Ja 1 The Story about what is Unquestionable
(Apaṇṇakajātaka)
In the present 500 friends of Anāthapiṇḍika convert to Buddhism, but later fall away. The Buddha reproves them for failing in their refuge, and tells a story of a wise and a foolish merchant in the past. The foolish one listened to Yakkhas who led him astray, and he lost all his men and merchandise; the wise one safely guided his caravan across the desert (full story).
1. Apaṇṇakaṁ ṭhānam-eke, dutiyaṁ āhu takkikā,
Etad-aññāya medhāvī, taṁ gaṇhe yad-apaṇṇakan-ti.
Some have an unquestionable basis, while the foolish speak of another way, the intelligent, understanding it, should take hold of the unquestionable.
In this connection, unquestionable I base this translation on Weber Ind. Str. iii.150 & Kuhn, Beitr. p. 53, as reported in PED: *a-praśna-ka. In the word commentary italics indicate the word of the verse being commented on. means being sure, unfailing, leading to deliverance.
Basis means cause. Because whatever has a cause has what is known as a fruit as a dependent condition, therefore basis is said. “A basis comes from having a basis, lacking a basis comes from lacking a basis,” and so on, Vibh. 809. Quotations from the canon are shown in black. and this is how its application should be seen.
Thus with the two words: Unquestionable basis, whatever absolutely brings benefit and happiness when practiced by the wise, that is a definite cause, an unfailing cause, a cause that leads to deliverance, this is the explanation.
Herein, this is the summary, but from the divisions, the three goings for refuge, the five virtuous practices, the ten virtuous practices, the restraint according to the regulations, the restraint of the senses, the purity of livelihood, the correct use of the requisites, all the virtuous practices in the four purities, The four purities comprise the four just mentioned: the restraint according to the regulations ... restraint of the senses ... purity of livelihood ... the (correct) use of the requisites. the guarding of the sense doors, knowing the measure in food, being devoted to wakefulness, the absorptions, insights, super knowledges, attainments, noble path, noble fruit – all of these form an unquestionable basis, an unquestionable practice, a practice that leads out, this is the meaning. Wherefore what is called the practice that leads out, that the Fortunate One shows in this discourse about the Unquestionable Practice: This seems to be an alternative title for the discourse.
The Discourse about the Unquestionable
(Apaṇṇakasutta) AN. 3.16, Apaṇṇakasutta.
“Endowed with three things, monastics, a monastic practices an unquestionable practice, that is the reason for his success in the destruction of the pollutants.
What three? Here, monastics, a monastic is one who guards the doors of the senses, who knows the measure in food, and is devoted to wakefulness.
1. And how, monastics, is a monastic one who guards the doors of the senses?
Here, monastics, a monastic, having seen a form with the eye, does not grasp at the sign, nor does he grasp at the details, for this reason: were he to live with the eye sense faculty unrestrained, wicked, unskilful thoughts like greed and aversion might flood in. He therefore practices restraint, guards the eye sense faculty, and achieves the restraint of the eye sense faculty.
Having heard a sound with the ear, he does not grasp at the sign, nor does he grasp at the details, for this reason: were he to live with the ear sense faculty unrestrained, wicked, unskilful thoughts like greed and aversion might flood in. He therefore practices restraint, guards the ear sense faculty, and achieves the restraint of the ear sense faculty.
Having smelt an odour with the nose, he does not grasp at the sign, nor does he grasp at the details, for this reason: were he to live with the nose sense faculty unrestrained, wicked, unskilful thoughts like greed and aversion might flood in. He therefore practices restraint, guards the nose sense faculty, and achieves the restraint of the nose sense faculty.
Having savoured a taste with the tongue, he does not grasp at the sign, nor does he grasp at the details, for this reason: were he to live with the tongue sense faculty unrestrained, wicked, unskilful thoughts like greed and aversion might flood in. He therefore practices restraint, guards the tongue sense faculty, and achieves the restraint of the tongue sense faculty.
Having felt a touch with the body, he does not grasp at the sign, nor does he grasp at the details, for this reason: were he to live with the body sense faculty unrestrained, wicked, unskilful thoughts like greed and aversion might flood in. He therefore practices restraint, guards the body sense faculty, and achieves the restraint of the body sense faculty.
Having cognised a thought with the mind, he does not grasp at the sign, nor does he grasp at the details, for this reason: were he to live with the mind sense faculty unrestrained, wicked, unskilful thoughts like greed and aversion might flood in. He therefore practices restraint, guards the mind sense faculty, and achieves the restraint of the mind sense faculty.
