40c: The Last Days 3, In Malla – 1607 

 

Then Subhadda approached the Buddha and offered courteous greetings to him. 
After exchanging memorable words of felicitation with him, Subhadda sat in a 
suitable place. Then he addressed the Buddha thus: “Reverend Gotama, there are 
ascetics and Brahmins who have a large following, who have adherent sects, 
who are leaders of their sects, who are renowned, who are proponents of their 
own doctrines, and who are held in esteem by many people, such as, Pūraṇa 
Kassapa, Makkhali Gosāla, Ajita Kesakambala, Pakudha Kaccāyana, Sañjaya 
Belaṭṭhaputta and Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta. Do all of them understand what they 
maintain as the truth? Or do all of them have no understanding of what they 
maintain as the truth? Or do some of them understand the truth and some of 
them do not?” 

Subhadda’s question is essentially about Buddhahood. He asked: “Reverend sir, 
are Pūraṇa Kassapa and the five other religious leaders, who claim to be all-
knowing Buddhas, and who are held in high esteem by many people, really All-
knowing Buddhas? Or are none of them Buddhas? Or are some of them Buddhas 
while others are not? For if they are really Buddhas the doctrines they preach 
must lead to liberation from the round of existences. Are all of their doctrines 
conducive to liberation? Or are none of their doctrines conducive to liberation? 
Or are some of their doctrines conducive to liberation while others are not?” 

Now, the Buddha’s intention in going to Kusinārā was to discourse on the 
doctrine to the Malla princes in the first watch of the night, to discourse on the 
doctrine to Subhadda in the middle watch of the night, to give admonition to the 
Saṅgha in the third watch of the night, and then to realize Parinibbāna at the 
approach of dawn. In that tight schedule, it would be of no benefit to Subhadda 
to explain to him about whether the doctrines of the six religious leaders were 
conducive to liberation or not, and there would be no time for such a discussion. 
Therefore the Buddha chose to teach Subhadda the Middle Way as contained in 
the noble Eightfold Path which could lead him to liberation. Accordingly he 
said: “Subhadda, do not ask that. Leave aside the question whether all of those 
religious leaders know the truth, whether none of them know the truth, or 
whether some of them know the truth, while others do not. Subhadda, I shall 
expound to you the good doctrine leading to Nibbāna. Listen and pay careful 
attention. I shall speak in full.” 

[1075]

 “Very well, Revered Sir,” said Subhadda, 

the wandering ascetic.