Exploring the Path - Pāli Course

The chapter Buddhānussati of the Visuddhimaggo explains the qualities and characteristics of the Buddha in great detail along with different grammatical derivations. The present quote refers to Buddha’s quality of sugato. The Visuddhimaggo refers to the Abhayarājakumārasuttaṃ¹ to help illuminate its meaning. It explains that Prince Abhaya² is convinced by his teacher Nigathanathaputta to challenge the Buddha. The teacher sets up a clever trap: the prince is to ask the Buddha if he would ever say something unwelcoming (appiya) or disagreeable (amanāpā) to someone. If the Buddha replies that he would utter such words then Prince Abhaya should ask him what would then be the difference between him and an ordinary people who also says such negative words. But if the Buddha replies that he would not speak such negative words then Prince Abhaya should remind Gotama of the situation where he prophesized that Devadatta was headed for hell and he would go to the lower fields for an aeon. These words were definitely unwelcoming and disagreeable to Devadatta.³

Following the advice of his teacher, Prince Abhaya invited the Buddha to his house for a meal and after the meal asked those questions. Buddha replied that neither yes nor no would be a suitable answer but used the method of vibhajjabyākaraṇīyo⁴ instead.

He asked the prince what he would do if his son was to swallow a stick?

The prince replied that out of compassion he would even risk force to remove it from the boy’s throat. Here the Buddha commented that in the same way but out of compassion he would use six ways of speech, as quoted in this sutta.

Again an emphasis is given on the volition being most important when uttering one’s speech! Although words may be true and factual, they need to be placed at the appropriate time, beneficial for those they are addressed to and uttered out of deep compassion:

… tatra kālaññū tathāgato hoti tassā vācāya veyyākaraṇāya. Taṃ kissa hetu? Atthi, rājakumāra, tathāgatassa sattesu anukampā

Although amongst those variations, the expression of something that carries the qualities of ‘abhūtaṃ atacchaṃ anatthasañhitaṃ, sā ca paresaṃ piyā manāpā’ — speech neither true nor beneficial but still amusing — may be alien to somebody walking uprightly on the path. The Mahābuddhavaṃsa illustrates this with the following story of an old rustic farmer.

An old farmer encountered a group of six swindlers who made a living by telling stories and cheating people. The swindlers decided to play a game: each one would tell a story, and if anyone listening didn't believe it, they would lose all their possessions. So each one of these six told his story, but the old farmer just replied that, “In this vast country there are so many things, why should I not believe it?” When it was his turn to tell his story he related a situation in the past where he went in the field to pick six flowers, but instead of flowers he got hold of six strong slaves. But unfortunately these six slaves had later run away. He had been looking for them a long time and now he had found them. Then he mentioned the names of these very six. This group of six now could not say that his story was untrue or else they would lose their possessions. So according to his story, they now became his slaves and the court officially branded them as his slaves.

This kind of speech, which is found in all kinds of nonsensical talk, humor and fiction, is widely spread in today’s media. Although one might find it amusing, this is particularly detrimental for those striving for spiritual growth. It wastes the precious opportunity of a human life and squanders valuable time.

Prince Abhaya finally asked the Buddha if he knew the answer to every question posed to him ahead of time. In response, the Buddha used a simile, asking if a charioteer would automatically know the proper reply if someone asked him about any part of his chariot. Thus pointing to the quality of paṭibhāṇa that a Tathāgata possesses:

Sā hi, rājakumāra, tathāgatassa dhammadhātu suppaṭividdhā⁵ yassā dhammadhātuyā suppaṭividdhattā ṭhānasovetaṃ tathāgataṃ paṭibhātī”ti.

“Because the element of Dhamma (the principles and truth of nature) has been fully penetrated by a Tathāgata, thus on base of this full comprehension, his reply would always be immediate and on the spot!”