長阿含經

7. THE SUTRA OF PAYASI

At that time, Kumara Kassapa, together with five hundred bhikkhus, journeyed from the country of Kosala and gradually arrived at the Brahmin village called Setavya. Kumara Kassapa then stayed north of the Simsapa Grove. At that time there was a Brahmin named Payasi who had long resided in Setavya, a prosperous and delightful village, densely populated and rich in trees, which King Pasenadi had granted exclusively to the Brahmin Payasi as a royal favor. The Brahmin Payasi habitually held heterodox views and taught people: “There is no other world, no spontaneous rebirth, and no result of good or evil deeds.”

At that time, the inhabitants of Setavya heard that Kumara Kassapa, together with five hundred bhikkhus, had journeyed from Kosala and was staying in the Simsapa Grove. They said among themselves: “This Kumara Kassapa is greatly renowned. He has attained arhatship; he is senior and venerable, learned and widely knowledgeable, intelligent and keenly wise, eloquent and responsive, and skilled in debate. It would be excellent if we could meet him.” Thus, day after day, the villagers took turns going to see Kassapa. Payasi was then standing atop a high tower. Seeing groups of people proceeding one after another, without knowing where they were going, he asked the attendant holding his parasol:

“Why are those people gathering into groups and proceeding one after another?”

The attendant replied:

“I have heard that Kumara Kassapa, together with five hundred bhikkhus, has come from Kosala and is staying in the Simsapa Grove. It is also said that he is greatly renowned, has attained arhatship, is senior and venerable, learned and widely knowledgeable, intelligent and keenly wise, eloquent and responsive, and skilled in debate. Those people are gathering into groups because they wish to go and see Kassapa.”

Payasi immediately ordered the attendant:

“Go quickly and tell those people to stop and wait so that I may go with them to meet him. Why? Because that man is foolish and mistaken, deceiving the world by saying that there is another world, spontaneous rebirth, and results of good and evil deeds. In truth, however, there is no other world, no spontaneous rebirth, and no result of good or evil deeds.”

The attendant obeyed and went to tell the people of Setavya:

“The Brahmin asks you to stop and wait so that he may go with you to the meeting.”

The villagers replied:

“Excellent. If he wishes to go, let us go together.”

The attendant returned and reported:

“They have stopped and are waiting. If you are going, you should go quickly.”

Payasi then descended from the tower and ordered his attendants to prepare the carriages. Surrounded by the company of villagers, he proceeded to the Simsapa Grove. Upon arriving, everyone descended from their carriages and went on foot to Kassapa. After exchanging greetings, they sat to one side. Among those villagers were Brahmins and householders. Some bowed to Kassapa before sitting down; some exchanged greetings and then sat; some announced their names and then sat; some saluted him with palms joined and then sat; and some simply sat down in silence.

The Brahmin Payasi then said to Kassapa:

“I now have something I wish to ask. Are you at leisure to permit my question?”

Kassapa replied:

“Ask whatever you wish. After hearing it, I shall understand.”

Payasi said:

“My doctrine is that there is no other world, no spontaneous rebirth, and no result of merit or sin. What is your doctrine?”

Kassapa replied:

“I shall now ask you a question. Answer according to your own understanding. Are the sun and moon above us part of this world or another world? Do they belong to devas or to human beings?”

The Brahmin replied:

“The sun and moon belong to another world, not this world; they belong to devas, not to human beings.”

Kassapa said:

“Thus it may be known that there must be another world, spontaneous rebirth, and results of good and evil deeds.”

The Brahmin said:

“Although you say that there is another world, spontaneous rebirth, and results of good and evil deeds, in my opinion none of these exist.”

Kassapa asked:

“What reason do you have for knowing that there is no other world, no spontaneous rebirth, and no result of good and evil deeds?”

“There is a reason.”

“What reason leads you to say that you know there is no other world, no spontaneous rebirth, and no result of good and evil deeds?”

The Brahmin said:

“Kassapa, I once had a relative and acquaintance who became gravely ill. I went to him and said: ‘Sramanas and Brahmins who hold other views commonly maintain that those who kill living beings, steal, engage in sexual misconduct, speak divisively, speak falsely, speak frivolously, are miserly, jealous, and hold wrong views will, after death, all fall into hell. But I do not believe this, because I have never seen anyone return after death to tell us where he fell.

