~ Anguttara Nikaya, Tika Nipata, Mahavagga, Sutta No. 65; translated from Pali by Soma Thera: Access to Insight
1. I heard thus. Once the Blessed One, while wandering in the Kosala country with a large community of bhikkhus, entered a town of the Kalama people called Kesaputta. The Kalamas who were inhabitants of Kesaputta: "Reverend Gotama, the monk, the son of the Sakyans, has, while wandering in the Kosala country, entered Kesaputta. The good repute of the Reverend Gotama has been spread in this way: Indeed, the Blessed One is thus consummate, fully enlightened, endowed with knowledge and practice, sublime, knower of the worlds, peerless, guide of tamable men, teacher of divine and human beings, which he by himself has through direct knowledge understood clearly. He set forth the Dhamma, good in the beginning, good in the middle, good in the end, possessed of meaning and the letter, and complete in everything; and he proclaims the holy life that is perfectly pure. Seeing such consummate ones is good indeed."
2. Then the Kalamas who were inhabitants of Kesaputta went to where the Blessed One was. On arriving there some paid homage to him and sat down on one side; some exchanged greetings with him and after the ending of cordial memorable talk, sat down on one side; some saluted him raising their joined palms and sat down on one side; some announced their name and family and sat down on one side; some without speaking, sat down on one side.
3. The Kalamas who were inhabitants of Kesaputta sitting on one side said to the Blessed One: "There are some monks and brahmans, venerable sir, who visit Kesaputta. They expound and explain only their own doctrines; the doctrines of others they despise, revile, and pull to pieces. Some other monks and brahmans too, venerable sir, come to Kesaputta. They also expound and explain only their own doctrines; the doctrines of others they despise, revile, and pull to pieces. Venerable sir, there is doubt, there is uncertainty in us concerning them. Which of these reverend monks and brahmans spoke the truth and which falsehood?"
4. "It is proper for you, Kalamas, to doubt, to be uncertain; uncertainty has arisen in you about what is doubtful. Come, Kalamas. Do not go upon what has been acquired by repeated hearing; nor upon tradition; nor upon rumor; nor upon what is in a scripture; nor upon surmise; nor upon an axiom; nor upon specious reasoning; nor upon a bias towards a notion that has been pondered over; nor upon another's seeming ability; nor upon the consideration, 'The monk is our teacher.' Kalamas, when you yourselves know: 'These things are bad; these things are blamable; these things are censured by the wise; undertaken and observed, these things lead to harm and ill,' abandon them.
5. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does greed appear in a man for his benefit or harm?" — "For his harm, venerable sir." — "Kalamas, being given to greed, and being overwhelmed and vanquished mentally by greed, this man takes life, steals, commits adultery, and tells lies; he prompts another too, to do likewise. Will that be long for his harm and ill?" — "Yes, venerable sir."
6. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does hate appear in a man for his benefit or harm?" — "For his harm, venerable sir." — "Kalamas, being given to hate, and being overwhelmed and vanquished mentally by hate, this man takes life, steals, commits adultery, and tells lies; he prompts another too, to do likewise. Will that be long for his harm and ill?" — "Yes, venerable sir."
7. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does delusion appear in a man for his benefit or harm?" — "For his harm, venerable sir." — "Kalamas, being given to delusion, and being overwhelmed and vanquished mentally by delusion, this man takes life, steals, commits adultery, and tells lies; he prompts another too, to do likewise. Will that be long for his harm and ill?" — "Yes, venerable sir."
8. "What do you think, Kalamas? Are these things good or bad?" — "Bad, venerable sir" — "Blamable or not blamable?" — "Blamable, venerable sir." — "Censured or praised by the wise?" — "Censured, venerable sir." — "Undertaken and observed, do these things lead to harm and ill, or not? Or how does it strike you?" — "Undertaken and observed, these things lead to harm and ill. Thus it strikes us here."
9. "Therefore, did we say, Kalamas, what was said thus, 'Come Kalamas. Do not go upon what has been acquired by repeated hearing; nor upon tradition; nor upon rumor; nor upon what is in a scripture; nor upon surmise; nor upon an axiom; nor upon specious reasoning; nor upon a bias towards a notion that has been pondered over; nor upon another's seeming ability; nor upon the consideration, "The monk is our teacher." Kalamas, when you yourselves know: "These things are bad; these things are blamable; these things are censured by the wise; undertaken and observed, these things lead to harm and ill," abandon them.'
