Dear Everett,
Thank you very much for your prompt reply which is very helpful. I also
found another reference thanks to your help. I have incorporated them into
the Introduction to my class notes for the Culamalunkyaputta Sutta:
The Buddha does not answer Mluºky,putta's questions regard the ten
"unexplained" or "undetermined"(avykata) theses for two reasons. Firstly,
they are not connected to the spiritual path and goal. In fact, such
speculations distract on from one's spiritual development and liberation.
Secondly, these theses are by their very nature unanswerable-they are
questions wrongly put. To say "yes" or "no" to any of such questions is to
accept the validity.
This is like one's answering "yes" or "no" to a question such as
"Where does a fire go when it is extinguished?" The question does "not
apply", it is "wrongly put" (na upeti) (M 72.19/1:487). Gethin in
Foundations of Buddhism gives a modern example: To answer "'yes' or 'no' to
a question such as 'Are Martians green?'" one is "drawn into accepting the
validity of the question" (1998:68).[1] A similar type of question is the
"double-horned question" (ubhato,ko ika pañha) or dilemma (where answering
either way would bring an unwelcome conclusion), and as such does not have a
definite (eka×sa) answer, as accounted in the Abhaya,rja,kumra Sutta
(M58.6/1:393 f). In the (Asibandhaka,putta) Kula Sutta (S 42.9/4:322-325),
however, the Buddha answers the two-horned question proposed by the Nigaö
has.[2]
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[1] Another modern example is the Christian evangelist's
trick of drawing the unwary into a one-sided indoctrination by asking "What
do you think of Christ?" (Matt 22:42). The Buddhist answer is the noble
silence. Cf D 25.20/3:53.
[2] See Jayatilleke 1963:226-228, 334 f, 350-352.
Sukhi.
Piya
----- Original Message -----
From: "Everett Thiele" <rett@...>
To: <Pali@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, August 26, 2003 8:44 PM
Subject: Re: [Pali] Which sutta please?
>
>I remember reading a Sutta (or was it a Commentary) about how a person (a
>brahmin youth?) who wanted to challenge the Buddha with a two-edged
>question, answering either way incriminates the answerer. The Buddha reads
>the youth's mind and tells him exactly what kind of question it was. The
>youth was impressed.
>
>Does anyone know which Sutta or Commentary this story comes from?
This sounds at least partly like the Abhayaraajakumaara Sutta, M-58.
The youth is a khattiya rather than a brahmin, and he is incited by
Niga.n.tha Naataputta to ask a question where either a yes or a no
answer would leave the Buddha open to a snappy reply. When asked, the
Buddha states "There is no one-sided answer to that, prince," which
leaves the prince impressed. The Buddha then explains the answer in
more detail. (from Ñaa.namoli's translation).
Hope this is the right reference.
best regards,
--ET
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