Thus, monastics, a monastic is one who guards the doors of the senses.
2. And how, monastics, is a monastic one who knows the measure in food?
Here, monastics, a monastic takes his food after making thorough reflection:
“Not for sport, not for showing off, not for ornament, not for adornment, but only to maintain this body, and to carry on, to inhibit annoyance, and to assist in the spiritual life, and so I will get rid of any old feeling, and not produce any new feeling, and I will carry on, being blameless, and living comfortably.”
Thus, monastics, a monastic knows the measure in food.
3. And how, monastics, is a monastic one who is devoted to wakefulness?
Here, monastics, a monastic is one who by day, whether walking or sitting, purifies his mind from thoughts which are obstacles.
In the first watch of the night, whether walking or sitting, he purifies his mind from thoughts which are obstacles.
In the middle watch of the night, he lies down in the lion posture on his right side, placing one foot on top of the other, with mindfulness and full awareness, having fixed his mind on the time for waking.
In the last watch of the night, having risen, whether walking or sitting, he purifies his mind from thoughts which are obstacles.
Thus, monastics, a monastic is one who is devoted to wakefulness.”
These are the three things spoken of in the discourse. This is the unquestionable practice up and to the attainment of the fruit of Arahatta. In this connection, the fruit of Arahatta, for one dwelling in fruit attainment, and for one having complete emancipation without attachment, this is known as the practice.
Some means some wise people. In this connection, although: “Being called such and such,” is not certain, but they speak like this when referring to the Bodhisatta and his company, this is how it should be understood. In the story as we have it, this is not said of the Bodhisatta and his company, but of the foolish merchant’s wares. Perhaps the story has changed since the word commentary was written, and originally it had a repetition of the discussion between the Yakkha and the foolish merchant, which is now abbreviated in the encounter with the Bodhisatta.
The foolish speak of another way. Another way means a way apart from the first, apart from the unquestionable basis, apart from the cause leading to deliverance, those who grasp at foolishness It is hard to get this over in English. Takka means reason, logic, but in Buddhism it usually means it in a derogative manner, implying someone who has no direct experience, but merely thinks for himself, and is in fact behaving foolishly. have another way as a cause, which is not a cause that leads to deliverance, so the foolish speak.
Herein this is the interpetation together with the first line: the unquestionable basis, the cause for being sure, the cause for unfailing, the cause for leading to deliverance, some wise people, with the Bodhisatta at the head, took hold of it.
But the foolish, with the foolish son of the caravan leader at the head, say they have another and offending way, that is not a cause for being sure, that is a cause for failing, that is not a cause that leads to deliverance, and this they grasp at. Amongst those who take hold of an unquestionable basis, their practice is a pure practice.
They who have another way say: “In front there should be water,” In the story the Yakkha deceives the foolish merchant by convincing him there is water in abundance ahead. the so-called fools grasp at a cause that does not lead to deliverance. They practice a dark practice. In this connection, the pure practice is a practice that does not regress, the dark practice is a practice that does regress. Therefore those who practice a pure practice, do not regress and they attain safety. Those who practice a dark practice, regress and fall into misfortune.
This was the Fortunate One’s meaning when speaking to the householder Anāthapiṇḍika, and further he said this: The intelligent one, understanding it, takes hold of what is unquestionable. In this connection, the intelligent one, understanding it. The intelligent one, the one so-called, being endowed with vast, purified, ultimate wisdom. The son of a good family knows Translating ñatvā from the end of the sentence, it seems in the commentarial language the absolutive is sometimes used as a finite verb (which is otherwise missing from the sentence). There are many other cases below. what is unquestionable and what is questionable, and out of the two bases, what is reckoned as taking up the logical and grasping at the illogical, Here we have the second meaning of takka coupled with the first. The fools who are illogical. knowing what is virtuous and what is faulty, what develops and what destroys, this is the meaning.
Should take hold of the unquestionable means that which is unquestionable, definite, what is reckoned as the pure practice, the practice that does not regress, that is a cause leading to deliverance, that should be taken hold of. Why? It has the nature of being sure and so on. But the other practice should not be taken hold of. Why? It has the nature of being indefinite and so on. For everyone this is known as the unquestionable practice, the practice of Buddhas, Independent Buddhas and the Buddha’s children. Because all the Buddhas are established in this unquestionable practice, firmly, energetically, having fulfilled the perfections, they are called Buddhas at the root of the Bodhi tree. Also the Independent Buddhas who have generated independent awakening, and the Buddha’s children who have comprehended the disciples’ perfections.