The Net of Brahmā (DA21)

Doctrines of Nirvana Here and Now: Views 58–62

“There are, monks, other dharmas that are profound, difficult to see, difficult to understand, peaceful and sublime, beyond the sphere of reasoning, subtle, comprehensible only to the wise. And what are these dharmas?

There are some recluses and Brahmāns who maintain a doctrine of nirvana here and now, and who on five grounds proclaim for a living being nirvana here and now. Whatever these recluses or Brahmāns proclaim for a living being nirvana here and now, all of them do so on these five grounds, or on a certain one of them. Outside of these there is none. And owing to what, with reference to what, do these recluses and Brahmāns proclaim for a living being nirvana here and now, on five grounds?

Herein, monks, some recluse or Brahmān asserts the following doctrine or view: ‘When this self is furnished and supplied with the five strands of sense pleasures, revels in them; at this point the self attains nirvana here and now.’ This is the first case.

To him another recluse or Brahmān says thus: ‘But it is not at that point that the self attains nirvana here and now. For what the self attains nirvana here and now is so subtle. That you neither know nor see, but I only know it and see it. When the self, putting away sense pleasure and unwholesome state, enters into and abides in the first jhāna, the state of joy and ease, born of seclusion, accompanied by reflection, accompanied by investigation, at this point the self attains nirvana here and now.’ This is the second case.

To him another recluse or Brahmān says thus: ‘But it is not at that point that the self attains nirvana here and now. For what the self attains nirvana here and now is so subtle. That you neither know nor see, but I only know it and see it. When the self, suppressing both reasoning and investigation, enters into and abides in the second jhāna, the state of joy and ease, born of serenity, without reflection or investigation, a state of elevation of mind, internal calm of heart, at this point the self attains nirvana here and now.’ This is the third case.

To him another recluse or Brahmān says thus: ‘But it is not at that point that the self attains nirvana here and now. For what the self attains nirvana here and now is so subtle. That you neither know nor see, but I only know it and see it. When the self, by absence of the longing after joy remains in equanimity, mindful and self-possessed, and experiences in the body that ease of which the ariyans speak, and so enters into and abides in the third jhāna, at this point the self attains nirvana here and now.’ This is the fourth case.

To him another recluse or Brahmān says thus: ‘But it is not at that point that the self attains nirvana here and now. For what the self attains nirvana here and now is so subtle. That you neither know nor see, but I only know it and see it. When the self, by putting away ease, by putting away pain, by the previous dying away both joys and grieves has entered into and abides in the fourth jhāna—a state made pure by self-possession and equanimity, without pain and without ease, at this point the self attains supreme nirvana here and now.’ This is the fifth case.

It is on these five grounds that those recluses and Brahmāns who maintain a doctrine of nirvana here and now proclaim for a living being nirvana here and now.

This, monks, only the Tathagata understands: ‘These standpoints, thus grasped, thus insisted on, will lead to such a future destination, to such a state in the world beyond … ”

It is on these forty-four grounds, not outside of these, that those recluses and Brahmāns who are speculators about the future and hold settled views about the future, assert various conceptual theorems referring to the future.

This, only the Tathagata understands: These standpoints, thus grasped, thus insisted on, will lead to such a future destination, to such a state in the world beyond …

It is on these sixty-two grounds that those recluses and Brahmāns who are speculators about the past, speculators about the future, and speculators about the past and the future together, who hold settled views about the past and the future, assert various conceptual theorems referring to the past and the future. Whatever recluses or Brahmāns, are speculators about the past, or speculators about the future, or speculators about the past and the future together, hold settled views about the past and the future, and assert various conceptual theorems referring to the past and the future, all of them do so on these sixty-two grounds, or on a certain one of them. Outside of these there is none.

