Saṁyutta Nikāya:
IV. Saḷāyatana Vagga
35: Saḷāyatana Saṁyutta
Mūlapaññāsa
3. Sabba Vagga

The Connected Discourses of the Buddha
IV. The Book of the Six Sense Bases
35: Connected Discourses on the Six Sense Bases
The Root Fifty

3. The Chapter on The All

Sutta 23

Sabba Suttaṁ

The All¹

 

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[15] [8]

Thus have I heard:

The Exalted One was once staying near Sāvatthī, at Jeta Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍika's, Park.

Then the Exalted One addressed the brethren, saying:

"Brethren."

"Lord," responded those brethren to the Exalted One.

The Exalted One said:

"Brethren, I will teach you the all.

Do you listen to it.

And what, Brethren, is the all?

It is eye and object,
ear and sound,
nose and scent,
tongue and savour,
body and things tangible,
mind and mind-states.

That, Brethren, is called 'the all.'

Whoso, Brethren, should say:

'Rejecting this all,
I will proclaim another all, -
it would be mere talk² on his part,
and when questioned
he could not make good his boast,
and further would come to an ill pass.

Why so?

Because, Brethren, it would be beyond his scope³ to do so.'

 

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¹ See Buddh. Psych., 74; Pts of Controv., 85 n. At K.S. ii, 52, sabbaṁ means 'the universe ' (as existing in reality).

² Vāca-vatthu, 'baaed on talk.' Vācāya vattabba vatthu-mattakam eva bhaveyya. Comy.

³ 'He might just as well try to lift a roof-pinnacle on his head, or ford a deep water, or pull down sun and moon.' Comy.