..續本文上一頁nd the Blessed One said:

　　"Well done, householder, well done! In that way, householder, should such foolish persons, when occasion offers, be well refuted by you according to Dhamma.

　　"I do not say, householder, that all asceticism should be practiced; nor do I say of all asceticism that it should not be practiced. I do not say that all observances should be performed; nor do I say of all observances that they should not be performed. I do not say that every (spiritual) effort should be done or every act of renunciation carried out; nor do I say of every (spiritual) effort that it should not be done; nor of every act of renunciation that it should not be carried out. I do not say that one should free oneself by every kind of freedom; nor do I say of every kind of freedom that one should not free oneself by it.

　　"What I declare, householder, is that such an asceticism should not be practiced which makes unwholesome states grow and wholesome states wane. But an asceticism which makes unwholesome states wane and wholesome states grow, such asceticism, I declare, should be practiced.

　　"If in performing observances, making spiritual efforts, carrying out acts of renunciation, freeing oneself by certain kinds of freedom,[76] unwholesome states wane and wholesome states grow, then all these practices should be undertaken, I declare."

　　Then Vajjiyamaahita the householder, thus instructed by the Blessed One”s Dhamma talk, roused by it, inspired and gladdened, rose from his seat, saluted the Blessed One respectfully, and keeping him to his right, departed.

　　"Monks, even a monk who has had for a long time clear vision[77] as to this Teaching and Discipline would well refute those wanderers of another persuasion in the very same way the householder Vajjiyamaahita has done."

　　— AN 10.94

　　29. WILL ALL BEINGS ATTAIN LIBERATION

　　Once a wandering ascetic named Uttiya approached the Blessed One. After an exchange of courteous and polite words, he sat down at one side and asked:

　　"How is it, revered Gotama: is the world eternal — is only this true and everything else nonsensical

　　"

　　"This, Uttiya, I have not declared: that the world is eternal; and that only this is true and everything else is nonsensical."

　　"How then, revered Gotama: is the world non-eternal — is only this true and everything else nonsensical

　　"

　　"That, too, Uttiya, I have not declared: that the world is non-eternal; and that only this is true and everything else nonsensical."

　　"How is it, revered Gotama: is the world infinite or finite

　　 Are the life principle and the body the same or different

　　 Does the Tathaagata exist after death or does he not exist after death

　　 Does he exist as well as not exist or neither exist nor not exist after death

　　 Is (any one of these statements) the only one that is true and everything else nonsensical

　　"

　　"All that, Uttiya, I have not declared: that the world is finite... that the Tathaagata neither exists nor does not exist after death; (nor did I declare) that (any one of these statements) is the only true one and that everything else is nonsensical."

　　"But how is it, revered Gotama

　　 To all my questions you have replied that you have not so declared. What, after all, does the revered Gotama actually declare

　　"

　　"Having directly known it, Uttiya, I have taught the Dhamma to my 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 Nibbaana."

　　"But if the revered Gotama, out of his direct knowledge, teaches 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 Nibbaana, will the whole world…

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