The Question of the Student Posāla

He who reveals the past,

(said the venerable Posāla),

Sutta Nipāta 5.15 Posālamāṇavapucchā “Yo atītaṁ ādisati, (iccāyasmā posālo) Anejo chinnasaṁsayo; Pāraguṁ sabbadhammānaṁ, Atthi pañhena āgamaṁ.

who is unstirred and has cut off doubt,

who has gone to the far shore of all phenomena:

I have come to him with a question.

For one whose perception of form has vanished,

Vibhūtarūpasaññissa, sabbakāyappahāyino; Ajjhattañca bahiddhā ca, natthi kiñcīti passato; Ñāṇaṁ sakkānupucchāmi, kathaṁ neyyo tathāvidho”.

who has abandoned all bodies,

who sees, internally and externally,

that ‘there is nothing:

I ask the Sakyan about his knowing:

how is such a one to be guided further?

“Viññāṇaṭṭhitiyo sabbā, (posālāti bhagavā) Abhijānaṁ tathāgato; Tiṭṭhantamenaṁ jānāti, Vimuttaṁ tapparāyaṇaṁ.

Directly knowing all stations of consciousness,

(said the Blessed One, Posāla),

the Realized One knows one who stands there,

who is freed, and destined for that.

Ākiñcaññasambhavaṁ ñatvā, Nandī saṁyojanaṁ iti; Evametaṁ abhiññāya, Tato tattha vipassati; Etaṁ ñāṇaṁ tathaṁ tassa, Brāhmaṇassa vusīmato”ti.

Having known the arising of the state of nothingness,

and that ‘relishing is a fetter;

directly knowing this thus,

he then sees clearly right there.

Posālamāṇavapucchā cuddasamā.

This is the true knowing of that

brahmin who has lived the holy life.

The fourteenth question, of the student Posāla.