The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha - Bhikkhu Nanamoli [85]
6–14. “And what is the gratification in the case of sensual pleasures? Mahānāma, there are these five cords of sensual pleasure...(as Sutta 13, §§7–15)...Now this is a danger in the case of sensual pleasures, a mass of suffering in the life to come, having sensual pleasures as its cause, sensual pleasures as its source, sensual pleasures as its basis, the cause being simply sensual pleasures.
15. “Now, Mahānāma, on one occasion I was living at Rājagaha on the mountain Vulture Peak. On that occasion a number of Nigaṇṭhas living on the Black Rock on the slopes of Isigili were practising continuous standing, rejecting seats, and were experiencing painful, racking, piercing feelings due to exertion.209
16. “Then, when it was evening, I rose from meditation and went to the Nigaṇṭhas there. I asked them: ‘Friends, why do you practise continuous standing, rejecting seats, and experience painful, racking, piercing feelings due to exertion?’
17. “When this was said, they replied: ‘Friend, the Nigaṇṭha Nātaputta is omniscient and all-seeing and claims to have complete knowledge and vision thus: “Whether I am walking or standing or asleep or awake, [93] knowledge and vision are continuously and uninterruptedly present to me.” He says thus: “Nigaṇṭhas, you have done evil actions in the past; exhaust them with the performance of piercing austerities. And when you are here and now restrained in body, speech, and mind, that is doing no evil actions for the future. So by annihilating with asceticism past actions and by doing no fresh actions, there will be no consequence in the future. With no consequence in the future, there is the destruction of action. With the destruction of action, there is the destruction of suffering. With the destruction of suffering, there is the destruction of feeling. With the destruction of feeling, all suffering will be exhausted.” This is [the doctrine] we approve of and accept, and we are satisfied with it.’
18. “When this was said, I told them: ‘But, friends, do you know that you existed in the past, and that it is not the case that you did not exist?’—‘No, friend.’—‘But, friends, do you know that you did evil actions in the past and did not abstain from them?’—‘No, friend.’—‘But, friends, do you know that you did such and such evil actions?’—‘No, friend.’—‘But, friends, do you know that so much suffering has already been exhausted, or that so much suffering has still to be exhausted, or that when so much suffering has been exhausted all suffering will have been exhausted?’—‘No, friend.’—‘But, friends, do you know what the abandoning of unwholesome states is and what the cultivation of wholesome states is here and now?’—‘No, friend.’
19. “‘So, friends, it seems that you do not know that you existed in the past and that it is not the case that you did not exist; or that you did evil actions in the past and did not abstain from them; or that you did such and such evil actions; or that so much suffering has already been exhausted, or that so much suffering has still to be exhausted, or that when so much suffering has been exhausted all suffering will have been exhausted; or what the abandoning of unwholesome states is and what the cultivation of wholesome states is here and now. That being so, those who are murderers, bloody-handed evil-doers in the world, when they are reborn among human beings, go forth into homelessness as Nigaṇṭhas.’210
20. “‘Friend Gotama, pleasure is not to be gained through pleasure; pleasure is to be gained through pain. [94] For were pleasure to be gained through pleasure, then King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha would gain pleasure, since he abides in greater pleasure than the venerable Gotama.’
“‘Surely the venerable Nigaṇṭhas have uttered those words rashly and without reflection. Rather it is I who ought to be asked: “Who abides in greater pleasure, King Seniya Bimbisāra of Magadha or the venerable Gotama?”’
“‘Surely,