The Buddha's Knowledge about the Future

[Eko Care]

This is about the Blessed One's Anagatamsa-nana. While Patisambhidamagga and Commentaries say "all the future can be seen by the Buddha", there are debates on what "all" is. What do you think? (only serious comments are welcome)

Well, the commentarial view, as stated by Bhikkhu Bodhi in the opening post, is that all knowable things are potentially accessible to [the Buddha's understanding, paññā], but that they are not all simultaneously accessible. My exchange with Jason so far has focussed on the question of whether the possibility of non-simultaneous all-knowingness can reasonably be derived from the Kannakatthala Sutta. We haven't yet got around to the question of what is meant by a knowable thing, but this too is an important qualification, for nowhere is it asserted that all things are knowable things. And so the Buddha's "omniscience" as the commentators understand it, is far from being the Allah-like or Jehovah-like omniscience that some Mahayana Buddhists posit. For example, there must be at least some future things that are not knowable things, since for all future things to be knowable would require all future things to be predetermined, which would conflict with the Buddha's rejection of fatalism.

Can we conclude saying "must be"?

Bhikkhu Bodhi: According to the Theravada tradition the Buddha is omniscient in the sense that all knowable things are potentially accessible to him.

"Knowable things" (ñeyya dhamma) is an important qualification and one that usually gets overlooked by those modern scholars who assert that latterday Buddhists came to exaggerate the Buddha's cognitive range. The Buddha, according to the Pali commentators is able to know all knowable things, but the commentators don't claim that all things are knowable.

[cappuccino]

there are multiple timelines


your future and my future may be different

[SarathW]

We all know that everything around us is dependently originated.
There are also five NIyamas affecting our life.
So it is not possible for us to say the future with minute accuracy and it is not necessary.
If you can tell the future it amount to determinism.

[Gwi II]

This is about the Blessed One's Anagatamsa-nana. While Patisambhidamagga and Commentaries say "all the future can be seen by the Buddha", there are debates on what "all" is. What do you think? (only serious comments are welcome)

Well, the commentarial view, as stated by Bhikkhu Bodhi in the opening post, is that all knowable things are potentially accessible to [the Buddha's understanding, paññā], but that they are not all simultaneously accessible. My exchange with Jason so far has focussed on the question of whether the possibility of non-simultaneous all-knowingness can reasonably be derived from the Kannakatthala Sutta. We haven't yet got around to the question of what is meant by a knowable thing, but this too is an important qualification, for nowhere is it asserted that all things are knowable things. And so the Buddha's "omniscience" as the commentators understand it, is far from being the Allah-like or Jehovah-like omniscience that some Mahayana Buddhists posit. For example, there must be at least some future things that are not knowable things, since for all future things to be knowable would require all future things to be predetermined, which would conflict with the Buddha's rejection of fatalism.

Can we conclude saying "must be"?

Bhikkhu Bodhi: According to the Theravada tradition the Buddha is omniscient in the sense that all knowable things are potentially accessible to him.

"Knowable things" (ñeyya dhamma) is an important qualification and one that usually gets overlooked by those modern scholars who assert that latterday Buddhists came to exaggerate the Buddha's cognitive range. The Buddha, according to the Pali commentators is able to know all knowable things, but the commentators don't claim that all things are knowable.

The Realized One possesses ten powers of a Realized One. With these he claims the bull’s place, roars his lion’s roar in the assemblies, and turns the holy wheel. What ten?

Firstly, the Realized One truly understands the possible as possible, and the impossible as impossible. Since he truly understands this, this is a power of the Realized One. Relying on this he claims the bull’s place, roars his lion’s roar in the assemblies, and turns the holy wheel.

Furthermore, the Realized One truly understands the result of deeds undertaken in the past, future, and present in terms of causes and reasons. Since he truly understands this, this is a power of the Realized One. … [MN 12].

