Posālamāṇavapucchā

Sutta Nipāta 5.15

Anthology of Discourses 5.15

Posālamāṇavapucchā

The Question of Posāla

“Yo atītaṁ ādisati,

“To the one who reveals the past,”

(iccāyasmā posālo)

said Venerable Posāla,

Anejo chinnasaṁsayo;

“who is imperturbable, with doubts cut off,

Pāraguṁ sabbadhammānaṁ,

and who has gone beyond all things,

Atthi pañhena āgamaṁ.

I have come seeking with a question.

Vibhūtarūpasaññissa,

Consider one who perceives that form has vanished,

sabbakāyappahāyino;

who has entirely given up the body,

Ajjhattañca bahiddhā ca,

and who sees nothing at all

natthi kiñcīti passato;

internally and externally.

Ñāṇaṁ sakkānupucchāmi,

I ask the Sakyan about knowledge for them;

kathaṁ neyyo tathāvidho”.

how should that sort be guided?”

“Viññāṇaṭṭhitiyo sabbā,

“The Realized One directly knows,”

(posālāti bhagavā)

said the Buddha,

Abhijānaṁ tathāgato;

“all planes of consciousness.

Tiṭṭhantamenaṁ jānāti,

And he knows this one who remains,

Vimuttaṁ tapparāyaṇaṁ.

committed to that as their final goal.

Ākiñcaññasambhavaṁ ñatvā,

Understanding that desire for rebirth

Nandī saṁyojanaṁ iti;

in the dimension of nothingness is a fetter,

Evametaṁ abhiññāya,

and directly knowing what this really means,

Tato tattha vipassati;

one then discerns that matter clearly.

Etaṁ ñāṇaṁ tathaṁ tassa,

That is their knowledge of truth,

Brāhmaṇassa vusīmato”ti.

the brahmin who has lived the life.”

Posālamāṇavapucchā cuddasamā.