Chapter 33
taste of roots, the taste of stems, etc., and the other parts of a plant contribute to
the development of one's body. (But) they can convey only secular happiness. The
taste of the truth caused by refraining from falsehood (
virati-sacca
) and that of the
verbal truth (
vacÊ
-
sacca
) contribute to one's mental development through
tranquillity (
samatha
), and (
vipassanÈ
) meditation and other meditative practices.
They lead to spiritual happiness. Arahatship called
Vimutti
-
rasa
, the taste of
Emancipation, as developed through the taste of the NibbÈnic Peace, the Truth in
its ultimate sense (
paramattha-sacca
), is sweet and delicious. Therefore, these three
tastes of
Paramattha
-
sacca
,
virati
-
sacca
and
vacÊ
-
sacca
are the best of all tastes.
(4) An individual, who lacks both eyes, namely, the eye of intelligence in mundane
development and the eye of intelligence in supra-mundane development, is called
Andha-puggala
(an individual whose both eyes are blind). One having only the eye
of intelligence in mundane development and lacks the eye of intelligence in the
Dhamma, is called
Eka-cakkhu
(one eyed), one who has both eyes of intelligence is
designated
Dvi-cakkhu-puggala
(an individual whose both eyes see).
Of these three kinds of individuals, a two-eyed lay devotee lives by doing his
domestic task, by taking refuge in the Triple Gem, by keeping the precepts, by
fasting and by fulfilling other human social duties only through wisdom. A monk
lives by accomplishing his ascetic undertakings, such as
sÊla-visuddhi
, (purification
of morality),
citta-visuddhi
(purification of mind) and others, through wisdom.
‚Only the life of one who abides by wisdom is praiseworthy‛, the Noble Ones,
such as Buddhas, etc., declared. (They do not say that the life of one who lives just
by respiration is praiseworthy.) Thus should the meaning at moderate length be
noted.]
On hearing the Buddha's answer to his four questions, ΀avaka the ogre became very
glad, and being desirous of asking the remaining four, he uttered the following verses:
KathaÑ su tarati oghaÑ, kathaÑ su tarati aÓÓavaÑ.
KathaÑ su dukkham acceti, kathaÑ su parisujjhati.
(Exalted Buddha) how, or by what does one cross over the four rough
whirlpools? How, or by what does one cross over the ocean of saÑsÈra?
How or by what does one overcome the round of suffering? How or by what
does one cleanse oneself of mental impurities?
When the ogre had questioned thus, the Buddha uttered the following verse as He wished
to answer as before:
SaddhÈya tarati oghaÑ, appamÈdena aÓÓavaÑ.
Viriyena dukkham acceti, PaÒÒÈya parisujjhati.
(O Friend by the peculiar name of ΀avaka) By faith (
saddhÈ
) one crosses
over the four rough whirlpools, by (
appamÈda
), which is repeated
performance of the ten wholesome acts, one crosses over the ocean of
saÑsÈra
; by energy (
vÊriya
) one overcomes the round of suffering; by
wisdom (
paÒÒÈ
) one cleanses oneself of mental impurities.
(Herein, he, who crosses over the four whirlpools, can also cross over the ocean of
saÑsÈra
, can overcome the round of suffering and be aloof from moral impurities;
but (1) he who lacks
saddhÈ
, as he does not believe in the worthy practice of
crossing over the four whirlpools, cannot engage in meditation which is crossing.
Therefore, he cannot go beyond them. (2) He who neglects by indulging in five
sensual pleasures, as he holds fast to these very pleasures, cannot get beyond the
ocean of
saÑsÈra
. (3) He who is not energetic but indolent, by mixing himself with
unwholesome things, lives miserably. (4) A fool, as he does not know the good
path of practise leading to the purification of moral impurities, cannot be away
from such mental defilements. Hence the Buddha's answer revealing
saddhÈ
as