or neither percipient nor non-percipient … or the self is annihilated and destroyed when the body breaks up, and doesn’t exist after death. This is the only truth, anything else is futile.’ There are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view: ‘The self is healthy after death, and formed … or formless … or both formed and formless … or neither formed nor formless … or percipient … Regarding this, I go up to the ascetics and brahmins whose view is that, Because there are beings wh

Would they come back to tell you that there is an afterlife?” “No, worthy Kassapa. “Even though the worthy Kassapa says this, still I think that they’d drink poison, take their lives, hang themselves, or throw themselves off a cliff. They mustn’t know that things are going to be better for them after death. That’s why they are ethical, of good character, wanting to live and not wanting to die, wanting to be happy and recoiling from pain.’ This is the method by which I prove that there is no afte

“Can you prove it?” “I can.” “How, exactly, chieftain?” “Well, I see ascetics and brahmins who are ethical, of good character, who want to live and don’t want to die, who want to be happy and recoil from pain. I think to myself, ‘If those ascetics and brahmins knew that things were going to be better for them after death, 2.6. The Simile of the Pregnant Woman “Well then, chieftain, I shall give you a simile. But the brahmin lady said,

3.1.2. Partial Eternalism There are some ascetics and brahmins who are partial eternalists, who assert that the self and the cosmos are partially eternal and partially not eternal on four grounds. And what are the four grounds on which they rely? And what is the third ground on which they rely? There are gods named ‘malevolent’. They spend too much time gazing at each other, so they grow angry with each other, and their bodies and minds get tired. They pass away from that host of gods. It’s poss

They are permanent, everlasting, eternal, imperishable, remaining the same for all eternity. But we who were malevolent spent too much time gazing at each other, we grew angry with each other, our bodies and minds got tired, and we passed away from that host of gods. We are impermanent, not lasting, short-lived, liable to pass away, and have come to this place.’ This is the third ground on which some ascetics and brahmins rely to assert that the self and the cosmos are partially eternal. And wha

“So if they couldn’t even see your soul entering or leaving while you were still alive, how could you see the soul of a dead man? “Even though the worthy Kassapa says this, still I think that ‘Well then, sirs, weigh this man with scales while he’s still alive. Then strangle him with a bowstring, and when he’s dead, weigh him again.’ They agree, and do what I ask. So long as they are alive, they’re lighter, softer, more flexible. But when they die they become heavier, stiffer, less flexible. This

But when the Buddha has passed, we won’t get to see the esteemed mendicants or to pay homage to them.” “Ānanda, a faithful gentleman should go to see these four inspiring places. Anyone who passes away while on pilgrimage to these shrines will, when their body breaks up, after death, be reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.” What four? Thinking: ‘Here the Realized One was born!’—that is an inspiring place. Thinking: ‘Here the Realized One became awakened as a supreme fully awakened Buddha!’—

“How, exactly, chieftain?” “Suppose they were to arrest a bandit, a criminal and present him to me, saying, ‘Sir, this is a bandit, a criminal. Punish him as you will.’ I say to them, 2.10. The Simile of the Fire-Worshiping Matted-Hair Ascetic “Well then, chieftain, I shall give you a simile. ‘It’s not proper for me to look on while a human being dies. Why don’t I bring this boy back to my hermitage, nurse him, provide for him, and raise him?’ So that’s what he did.

3.2. Theories About the Final End There are some ascetics and brahmins who theorize about the final end, and assert various hypotheses concerning the final end on forty-four grounds. And what are the forty-four grounds on which they rely? 3.2.1. Percipient Life After Death There are some ascetics and brahmins who say there is life after death, and assert that the self lives on after death in a percipient form on sixteen grounds. neither finite nor infinite … of unified perception … of diverse pe

infinite … both finite and infinite … These are the sixteen grounds on which those ascetics and brahmins assert that the self lives on after death in a percipient form. Any ascetics and brahmins who assert that the self lives on after death in a percipient form do so on one or other of these sixteen grounds. Outside of this there is none. But after staying there all alone for a long time, they become dissatisfied and anxious: ‘Oh, if only other beings would come to this place.’ Then other sentie

