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(1) “If the pleasure and pain that beings feel are caused by what was done in the past, then the Tathāgata surely must have done good deeds in the past, since he now feels such taintless pleasant feelings.

(2) “If the pleasure and pain that beings feel are caused by the creative act of a Supreme God, then the Tathāgata surely must have been created by a good Supreme God, since he now feels such taintless pleasant feelings.

(3) “If the pleasure and pain that beings feel are caused by circumstance and nature, then the Tathāgata surely must have good luck, since he now feels such taintless pleasant feelings.

(4) “If the pleasure and pain that beings feel are caused by class [among the six classes of birth], then the Tathāgata surely must belong to a good class, since he now feels such taintless pleasant feelings.

(5) “If the pleasure and pain that beings feel are caused by exertion here and now, then the Tathāgata surely must strive well here and now, since he now feels such taintless pleasant feelings.

(6) “If the pleasure and pain that beings feel are caused by what was done in the past, then the Tathāgata is to be praised; if not, then the Tathāgata is still to be praised.

(7) “If the pleasure and pain that beings feel are caused by the creative act of a Supreme God, then the Tathāgata is to be praised; if not, then the Tathāgata is still to be praised.

(8) “If the pleasure and pain that beings feel are caused by chance, then the Tathāgata is to be praised; if not, then the Tathāgata is still to be praised.

(9) “If the pleasure and pain that beings feel are caused by class, then the Tathāgata is to be praised; if not, then the Tathāgata is still to be praised.

(10) “If the pleasure and pain that beings feel are caused by exertion here and now, then the Tathāgata is to be praised; if not, [228] then the Tathāgata is still to be praised.

“So the Tathāgata speaks, bhikkhus. And because the Tathāgata speaks thus, there are these ten legitimate grounds for praising him.”

That is what the Blessed One said. The bhikkhus were satisfied and delighted in the Blessed One’s words.

Pañcattaya Sutta

The Five and Three

1. THUS HAVE I HEARD.935 On one occasion the Blessed One was living at Sā̄vatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. There he addressed the bhikkhus thus: “Bhikkhus.”—“Venerable sir,” they replied. The Blessed One said this:

(SPECULATIONS ABOUT THE FUTURE)

2. “Bhikkhus, there are some recluses and brahmins who speculate about the future and hold views about the future, who assert various doctrinal propositions concerning the future.

(I) Some assert thus: ‘The self is percipient and unimpaired after death.’

(II) Some assert thus: ‘The self is non-percipient and unimpaired after death.’

(III) Some assert thus: ‘The self is neither percipient nor non-percipient and unimpaired after death.’

(IV) Or they describe the annihilation, destruction, and extermination of an existing being [at death].

(V) Or some assert Nibbāna here and now.936

“Thus (a) they either describe an existing self that is unimpaired after death; (b) or they describe the annihilation, destruction, and extermination of an existing being [at death]; (c) or they assert Nibbāna here and now. Thus these [views] being five become three, and being three become five. This is the summary of the ‘five and three.’

3. (I) “Therein, bhikkhus, those recluses and brahmins [229] who describe the self as percipient and unimpaired after death describe such a self, percipient and unimpaired after death, to be either:

material;

or immaterial;

or both material and immaterial;

or neither material nor immaterial;

or percipient of unity;

or percipient of diversity;

or percipient of the limited;

or percipient of the immeasurable.937

Or else, among those few who go beyond this, some make assertions about the consciousness-kasiṇa, immeasurable and imperturbable. 938

4. “The Tathāgata, bhikkhus, understands this thus: ‘Those good