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Sutta Nipata V.2

Tissa-metteyya-manava-puccha

Tissa-metteyya's Questions

For free distribution only, as a gift of Dhamma

Context of this sutta


Tissa-metteyya:
    Who
here in the world
is contented?
    Who
has no agitations?
    What thinker
knowing both sides,
doesn't adhere in between?
    Whom
do you call a great person?
    Who here
has gone past
the seamstress:
            craving.
The Buddha:
    He who
in the midst of sensualities,
follows the holy life,
always mindful, craving-free;
    the monk who is
-- through fathoming things --
        Unbound:
he has no agitations. He,
the thinker
knowing both sides,
doesn't adhere in between. He
I call a great person. He
here has gone past
the seamstress:
            craving.

Note

A.VI.61 reports a discussion among several elder monks as to what is meant in this poem by "both sides" and "in between." Six of the elders express the following separate opinions:

The issue is then taken to the Buddha, who states that all six interpretations are well-spoken, but the interpretation he had in mind when speaking the poem was the first.
Revised: Sat 17 October 1998