[420] 13.
Those who abide entrenched in their views (diṭṭhi)
dispute, saying, "This alone is true" —
do they all draw down blame upon themselves,
or do they also win praise thereby?
Trifling indeed is that, not enough for peace;
two fruits of dispute do I declare.
Seeing this too, one should not dispute,
beholding as security the ground of non-dispute.
Whatever these commonplace opinions (sammati) may be,
one who knows takes up none of them at all.
Why should one free of involvement enter into involvement,
when he forms no preference in what is seen and heard?
Those who hold virtue supreme say purity (suddhi) comes by restraint;
having undertaken a vow, they stand devoted to it:
"Let us train just here — then there would be purity."
Claiming to be skilled, they are led on into existence.
If he falls away from his virtue and vows (sīlabbata),
he trembles, having failed in his work;
he yearns after and longs for purity here,
as one who has lost his caravan while traveling far from home.
But having abandoned all virtue and vows,
and this dhamma, blamable and blameless,
not longing for "purity" or "impurity,"
one should live refraining, not grasping even at peace.
Depending upon that despised [austerity],
or else upon what is seen, or heard, or sensed,
passing on and upward they moan for purity,
not rid of craving (taṇhā) for one state of existence after another.
For one who longs there are yearnings,
and trembling too over things he has conceived;
but he for whom there is here no passing away and reappearing —
by what should he tremble? For what anywhere should he yearn?
The very teaching that some call "the highest,"
that same teaching others call "inferior."
Which assertion of these is true?
For all of them indeed claim to be skilled.
Each declares his own teaching perfect,
but another's teaching he declares inferior;
so, contending, they dispute:
each says his own opinion is the truth.
If one were inferior because another disparages him,
then none would be distinguished among the teachings;
for the many declare another's teaching base,
while stoutly asserting their own.
And their worship of their own teaching is just so,
even as they praise their own ways;
[were that proof,] all assertions would be true,
for purity, for them, is a merely personal matter.
For the brahmin there is no being led by another,
nothing dogmatically grasped after judging among the teachings;
therefore he has passed beyond disputes,
for he sees no other teaching as best.
"I know, I see, it is just so" —
some believe that purity comes by a view.
Even if one has seen, what is that to him?
Having passed [it] by, they assert purity by another means.
Seeing, a man sees name-and-form (nāmarūpa),
and having seen, he will know just these;
let him see much or little as he will,
still the skilled do not say purity comes by that.
One who speaks from entrenchment is not easy to discipline,
preferring a view he has himself contrived;
declaring the good to lie in that on which he depends,
speaking of purity there, he saw it there as true.
The brahmin enters upon no conceiving (kappa), no reckoning;
he is no follower of views, nor bound even to knowledge (ñāṇa);
and having known the commonplace opinions,
he looks on with equanimity (upekkhā) while others grasp.
Having loosed the ties (gantha) here in the world, the sage (muni)
takes no side when disputes have arisen;
at peace among the unpeaceful, equanimous,
he does not grasp, while others grasp.
Having abandoned former taints (āsava), not forming new ones,
not led by desire, nor speaking from entrenchment,
the wise one, released from speculative views,
is not smeared by the world, nor does he reproach himself.
He stands disarmed with regard to all things —
whatever is seen or heard or sensed;
that sage, his burden laid down, fully released,
does not conceive, does not desist, does not long
— so said the Blessed One.
The Mahāviyūha Sutta, the Thirteenth
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The Tuvaṭaka Sutta, the fourteenth [discourse] of the fourth [chapter] of the Suttanipāta, the Aṭṭhakavagga
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.