If someone returned and told us where he had fallen, I would believe it at once. You are my relative, and you have committed all ten evil deeds. If what the sramanas say is true, then after death you will certainly fall into hell.

I now rely upon you to settle this matter. If upon examination there truly is a realm of hell, return and tell me. I shall then believe.’ But, Kassapa, since that man died, he has vanished and never returned.

He was my relative; surely he would not deceive me by promising and then failing to return. Therefore, I know with certainty that there is no other world.”

Kassapa replied:

“Those who are wise quickly understand through analogies. I shall give an analogy to explain this. Suppose a robber, habitually harboring deceit and violating the king’s laws, were caught by watchmen and brought before the king. They would report: ‘This man is a robber. May the king punish him.’ The king would then order his attendants to bind the man, parade him in disgrace through all the streets, take him outside the city, and hand him over to the executioner. When the attendants delivered the robber to the executioner, he might plead gently with the guards: ‘Please release me so that I may return to visit my relatives and neighbors and say a few words of farewell. When I have finished, I shall come back.’ Brahmin, what do you think? Would the guards release him?”

He replied: “No.”

Kassapa said:

“They are of the same kind and live together in this present world, yet they would not release him. How much less would the wardens of hell release your relative, who had committed all ten evil deeds and, after death, necessarily fell into hell? The hell wardens have no loving-kindness, are not of the same kind, and belong to a realm distinct from that of the living. If your relative used gentle words to plead with them, saying: ‘Release me for a while so that I may return to the human world, visit my relatives, and say a few words of farewell; when I have finished, I shall come back,’ would he be released?”

He replied: “No.”

Kassapa said:

“From this comparison you may understand. Why do you still cling firmly to delusion and give rise to such wrong views?”

Payasi said:

“Although you have given an analogy to show that there is another world, I still maintain that there is none.”

Kassapa asked:

“Do you have another reason for knowing that there is no other world?”

“I have another reason for knowing that there is no other world.”

“What is that reason?”

“Kassapa, I once had a relative who became gravely ill. I went to him and said: ‘Sramanas and Brahmins who hold other views say that there is another world. They say that anyone who does not kill, steal, engage in sexual misconduct, lie, speak divisively, speak harshly, speak falsely, speak frivolously, covet, harbor jealousy, or hold wrong views will, after death, be reborn in a heavenly realm.

I did not formerly believe this, because I had never seen anyone return after death and tell us where he had been reborn. If anyone returned and told us where he had been reborn, I would believe it at once. You are my relative, and you have fully practiced the ten wholesome deeds.

If what the sramanas and Brahmins say is true, then after death you will be reborn in a heavenly realm. I now rely upon you to settle this matter. If there truly is the result of rebirth in heaven, remember to return and tell me so that I may believe.’ But, Kassapa, from the day he died until now, he has never returned.

He was my relative and could not have deceived me by promising and then failing to return. Therefore, there certainly is no other world.”

Kassapa said:

“Those who are wise quickly understand through analogies. I shall give an analogy so that you may understand. Suppose a man fell into a cesspit and his head and body were completely submerged.

Fortunately, the king ordered someone to pull him out. They used bamboo as a scraper and scraped his body three times, then washed him with bean water and clean ashes. Afterward, they bathed him with perfumed water, rubbed fragrant powders over his entire body, and ordered a barber to shave his hair and beard clean.

They then bathed him three more times in the same way, washed him with perfumed water, rubbed fragrant powder over his body, clothed him in fine garments, and adorned his person. Next they gave him delicious, sweet-tasting food and brought him to dwell in a splendid mansion where he enjoyed the pleasures of the five senses. Payasi, would that man afterward wish to fall into the cesspit again?”

“No. Why would he return to such a foul and filthy place?”

“The devas are the same. They regard this Jambudvipa as a foul and impure place. Even from hundreds of yojanas above, they smell the stench rising from the human world as though from a cesspit. Thus, Brahmin, your relative, having fulfilled the ten wholesome deeds, was necessarily reborn in heaven, where he enjoys the pleasures of the five senses and boundless happiness. Would he be willing to return to this cesspit of Jambudvipa?”