10. "Come, Kalamas. Do not go upon what has been acquired by repeated hearing; nor upon tradition; nor upon rumor; nor upon what is in a scripture; nor upon surmise; nor upon an axiom; nor upon specious reasoning; nor upon a bias towards a notion that has been pondered over; nor upon another's seeming ability; nor upon the consideration, 'The monk is our teacher.' Kalamas, when you yourselves know: 'These things are good; these things are not blamable; these things are praised by the wise; undertaken and observed, these things lead to benefit and happiness,' enter on and abide in them.
11. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does absence of greed appear in a man for his benefit or harm?" — "For his benefit, venerable sir." — "Kalamas, being not given to greed, and being not overwhelmed and not vanquished mentally by greed, this man does not take life, does not steal, does not commit adultery, and does not tell lies; he prompts another too, to do likewise. Will that be long for his benefit and happiness?" — "Yes, venerable sir."
12. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does absence of hate appear in a man for his benefit or harm?" — "For his benefit, venerable sir." — "Kalamas, being not given to hate, and being not overwhelmed and not vanquished mentally by hate, this man does not take life, does not steal, does not commit adultery, and does not tell lies; he prompts another too, to do likewise. Will that be long for his benefit and happiness?" _ "Yes, venerable sir."
13. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does absence of delusion appear in a man for his benefit or harm?" — "For his benefit, venerable sir." — "Kalamas, being not given to delusion, and being not overwhelmed and not vanquished mentally by delusion, this man does not take life, does not steal, does not commit adultery, and does not tell lies; he prompts another too, to do likewise. Will that be long for his benefit and happiness?" _ "Yes, venerable sir."
14. "What do you think, Kalamas? Are these things good or bad?" — "Good, venerable sir." — "Blamable or not blamable?" — "Not blamable, venerable sir." — "Censured or praised by the wise?" — "Praised, venerable sir." — "Undertaken and observed, do these things lead to benefit and happiness, or not? Or how does it strike you?" — "Undertaken and observed, these things lead to benefit and happiness. Thus it strikes us here."
15. "Therefore, did we say, Kalamas, what was said thus, 'Come Kalamas. Do not go upon what has been acquired by repeated hearing; nor upon tradition; nor upon rumor; nor upon what is in a scripture; nor upon surmise; nor upon an axiom; nor upon specious reasoning; nor upon a bias towards a notion that has been pondered over; nor upon another's seeming ability; nor upon the consideration, "The monk is our teacher." Kalamas, when you yourselves know: "These things are good; these things are not blamable; these things are praised by the wise; undertaken and observed, these things lead to benefit and happiness," enter on and abide in them.'
16. "The disciple of the Noble Ones, Kalamas, who in this way is devoid of coveting, devoid of ill will, undeluded, clearly comprehending and mindful, dwells, having pervaded, with the thought of amity, one quarter; likewise the second; likewise the third; likewise the fourth; so above, below, and across; he dwells, having pervaded because of the existence in it of all living beings, everywhere, the entire world, with the great, exalted, boundless thought of amity that is free of hate or malice.
"He lives, having pervaded, with the thought of compassion, one quarter; likewise the second; likewise the third; likewise the fourth; so above, below, and across; he dwells, having pervaded because of the existence in it of all living beings, everywhere, the entire world, with the great, exalted, boundless thought of compassion that is free of hate or malice.
"He lives, having pervaded, with the thought of gladness, one quarter; likewise the second; likewise the third; likewise the fourth; so above, below, and across; he dwells, having pervaded because of the existence in it of all living beings, everywhere, the entire world, with the great, exalted, boundless thought of gladness that is free of hate or malice.
"He lives, having pervaded, with the thought of equanimity, one quarter; likewise the second; likewise the third; likewise the fourth; so above, below, and across; he dwells, having pervaded because of the existence in it of all living beings, everywhere, the entire world, with the great, exalted, boundless thought of equanimity that is free of hate or malice.
17. "The disciple of the Noble Ones, Kalamas, who has such a hate-free mind, such a malice-free mind, such an undefiled mind, and such a purified mind, is one by whom four solaces are found here and now.
"'Suppose there is a hereafter and there is a fruit, result, of deeds done well or ill. Then it is possible that at the dissolution of the body after death, I shall arise in the heavenly world, which is possessed of the state of bliss.' This is the first solace found by him.
"'Suppose there is no hereafter and there is no fruit, no result, of deeds done well or ill. Yet in this world, here and now, free from hatred, free from malice, safe and sound, and happy, I keep myself.' This is the second solace found by him.
"'Suppose evil (results) befall an evil-doer. I, however, think of doing evil to no one. Then, how can ill (results) affect me who do no evil deed?' This is the third solace found by him.
