In which sutta is the Buddha being asked this?

[smokey]

In one of the suttas I read(but I forgot to bookmark it), the Buddha is asked of whether or not will all beings attain enlightenment, the Buddha remains silent upon being asked that question. In what sutta is this?

[Kare]

In one of the suttas I read(but I forgot to bookmark it), the Buddha is asked of whether or not will all beings attain enlightenment, the Buddha remains silent upon being asked that question. In what sutta is this?

This passage from Ganakamoggallanasutta, MN 107, is not exactly an answer to your questione, but it is related:

When this had been said, the brahman Ganaka-Moggallana spoke thus to the Lord:

"Now, on being exhorted thus and instructed thus by the good Gotama, do all the good Gotama's disciples attain the unchanging goal[8] — nibbana or do some not attain it?"

"Some of my disciples, brahman, on being exhorted and instructed thus by me, attain the unchanging goal — nibbana; some do not attain it."

"What is the cause, good Gotama, what the reason that; since nibbana does exist, since the way leading to nibbana exists, since the good Gotama exists as adviser, some of the good Gotama's disciples on being exhorted thus and instructed thus by the good Gotama, attain the unchanging goal — nibbana, but some do not attain it?"

"Well then, brahman, I will question you on this point in reply. As it is pleasing to you, so you may answer me. What do you think about this, brahman? Are you skilled in the way leading to Rajagaha?"

"Yes, sir, skilled am I in the way leading to Rajagaha."

"What do you think about this? A man might come along here wanting to go to Rajagaha. Having approached you, he might speak thus: 'I want to go to Rajagaha, sir; show me the way to this Rajagaha.' You might speak thus to him: "Yes, my good man, this road goes to Rajagaha; go along it for a while. When you have gone along it for a while you will see a village; go along for a while; when you have gone along for a while you will see a market town; go for a while. When you have gone along for a while you will see Rajagaha with its delightful parks, delightful forests, delightful fields, delightful ponds. But although he has been exhorted and instructed thus by you, he might take the wrong road and go westwards. Then a second man might come along wanting to go to Rajagaha...(as above)... you will see Rajagaha with its delightful... ponds.' Exhorted and instructed thus by you he might get to Rajagaha safely. What is the cause, brahman, what the reason that, since Rajagaha does exist, since the way leading to Rajagaha exists, since you exist as adviser, the one man, although being exhorted and instructed thus by you, may take the wrong road and go westwards while the other may get to Rajagaha safely?"

"What can I, good Gotama, do in this matter? A shower of the way, good Gotama, am I."

"Even so, brahman, nibbana does exist, the way leading to nibbana exists and I exist as adviser. But some of my disciples, on being exhorted and instructed thus by me attain the unchanging goal — nibbana, some do not attain it. What can I, brahman, do in this matter? A shower of the way, brahman, is a Tathagata."

[Sekha]

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html

[smokey]

I am sure I read it on ATI website and it was in one of the suttas, but it is not in the ones you posted, thank you anyway.

Metta -smokey

[Sekha]

I am sure I read it on ATI website and it was in one of the suttas, but it is not in the ones you posted, thank you anyway.

Metta -smokey

I believe it is. Let's have a closer look. You wrote:

In one of the suttas I read(but I forgot to bookmark it), the Buddha is asked of whether or not will all beings attain enlightenment, the Buddha remains silent upon being asked that question. In what sutta is this?

Now the sutta:

And, Master Gotama, when having directly known it, you teach the Dhamma to your disciples for the purification of beings, for the overcoming of sorrow & lamentation, for the disappearance of pain & distress, for the attainment of the right method, & for the realization of Unbinding, will all the cosmos be led to release, or a half of it, or a third?"

When this was said, the Blessed One was silent.

But maybe you where expecting to find BB's phrasing:

But if Master Gotama, from direct knowledge, teaches the Dhamma to his disciples for the purification of beings, for getting beyond sorrow and lamentation, for the ending of pain and grief, for attaining to the method of liberation and for realising Nibbāna, will the whole world thereby be emancipated, or half of it or a third part of it?”

At these words, the Blessed One kept silent.

which you can find here: http://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh238-u.html

[smokey]

Yes, that's it. Thank you Dukkhanirodha.

[Peter]

There is another sutta in which someone asks the Buddha if all beings will eventually attain liberation and the Buddha replies that any who attain liberation will do so via the Noble Eightfold Path. I recall there was a simile of a gated city with a guard at the gate. He may not know how many people have entered or left the city but he knows that any who entered or left the city did so by this gate.