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AN 9.13
PTS: A iv 382
Kotthita Sutta: With Kotthita
translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu
© 2004

Then Ven. Maha Kotthita went to Ven. Sariputta and exchanged courteous greetings with him. After an exchange of friendly greetings & courtesies, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he said to Ven. Sariputta, "Is it the case, friend Sariputta, that the holy life is lived under the Blessed One with the purpose, 'May an action [whose result] is to be experienced in the here-&-now be turned into an action [whose result] is to be experienced by me in a future life?'"

"No, my friend."

"Then is it the case, friend Sariputta, that the holy life is lived under the Blessed One with the purpose, 'May an action [whose result] is to be experienced in a future life be turned into an action [whose result] is to be experienced by me in the here-&-now?'"

"No, my friend."

"Then is it the case, friend Sariputta, that the holy life is lived under the Blessed One with the purpose, 'May an action [whose result] is to be experienced as pleasure be turned into an action [whose result] is to be experienced by me as pain?'"

"No, my friend."

"Then is it the case, friend Sariputta, that the holy life is lived under the Blessed One with the purpose, 'May an action [whose result] is to be experienced as pain be turned into an action [whose result] is to be experienced by me as pleasure?'"

"No, my friend."

"Then is it the case, friend Sariputta, that the holy life is lived under the Blessed One with the purpose, 'May an action [whose result] is to be experienced when fully ripened be turned into an action [whose result] is to be experienced by me when not fully ripened?'"

"No, my friend."

"Then is it the case, friend Sariputta, that the holy life is lived under the Blessed One with the purpose, 'May an action [whose result] is to be experienced when not fully ripened be turned into an action [whose result] is to be experienced by me when fully ripened?'"

"No, my friend."

"Then is it the case, friend Sariputta, that the holy life is lived under the Blessed One with the purpose, 'May an action [whose result] is to be experienced as a great deal be turned into an action [whose result] is to be experienced by me as next to nothing?'"

"No, my friend."

"Then is it the case, friend Sariputta, that the holy life is lived under the Blessed One with the purpose, 'May an action [whose result] is to be experienced as next to nothing be turned into an action [whose result] is to be experienced by me as a great deal?'"

"No, my friend."

"Then is it the case, friend Sariputta, that the holy life is lived under the Blessed One with the purpose, 'May an action [whose result] is to be experienced be turned into an action [whose result] is not to be experienced by me?'"

"No, my friend."

"Then is it the case, friend Sariputta, that the holy life is lived under the Blessed One with the purpose, 'May an action [whose result] is not to be experienced be turned into an action [whose result] is to be experienced by me?'"

"No, my friend."

"Now, friend Sariputta, when you are asked, 'Is it the case that the holy life is lived under the Blessed One with the purpose, "May an action [whose result] is to be experienced in the here-&-now be turned into an action [whose result] is to be experienced by me in a future life?"' you say, 'No, my friend.' When asked, 'Is it the case that the holy life is lived under the Blessed One with the purpose, "May an action [whose result] is to be experienced in a future life be turned into an action [whose results] is to be experienced by me in the here-&-now"... "May an action [whose result] is to be experienced as pleasure be turned into an action [whose result] is to be experienced by me as pain?"... "May an action [whose result] is to be experienced as pain be turned into an action [whose result] is to be experienced by me as pleasure?"... "May an action [whose result] is to be experienced when fully ripened be turned into an action [whose result] is to be experienced by me when not fully ripened?"... "May an action [whose result] is to be experienced when not fully ripened be turned into an action [whose result] is to be experienced by me when fully ripened?"... "May an action [whose result] is to be experienced as a great deal be turned into an action [whose result] is to be experienced by me as next to nothing?"... "May an action [whose result] is to be experienced as next to nothing be turned into an action [whose result] is to be experienced by me as a great deal?"... "May an action [whose result] is to be experienced be turned into an action [whose result] is not to be experienced by me?"... "May an action [whose result] is not to be experienced be turned into an action [whose result] is to be experienced by me?"' you say, 'No, my friend.' So, then, with what purpose is the holy life lived under the Blessed One?"

"The holy life, my friend, is lived under the Blessed One with the purpose of knowing, seeing, attaining, realizing, & breaking through to what has been unknown, unseen, unattained, unrealized, and not broken through to."

"And what, friend Sariputta, is the unknown, unseen, unattained, unrealized and not broken-through-to that the holy life is lived under the Blessed One with the purpose of knowing, seeing, attaining, realizing, & breaking through to?"

"'This is stress,' my friend; 'This is the origination of stress,' my friend; 'This is the cessation of stress,' my friend; 'This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress,' my friend, is the unknown, unseen, unattained, unrealized and not broken-through-to that the holy life is lived under the Blessed One with the purpose of knowing, seeing, attaining, realizing, & breaking through to. This is the unknown, unseen, unattained, unrealized and not broken-through-to that the holy life is lived under the Blessed One with the purpose of knowing, seeing, attaining, realizing, & breaking through to."