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146
MAHAVAGGA.
I, 23, 5.
'And what is the doctrine, Sir, which your teacher holds, and preaches to you?'
'I am only a young disciple, friend; I have but recently received the ordination; and I have newly adopted this doctrine and discipline. I cannot explain to you the doctrine in detail; but I will tell you in short what it means.'
Then the paribbâgaka Sâriputta said to the venerable Assagi: 'Well, friend, tell me much or little as you like, but be sure to tell me the spirit (of the doctrine); I want but the spirit; why do you make so much of the letter?'
5. Then the venerable Assagi pronounced to the paribbâgaka Sâriputta the following text of. the Dhamma: Of all objects which proceed from a cause, the Tathagata has explained the cause, and He has explained their cessation also; this is the doctrine of the great Samana1.'
And the paribbâgaka Sâriputta after having heard this text obtained the pure and spotless Eye of the Truth (that is, the following knowledge): 'Whatsoever is subject to the condition of origination is subject also to the condition of cessation.' (And he said): 'If this alone be the Doctrine (the Dhamma), now you have reached up to the state where all sorrow ceases (i. e. Nirvâna), (the state) which has remained unseen
1 This famous stanza doubtless alludes to the formula of the twelve Nidânas (see chap. 1. 2) which explains the origination and cessation of what are called here 'dhammâ hetuppabhavâ.' Hetu and pakkaya (the word so frequently used in the formula of the Nidânas) are nearly synonymous. Colebrooke (Life and Essays, vol. ii. p. 419) says that the Bauddhas distinguish between hetu, 'proximate cause,' and pakkaya (pratyaya), 'concurrent occasion;' but, in practical use, this slight difference of meaning, if it really existed, has but little weight attached to it.
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