He replied: “No.”

“From this comparison you may understand. Why do you still cling firmly to delusion and give rise to such wrong views?”

The Brahmin said:

“Although you have given an analogy saying there is another world, I still maintain that there is none.”

Kassapa asked:

“Do you have another reason for knowing that there is no other world?”

“There is another reason.”

“What is that reason?”

“Kassapa, I once had a relative who became gravely ill. I went and said to him: ‘Sramanas and Brahmins who hold other views say that there is a future life. They say that anyone who does not kill, steal, engage in sexual misconduct, lie, or drink intoxicants will, after death, be reborn in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.

But I do not believe this, because I have never seen anyone return after death to tell us where he was reborn. If anyone returned and told us, I would believe it at once. You are my relative, and you have fully observed the five precepts.

After death, you will surely be reborn in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three. I now rely solely upon you to settle this matter. If there truly is a blessed heavenly realm, return and tell me so that I may believe.’ But, Kassapa, from the day he died until now, he has never returned.

He was my relative; surely he would not deceive me by promising and then failing to return. Therefore, there certainly is no future life.”

Kassapa replied:

“One hundred years in this realm equal only one day and one night in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three. In that heaven, thirty such days make a month, twelve months make a year, and the devas there live for one thousand such years. Brahmin, what do you think? Suppose your relative, having fully observed the five precepts, died and was reborn in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three. He might think: ‘I have now been reborn here. Let me enjoy myself for two or three days, and afterward I shall return and inform my relative.’ Would you still be able to meet him?”

“No. By then I would have been dead for a very long time. How could we meet? But I do not believe you. Who told you that beings in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three live so long?”

“Those who are wise quickly understand through analogies. I shall give an analogy so that you may understand. Suppose a man was born blind. He does not understand the five colors—blue, yellow, red, and white—nor coarse and fine, long and short. Neither does he see the sun, moon, stars, hills, mounds, streams, ditches, or anything else. If someone asked him what blue, yellow, red, and white were like, he would immediately reply: ‘There are no five colors.’ Likewise, if asked about coarse and fine, long and short, the sun, moon, stars, hills, mounds, streams, and ditches, he would also reply that they did not exist. Brahmin, what do you think? Would the blind man’s answer be correct?”

“No. Why? The world plainly contains the colors blue, yellow, red, and white, as well as coarse and fine, long and short, yet the blind man says they do not exist.”

“Brahmin, you are the same. The long lifespan of the devas in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three truly exists and is not false. You say it does not exist only because you cannot see it.”

The Brahmin said:

“Although you say it exists, I still do not believe you.”

Kassapa asked:

“Do you have any other reason for maintaining that there is no future life?”

“Kassapa, a robber in my domain was once caught by watchmen and brought before me. They said: ‘This man is a robber. Please punish him.’ I ordered them to bind him, put him alive into a cauldron, cover it, seal it with a thick layer of clay so that nothing could escape, and surround it with fire. I wished to discover where his consciousness would escape, so I ordered my attendants to surround the cauldron and watch it carefully. Yet no one saw where his consciousness emerged. Afterward, I broke open the cauldron and searched, but could not find any place through which the consciousness had passed. For this reason, I know with certainty that there is no other world.”

Kassapa said:

“I shall now ask you a question. Answer as you see fit.

“Brahmin, when you sleep atop a high tower, do you sometimes dream of mountains, forests, rivers, streams, parks, ponds, countries, villages, and roads?”

He replied: “I do have such dreams.”

“Brahmin, while you are dreaming, do your household and relatives attend upon you?”

He replied: “They do.”

“At that time, do your relatives see your consciousness going out and coming in?”

“They do not.”

“You are still alive, yet they cannot see your consciousness going out and coming in. How much less could they see it in a dead person? You cannot examine sentient beings merely by relying on what lies before your eyes.

“Brahmin, there are bhikkhus who, from the beginning of the night until its end, do not sleep, but diligently and single-mindedly contemplate the factors of the Path. Through the power of samadhi, they purify and cultivate the divine eye. Then, through the power of the divine eye, they observe sentient beings dying here and being born there, dying there and being born here, living long or dying young, being handsome or ugly, and receiving favorable or unfavorable results according to their conduct. They see and know all of this. You should not hastily say that nothing exists merely because your defiled physical eyes cannot thoroughly see the destinations of sentient beings. Brahmin, for this reason it may be known with certainty that there is another world.”

