Potthapada Sutta Vs Agganna Sutta
Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2012 6:12 am
Dear all,
I see some contradictions between Potthapada Sutta (DN 9) and Agganna Sutts(DN 27).
I need your help to understand it.
In Potthapada Sutta Buddha states that he had not expounded that the cosmos is eternal or not eternal. And the reason for not expounding as;
"Because they are not conducive to the goal, are not conducive to the Dhamma, are not basic to the holy life. They don't lead to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to calm, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding. That's why I haven't expounded them."
But in Agganna Sutts Buddha expound about beginning or re-beginning of the world.
Why is it at this time this teaching is conducive to the goal, conducive to the Dhamma, and basic to the holy life. And lead to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to calm, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding.
When asked about cosmos Buddha did not answer it stating that it is not conducive to the goal and Dhamma etc, but on a another incident he goes on to explain every detail of the re-beginning of the world.
What should I understand from this?
In Potthapada Sutta (DN 9);
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://dharmafarer.org/wordpress/wp-con ... 7-piya.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Thank You,
CJ
I see some contradictions between Potthapada Sutta (DN 9) and Agganna Sutts(DN 27).
I need your help to understand it.
In Potthapada Sutta Buddha states that he had not expounded that the cosmos is eternal or not eternal. And the reason for not expounding as;
"Because they are not conducive to the goal, are not conducive to the Dhamma, are not basic to the holy life. They don't lead to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to calm, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding. That's why I haven't expounded them."
But in Agganna Sutts Buddha expound about beginning or re-beginning of the world.
Why is it at this time this teaching is conducive to the goal, conducive to the Dhamma, and basic to the holy life. And lead to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to calm, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding.
When asked about cosmos Buddha did not answer it stating that it is not conducive to the goal and Dhamma etc, but on a another incident he goes on to explain every detail of the re-beginning of the world.
What should I understand from this?
In Potthapada Sutta (DN 9);
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Agganna Sutts(DN 27):"
[Potthapada] Well then, lord, if — having other views, other practices, other satisfactions, other aims, other teachers — it's hard for me to know whether perception is a person's self or if perception is one thing and self another, then is it the case that the cosmos is eternal, that only this is true and anything otherwise is worthless?"
"Potthapada, I haven't expounded that the cosmos is eternal, that only this is true and anything otherwise is worthless."
"Then is it the case that the cosmos is not eternal, that only this is true and anything otherwise is worthless?"
"Potthapada, I haven't expounded that the cosmos is not eternal, that only this is true and anything otherwise is worthless."
"Then is it the case that the cosmos is finite... the cosmos is infinite... the soul & the body are the same... the soul is one thing and the body another... after death a Tathagata exists... after death a Tathagata does not exist... after death a Tathagata both exists & does not exist... after death a Tathagata neither exists nor does not exist, that only this is true and anything otherwise is worthless?"
"Potthapada, I haven't expounded that after death a Tathagata neither exists nor does not exist, that only this is true and anything otherwise is worthless."
"But why hasn't the Blessed One expounded these things?"
"Because they are not conducive to the goal, are not conducive to the Dhamma, are not basic to the holy life. They don't lead to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to calm, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding. That's why I haven't expounded them."
http://dharmafarer.org/wordpress/wp-con ... 7-piya.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Thank You,
CJ