Mil 3.7.3
3. Question on Striving for the Abandonment of Suffering
3. Dukkhappahānavāyamapañha
from: Analysis of Formless Dhammas Chapter
3. Question on Striving for the Abandonment of Suffering
The king asked: “Venerable Nāgasena, are you striving for the abandonment of past suffering?” “Certainly not, your majesty.” “Then, venerable sir, are you striving for the abandonment of future suffering?” “Certainly not, your majesty.” “Then, venerable sir, are you striving for the abandonment of present suffering?” “Certainly not, your majesty.” “If you are not striving for the abandonment of past suffering, nor for the abandonment of future suffering, nor for the abandonment of present suffering, then what are you striving for?” The elder said, “Your majesty, I am striving so that this suffering would cease and that no other suffering would arise.”
“Is there now, Venerable Nāgasena, future suffering for you?” “There is not, your majesty.” “Indeed, Venerable Nāgasena, you are very wise that you strive for abandoning future suffering that is not existing.” “Are there, your majesty, any opposing kings, that are adversaries, that have risen up against you?” “Yes, venerable sir, there are.” “Is it then, your majesty, that you had a moat dug, a rampart put up, and a gateway and watchtower constructed?” “Certainly not, venerable sir, these were prepared previously.” “Is it then, your majesty, that you would train in elephant warfare, in horse warfare, in chariot warfare, in archery, and in swordsmanship?” “Certainly not, venerable sir, I had trained in these previously.” “For what reason?” “In order to prevent future perils, venerable sir.” “Is there a future peril now, your majesty?” “There is not, venerable sir.” “Indeed, your majesty, you are very wise that you would prepare for the prevention of a future peril that is not existing.”
“Give me another analogy.” “What do you think, your majesty, when you might become thirsty is it then that you would have a well, a pond, or a reservoir dug, thinking, ‘I will drink water’?” “Certainly not, venerable sir, this has been arranged for previously.” “For what reason?” “It has been arranged, venerable sir, in order to prevent future thirst.” “Is there a future thirst now, your majesty?” “There is not, venerable sir.” “Indeed, your majesty, you are very wise that you would prepare for the prevention of a future thirst that is not existing.”
“Give me another analogy.” “What do you think, your majesty, when you might become hungry is it then that you would have a field ploughed, and rice sowed, thinking, ‘I will eat food’?” “Certainly not, venerable sir, this has been arranged for previously.” “For what reason?” “In order, venerable sir, to prevent future hunger.” “Is there a future hunger now, your majesty?” “There is not, venerable sir.” “Indeed, your majesty, you are very wise that you would prepare for the prevention of a future hunger that is not existing.”
“You are clever, Venerable Nāgasena!”
Question on Striving for the Abandonment of Suffering third
3. Dukkhappahānavāyamapañha
Rājā āha— “bhante nāgasena, kiṁ tumhe atītassa dukkhassa pahānāya vāyamathā”ti? “Na hi, mahārājā”ti. “Kiṁ pana, bhante, anāgatassa dukkhassa pahānāya vāyamathā”ti? “Na hi, mahārājā”ti. “Kiṁ pana paccuppannassa dukkhassa pahānāya vāyamathā”ti? “Na hi, mahārājā”ti. “Yadi tumhe na atītassa dukkhassa pahānāya vāyamatha, na anāgatassa dukkhassa pahānāya vāyamatha, na paccuppannassa dukkhassa pahānāya vāyamatha, atha kimatthāya vāyamathā”ti. Thero āha— “‘kinti, mahārāja, idañca dukkhaṁ nirujjheyya, aññañca dukkhaṁ nuppajjeyyā’ti etadatthāya vāyamāmā”ti.
“Atthi pana te, bhante nāgasena, anāgataṁ dukkhan”ti? “Natthi, mahārājā”ti. “Tumhe kho, bhante nāgasena, atipaṇḍitā, ye tumhe asantānaṁ anāgatānaṁ dukkhānaṁ pahānāya vāyamathā”ti? “Atthi pana te, mahārāja, keci paṭirājāno paccatthikā paccāmittā paccupaṭṭhitā hontī”ti? “Āma, bhante, atthī”ti. “Kiṁ nu kho, mahārāja, tadā tumhe parikhaṁ khaṇāpeyyātha, pākāraṁ cināpeyyātha gopuraṁ kārāpeyyātha, aṭṭālakaṁ kārāpeyyātha, dhaññaṁ atiharāpeyyāthā”ti? “Na hi, bhante, paṭikacceva taṁ paṭiyattaṁ hotī”ti. “Kiṁ tumhe, mahārāja, tadā hatthismiṁ sikkheyyātha, assasmiṁ sikkheyyātha, rathasmiṁ sikkheyyātha, dhanusmiṁ sikkheyyātha, tharusmiṁ sikkheyyāthā”ti? “Na hi, bhante, paṭikacceva taṁ sikkhitaṁ hotī”ti. “Kissatthāyā”ti? “Anāgatānaṁ, bhante, bhayānaṁ paṭibāhanatthāyā”ti. “Kiṁ nu kho, mahārāja, atthi anāgataṁ bhayan”ti? “Natthi, bhante”ti. “Tumhe ca kho, mahārāja, atipaṇḍitā, ye tumhe asantānaṁ anāgatānaṁ bhayānaṁ paṭibāhanatthāya paṭiyādethā”ti.
“Bhiyyo opammaṁ karohī”ti. “Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, mahārāja, yadā tvaṁ pipāsito bhaveyyāsi, tadā tvaṁ udapānaṁ khaṇāpeyyāsi, pokkharaṇiṁ khaṇāpeyyāsi, taḷākaṁ khaṇāpeyyāsi ‘pānīyaṁ pivissāmī’”ti? “Na hi, bhante, paṭikacceva taṁ paṭiyattaṁ hotī”ti. “Kissatthāyā”ti? “Anāgatānaṁ, bhante, pipāsānaṁ paṭibāhanatthāya paṭiyattaṁ hotī”ti. “Atthi pana, mahārāja, anāgatā pipāsā”ti? “Natthi, bhante”ti. “Tumhe kho, mahārāja, atipaṇḍitā, ye tumhe asantānaṁ anāgatānaṁ pipāsānaṁ paṭibāhanatthāya taṁ paṭiyādethā”ti.
“Bhiyyo opammaṁ karohī”ti. “Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, mahārāja, yadā tvaṁ bubhukkhito bhaveyyāsi, tadā tvaṁ khettaṁ kasāpeyyāsi, sāliṁ vapāpeyyāsi ‘bhattaṁ bhuñjissāmī’”ti? “Na hi, bhante, paṭikacceva taṁ paṭiyattaṁ hotī”ti. “Kissatthāyā”ti. “Anāgatānaṁ, bhante, bubhukkhānaṁ paṭibāhanatthāyā”ti. “Atthi pana, mahārāja, anāgatā bubhukkhā”ti? “Natthi, bhante”ti. “Tumhe kho, mahārāja, atipaṇḍitā, ye tumhe asantānaṁ anāgatānaṁ bubhukkhānaṁ paṭibāhanatthāya paṭiyādethā”ti.
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti.
Dukkhappahānavāyamapañho tatiyo.