Note: there is no need to go any further, THE BUDDHO
KNOWS WHEN A PERSON WILL ACHIEVE NIBBĀNO. See
Dīpaṅkara Buddha's knowledge, in an instant, 4 asaṅkheyya
100,000 aeons were penetrated immediately (this is very
amazing). There is a Bodhisatto who attains buddhahood
within 16 asaṅkheyya 100,000 aeons, and can be seen a
Buddho, IN A SHORT TIME.




The future is not easy to determine.

Visuddhimaggo: nonbuddhists can only see
the future for 40 aeons, (NOT MORE).

So, if nonbuddhists want to talk about the future, just say,
"The 80 great disciples of The Buddho can see the future
for up to 100,000 aeons." You can't even compare to the
disciples of The Buddho. How to compare with The Buddho?


Continue with the explanation of MN 12:
The Buddho also has four kinds of self-assurance.
With these He claims the bull’s place, roars His
lion’s roar in the assemblies, and turns the holy wheel.
What four?

I see no reason for anyone—whether ascetic, brahmin, god, Māra, or Brahmā, or anyone else in the world—to legitimately scold Me, saying: ‘You claim to be fully awakened, but You don’t understand these things.’ Since I see no such reason, I live secure, fearless, and assured.

I see no reason for anyone—whether ascetic, brahmin, god, Māra, or Brahmā, or anyone else in the world—to legitimately scold Me, saying: ‘You claim to have ended all defilements, but these defilements have not ended.’ Since I see no such reason, I live secure, fearless, and assured.

I see no reason for anyone—whether ascetic, brahmin, god, Māra, or Brahmā, or anyone else in the world—to legitimately scold Me, saying: ‘The acts that you say are obstructions are not really obstructions for the one who performs them.’ Since I see no such reason, I live secure, fearless, and assured.

I see no reason for anyone—whether ascetic, brahmin, god, Māra, or Brahmā, or anyone else in the world—to legitimately scold Me, saying: ‘The teaching doesn’t lead those who practice it to the complete ending of dukkho, the goal for which you taught it.’ Since I see no such reason, I live secure, fearless, and assured.

A Realized One has these four kinds of self-assurance. With these He claims the bull’s place, roars His lion’s roar in the assemblies, and turns the holy wheel.


* If someone wanted to know the Sabbaññuta-ñāṇa
of a Buddho, he/she would only go mad.

[Eko Care]

there must be at least some future things that are not knowable things, since for all future things to be knowable would require all future things to be predetermined, which would conflict with the Buddha's rejection of fatalism.

The above is the Venerable Dhammanando and Maggavihari's position. According to them,
"If one accept 'all the future can be seen by the Buddha' then it would conflict with the Buddha's refutation of fatalism."

From what you quoted,

To support their position:

Firstly, the Realized One truly understands the possible as possible, and the impossible as impossible.

To counter their position:

Furthermore, the Realized One truly understands the result of deeds undertaken in the past, future, and present in terms of causes and reasons.

I see no reason for anyone—whether ascetic, brahmin, god, Māra, or Brahmā, or anyone else in the world—to legitimately scold Me, saying: ‘You claim to be fully awakened, but You don’t understand these things.’ Since I see no such reason, I live secure, fearless, and assured.

Note: there is no need to go any further, THE BUDDHO KNOWS WHEN A PERSON WILL ACHIEVE NIBBĀNO. See Dīpaṅkara Buddha's knowledge, in an instant, 4 asaṅkheyya 100,000 aeons were penetrated immediately (this is very amazing). There is a Bodhisatto who attains buddhahood within 16 asaṅkheyya 100,000 aeons, and can be seen a Buddho, IN A SHORT TIME.

It is true, but what the the above venerables say is
"Part of future can be seen by the Buddha and part can not be seen by anyone."

Then, they consider the following forecasts in the Tipitaka as "the knowable part" of the future.
- forecast of the Dipankara Buddha about Gotama Buddha.
- forecast of the Gotama Buddha about Metteyya Buddha and Sankharaja era.
- forecast about Korakkhattiya (to Sunakkhatta)
...etc.

So what is your explanation on this regard?