"'Suppose evil (results) do not befall an evil-doer. Then I see myself purified in any case.' This is the fourth solace found by him.
"The disciple of the Noble Ones, Kalamas, who has such a hate-free mind, such a malice-free mind, such an undefiled mind, and such a purified mind, is one by whom, here and now, these four solaces are found."
"So it is, Blessed One. So it is, Sublime one. The disciple of the Noble Ones, venerable sir, who has such a hate-free mind, such a malice-free mind, such an undefiled mind, and such a purified mind, is one by whom, here and now, four solaces are found.
"'Suppose there is a hereafter and there is a fruit, result, of deeds done well or ill. Then it is possible that at the dissolution of the body after death, I shall arise in the heavenly world, which is possessed of the state of bliss.' This is the first solace found by him.
"'Suppose there is no hereafter and there is no fruit, no result, of deeds done well or ill. Yet in this world, here and now, free from hatred, free from malice, safe and sound, and happy, I keep myself.' This is the second solace found by him.
"'Suppose evil (results) befall an evil-doer. I, however, think of doing evil to no one. Then, how can ill (results) affect me who do no evil deed?' This is the third solace found by him.
"'Suppose evil (results) do not befall an evil-doer. Then I see myself purified in any case.' This is the fourth solace found by him.
"The disciple of the Noble Ones, venerable sir, who has such a hate-free mind, such a malice-free mind, such an undefiled mind, and such a purified mind, is one by whom, here and now, these four solaces are found.
"Marvelous, venerable sir! Marvelous, venerable sir! As if, venerable sir, a person were to turn face upwards what is upside down, or to uncover the concealed, or to point the way to one who is lost or to carry a lamp in the darkness, thinking, 'Those who have eyes will see visible objects,' so has the Dhamma been set forth in many ways by the Blessed One. We, venerable sir, go to the Blessed One for refuge, to the Dhamma for refuge, and to the Community of Bhikkhus for refuge. Venerable sir, may the Blessed One regard us as lay followers who have gone for refuge for life, from today."
Homage to The Mother of All Wisdom!
Thus have I heard:
At one time the Lord dwelt at Rajagrha, on the Vulture Peak, together with a large congregation of renunciates and with countless bodhisattvas. At that time the Lord addressed Venerable Ananda:
“Ananda, do receive, for the sake of the welfare and happiness of all sentient existence, this perfection of wisdom in one letter, the letter A.”
Thus spoke the Lord. The Venerable Ananda, the large congregation of renunciates, the assembly of bodhisattvas, and the whole world with its devas, humans, asuras, and heavenly musicians rejoiced at the teaching of the Lord.
~ Prajnaparamita Ekakshari Sutra
The letter 'A' is the essence of all mantras, and from it there issue forth everywhere immeasurable mantras; All frivolous arguments cease, and it is able to produce skillful wisdom.
"Lord of Mysteries, why is this the essence of all mantras?"
The Buddha, honored among two-legged beings, has taught that the letter 'A' is called the seed. Therefore, everything is like this, [generated and born from this seed,] and it rests in all the limbs; Having allocated it as appropriate, bestow it everywhere in accordance with the rules. Because that primordial letter 'A' pervades the augmented letters, the letters form sounds, and the limbs arise from this.
~ Vairocanābhisaṃbodhi Sutra
ཆོས་གང་རྒྱུ་བྱུང་དེ་དག་གི། །རྒྱུ་དང་དེ་འགོག་གང་ཡིན་པའང་། །དེ་བཞིན་གཤེགས་པས་བཀའ་སྩལ་ཏེ། །དགེ་སློང་ཆེན་པོས་དེ་སྐད་གསུངས།།
The 'A' is inherent in the letter 'H'. The sound 'A' is the mother of all letters; it is the essence of all sounds; and it stands for the fountainhead of all-inclusive Reality. “The very act itself of opening the mouth in order to utter any sound is accompanied by the sound 'A'; therefore, apart from the sound 'A', no sounds are possible. The sound 'A' is the mother of all sounds.” If we see the letter 'A', we know that all things are empty and nil [i.e. only perceptually separated, but united with the formless totality of an eternally standing vibration]. This is the invariant meaning of the letter 'A'.
