There’s No Meaning in Giving

“Mendicants, when what exists, because of grasping what and insisting on what, does the view arise: ‘There’s no meaning in giving, sacrifice, or offerings. There’s no fruit or result of good and bad deeds. There’s no afterlife. There’s no such thing as mother and father, or beings that are reborn spontaneously. And there’s no ascetic or brahmin who is rightly comported and rightly practiced, and who describes the afterlife after realizing it with their own insight.*This nihilist doctrine (natthikavāda) is attributed to Ajita of the Hair Blanket at DN 2:23.2. | The denial of “mother and father” is usually interpreted as the denial of moral duty towards one’s parents. However, I think it is a doctrine of conception which denies that a child is created by the mother and father. Rather, the child is produced by the four elements, with parents as mere instigators and incubators. | Compare Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 4.3.23 on the liberated Self, “A father is not a father, a mother is not a mother, worlds are not worlds, gods are not gods, and Vedas are not Vedas. Here a thief is not a thief, an abortionist is not an abortionist, an outcaste is not an outcaste, a pariah is not a pariah, a recluse is not a recluse, and an ascetic is not an ascetic. Neither the good nor the bad follows him, for he has now passed beyond all sorrows of the heart.” This person is made up of the four principal states. When they die, the earth in their body progresses and proceeds to the substance of earth. The water in their body progresses and proceeds to the substance of water. The fire in their body progresses and proceeds to the substance of fire. The air in their body progresses and proceeds to the substance of air. The faculties are transferred to space. Four men with a bier carry away the corpse. Their footprints show the way to the cremation ground. The bones become bleached. Offerings dedicated to the gods end in ashes. Giving is a doctrine of morons.*Dattu is a rare term for “idiot” or “moron”, only spoken by sectarian teachers, so should probably be distinguished from the Buddhist “fool”. When anyone affirms a positive teaching it’s just baseless, false nonsense. Both the foolish and the astute are annihilated and destroyed when their body breaks up, and don’t exist after death’?”

“Kismiṁ nu kho, bhikkhave, satisatiAtención plena, memoria, poderes de referencia y retención. En algunos contextos, la palabra sati cuando se usa sola cubre también la alerta (sampajañña).Ver en el glosario kiṁ upādāya, kiṁ abhinivissa evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjati: ‘natthi dinnaṁ, natthi yiṭṭhaṁ, natthi hutaṁ, natthi sukatadukkaṭānaṁ kammānaṁ phalaṁ vipāko; natthi ayaṁ loko, natthi paro loko, natthi mātā, natthi pitā, natthi sattā opapātikā; natthi loke samaṇabrāhmaṇā sammaggatā sammāpaṭipannā ye imañca lokaṁ parañca lokaṁ sayaṁ abhiññāabhiññāPoderes intuitivos que surgen de la práctica de la concentración: la capacidad de mostrar poderes psíquicos, clarividencia, clariaudiencia, la capacidad de conocer los pensamientos de otros, el recuerdo de vidas pasadas, y el conocimiento que destruye los contaminantes (ver āsava).Ver en el glosario sacchikatvā pavedenti.*sukatadukkaṭānaṁ → sukkaṭadukkaṭānaṁ (bj, pts1ed) | sammaggatā → samaggatā (mr) Cātumahābhūtiko ayaṁ puriso yadā kālaṁ karoti pathavī pathavīkāyaṁ anupeti anupagacchati, āpo āpokāyaṁ anupeti anupagacchati, tejo tejokāyaṁ anupeti anupagacchati, vāyo vāyokāyaṁ anupeti anupagacchati.*Cātumahābhūtiko ayaṁ → cātummahābhūtiko ayaṁ (bj, km); cātummahābhūtikoyaṁ (sya-all); catummahābhūtiko (pts1ed) Ākāsaṁ indriyāni saṅkamanti. Āsandipañcamā purisā mataṁ ādāya gacchanti. Yāva āḷāhanā padāni paññāyanti. Kāpotakāni aṭṭhīni bhavanti. Bhassantā āhutiyo. Dattupaññattaṁ yadidaṁ dānaṁ.*Dattupaññattaṁ yadidaṁ dānaṁ → dattupaññattamidaṁ dānaṁ nāma (sabbattha) Tesaṁ tucchaṁ musā vilāpo ye keci atthikavādaṁ vadanti. Bāle ca paṇḍite ca kāyassa bhedā ucchijjanti vinassanti na honti paraṁ maraṇā’”ti?

