The Questions of Upasīva

“Alone and independent, O Sakyan,” said Venerable Upasīva, “I am not able to cross the great flood. Tell me a support, All-seer, *At Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.17, the ultimate “support” is the syllable om.depending on which I may cross this flood.”

“Eko ahaṁ sakka mahantamoghaṁ, (iccāyasmā upasīvo) Anissito no visahāmi tārituṁ; Ārammaṇaṁ brūhi samantacakkhu, Yaṁ nissito oghamimaṁ tareyyaṁ”.

“Alone and independent, O Sakyan,” “Eko ahaṁ sakka mahantamoghaṁ, said Venerable Upasīva, (iccāyasmā upasīvo) “I am not able to cross the great flood. Anissito no visahāmi tārituṁ; Tell me a support, All-seer, *At Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.17, the ultimate “support” is the syllable om.Ārammaṇaṁ brūhi samantacakkhu, depending on which I may cross this flood.” Yaṁ nissito oghamimaṁ tareyyaṁ”.

“Mindfully contemplating nothingness,” replied the BuddhaBuddhaEl nombre dado a quien redescubre por sí mismo el sendero liberador del Dhamma, tras un largo período de haber sido olvidado por el mundo. Según la tradición, una larga línea de Buddhas se extiende hasta el pasado distante. El Buddha más reciente nació como Siddhattha Gotama en la India alrededor del año 500 a.e.c. Un joven bien educado y acomodado, renunció a su familia y su herencia principesca en la flor de la vida para buscar la verdadera libertad y el fin del sufrimiento (dukkha). Después de siete años de austeridades en el bosque, redescubrió el «camino medio» y alcanzó su meta, convirtiéndose en el Buddha.Ver en el glosario, “depending on the perception ‘there is nothing’, cross the flood. *Natthīti abbreviates natthi kiñcī’ti, which marks the dimension of nothingness.Giving up sensual pleasures, refraining from chatter, *Niddesa explains kathāhi as either “doubts” (truncated kathaṅkathā), or “talks”. Elsewhere (paṭi)virato is commonly used with speech and never, to my knowledge, with doubt.watch day and night for the ending of craving.”

“Ākiñcaññaṁ pekkhamāno satimā, (upasīvāti bhagavā) Natthīti nissāya tarassu oghaṁ; Kāme pahāya virato kathāhi, Taṇhakkhayaṁ nattamahābhipassa”. *nattamahābhipassa → rattamahābhipassa (sya-all); rattamahaṁ vipassa (mr)

“Mindfully contemplating nothingness,” “Ākiñcaññaṁ pekkhamāno satimā, replied the Buddha, (upasīvāti bhagavā) “depending on the perception ‘there is nothing’, cross the flood. *Natthīti abbreviates natthi kiñcī’ti, which marks the dimension of nothingness.Natthīti nissāya tarassu oghaṁ; Giving up sensual pleasures, refraining from chatter, *Niddesa explains kathāhi as either “doubts” (truncated kathaṅkathā), or “talks”. Elsewhere (paṭi)virato is commonly used with speech and never, to my knowledge, with doubt.Kāme pahāya virato kathāhi, watch day and night for the ending of craving.” Taṇhakkhayaṁ nattamahābhipassa”. *nattamahābhipassa → rattamahābhipassa (sya-all); rattamahaṁ vipassa (mr)

“One who is free of desire for sensual pleasures,” said Venerable Upasīva, “depending on nothingness, all else left behind, freed in the ultimate liberation of perception: *Accept text’s vimutto against Niddesa’s (a)dhimutto (Cnd 10:22.2). Here, the meditator has already attained the dimension of nothingness, which is the highest of the attainments “with perception” (SN 14.11:5.1). Adhimutta would imply that they are “intent on” realizing the next attainment, as for example MN 105:13.4.might they remain there without travelling on?”

“Sabbesu kāmesu yo vītarāgo, (iccāyasmā upasīvo) Ākiñcaññaṁ nissito hitvā maññaṁ; Saññāvimokkhe parame vimutto, *parame vimutto → paramedhimutto (mr cnd5:366 [Pucchāniddesa/ Upasīvamāṇavapucchāniddesa])Tiṭṭhe nu so tattha anānuyāyī”. *anānuyāyī → anānuvāyī (sya-all, mr)

“One who is free of desire for sensual pleasures,” “Sabbesu kāmesu yo vītarāgo, said Venerable Upasīva, (iccāyasmā upasīvo) “depending on nothingness, all else left behind, Ākiñcaññaṁ nissito hitvā maññaṁ; freed in the ultimate liberation of perception: *Accept text’s vimutto against Niddesa’s (a)dhimutto (Cnd 10:22.2). Here, the meditator has already attained the dimension of nothingness, which is the highest of the attainments “with perception” (SN 14.11:5.1). Adhimutta would imply that they are “intent on” realizing the next attainment, as for example MN 105:13.4.Saññāvimokkhe parame vimutto, *parame vimutto → paramedhimutto (mr cnd5:366 [Pucchāniddesa/ Upasīvamāṇavapucchāniddesa])might they remain there without travelling on?” Tiṭṭhe nu so tattha anānuyāyī”. *anānuyāyī → anānuvāyī (sya-all, mr)

“One free of desire for sensual pleasures,” replied the Buddha, “depending on nothingness, all else left behind, freed in the ultimate liberation of perception: they might remain there without travelling on.”

“Sabbesu kāmesu yo vītarāgo, (upasīvāti bhagavā) Ākiñcaññaṁ nissito hitvā maññaṁ; Saññāvimokkhe parame vimutto, Tiṭṭheyya so tattha anānuyāyī”.

