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Its current blocked, its reeds removed;

Rejoice then, bhikkhus, mightily

And set your hearts where safety lies.”

Cūḷasaccaka Sutta

The Shorter Discourse to Saccaka

1. THUS HAVE I HEARD. On one occasion the Blessed One was living at Vesālī in the Great Wood in the Hall with the Peaked Roof.

2. Now on that occasion Saccaka the Nigaṇṭha’s son was staying at Vesālī, a debater and a clever speaker regarded by many as a saint.369 He was making this statement before the Vesālī assembly: “I see no recluse or brahmin, the head of an order, the head of a group, the teacher of a group, even one claiming to be accomplished and fully enlightened, who would not shake, shiver, and tremble, and sweat under the armpits if he were to engage in debate with me. Even if I were to engage a senseless post in debate, it would shake, shiver, and tremble if it were to engage in debate with me, so what shall I say of a human being?”

3. Then, when it was morning, the venerable Assaji dressed, and taking his bowl and outer robe, went into Vesālī for alms.370 As Saccaka the Nigaṇṭha’s son was walking and wandering for exercise in Vesālī, [228] he saw the venerable Assaji coming in the distance and went up to him and exchanged greetings with him. When this courteous and amiable talk was finished, Saccaka the Nigaṇṭha’s son stood at one side and said to him:

4. “Master Assaji, how does the recluse Gotama discipline his disciples? And how is the recluse Gotama’s instruction usually presented to his disciples?”

“This is how the Blessed One disciplines his disciples, Aggivessana, and this is how the Blessed One’s instruction is usually presented to his disciples: ‘Bhikkhus, material form is impermanent, feeling is impermanent, perception is impermanent, formations are impermanent, consciousness is impermanent. Bhikkhus, material form is not self, feeling is not self, perception is not self, formations are not self, consciousness is not self. All formations are impermanent; all things are not self.’371 That is how the Blessed One disciplines his disciples, and that is how the Blessed One’s instruction is usually presented to his disciples.”

“If we have heard what the recluse Gotama asserts, we have indeed heard what is disagreeable. Perhaps sometime or other we might meet Master Gotama and have some conversation with him. Perhaps we might detach him from that evil view.”

5. Now at that time five hundred Licchavis had met together in an assembly hall for some business or other. Then Saccaka the Nigaṇṭha’s son went to them and said: “Come forth, good Licchavis, come forth! Today there will be some conversation between me and the recluse Gotama. If the recluse Gotama maintains before me what was maintained before me by one of his famous disciples, the bhikkhu named Assaji, then just as a strong man might seize a long-haired ram by the hair and drag him to and drag him fro and drag him round about, so in debate I will drag the recluse Gotama to and drag him fro and drag him round about. Just as a strong brewer’s workman might throw a big brewer’s sieve into a deep water tank, and taking it by the corners, drag it to and drag it fro and drag it round about, so in debate I will drag the recluse Gotama to and drag him fro and drag him round about. Just as a strong brewer’s mixer [229] might take a strainer by the corners and shake it down and shake it up and thump it about, so in debate I will shake the recluse Gotama down and shake him up and thump him about. And just as a sixty-year-old elephant might plunge into a deep pond and enjoy playing the game of hemp-washing, so I shall enjoy playing the game of hemp-washing with the recluse Gotama.372 Come forth, good Licchavis, come forth! Today there will be some conversation between me and the recluse Gotama.”

6. Thereupon some Licchavis said: “Who is the recluse Gotama that he could refute Saccaka the Nigaṇṭha’s son’s assertions? On the contrary, Saccaka the Nigaṇṭha’s son will refute the recluse Gotama’s assertions.” And some Licchavis said: “Who is Saccaka