There is another self that is heavenly, formed, sensual, consuming edible food. You don’t know or see that. But I know it and see it. Since this self is annihilated and destroyed when the body breaks up, and doesn’t exist after death, that’s how this self becomes rightly annihilated.’ That is how some assert the annihilation of an existing being. But someone else says to them: ‘<em>That</em> self of which you speak does exist, I don’t deny it. But that’s not how <em>this</em> self becomes rightl

But I know it and see it. Since this self is annihilated and destroyed when the body breaks up, and doesn’t exist after death, that’s how this self becomes rightly annihilated.’ That is how some assert the annihilation of an existing being. But someone else says to them: ‘<em>That</em> self of which you speak does exist, I don’t deny it. But that’s not how <em>this</em> self becomes rightly annihilated. There is another self which has gone totally beyond perceptions of form. With the disappearan

‘<em>That</em> self of which you speak does exist, I don’t deny it. But that’s not how <em>this</em> self becomes rightly annihilated. There is another self that has gone totally beyond the dimension of infinite consciousness. Aware that “there is nothing at all”, it’s been reborn in the dimension of nothingness. You don’t know or see that. But I know it and see it. Since this self is annihilated and destroyed when the body breaks up, and doesn’t exist after death, that’s how this self becomes r

There is another self that has gone totally beyond the dimension of nothingness. Aware that “this is peaceful, this is sublime”, it’s been reborn in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. You don’t know or see that. But I know it and see it. Since this self is annihilated and destroyed when the body breaks up, and doesn’t exist after death, that’s how this self becomes rightly annihilated.’ That is how some assert the annihilation of an existing being. These are the seven ground

There are some ascetics and brahmins who speak of extinguishment in this life. They assert ultimate extinguishment for an existing being in this life on five grounds. And what are the five grounds on which they rely? They assert: ‘The self is healthy and non-percipient after death, and it is formed … formless … both formed and formless … neither formed nor formless … finite … infinite … both finite and infinite … neither finite nor infinite.’

Any ascetics and brahmins who theorize about the first beginning or the final end do so on one or other of these sixty-two grounds. Outside of this there is none. These are the eight grounds on which those ascetics and brahmins assert that the self lives on after death in a non-percipient form. Any ascetics and brahmins who assert that the self lives on after death in a non-percipient form do so on one or other of these eight grounds. Outside of this there is none. The Realized One understands t

or that the self lives on after death in a neither percipient nor non-percipient form on eight grounds … or they assert the annihilation of an existing being on seven grounds … or they assert ultimate extinguishment for an existing being in this life on five grounds … they theorize about the final end on these forty-four grounds … When those ascetics and brahmins theorize about the first beginning and the final end on these sixty-two grounds, these things are only the feeling of those who do not

or they assert that the self and the cosmos arose anomalously on two grounds … 3.2.3. Neither Percipient Nor Non-Percipient Life After Death There are some ascetics and brahmins who say there is life after death, and assert that the self lives on after death in a neither percipient nor non-percipient form on eight grounds. And what are the eight grounds on which they rely? they theorize about the first beginning on these eighteen grounds … or they assert that the self lives on after death in a p

they theorize about the final end on these forty-four grounds … When those ascetics and brahmins theorize about the first beginning and the final end on these sixty-two grounds, that too is dependent on contact. 4.3. Not Possible They assert: ‘The self is healthy and neither percipient nor non-percipient after death, and it is formed … formless … both formed and formless … neither formed nor formless … finite … infinite … both finite and infinite …

neither finite nor infinite.’ These are the eight grounds on which those ascetics and brahmins assert that the self lives on after death in a neither percipient nor non-percipient form. Any ascetics and brahmins who assert that the self lives on after death in a neither percipient nor non-percipient form do so on one or other of these eight grounds. Outside of this there is none. Now, when those ascetics and brahmins theorize about the first beginning and the final end on these sixty-two grounds