The Brahmin said:

“Although you have given an analogy saying there is another world, according to what I know, there certainly is none.”

Kassapa asked:

“Do you have any other reason for maintaining that there is no other world?”

He replied: “I do.”

“What is that reason?”

The Brahmin said:

“In my village there was once a robber who was caught by watchmen and brought before me. They said: ‘This man is a robber. Please punish him.’ I ordered my attendants to bind him and, while he was still alive, skin him in search of his consciousness. Yet we saw nothing. I then ordered them to cut into his flesh and search for the consciousness, but still they found nothing. I ordered them to split apart his bones and sinews and search within, but they found nothing. I ordered them to smash his bones and search the marrow, but they still found nothing. Kassapa, for this reason I know with certainty that there is no other world.”

Kassapa said:

“Those who are wise understand through analogies. I shall relate a story so that you may understand. In the remote past, there was a ruined and desolate country that had not yet recovered.

At that time, a caravan of five hundred carts passed through that country and encountered a fire-worshiping ascetic who habitually stayed in a forest. The merchants came and asked permission to lodge there overnight. The next morning, after the merchants had departed, the ascetic thought: ‘I should go to the place where the merchants slept last night and see whether they left anything behind.’ He went to look and found nothing except a newborn child about one year old, sitting alone.

The ascetic thought: ‘How could I have the heart to watch this child die before my eyes? Should I take him back to my dwelling and raise him?’ He then carried the child back to his dwelling and raised him. Day by day, the child grew until he was more than ten years old.

At that time, the ascetic had some business among the people and instructed the child: ‘I have some business and must leave for a few days. Take good care of this fire and do not let it go out. If it does go out, rub two fire-sticks together to kindle it again.’ Having given these instructions, the ascetic departed.

After he had gone, the child became absorbed in play and failed to tend the fire, allowing it to go out. When the child finished playing and returned, he saw that the fire had gone out. Grieving, he thought: ‘I have ruined everything!

Before leaving, my father instructed me to tend this fire and not let it go out. Now, because I was absorbed in play, I have allowed it to go out. What shall I do?’ He blew through the ashes in search of fire but found none.

He then took an axe and split apart the firewood to search for it, but still found none. He chopped the wood into pieces, put them in a mortar, and pounded them in search of fire, but still found none. Afterward, the ascetic returned from abroad to the forest where he lived and asked the child: ‘Before I left, I instructed you to tend the fire.

Did it go out?’ The child replied: ‘Just now I ran outside to play and did not tend the fire constantly, so it went out.’ The ascetic asked: ‘What did you do to rekindle it?’ The child replied: ‘Fire comes from wood. I took an axe and split the wood apart in search of it, but I found nothing. I then chopped the wood into small pieces, put them in a mortar, and pounded them in search of it, but still found nothing.’ The ascetic then took two fire-sticks and rubbed them together, whereupon fire suddenly appeared.

He piled on wood to make it burn and told the child: ‘If you wish to find fire, you must use the proper method. You should not split and pulverize the wood in search of it.’

“Brahmin, you are the same. Skinning a dead person is not a method for finding consciousness. You cannot examine sentient beings merely by relying on what lies before your eyes.

“Brahmin, there are bhikkhus who, from the beginning of the night until its end, do not sleep, but diligently and single-mindedly contemplate the factors of the Path. Through the power of samadhi, they purify and cultivate the divine eye. Then, through the power of the divine eye, they observe sentient beings dying here and being born there, dying there and being born here, living long or dying young, being handsome or ugly, and receiving favorable or unfavorable results according to their conduct. They see and know all of this. You should not hastily say that nothing exists merely because your defiled physical eyes cannot thoroughly see the destinations of sentient beings.

“Brahmin, for this reason it may be known that there must be another world.”

Payasi said:

“Although you have given an analogy saying there is another world, according to what I know, there certainly is none.”

Kassapa asked:

“Do you have any other reason for maintaining that there is no other world?”

“I do.”

“What is that reason?”