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Three ultimate meanings of the letter 'A' can be identified: 1) being, 2) empty, and 3) uncreated. The letter 'A' in the Sanskrit alphabet represents the first sound. If it is the first [among letters, therefore], it is relative. We therefore define it as “being.” 'A' also has the meaning of non-arising. If anything arises in dependence, it does not have its own independent nature. We therefore define it as “empty.” By “uncreated” is meant the Realm which is one and real, that is, the Middle Way. Nāgārjuna said: “Phenomena are empty, temporal, and also middle.” …this single letter is the mantra of Mahāvairocana. A sūtra states: “The letter 'A' signifies ‘the enlightened mind,’ ‘the gateway to all teachings,’ ‘nonduality,’ ‘the goal of all existences,’ ‘the nature of all existences,’ ‘freedom,’ and ‘the Dharmakāya.’” These are the ultimate meanings of the letter...
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Those who understand the meanings of the letter 'A' are to meditate on it resolutely; they should meditate on the perfect, luminous, and Pure Consciousness. Those who have had a glimpse of it are called those who have perceived the absolute truth. Those who perceive it all the time enter the first stage of Bodhisattvahood. If they gradually increase their competence in this meditation, they will finally be able to magnify it until its circumference encompasses the entire universe and its magnitude becomes as inclusive as space. Being able freely to magnify or to reduce it, they will surely come to be in possession of the all-inclusive wisdom. The student of the yoga should devote himself to the mastery of the Three Mysteries and the Five Series of Meditation. The Three Mysteries are: the mystery of body – to make mudrās and to invoke the presence of the sacred object of meditation; the mystery of speech – to recite the mantras in secret, pronouncing them distinctly without making the slightest error; the mystery of mind – to be absorbed in yoga, keeping one’s mind in a wholesome state like that of the bright, pure and full moon, and to meditate on the enlightened Mind.
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In the minds of all sentient beings there is an element of pure nature… It is likened to one of the sixteen phases of the moon – that in which the moon appears brightest… Therefore, a mantra practitioner should, by means of the syllable visualization, awaken the inherent brightness within his mind, causing a gradual cleansing and brightening, and a realization of the knowledge of the non-arising of phenomena. The 'A' syllable has the meaning of the originally non-arisen nature of all dharmas [i.e. phenomena, the means of understanding them and the true ways of living among such things].
~ Meaning of the Word Hum & Bodhicitta-śāstra, by Kobo Daishi
Because its essence is empty, it is free from the limit of eternalism. Because its nature is luminous, it is free from the extreme of nihilism. Because its compassion is unobstructed, it is the ground of the manifold manifestations.
~ Aspirational prayer for the Ground, Path and Result
𝕬𝕻𝕬𝕾𝕴𝕬 𝕬𝕻𝕬𝕿𝕳𝕰𝕴𝕬 𝕬𝕿𝕬𝕽𝕬𝖃𝕴𝕬
~ Πύρρων ὁ Ἠλεῖος…
αὐτὸς μὲν οὐδὲν ἐν γραφῇ καταλέλοιπεν, ὁ δὲ γε μαθητὴς αὐτοῦ Τίμων φησὶ ~
δεῖν τὸν μέλλοντα εὐδαιμονήσειν εἰς τρία ταῦτα βλέπειν· πρῶτον μέν, ὁποῖα πέφυκε τὰ πράγματα· δεύτερον δέ, τίνα χρὴ τρόπον ἡμᾶς πρὸς αὐτὰ διακεῖσθαι· τελευταῖον δέ, τί περιέσται τοῖς οὕτως ἔχουσιν. τὰ μὲν οὖν πράγματα φησὶν αὐτὸν ἀποφαίνειν ἐπ᾽ ἴσης ἀδιάφορα καὶ ἀσταθμῆτα καὶ ἀνεπίκριτα, διὰ τοῦτο μήτε ταῖς αἰσθήσεσιν ἡμῶν μήτε ταῖς δόξαις ἀληθεύειν ἢ ψεύδεσθαι, διὰ τοῦτο οὐδὲν μὴ πιστεύειν χρῆναι, ἀλλ᾽ ἀδοξάστους εἶναι καὶ ἀκλινεῖς καὶ ἀκραδάντους εἶναι, περὶ ἕκαστον λέγοντας
ὅτι, οὐ μᾶλλον τοῦτο, ἢ οὐχὶ τοῦτό ἐστιν, ἢ καὶ οὐ μᾶλλον τοῦτο, ἢ οὐδὲν ἐστιν.
τοὺς μέντοι γε διακειμένους οὕτως ἐπιφέρει Τίμων φησὶν εὐδαιμονῆσαι.
~ Pyrrho of Elis… left nothing in writing himself, but his student Timon says ~
The person who intends to be happy must consider three things: First, what the nature of things is; Second, in what way we should relate to them; And third, what will result for those who so relate to them. Now, he says that things are by nature equally indifferent, unstable, and indeterminate... Because of this, neither our perceptions nor our beliefs are truth or lie; Therefore, one ought not to put trust in them, but be without beliefs, inclined toward nothing, and unwavering, Saying, concerning each thing:
This is, no more than it is not, or both is and is not, or neither is, nor is not.