If someone wanted to know the Sabbaññuta-ñāṇa of a Buddho, he/she would only go mad.

Yes, it is true if someone tried to understand the capacity and sphere of the Sabbaññuta-ñāṇa.
But, is the above point of same kind?

Thank You & Blessings!

[Gwi II]

there must be at least some future things that are not knowable things, since for all future things to be knowable would require all future things to be predetermined, which would conflict with the Buddha's rejection of fatalism.

The above is the Venerable Dhammanando and Maggavihari's position. According to them,
"If one accept 'all the future can be seen by the Buddha' then it would conflict with the Buddha's refutation of fatalism."

From what you quoted,

To support their position:

Firstly, the Realized One truly understands the possible as possible, and the impossible as impossible.

To counter their position:

Furthermore, the Realized One truly understands the result of deeds undertaken in the past, future, and present in terms of causes and reasons.

I see no reason for anyone—whether ascetic, brahmin, god, Māra, or Brahmā, or anyone else in the world—to legitimately scold Me, saying: ‘You claim to be fully awakened, but You don’t understand these things.’ Since I see no such reason, I live secure, fearless, and assured.

Note: there is no need to go any further, THE BUDDHO KNOWS WHEN A PERSON WILL ACHIEVE NIBBĀNO. See Dīpaṅkara Buddha's knowledge, in an instant, 4 asaṅkheyya 100,000 aeons were penetrated immediately (this is very amazing). There is a Bodhisatto who attains buddhahood within 16 asaṅkheyya 100,000 aeons, and can be seen a Buddho, IN A SHORT TIME.

It is true, but what the the above venerables say is
"Part of future can be seen by the Buddha and part can not be seen by anyone."

Then, they consider the following forecasts in the Tipitaka as "the knowable part" of the future.
- forecast of the Dipankara Buddha about Gotama Buddha.
- forecast of the Gotama Buddha about Metteyya Buddha and Sankharaja era.
- forecast about Korakkhattiya (to Sunakkhatta)
...etc.

So what is your explanation on this regard?

If someone wanted to know the Sabbaññuta-ñāṇa of a Buddho, he/she would only go mad.

Yes, it is true if someone tried to understand the capacity and sphere of the Sabbaññuta-ñāṇa.
But, is the above point of same kind?

Thank You & Blessings!

"... and part can not be seen by anyone."

This the answer:

Furthermore, the Realized One truly understands the result of deeds undertaken in the past, future, and present in terms of causes and reasons.



The Buddho also knew about inanimate objects
(this is extraordinary), like this tree, why did it get
his shape, why did it get like this, etc.

So, obviously The Buddha's knowledge is in all spheres,
but what did The Buddho say? This is the answer:

Sīsapāvana-suttaṃ:
At one time The Buddha was staying near Kosambī in a rosewood forest. Then The Buddha picked up a few rosewood leaves in His hand and addressed the mendicants: “What do you think, mendicants? Which is more: the few leaves in My hand, or those in the forest above Me?”

“Sir, the few leaves in Your hand are a tiny amount. There are far more leaves in the forest above.”

“In the same way, there is much more that I have directly known but have not explained to you. What I have explained is a tiny amount. And why haven’t I explained it? Because it’s not beneficial or relevant to the fundamentals of the spiritual life. It doesn’t lead to disillusionment, dispassion, cessation, peace, insight, awakening, and extinguishment. That’s why I haven’t explained it.
[SN 56.31].

[Eko Care]

“In the same way, there is much more that I have directly known but have not explained to you. What I have explained is a tiny amount. And why haven’t I explained it? Because it’s not beneficial or relevant to the fundamentals of the spiritual life. It doesn’t lead to disillusionment, dispassion, cessation, peace, insight, awakening, and extinguishment. That’s why I haven’t explained it.
[SN 56.31].

Could you imagine any reason for this question to be not relevant to spiritual life while many questions of similar kind have been answered by the Blessed One?

Even in the Pāsādika sutta we can see a saying like in Simsapā sutta as below. But there the Blessed One says about his own future.