The Brahmin said:

“In my domain there was once a robber who was caught by watchmen and brought before me. They said: ‘This man is a robber. Please punish him.’ I ordered my attendants to take him away and weigh him. They obeyed and weighed him. I then told them: ‘Kill this man slowly and gently, without damaging even the smallest amount of his skin or flesh.’ The attendants obeyed and killed him without causing the slightest loss. I ordered them to weigh his corpse again, and it was heavier than before.

“Kassapa, while that man was alive, his consciousness remained, his complexion was fresh, and he could speak, yet when weighed he was light. When he was dead, his consciousness was gone, his complexion was no longer fresh, and he could no longer speak, yet when weighed he was heavier. For this reason, I know that there is no future life.”

Kassapa said:

“I shall now ask you a question. Answer as you see fit.

“Suppose someone weighs iron. When the iron is cold, it is heavy. After it is heated red-hot and weighed again, it is light. Why is iron light when it is hot, soft, and glowing red, yet heavy when it is cold, hard, and no longer glowing red?”

The Brahmin said:

“When iron is thoroughly heated, it glows red and is soft, and therefore it is light. When iron is cold, it does not glow red and is hard, and therefore it is heavy.”

Kassapa said:

“Human beings are the same. While alive, they have complexion and suppleness and are light. When dead, they have no complexion, are rigid, and are heavy. From this it may be known that there must be another world.”

Payasi said:

“Although you have given an analogy saying there is another world, according to what I know, there is no other world.”

Kassapa asked:

“Do you have any other reason for maintaining that there is no other world?”

“I do. I once had a relative who became gravely ill. I went to visit him and told those supporting him to lay him on his right side. He looked about, bent and extended his limbs, and spoke as usual. I then told them to lay him on his left side. He still looked about, bent and extended his limbs, and spoke as usual. Then he died. I told them to lay his corpse on its right side and its left side, turn it face down and face up, and examine it carefully. Yet he did not bend or extend his limbs, look about, or speak at all. Therefore, I know with certainty that there is no other world.”

Kassapa said:

“The wise understand through analogies. I shall give you an analogy so that you may understand.

“Long ago, there was a country where no one had ever heard the sound of a conch. One day, a man skilled at blowing a conch came to that country. He entered a village, took up his conch, blew it three times, and placed it on the ground.

The men and women of the village heard this strange sound and were astonished. They gathered and asked: ‘What makes such a clear and harmonious sound?’ The owner pointed to the conch and said: ‘That is its sound.’ The villagers immediately struck the conch with their hands and said: ‘Sound! Sound!’ But the conch remained completely silent.

The owner picked it up again, blew it three more times, and put it down on the ground. The villagers said: ‘The beautiful sound we heard just now was not produced by the power of the conch alone. It requires hands, a mouth, and blown breath before it can sound.’ Human beings are the same.

Only when there are lifespan, consciousness, and breath can they bend and extend their limbs, look about, and speak. Without lifespan, consciousness, and breath, they cannot bend or extend their limbs, look about, or speak.”

Kassapa further exhorted him:

“You should abandon that evil wrong view. Do not retain it throughout your life and thereby only increase your suffering.”

The Brahmin said:

“I cannot abandon it. Why? From birth until now, I have recited and practiced it until it has become firmly established. How could I abandon it?”

Kassapa said:

“Those who are wise quickly understand through analogies. I shall give you another analogy so that you may understand.

“In the remote past, there was a country whose borderlands had become entirely desolate. In that country were two men, one wise and the other foolish. They said to each other: ‘I am your friend.

Let us go together beyond the city and gather wild crops as our property.’ So they went together. When they reached a deserted village, they saw hemp plants covering the ground. The wise man invited the fool to gather and carry them home together, and each took a load.

As they continued past another village, they found bundles of hemp thread. The wise man said: ‘This hemp thread has already been made; it is fine and smooth and more worth taking.’ The other said: ‘I have already gathered and tightly bound these hemp plants. I cannot abandon them.’ The wise man alone took up a heavy load of hemp thread and carried it onward.

As they continued together, they came upon hemp cloth. The wise man said: ‘This hemp cloth has already been made; it is light and fine and more worth taking.’ The other said: ‘I have already gathered and tightly bound these hemp plants. I cannot abandon them now.’ The wise man immediately abandoned his load of hemp thread and took up a heavy load of hemp cloth.