Nevertheless, Timon adds that those who are so disposed will be happy.
~ Aristocles' Fragment of Timon's Pytho
“Mendicants, whether Realized Ones arise or not, this law of nature persists, this regularity of natural principles, this invariance of natural principles: all conditions are impermanent. A Realized One understands this and comprehends it, then he explains, teaches, asserts, establishes, clarifies, analyzes, and reveals it:
‘All conditions are impermanent.’
Whether Realized Ones arise or not, this law of nature persists, this regularity of natural principles, this invariance of natural principles: all conditions are suffering. A Realized One understands this and comprehends it, then he explains, teaches, asserts, establishes, clarifies, analyzes, and reveals it:
‘All conditions are suffering.’
Whether Realized Ones arise or not, this law of nature persists, this regularity of natural principles, this invariance of natural principles: all things are not-self. A Realized One understands this and comprehends it, then he explains, teaches, asserts, establishes, clarifies, analyzes, and reveals it:
‘All things are not-self.’”
~ Uppādāsutta, Numbered Discourses 3.136; Section 14. A Warrior, Arising ~
...
At one time several senior mendicants were staying near Varanasi, in the deer park at Isipatana.
Then in the late afternoon, Venerable Channa came out of retreat. Taking a latchkey, he went from dwelling to dwelling, going up to the senior mendicants and saying, “May the venerable senior mendicants advise me and instruct me! May they give me a Dhamma talk so that I can see the teaching!”
When he said this, the senior mendicants said to Venerable Channa:
“Reverend Channa, form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness are impermanent. Form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness are not-self. All conditions are impermanent. All things are not-self.”
Then Venerable Channa thought, “I too think in this way. … And yet my mind does not leap forth, gain confidence, settle down, and become decided about the stilling of all activities, the letting go of all attachments, the ending of craving, fading away, cessation, extinguishment. Grasping arises from anxiety. And the mind reverts to thinking: ‘So then who exactly is my self?’ But that doesn’t happen for someone who sees the teaching. Who can teach me the Dhamma so that I can see the teaching?”
Then Venerable Channa thought, “The Venerable Ānanda is staying near Kosambī, in Ghosita’s Monastery. He’s praised by the Buddha and esteemed by his sensible spiritual companions. He’s quite capable of teaching me the Dhamma so that I can see the teaching. Since I have so much trust in Venerable Ānanda, why don’t I go to see him?”
Then Channa set his lodgings in order and, taking his bowl and robe, set out for Kosambī. He went to see Ānanda in Ghosita’s Monastery, exchanged greetings with him, and told him what had happened. Then he said, “May Venerable Ānanda advise me and instruct me! May he give me a Dhamma talk so that I can see the teaching!”
“I’m already delighted with Venerable Channa. Hopefully you’ve opened yourself up and severed your hard-heartedness. Listen well, Channa. You are capable of understanding the teaching.”
Then right away Channa was filled with lofty rapture and joy, “It seems I’m capable of understanding the teaching!”
“Reverend Channa, I heard and learned in the presence of the Buddha his advice to the mendicant Kaccānagotta:
‘Kaccāna, this world mostly relies on the duality of existence and non-existence. But when you truly see the origin of the world with right understanding, the concept of non-existence regarding the world does not occur. And when you truly see the cessation of the world with right understanding, the concept of existence regarding the world does not occur. The world is for the most part shackled by attraction, grasping, and insisting. But if—when it comes to this attraction, grasping, mental fixation, insistence, and underlying tendency—you don’t get attracted, grasp, and commit to the thought, “my self”, you’ll have no doubt or uncertainty that what arises is just suffering arising, and what ceases is just suffering ceasing. Your knowledge about this is independent of others. This is how right view is defined. “All exists”: this is one extreme. “All does not exist”: this is the second extreme. Avoiding these two extremes, the Realized One teaches by the middle way: “Ignorance is a condition for choices. Choices are a condition for consciousness. … That is how this entire mass of suffering originates. When ignorance fades away and ceases with nothing left over, choices cease. … That is how this entire mass of suffering ceases.”"
“Reverend Ānanda, this is how it is when you have such venerables as spiritual companions to advise and instruct you out of kindness and sympathy. And now that I’ve heard this teaching from Venerable Ānanda, I’ve comprehended the teaching.”
~ Channasutta, Linked Discourses 22.90; Section 9. Senior Mendicants, With Channa