“One free of desire for sensual pleasures,” “Sabbesu kāmesu yo vītarāgo, replied the Buddha, (upasīvāti bhagavā) “depending on nothingness, all else left behind, Ākiñcaññaṁ nissito hitvā maññaṁ; freed in the ultimate liberation of perception: Saññāvimokkhe parame vimutto, they might remain there without travelling on.” Tiṭṭheyya so tattha anānuyāyī”.

“If they were to remain there without travelling on, *In this verse, tiṭṭhe, sītisiyā, and cavetha are all optatives.even for myriad years, All-seer, *Pūga is explained by the Niddesa as thousands of years or eons, a meaning also found at Pv 42:9.2. The Bhāgavata Purāṇa has varṣa-pūga in the same sense (2.5.34, 4.12.43).and, being freed, were to grow cool right there, would the consciousness of that sort pass away?”

“Tiṭṭhe ce so tattha anānuyāyī, Pūgampi vassānaṁ samantacakkhu; *vassānaṁ → vassāni (cnd5:380 [Pucchāniddesa/ Upasīvamāṇavapucchāniddesa])Tattheva so sītisiyā vimutto, Cavetha viññāṇaṁ tathāvidhassa”.

“If they were to remain there without travelling on, *In this verse, tiṭṭhe, sītisiyā, and cavetha are all optatives.“Tiṭṭhe ce so tattha anānuyāyī, even for myriad years, All-seer, *Pūga is explained by the Niddesa as thousands of years or eons, a meaning also found at Pv 42:9.2. The Bhāgavata Purāṇa has varṣa-pūga in the same sense (2.5.34, 4.12.43).Pūgampi vassānaṁ samantacakkhu; *vassānaṁ → vassāni (cnd5:380 [Pucchāniddesa/ Upasīvamāṇavapucchāniddesa])and, being freed, were to grow cool right there, Tattheva so sītisiyā vimutto, would the consciousness of that sort pass away?” Cavetha viññāṇaṁ tathāvidhassa”.

“As a flame tossed by a gust of wind,” replied the Buddha, “comes to an end and cannot be reckoned; *Compare the stock idiom saṅkhampi na upeti at eg. SN 20.2:1.7; also Snp 1.12:3.4. Also compare na pamāṇameti at Iti 69:4.3.so too, a sage freed from the set of mental phenomena *Nāmakāya appears here and at DN 15:20.2 meaning the “set” of mental phenomena known as “name”.comes to an end and cannot be reckoned.”

“Accī yathā vātavegena khittā, *Accī → acci (sya-all cnd5:385 [Pucchāniddesa/ Upasīvamāṇavapucchāniddesa]) | khittā → khittaṁ (sya-all); khitto (pts-vp-pli1)(upasīvāti bhagavā) Atthaṁ paleti na upeti saṅkhaṁ; Evaṁ munī nāmakāyā vimutto, Atthaṁ paleti na upeti saṅkhaṁ”.

“As a flame tossed by a gust of wind,” “Accī yathā vātavegena khittā, *Accī → acci (sya-all cnd5:385 [Pucchāniddesa/ Upasīvamāṇavapucchāniddesa]) | khittā → khittaṁ (sya-all); khitto (pts-vp-pli1)replied the Buddha, (upasīvāti bhagavā) “comes to an end and cannot be reckoned; *Compare the stock idiom saṅkhampi na upeti at eg. SN 20.2:1.7; also Snp 1.12:3.4. Also compare na pamāṇameti at Iti 69:4.3.Atthaṁ paleti na upeti saṅkhaṁ; so too, a sage freed from the set of mental phenomena *Nāmakāya appears here and at DN 15:20.2 meaning the “set” of mental phenomena known as “name”.Evaṁ munī nāmakāyā vimutto, comes to an end and cannot be reckoned.” Atthaṁ paleti na upeti saṅkhaṁ”.

“One who has disappeared—do they not exist? Or are they free from disease for eternity? Please, sage, answer me clearly, for truly you understand this matter.”

“Atthaṅgato so uda vā so natthi, Udāhu ve sassatiyā arogo; Taṁ me munī sādhu viyākarohi, Tathā hi te vidito esa dhammo”.

“One who has disappeared—do they not exist? “Atthaṅgato so uda vā so natthi, Or are they free from disease for eternity? Udāhu ve sassatiyā arogo; Please, sage, answer me clearly, Taṁ me munī sādhu viyākarohi, for truly you understand this matter.” Tathā hi te vidito esa dhammo”.

“One who has disappeared cannot be defined,” replied the Buddha. “They have nothing by which others might describe them. When all things have been eradicated, eradicated, too, are all ways of speech.”

“Atthaṅgatassa na pamāṇamatthi, (upasīvāti bhagavā) Yena naṁ vajjuṁ taṁ tassa natthi; Sabbesu dhammesu samohatesu, *samohatesu → samūhatesu (cnd5:397 [Pucchāniddesa/ Upasīvamāṇavapucchāniddesa])Samūhatā vādapathāpi sabbe”ti.

“One who has disappeared cannot be defined,” “Atthaṅgatassa na pamāṇamatthi, replied the Buddha. (upasīvāti bhagavā) “They have nothing by which others might describe them. Yena naṁ vajjuṁ taṁ tassa natthi; When all things have been eradicated, Sabbesu dhammesu samohatesu, *samohatesu → samūhatesu (cnd5:397 [Pucchāniddesa/ Upasīvamāṇavapucchāniddesa])eradicated, too, are all ways of speech.” Samūhatā vādapathāpi sabbe”ti.