They continued onward together and suddenly found a heap of cotton. The wise man said: ‘Cotton is valuable, light, and fine, and is more worth taking.’ The other said: ‘I have already gathered and firmly bound these hemp plants and have carried them a long way. I cannot abandon them now.’ The wise man alone abandoned the hemp cloth and took up the cotton.

As they proceeded, they successively encountered cotton thread and cotton cloth, then copper, silver, and gold. The wise man said: ‘If there were no gold, we should take silver; if there were no silver, we should take copper or hemp thread; and if there were no hemp thread, only then should we take hemp plants. But this village now has much gold, which is more precious than all other treasures.

You should abandon the hemp plants. I shall abandon the silver, and together we shall take the gold, each carrying a heavy load home.’ But the other man said: ‘I have already gathered and firmly bound these hemp plants and have carried them a long way. I cannot abandon them now.

If you wish to take the gold, take it as you please.’ The wise man immediately abandoned the silver and took up a heavy load of gold to carry home. When they reached home, as soon as the wise man’s relatives saw him in the distance carrying so much gold, they joyfully came out to welcome him. Seeing his relatives welcome him made the wise man even happier.

When the fool returned carrying hemp plants, his relatives saw him but were not at all pleased and did not come out to welcome him. The fool carrying the hemp became even more sorrowful and ashamed.

“Brahmin, you should abandon that inclination toward evil wrong views. Do not incur further suffering throughout your life. You are like the man carrying hemp plants, who stubbornly clung to his foolish opinion and refused to take the gold. He continued carrying the hemp home, endured useless toil, brought no joy to his relatives, remained impoverished throughout his life, and inflicted further suffering upon himself.”

The Brahmin replied:

“I shall never abandon the views I already hold. Why? By means of these views, I instruct many people and obtain many benefits. Kings throughout the four directions have heard my name and know me clearly as a learned proponent of annihilationism.”

Kassapa again said:

“Those who are wise quickly understand through analogies. I shall give you another analogy so that you may understand.

“In the remote past, there was a country whose borderlands had become entirely desolate. At that time, a caravan of one thousand carts passed through the country. Because there was insufficient water, grain, firewood, and grass, the caravan master thought: ‘Our company is large, and we cannot provide sufficient water, grain, firewood, and grass for ourselves.

I shall divide the caravan into two groups and send one group ahead.’ The guide of the first group encountered a man with a huge body, red eyes, a black face, and mud smeared all over him. Seeing the man approaching from afar, the guide asked: ‘Where have you come from?’ He replied: ‘I have come from the village ahead.’ The guide further asked: ‘Is there abundant water, grain, firewood, and grass there?’ He replied: ‘There is a great abundance of water, grain, firewood, and grass there, and nothing is lacking.

Along the way, I encountered a great rainstorm. There is much water there and also much firewood and grass.’ He then told the caravan master: ‘If there is grain and grass on your carts, you may discard all of it. There is abundance ahead; you need not burden your carts with heavy loads.’ The caravan master then said to the merchants: ‘I encountered a man with a huge body, red eyes, a black face, and mud smeared all over him, coming toward me from afar.

I asked him: “Where have you come from?” He replied: “I have come from the village ahead.” I asked: “Does that village have abundant water, rice, firewood, and grass?” He replied: “That village is prosperous, and it lacks neither water, rice, firewood, nor grass.” He also told me: “While traveling, I encountered a great rainstorm. There is much water here, and much firewood and grass as well.” Then he told me: “If you have any grain or grass on your carts, you should unload all of it.

The village ahead is prosperous; there is no need to burden your carts with heavy loads.” Therefore, friends, you should discard the grain and grass to lighten the carts so that we may reach our destination quickly.’ Following his words, the entire group discarded all its grain and grass to lighten the carts and travel faster. They journeyed for one day and saw no grass or water. They journeyed for two days, three days, and as many as seven days, yet still saw none.

The merchants were stranded in the wilderness and were all seized and devoured by evil spirits.

