Patthama Girā Sutta
(The First “Words” Discourse — On Disagreement in Views)
[136] — Thus have I heard.
Thus have I heard: — At one time the Blessed One was dwelling in the Jetavana monastery (Jetavana — Jeta’s Grove; the monastery donated by Anāthapiṇḍika) near the city of Sāvatthī. At that time many wanderers and brahmins and ascetics (samaṇas, brāhmaṇas, paribbājakas — wandering renunciants, Vedic priests/teachers, and wandering mendicants) were gathered together; they held various sectarian creeds (ditthi — doctrinal views), had different likes and dislikes, different preferences, and lived in Sāvatthī according to their differing dispositions of view.
One party of those ascetics and brahmins asserted this doctrine and held this view:
- “The world is eternal (the world is permanent) — this alone is true; everything else is false.”
Another party of ascetics and brahmins asserted this doctrine and held this view:
- “The world is not eternal (impermanent) — this alone is true; everything else is false.”
Another party held that:
- “The world has an end (the world is finite/has a limit).”
Another party held that:
- “The world has no end (the world is infinite/limitless).”
Another party held that:
- “Life (the living being) is identical with the body (the self is the body).”
Another party held that:
- “Life is other than the body (the self is other than the body).”
Another party held that:
- “Beings who die in the future will be (come to be) again.”
Another party held that:
- “Beings who die in the future will not be (will not come to be) again.”
Another party held a mixed position:
- “There are those who think that beings who die will be again, and there are those who think they will not be again — this alone is true; everything else is false.”
Yet another party held the skeptical doubt:
- “We cannot determine whether beings who die will be again or will not be again — this alone is true; everything else is false.”
These ascetics and brahmins fell into mutual hostility, quarrel, dispute, and they stabbed one another with the spear of speech — saying, “Dhamma is such-and-such,” “Dhamma is not such-and-such,” “Dhamma is not such-and-such,” “Dhamma is such-and-such.”
[137] — The alms-collecting monks report the quarrel
Now on that morning many bhikkhus, having donned robes and taken bowl, went for alms into the city of Sāvatthī. After their almsround and their meal, they went to see the Blessed One, made respectful salutation, and sat down to one side. They reported to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, there are many ascetics, brahmins, and wanderers here in the city, each of different sects, holding different views and different likes and dislikes; they are quarrelling among themselves — asserting, ‘The world is permanent’; asserting, ‘The world is impermanent’; asserting, ‘Dhamma is such-and-such’; asserting, ‘Dhamma is not such-and-such.’”
The Blessed One said: “Bhikkhus, those one-sided adherents (aññatitthiya — adherents of other sects; literally: ‘those of other views/faiths, sectarians who hold to one side’) are blind people; they have no sight, they do not know benefit and harm, they do not know what is Dhamma and what is not Dhamma. Because they do not know what is beneficial and what is harmful, they are quarrelsome, they dispute with one another and they wound one another with the spear of speech saying, ‘Dhamma is such-and-such’ and ‘Dhamma is not such-and-such.’”
[138] — The king, the blind people, and the elephant (the canonical parable)
Bhikkhus, once — in this very Sāvatthī — there was a certain king. At that time the king commanded a man: “Go, bring together all the blind persons in Sāvatthī.” The man did so, gathered all the blind people of the city, and reported to the king: “Sire, all the blind have been assembled.” The king said: “Bring them, and show them an elephant.”
The man brought the elephant before the blind ones and presented it to them piece by piece: to some he presented the head and said, “This is an elephant.” To others he presented an ear and said, “This is an elephant.” To others he presented a tusk and said, “This is an elephant.” To others he presented the trunk and said, “This is an elephant.” To others he presented the body, the leg, the flank, the tail-root, and the tail-tip, each time saying, “This is an elephant.”
Then the man who had shown them the elephant went to the king and reported: “Sire, the blind have been shown the elephant. Do as you deem fitting.” The king went and asked the blind men, “Have you seen the elephant?” They replied, “Yes, sire, we have seen it.”
The king asked, “Then tell me, blind ones, what is an elephant like?”
Those who had touched the head said, “An elephant, sire, is like a pot (a large jar).” Those who had touched the ear said, “An elephant is like a winnowing-fan.” Those who had touched the tusk said, “An elephant is like a ploughshare.” Those who had touched the trunk said, “An elephant is like a plough-pole.” Those who had touched the body said, “An elephant is like a granary.” Those who had touched the foot said, “An elephant is like a post.” Those who had touched the hindquarters said, “An elephant is like a mortar.” Those who had touched the tail-root said, “An elephant is like a pestle.” Those who had touched the tail-tip said, “An elephant is like a broom.”
Then those blind men began to quarrel among themselves: “An elephant is like this!” “No, an elephant is not like this!” “An elephant is not like that!” “An elephant is like that!” — and they fought, striking one another with their fists. The king took delight in the spectacle.
Even so, bhikkhus, are those wanderers, brahmins, and ascetics who cling to their respective sectarian views (aññatitthiya) blind, unseeing; they are without right discernment, do not know what is beneficial and what is harmful; and saying, “Dhamma is like this!” and “Dhamma is like that!” they fall into quarrels and disputes.
On that occasion, perceiving the significance of the affair, the Blessed One uttered this inspired verse:
“It is heard that certain ascetics and brahmins, entangled in their disputable views that are without essence, — those who see only one side — fall to quarrelling and strife.”
(Thus ends the passage.)
Short intensive Pāli glossary (key terms in this passage)
- Jetavana — Jetavana (Jeta’s Grove): the monastery in Sāvatthī donated by Anāthapiṇḍika (a principal early monastery of the Buddha).
- samaṇa (samaṇa) — ascetic/wanderer; renouncer of household life.
- brāhmaṇa (brāhmaṇa) — brahmin; Vedic priest/teacher or social-religious class in ancient India.
- paribbājaka (paribbājaka) — paribbājaka; wandering mendicant/itinerant ascetic.
- ditthi (diṭṭhi) — view(s); doctrinal position or standpoint.
- aññatitthiya (aññatitthiya / anñadei…) — adherents of other sects; “one-sided” sectarians (people who hold exclusively to their own limited view). (Thai forms: อัญเดียรถีย์ / อัญฺญติตฺถิย — here rendered as aññatitthiya.)
- dhamma (dhamma) — teaching/reality/phenomenon; here: doctrinal claims or “what is the case.”
- pañcakkhandha not in this passage but often relevant: the five aggregates (form, feeling, perception, formations, consciousness).