It may happen, Cunda, that Wanderers who hold other views than ours mav declare: ‘Concerning the past Gotama the Recluse reveals an infinite knowledge and insight, but not so concerning the future, as to the what and the why of it.’

[If they were to say so], then those wanderers would fancy, like so many silly fools, that knowledge and insight concerning one kind of thing are to be revealed by knowledge and insight engaged upon another kind of thing.

Concerning the past, Cunda, the Tathāgata has cognition reminiscent of existences.

He can remember as far back as he desires.

And concerning the future there arises in him knowledge born of Enlightenment to this effect: This is the last birth; now is there no more coming to be.

If, O Cunda, the past mean what is not true, what is not fact, what does not redound to your good, concerning that the Tathāgata reveals nothing.

If the past mean what is true, what is fact, but what does not redound to your good, concerning that the Tathāgata reveals nothing.

If the past mean what is true, what is fact, and what does redound to your good, concerning that the Tathāgata knows well the time when to reveal it.

If, O Cunda, the future mean what is not true, what is not fact, what does not redound to your good, concerning that the Tathāgata reveals nothing.

If the future mean what is true, what is fact, but what does not redound to your good, concerning that the Tathāgata reveals nothing.

If the future mean what is true, what is fact, and what does redound to your good, concerning that the Tathāgata knows well the time when to reveal it.

If, O Cunda, the present mean what is not true, what is not fact, what does not redound to your good, concerning that the Tathāgata reveals nothing.

If the present mean what is true, what is fact, but what does not redound to your good, concerning that the Tathāgata reveals nothing.

If the present mean what is true, what is fact, and what does redound to your good, concerning that the Tathāgata knows well the time when to reveal it.

And so, O Cunda, concerning things past, future and present the Tathāgata is a prophet of the hour, a prophet of fact, a prophet of good, a prophet of the Norm, a prophet of the Discipline.

For this is he called Tathāgata.

And the following part of the same sutta also mentions about past and not the future. Are we needed to derive about future from it?

Whatever, O Cunda, in this world with its devas and Māras and Brahmās, is by the folk thereof, gods or men, recluses or brahmins, seen, heard, felt, discerned, accomplished, striven for, or devised in mind,—all is understood by the Tathāgata.

For this is he called Tathāgata.

And what is the reason for not-talking about the future about other beings?
In what ways it is harmful as you think?

[Gwi II]

... similar kind have been answered by the Blessed One?

Answer: because He was asked then He answered.


The future is uncertain (some future may be certain,
similar to the case of Devadatta's father who was
prophesied to hell [predicted by The Buddho]).
Not only The Buddho, those who have dibbacakkhu
can also see the future, quite clearly.

Back to the explanation. If I or you could see the future,
just say, tomorrow our family will experience a disaster
(if traveling) then they will definitely be asked not to travel.

Here the future has changed and has
an effect on the future of certain things.

Another example:
The first story in Petavatthu, due to associating with
bad friends, the young man who should be able to
attain Arahats fails, and he will even be reborn in hell.
However, Venerable Mahāmoggalāno "changed" his
future by accepting alms from him. Then that guy was
born in heaven (lowest).

The future has changed.

If before this The Buddho saw the future, but the future
has changed, it means that The Buddho must look back
at the future. Someone will say, "Get a life."

Then in another cases. THE FUTURE CAN BE CHANGED. Thus,
the future is uncertain. If it changes, it must be reviewed. What
use is this to a Buddho? Then The Buddho said,

"The Realized One truly understands the result of deeds
undertaken in the past, future, and present in terms of
causes and reasons."

The Buddha's knowledge is limitless!

[Eko Care]

The future is uncertain (some future may be certain, similar to the case of Devadatta's father who was prophesied to hell [predicted by The Buddho]).