“The second group then set out. The caravan master at their head also encountered a huge man with red eyes, a black face, and mud smeared all over him. Seeing the man approaching from afar, the leader asked: ‘Where have you come from?’ The man replied: ‘I have come from the village ahead.’ He further asked: ‘Is there abundant water, grain, firewood, and grass there?’ The man replied: ‘There is a great abundance there.’ He then told the caravan master: ‘Along the way, I encountered a great rainstorm.

There is much water there, and there is also much firewood and grass.’ He further told the caravan master: ‘If there is grain and grass on your carts, you may discard them. There is abundance ahead; there is no need to burden your carts with heavy loads.’ The caravan master returned and told everyone: ‘I went ahead and met a man. He said to me: “If there is grain and grass on your carts, you may discard all of it.

There is abundance ahead; there is no need to burden your carts with heavy loads.”’ The caravan master then instructed them: ‘Guard your grain and grass carefully and do not throw them away. Discard the old only when you have obtained new provisions. Why?

Only by maintaining a continuous supply of new and old provisions may we hope to cross the wilderness.’ The entire caravan continued with its heavily laden carts. They traveled for one day and saw no grass or water. They traveled for two days, three days, and as many as seven days and still saw none.

They saw only the scattered bones left behind after the demons had seized and devoured the first company.

“Brahmin, that red-eyed, black-faced man was a rakshasa. Those who followed his words suffered throughout their lives, just like the first caravan, which, lacking wisdom, followed the guide and lost their lives. Whatever diligent and wise sramanas and Brahmins teach, those who follow it remain secure throughout their lives, just like the second caravan, which escaped disaster through wisdom.

“Brahmin, abandon that evil view. Do not let it bring you further suffering throughout your life.”

The Brahmin said:

“I can never abandon that view. If anyone comes and admonishes me too insistently, he will merely make me angry; I am determined never to abandon it.”

Kassapa continued:

“Those who are wise understand through analogies. I shall give you an analogy.

“Long ago, there was a country whose borderlands had become entirely desolate. At that time, there was a man who liked raising pigs. While traveling to a deserted village, he saw a large quantity of dry dung and thought: ‘There is much dung here, while my pigs at home are hungry.

I should wrap this dung in grass, place it on my head, and carry it home.’ He immediately wrapped the dung in grass and carried it on his head. Unexpectedly, he encountered a great rainstorm along the way, and liquefied dung flowed down his body as far as his heels. Seeing him, everyone criticized him as mad: ‘Even if the weather were clear, you should not carry such filthy dung on your head.

How much less should you carry it in the rain!’ The man became angry and reviled them in return: ‘You fools! You do not know that my pigs at home are hungry. If you knew, you certainly would not call me foolish.’

“Payasi! You should abandon that evil view. Do not cling firmly to foolish delusion and suffer throughout your life. You are like that fool who carried dung on his head: when others criticized and admonished him, he instead reviled them as ignorant!”

The Brahmin said to Kassapa:

“If you say that doing good leads to heaven and that death is better than life, why do you not take knives and kill yourselves, drink poison and die, or bind your hands and feet and cast yourselves from a high cliff? Yet all of you now crave life, and no one kills himself. From this it may be known that death is not better than life!”

Kassapa said:

“Those who are wise quickly understand through analogies. I shall give you another analogy so that you may understand.

“Long ago, here in the village of Setavya, there lived a senior and elderly ascetic who was one hundred and twenty years old. He had two wives. One had already borne a son, while the other had only recently become pregnant.

Before long, the ascetic died. The elder wife’s son said to the younger wife: ‘All this family property belongs to me; you have no share in it.’ The younger wife said: ‘Wait a little while until I give birth. If it is a son, he must receive a share of the family property.

If it is a daughter, you can arrange her marriage and receive a bride-price.’ But the elder wife’s son insistently demanded three times that the property be divided, while the younger wife continued to give the same answer. Because the elder wife’s son kept pressuring her, the younger wife took a knife and cut open her own belly to see whether the child was male or female.

“Brahmin, that mother killed herself and also killed the child in her womb. You Brahmins are the same: having killed yourselves, you would also kill others. If sramanas and Brahmins diligently cultivate the good, perfect their virtue and precepts, and live long in the world, they bring great benefit and happiness to devas and human beings.

“I shall now give one final analogy so that you may understand the harm caused by evil views.

