts and vows, livelihood,
10. and rebirth in a new life do you assert?”
11. “After judging among the teachings,”
12. said the Buddha to Māgaṇḍiya,
13. “none have been adopted thinking, ‘I assert this.’
14. Seeing views without adopting any,
15. searching, I saw inner peace.”
16. “O sage, you speak of judgments you have formed,”
17. said Māgaṇḍiya,
18. “without having adopted any of those views.
19. As to that matter of ‘inner peace’—
20. how is that described by the attentive?”
21. “Purity is spoken of not in terms of view,”
22. said the Buddha to Māgaṇḍiya,
23. “learning, knowledge, or precepts and vows;
24. nor in terms of that without view, learning,
25. knowledge, or precepts and vows.
26. Having relinquished these, not adopting them,
27. peaceful, independent, one would not pray
    for another life.”
28. “It seems purity is spoken of not in terms of view,”
29. said Māgaṇḍiya,
30. “learning, knowledge, or precepts and vows;
31. nor in terms of that without view, learning,
32. knowledge, or precepts and vows.
33. If so, I think this teaching is sheer confusion;
34. for some believe in purity in terms of view.”
35. “Continuing to question while relying on a view,”
36. said the Buddha to Māgaṇḍiya,
37. “you’ve become confused by all you’ve adopted.
38. From this you’ve not glimpsed the slightest idea,
39. which is why you consider the teaching confused.
40. If you think that ‘I’m equal,
41. special, or worse’, you’ll get into arguments.
42. Unwavering in the face of the three discriminations,
43. you’ll have no thought ‘I’m equal or special’.
44. Why would that brahmin say, ‘It’s true’,
45. or with whom would they argue, ‘It’s false’?
46. There is no equal or unequal in them,
47. so who would they take on in debate?
48. After leaving shelter to migrate without abode,
49. a sage doesn’t get close to anyone in town.
50. Rid of sensual pleasures, expecting nothing,
51. they wouldn’t get in arguments with people.
52. A spiritual giant would not take up for argument
53. the things in the world from which they live secluded.
54. As a prickly lotus born in the water
55. is unsullied by water and mud,
56. so the greedless sage, proponent of peace,
57. is unsmeared by sensuality and the world.
58. A knowledge master does not become conceited
59. due to view or thought,
    for they are not determined by that.
60. They’ve no need for deeds or learning,
61. they’re not indoctrinated in dogmas.
62. There are no ties for one detached from ideas;
63. there are no delusions for one freed by wisdom.
64. But those who have adopted ideas and views
65. wander the world causing conflict.”