Putting Down Desire: The Buddha’s Finite Course | Linked Discourse 51.15 with Unnabha Brahmin

Linked Discourse 51.15 with Unnabha Brahmin

So I have heard. 

At one time Venerable Ananda was staying near Kosambi, in Ghosita’s Monastery. Then, Unnabha the brahmin went up to Venerable Ananda, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to him, 

    “Worthy Ananda, what’s the purpose of leading the spiritual life under the ascetic Gotama?”

Venerable Ananda replied:

    “The purpose of leading the spiritual life under the Buddha, brahmin, is to give up desire.”

Unnabha said:

    “But is there a path and a practice for giving up that desire?”

Venerable Ananda replied:

    “There is.”

Unnabha asked:

    “What is that path?”

Venerable Ananda replied:

    “It’s when a monk develops the basis of psychic power that has samadhi due to enthusiasm … energy … mental development … inquiry, and active effort. This is the path and the practice for giving up that desire.”

Unnabha said:

    “This being the case, worthy Ananda, the path is endless, not finite. For it’s not possible to give up desire by means of desire.”

Venerable Ananda replied:

    “Well then, brahmin, I’ll ask you about this in return, and you can answer as you like. What do you think, brahmin? Have you ever had a desire to walk to the park, but when you arrived at the park, the corresponding desire faded away?”

Unnabha said:

    “Yes, sir.”

Venerable Ananda asked:

    “Have you ever had the energy to walk to the park, but when you arrived at the park, the corresponding energy faded away?”

Unnabha said:

    “Yes, sir.”

Venerable Ananda asked:

    “Have you ever had the experience to walk to the park, but when you arrived at the park, the corresponding experience faded away?”

Unnabha said:

    “Yes, sir.”

Venerable Ananda asked:

    “Have you ever inquired regarding a walk to the park, but when you arrived at the park, the corresponding inquiry faded away?”

Unnabha said:

    “Yes, sir.”

Venerable Ananda said:

    “In the same way, take a monk who is perfected—with defilements ended, who has completed the spiritual journey, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, achieved their heart’s goal, utterly ended the fetter of continued existence, and is rightly freed through awakening. 

    In the past, they had the desire to attain perfection, but when they attained perfection the corresponding desire faded away. 

    In the past, they had the energy to attain perfection, but when they attained perfection the corresponding energy faded away. 

    In the past, they had the experience to attain perfection, but when they attained perfection the corresponding experience faded away. 

    In the past, they inquired regarding attaining perfection, but when they attained perfection the corresponding inquiry faded away. 

    What do you think, brahmin? This being the case, is the path endless or finite?”

Unnabha said:

    “Clearly, worthy Ananda, this being the case, the path is finite, not endless. 

    Excellent, worthy Ananda! Excellent! As if he were righting the overturned, or revealing the hidden, or pointing out the path to the lost, or lighting a lamp in the dark so people with clear eyes can see what’s there, the worthy Ananda has made the teaching clear in many ways. 

    I go for refuge to the worthy Gotama, to the teaching, and to the monk Sangha. From this day forth, may the worthy Ananda remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”

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