This Has Come Into Being
Bhūtamidaṁ Sutta (SN 12:31)
On one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. There he addressed Ven. Sāriputta, “Sāriputta, it is said in Ajita’s Question in the Way to the Further Shore [Sn 5:1]:
‘Those here who have fathomed the Dhamma,
those who are learners,
those who are run-of-the-mill:
When you, dear sir, astute,
are asked this,
tell me their manner of life.’
How is the detailed meaning of this brief statement to be understood?”
When this was said, Ven. Sāriputta remained silent.
A second time .… A third time the Blessed One addressed Ven. Sāriputta, “Sāriputta, it is said in Ajita’s Question in the Way to the Further Shore:
‘Those here who have fathomed the Dhamma,
those who are learners,
those who are run-of-the-mill:
When you, dear sir, astute,
are asked this,
tell me their manner of life.’
How is the detailed meaning of this brief statement to be understood?”
A third time, Ven. Sāriputta remained silent.
“Do you see, Sāriputta, that ‘this has come into being’?”
“One sees with right discernment as it has come to be, lord, that ‘this has come into being.’ Seeing with right discernment as it has come to be that ‘this has come into being,’ one practices for disenchantment with, for dispassion toward, for the cessation of what has come into being. One sees with right discernment that ‘it has come into being from this nutriment.’ Seeing with right discernment as it has come to be that ‘it has come into being from this nutriment,’ one practices for disenchantment with, for dispassion toward, for the cessation of the nutriment by which it has come into being. One sees with right discernment as it has come to be that ‘from the cessation of this nutriment, what has come into being is subject to cessation.’ Seeing with right discernment as it has come to be that ‘from the cessation of this nutriment, what has come into being is subject to cessation,’ one practices for disenchantment with, for dispassion toward, for the cessation of what is subject to cessation. This is how one is a learner.
“And how, lord, is one a person who has fathomed the Dhamma?
“One sees with right discernment as it has come to be, lord, that ‘this has come into being.’ Seeing with right discernment as it has come to be that ‘this has come into being,’ one is—through disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, through lack of clinging/sustenance—released from what has come into being. One sees with right discernment as it has come to be that ‘it has come into being from this nutriment.’ Seeing with right discernment as it has come to be that ‘it has come into being from this nutriment,’ one is—through disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, through lack of clinging/sustenance—released from the nutriment by which it has come into being. One sees with right discernment as it has come to be that ‘from the cessation of this nutriment, what has come into being is subject to cessation.’ Seeing with right discernment as it has come to be that ‘from the cessation of this nutriment, what has come into being is subject to cessation,’ one is—through disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, through lack of clinging/sustenance—released from what is subject to cessation. This is how one is a person who has fathomed the Dhamma.
“It is in this way, lord, that I understand the detailed meaning of the brief statement in Ajita’s Question in the Way to the Further Shore:
‘Those here who have fathomed the Dhamma,
those who are learners,
those who are run-of-the-mill:
When you, dear sir, astute,
are asked this,
tell me their manner of life.’”
“Excellent, Sāriputta. Excellent. One sees with right discernment as it has come to be that ‘this has come into being.’ Seeing with right discernment as it has come to be that ‘this has come into being,’ one practices for disenchantment with, for dispassion toward, for the cessation of what has come into being. One sees with right discernment as it has come to be that ‘it has come into being from this nutriment.’ Seeing with right discernment as it has come to be that ‘it has come into being from this nutriment,’ one practices for disenchantment with, for dispassion toward, for the cessation of the nutriment by which it has come into being. One sees with right discernment as it has come to be that ‘from the cessation of this nutriment, what has come into being is subject to cessation.’ Seeing with right discernment as it has come to be that ‘from the cessation of this nutriment, what has come into being is subject to cessation,’ one practices for disenchantment with, for dispassion toward, for the cessation of what is subject to cessation. This is how one is a learner.
“And how is one a person who has fathomed the Dhamma?
“One sees with right discernment as it has come to be that ‘this has come into being.’ Seeing with right discernment as it has come to be that ‘this has come into being,’ one is—through disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, through lack of clinging/sustenance—released from what has come into being. One sees with right discernment as it has come to be that ‘it has come into being from this nutriment.’ Seeing with right discernment as it has come to be that ‘it has come into being from this nutriment,’ one is—through disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, through lack of clinging/sustenance—released from the nutriment by which it has come into being. One sees with right discernment as it has come to be that ‘from the cessation of this nutriment, what has come into being is subject to cessation.’ Seeing with right discernment as it has come to be that ‘from the cessation of this nutriment, what has come into being is subject to cessation,’ one is—through disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, through lack of clinging/sustenance—released from what is subject to cessation. This is how one is a person who was fathomed the Dhamma.
“It is in this way that the detailed meaning of the brief statement in Ajita’s Question in the Way to the Further Shore is to be understood:
Those here who have fathomed the Dhamma,
those who are learners,
those who are run-of-the-mill:
When you, dear sir, astute,
are asked this,
tell me their manner of life.”