“Long ago, here in the village of Setavya, there were two men skilled in playing a game with balls. One day they competed, and one of them won. The loser said to the winner: ‘Let us stop for today and compete again tomorrow.’ The loser returned home, coated several of the gaming balls with poison, dried them, and brought them the next day to challenge the winner again. Before they began playing, the loser handed the winner a poisoned ball, and the winner swallowed it. The loser gave him another, and the winner swallowed that as well. The poison spread through his body, causing his entire body to tremble. The loser then reviled him in a verse:

I smeared poison upon the balls,

Yet you swallowed them unaware.

Petty trickster, swallow them;

Later you will surely know for yourself.

“Brahmin! You should quickly abandon that evil view. Do not remain deluded and increase your suffering, like that player who swallowed poison without knowing it!”

The Brahmin then said to Kassapa:

“Venerable sir, when you first gave the analogy of the moon, I already understood. I repeatedly refused to accept your words because I wished to behold the wisdom and eloquence of your replies and thereby strengthen my faith. I now ask to accept the faith and take refuge in Kassapa.”

Kassapa replied:

“Do not take refuge in me. You should take refuge in the Unsurpassed Honored One in whom I have taken refuge.”

Payasi asked:

“I do not know where the Unsurpassed Honored One in whom you have taken refuge is now.”

Kassapa replied:

“My teacher, the Blessed One, entered final nirvana not long ago.”

Payasi said:

“If the Blessed One were still alive, whether he were far or near, I would seek him out, behold him in person, take refuge in him, and pay homage to him. Now I hear Kassapa say that the Tathagata has entered final nirvana. I therefore ask to take refuge in the Tathagata who has entered final nirvana, to take refuge in the Buddha’s Dharma, and to take refuge in the Sangha. May Kassapa permit me to become a lay disciple within the True Dharma. From this day onward, I vow for the rest of my life not to kill, steal, engage in sexual misconduct, speak falsely, or drink intoxicants. I shall now hold a great offering for everyone.”

Kassapa said:

“If you slaughter sentient beings and beat your servants to hold the assembly, you will not be performing a pure meritorious deed. It is like sowing seeds on dry ground filled with gravel and thorns: nothing will be harvested. If you slaughter sentient beings and beat your servants to hold an offering for a community of those holding wrong views, that is not pure merit. If you hold a great offering without killing sentient beings or beating your servants with rods, and joyfully hold the assembly to give to those who are pure, you will obtain great merit. It is like sowing seeds in fertile fields at the proper season: a great harvest will certainly be obtained.”

“Kassapa, from this day onward, I shall constantly make pure offerings to the Sangha without interruption.”

At that time, a young ascetic named Uttara was standing behind Payasi. Payasi turned and told him:

“I now wish to hold a universal great offering. Arrange and administer it on my behalf.”

The young ascetic obeyed Payasi and arranged and administered the offering. When the preparations were complete, he declared aloud:

“May Payasi receive no blessed reward from this either in this life or in the next.”

Payasi heard this, summoned the young ascetic, and asked:

“Did you say such a thing?”

The young ascetic replied:

“Yes. I truly said it. The coarse and inferior food you have now prepared as an offering to the Sangha is such that, were it served to you, you would not even touch it with your hand, much less eat it. If what is prepared in the present cannot delight the eyes or please the heart, how can it yield a pure result in a future life? You give the Sangha robes, yet offer only hempen cloth. Were such cloth given to you, you would not even touch it with your foot, much less wear it. If what is prepared in the present cannot delight the eyes or please the heart, how can it yield a pure result in a future life?”

The Brahmin then told the young ascetic:

“From this day onward, give to the Sangha the same food that I eat and the same clothing that I wear.” The young ascetic obeyed, giving the Sangha the kind of food eaten by the ruler and the kind of clothing worn by the ruler.

When the Brahmin made this pure offering, upon the breakup of the body and the end of his life, he was reborn in an inferior heavenly realm. The young ascetic who supervised and conducted the offering was, after death, reborn in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.

At that time, the Brahmin Payasi, the young ascetic, and the assembly of Brahmins and householders from the village of Setavya rejoiced in what Kumara Kassapa had taught and respectfully practiced it.