According to the Kathavatthu Commentary, The future is Aniyata (uncertain) and only two exceptions are Sammattaniyata(magga-phala) and Miccattaniyata (Anantariya-papa-kamma). The Niyata-vivarana of a Bodhisatta is considered given by a Buddha considering the Punnussadatta (highness of merit) of the Bodhisatta, according to the Kathavatthu Commentary.

This fact supports the position of you and venerable scholars like Venerable Dhammanando and Venerable Maggavihari.

I watched one of the lectures of Venerable Maggavihari in which he shows the Story of the Mahadhana Setthiputta as a proof for above position.
(There The Blessed One states some possibilities about empoverished Mahadhanasetthiputta, saying if he did X then he would become X', if did Y then he would become Y' and so on.)

And the following example given by you also of that sort.

Another example:
The first story in Petavatthu, due to associating with bad friends, the young man who should be able to attain Arahats fails, and he will even be reborn in hell. However, Venerable Mahāmoggalāno "changed" his future by accepting alms from him. Then that guy was born in heaven (lowest).
The future has changed.

But the following explanation is generally faced with the arguments about The Buddhas Limitless Knowledge.

If before this The Buddho saw the future, but the future has changed, it means that The Buddho must look back at the future. Someone will say, "Get a life."
Then in another cases. THE FUTURE CAN BE CHANGED. Thus, the future is uncertain. If it changes, it must be reviewed. What use is this to a Buddho?

In the following quote about the Omniscience of the Buddha, it talks about an Knowledge about Everything in Everyway.

Atitam anagatam paccuppannam upadaya sabbe dhamma sabbakarena buddhassa bhagavato naṇamukhe apatham agacchanti.
(Patisambhidhamagga and Mahaniddesa)

Here the phrase "sabbakarena" (in every way) is used along with the phrase "sabbe dhamma".

Whatever it might be, the main problem asked by many is the below.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If one take "No one can see the whole future", then ,

If one knows everything about causes and effects of Past and Present, then he should be able to predict the whole furure.
If whole furure can not be known, then there should be some Past and Present things that can not be known.
Then it goes against The Buddha's direct statements in Suttas.

Ven.Maggavihari says (in his zoom lecture videos) that this uncertain part is lies within Choice (decisions taken) of beings. He says part of it is uncertain and not a 'Knowable Dhamma" even for the Buddha. Then he was faced with many arguments of laymen.

Some asked "if there is an unknowable part in the Present, then it must not be dependently-originated, because the Suttas say The Buddha knows all the causes and effects."

Then the Venerable had to say that the Choice is not Paticcasamuppanna.

Then the others obviously ask "How can there be Sankharas that are not Paticcasamuppanna?"



And I think Venerable Dhammanando would be asked same question by others.

Dear Bhante, How have you understood it?

[Gwi II]

Buddho Dīpangkara predicted Bodhisatto Gotama
COMPLETE WITH THE NAME OF HIS FATHER,
MOTHER, BODHI TREE, MAIN STUDENT, AND SO ON.

So the conclusion is a Buddho (even) in seeing a
very distant future IN A VERY SHORT TIME.

Last, BUDDHO SPEAK ONLY WHEN HAS SEEN SOMETHING. That's why Paccekabuddhas tend to keep quiet if they don't
Know something because without seeing, a Buddho won't talk. Sammāsambuddho has boundless knowledge AND VISION.

This is what the Buddho said:
the first being in this universe,
the first to appear in the universe
for the first time was "Mahābrahmā".
The Buddha could see without limits.



MN 79:

"Udāyī, someone who can recollect their many kinds of past lives, with features and details, might ask Me a question about the past, or I might ask them a question about the past. And they might satisfy Me with their answer, or I might satisfy them with My answer.

Someone who, with clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, understands how sentient beings are reborn according to their deeds might ask Me a question about the future, or I might ask them a question about the future. And they might satisfy Me with their answer, or I might satisfy them with My answer.

Nevertheless, Udāyī, leave aside the past and the future. I shall teach you the Dhamma: ‘When this exists, that is; due to the arising of this, that arises. When this doesn’t exist, that is not; due to the cessation of this, that ceases."