“Mendicants, when what exists, because of grasping what and insisting on what, does the view arise: “Kismiṁ nu kho, bhikkhave, satisatiAtención plena, memoria, poderes de referencia y retención. En algunos contextos, la palabra sati cuando se usa sola cubre también la alerta (sampajañña).Ver en el glosario kiṁ upādāya, kiṁ abhinivissa evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjati: ‘There’s no meaning in giving, sacrifice, or offerings. There’s no fruit or result of good and bad deeds. There’s no afterlife. There’s no such thing as mother and father, or beings that are reborn spontaneously. And there’s no ascetic or brahmin who is rightly comported and rightly practiced, and who describes the afterlife after realizing it with their own insight.*This nihilist doctrine (natthikavāda) is attributed to Ajita of the Hair Blanket at DN 2:23.2. | The denial of “mother and father” is usually interpreted as the denial of moral duty towards one’s parents. However, I think it is a doctrine of conception which denies that a child is created by the mother and father. Rather, the child is produced by the four elements, with parents as mere instigators and incubators. | Compare Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 4.3.23 on the liberated Self, “A father is not a father, a mother is not a mother, worlds are not worlds, gods are not gods, and Vedas are not Vedas. Here a thief is not a thief, an abortionist is not an abortionist, an outcaste is not an outcaste, a pariah is not a pariah, a recluse is not a recluse, and an ascetic is not an ascetic. Neither the good nor the bad follows him, for he has now passed beyond all sorrows of the heart.”‘natthi dinnaṁ, natthi yiṭṭhaṁ, natthi hutaṁ, natthi sukatadukkaṭānaṁ kammānaṁ phalaṁ vipāko; natthi ayaṁ loko, natthi paro loko, natthi mātā, natthi pitā, natthi sattā opapātikā; natthi loke samaṇabrāhmaṇā sammaggatā sammāpaṭipannā ye imañca lokaṁ parañca lokaṁ sayaṁ abhiññāabhiññāPoderes intuitivos que surgen de la práctica de la concentración: la capacidad de mostrar poderes psíquicos, clarividencia, clariaudiencia, la capacidad de conocer los pensamientos de otros, el recuerdo de vidas pasadas, y el conocimiento que destruye los contaminantes (ver āsava).Ver en el glosario sacchikatvā pavedenti.*sukatadukkaṭānaṁ → sukkaṭadukkaṭānaṁ (bj, pts1ed) | sammaggatā → samaggatā (mr)This person is made up of the four principal states. When they die, the earth in their body progresses and proceeds to the substance of earth. The water in their body progresses and proceeds to the substance of water. The fire in their body progresses and proceeds to the substance of fire. The air in their body progresses and proceeds to the substance of air. Cātumahābhūtiko ayaṁ puriso yadā kālaṁ karoti pathavī pathavīkāyaṁ anupeti anupagacchati, āpo āpokāyaṁ anupeti anupagacchati, tejo tejokāyaṁ anupeti anupagacchati, vāyo vāyokāyaṁ anupeti anupagacchati.*Cātumahābhūtiko ayaṁ → cātummahābhūtiko ayaṁ (bj, km); cātummahābhūtikoyaṁ (sya-all); catummahābhūtiko (pts1ed)The faculties are transferred to space. Ākāsaṁ indriyāni saṅkamanti. Four men with a bier carry away the corpse. Āsandipañcamā purisā mataṁ ādāya gacchanti. Their footprints show the way to the cremation ground. Yāva āḷāhanā padāni paññāyanti. The bones become bleached. Kāpotakāni aṭṭhīni bhavanti. Offerings dedicated to the gods end in ashes. Bhassantā āhutiyo. Giving is a doctrine of morons.*Dattu is a rare term for “idiot” or “moron”, only spoken by sectarian teachers, so should probably be distinguished from the Buddhist “fool”.Dattupaññattaṁ yadidaṁ dānaṁ.*Dattupaññattaṁ yadidaṁ dānaṁ → dattupaññattamidaṁ dānaṁ nāma (sabbattha)When anyone affirms a positive teaching it’s just baseless, false nonsense. Tesaṁ tucchaṁ musā vilāpo ye keci atthikavādaṁ vadanti. Both the foolish and the astute are annihilated and destroyed when their body breaks up, and don’t exist after death’?” Bāle ca paṇḍite ca kāyassa bhedā ucchijjanti vinassanti na honti paraṁ maraṇā’”ti?

“When form exists, because of grasping form and insisting on form, the view arises: ‘There’s no meaning in giving, sacrifice, or offerings. … Both the foolish and the astute are annihilated and destroyed when their body breaks up, and don’t exist after death.’ When feeling … perception … choices … consciousness exists, because of grasping consciousness and insisting on consciousness, the view arises: ‘There’s no meaning in giving, sacrifice, or offerings. … Both the foolish and the astute are annihilated and destroyed when their body breaks up, and don’t exist after death.’