This, only the Tathagata understands: These standpoints, thus grasped, thus insisted on, will lead to such a future destination, to such a state in the world beyond … ”

4. Conclusion

“Bhiksus, when those recluses and Brahmāns who are eternalists about the past and hold settled views about the past, proclaim on four grounds the self and the world to be eternal, herefrom those recluses and Brahmāns get knowledge. It is from these, namely, different believing, different desires, different hearings, different conditioning causes, different realizations, different perceptions, different concentrations, and different endurance, that those who get knowledge. Whatever opinion of theirs, is all based only on the personal sensations, feelings. … And when those recluses and Brahmāns who maintain a doctrine of nirvana here and now proclaim on five grounds nirvana here and now for a living being—that too is based only on the personal sensations, feelings.

Therein, when those recluses and Brahmāns who are eternalists proclaim on four grounds the self and the world to be eternal—that is only the feeling of those who do not know and do not see; that is only the agitation and vacillation of those who are immersed in craving. … And when those recluses and Brahmāns who maintain a doctrine of nirvana here and now proclaim on five grounds nirvana here and now for a living being—that too is only the feeling of those who do not know and do not see; that is only the agitation and vacillation of those who are immersed in craving.

Therein, when those recluses and brhmans who are eternalists about the past, and who hold settled views about the past proclaim on four grounds the self and the world to be eternal—that is conditioned by contact. That they can experience that feeling without contact—such a case is impossible. … And when those recluses and Brahmāns who maintain a doctrine of nirvana here and now proclaim on five grounds nirvana here and now for a living being—that too is conditioned by contact. That they can experience that feeling without contact—such a case is impossible.

Whatever recluses or Brahmāns, bhiksus, are speculators about the past, speculators about the future, speculators about the past and the future together, hold settled views about the past and the future, and assert various conceptual theorems referring to the past and the future, all of them, are entrapped in the net of these sixty-two divisions. Whatever this way or that way they plunge about, they are in it. Whatever this way or that way they may flounder, they are included in it, caught in it.

Just as a skillful fisherman should drag a tiny pool of water with a fine-meshed net he might fairly think: ‘Whatever fish or size may be in this pond, every one will be in this net; flounder about as they may, they will be included in it, and caught’—just so is it with these recluses and Brahmāns who are speculators about the past and the future, hold settled views about the past and the future, and assert various conceptual theorems referring to the past and the future, all are entrapped in the net of these sixty-two divisions, flounder as they may, they are included and caught.”

“When, monks, a bhiksu understands as they really are the origin and passing away of the six bases of contact, their satisfaction, unsatisfactoriness, and escape from them, then he understands what transcends all these views.

The Tathagata knows himself that the repeated birth and death is no more for him. The body of the Tathagata stands, just for the sake of teaching Dharma to those gods and men. If he stands without the outward form, those gods and men shall have nothing to behold. Just as, when the head of Tala tree has been cut, it can not grow any more—in the same way, having escaped from the cycle of birth and death, the Buddha will not be reborn any more.

As this discourse being spoken by the Buddha, the ten thousandfold world-system shook in six sorts of sake for three times.

When he had thus spoken, the venerable Ānanda, having held a fan fanning the Buddha behind him, coming to the front with one shoulder uncovered, putting his palms together on banded knees, said to the Buddha: “It is wonderful and marvelous! What is the title, Lord, of this exposition of the Dharma?”

The Buddha told him: “ Ānanda, you may remember this exposition of the Dharma as the Atthacara, as the Dharmacara, as the Diṭṭhicara, as the Māracara, and as the Brahmācara.”

On hearing thus, the Buddha spoke, the venerable Ānanda delighted and rejoiced greatly, believed and accepted the teachings.

The fortieth volume of the Dīrghāgama which was spoken by the Buddha.

A Critical Translation of Fan Dong Jing, the Chinese Version of Brahmajala Sutra, by Cheng Jianhua. Text edited and formatted by Bhikkhu Sujato.

Prepared for SuttaCentral by Bhikkhu Sujato.