“Rūpe kho, bhikkhave, sati, rūpaṁ upādāya, rūpaṁ abhinivissa evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjati: ‘natthi dinnaṁ, natthi yiṭṭhaṁ …pe… kāyassa bhedā ucchijjanti vinassanti na honti paraṁ maraṇā’ti. Vedanāya sati …pe… saññāya sati … saṅkhāresu sati … viññāṇe sati, viññāṇaṁ upādāya, viññāṇaṁ abhinivissa evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjati: ‘natthi dinnaṁ, natthi yiṭṭhaṁ …pe… kāyassa bhedā ucchijjanti vinassanti na honti paraṁ maraṇā’ti.

“When form exists, because of grasping form and insisting on form, the view arises: “Rūpe kho, bhikkhave, sati, rūpaṁ upādāya, rūpaṁ abhinivissa evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjati: ‘There’s no meaning in giving, sacrifice, or offerings. … ‘natthi dinnaṁ, natthi yiṭṭhaṁ …pe… Both the foolish and the astute are annihilated and destroyed when their body breaks up, and don’t exist after death.’ kāyassa bhedā ucchijjanti vinassanti na honti paraṁ maraṇā’ti. When feeling … Vedanāya sati …pe… perception … saññāya sati … choices … saṅkhāresu sati … consciousness exists, because of grasping consciousness and insisting on consciousness, the view arises: viññāṇe sati, viññāṇaṁ upādāya, viññāṇaṁ abhinivissa evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjati: ‘There’s no meaning in giving, sacrifice, or offerings. … ‘natthi dinnaṁ, natthi yiṭṭhaṁ …pe… Both the foolish and the astute are annihilated and destroyed when their body breaks up, and don’t exist after death.’ kāyassa bhedā ucchijjanti vinassanti na honti paraṁ maraṇā’ti.

What do you think, mendicants? Is form permanent or impermanent?”

Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, rūpaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?

What do you think, mendicants? Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave, Is form permanent or impermanent?” rūpaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?

“Is feeling … perception … choices … consciousness permanent or impermanent?”

“VedanāvedanāTonalidad de la experiencia nacida del contacto (phassa). Hay tres tipos: agradable, desagradable o ni agradable ni desagradable. Como uno de los cinco khandhas, vedanā designa el modo en que una experiencia se siente en términos de placer, dolor o neutralidad, sin ser todavía emoción elaborada. Ver khandha y phassa.Ver en el glosario … saññāsaññāPercepción; reconocimiento; interpretación. Ver khandha.Ver en el glosario … saṅkhārā … viññāṇaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?

“Is feeling … “VedanāvedanāTonalidad de la experiencia nacida del contacto (phassa). Hay tres tipos: agradable, desagradable o ni agradable ni desagradable. Como uno de los cinco khandhas, vedanā designa el modo en que una experiencia se siente en términos de placer, dolor o neutralidad, sin ser todavía emoción elaborada. Ver khandha y phassa.Ver en el glosario … perception … saññāsaññāPercepción; reconocimiento; interpretación. Ver khandha.Ver en el glosario … choices … saṅkhārā … consciousness permanent or impermanent?” viññāṇaṁ niccaṁ vā aniccaṁ vā”ti?

“But by not grasping what’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, would such a view arise?”

api nu taṁ anupādāya evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjeyya: ‘natthi dinnaṁ, natthi yiṭṭhaṁ …pe… ye keci atthikavādaṁ vadanti; bāle ca paṇḍite ca kāyassa bhedā ucchijjanti vinassanti na honti paraṁ maraṇā’”ti?

“But by not grasping what’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, would such a view arise?” api nu taṁ anupādāya evaṁ diṭṭhi uppajjeyya: ‘natthi dinnaṁ, natthi yiṭṭhaṁ …pe… ye keci atthikavādaṁ vadanti; bāle ca paṇḍite ca kāyassa bhedā ucchijjanti vinassanti na honti paraṁ maraṇā’”ti?

“When a noble disciple has given up doubt regarding these six grounds, and has given up doubt in suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation, they’re called a noble disciple who is a stream-enterer, not liable to be reborn in the underworld, assured, destined for awakening.”

“Yato kho, bhikkhave, ariyasāvakassa imesu ca ṭhānesu kaṅkhā pahīnā hoti, dukkhepissa kaṅkhā pahīnā hoti …pe… dukkhanirodhagāminiyā paṭipadāyapissa kaṅkhā pahīnā hoti— ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako sotāpanno avinipātadhammo niyato sambodhiparāyano”ti.

“When a noble disciple has given up doubt regarding these six grounds, and has given up doubt in suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation, “Yato kho, bhikkhave, ariyasāvakassa imesu ca ṭhānesu kaṅkhā pahīnā hoti, dukkhepissa kaṅkhā pahīnā hoti …pe… dukkhanirodhagāminiyā paṭipadāyapissa kaṅkhā pahīnā hoti—they’re called a noble disciple who is a stream-enterer, not liable to be reborn in the underworld, assured, destined for awakening.” ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako sotāpanno avinipātadhammo niyato sambodhiparāyano”ti.