Flowers

or Growth

I HEAR TELL:

Once Upon a Time in Savatthi-town the Bhagava came a revisit'n,
and there, to the Beggars gathered round he said:

"It is not, Beggars, I that disputes with the world,
it is the world that disputes with me.

No one experienced in dhamma, beggars,
would in any way dispute with the world.

That, beggars, which is considered as non-existant
by the wise of the world
of that I too say:
"That is non-existant."

That, beggars, which is considered as existing
by the wise of the world,
of that I too say:
"That exists."

What, beggars, is considered as non-existant
by the wise of the world
of which I too say:
"That is non-existant"?

That matter, beggars, which is unchanging,
true, endless, not subject to reversal,
this is considered by the wise of the world to be non-existant;
of this I too say: "This is non-existant."

That sense experience, beggars, which is unchanging,
true, endless, not subject to reversal,
this is considered by the wise of the world to be non-existant;
of this I too say: "This is non-existant."

That perception, beggars, which is unchanging,
true, endless, not subject to reversal,
this is considered by the wise of the world to be non-existant;
of this I too say: "This is non-existant."

That personal world, beggars, which is unchanging,
true, endless, not subject to reversal,
this is considered by the wise of the world to be non-existant;
of this I too say: "This is non-existant."

That consciousness, beggars, which is unchanging,
true, endless, not subject to reversal,
this is considered by the wise of the world to be non-existant;
of this I too say: "This is non-existant."

These, beggars, are the things
considered as non-existant by the wise of the world
of which I too say: "This is non-existant."

And what, beggars, are the things considered as existing
by the wise of the world
of which I too say: "This exists"?

That matter, beggars, which changes,
is painful, is subject to reversal,
this is considered by the wise of the world to exist;
of this I too say: "This exists."

That sense experience, beggars, which changes,
is painful, is subject to reversal,
this is considered by the wise of the world to exist;
of this I too say: "This exists."

That perception, beggars, which changes,
is painful, is subject to reversal,
this is considered by the wise of the world to exist;
of this I too say: "This exists."

That personal world, beggars, which changes,
is painful, is subject to reversal,
this is considered by the wise of the world to exist;
of this I too say: "This exists."

That consciousness, beggars, which changes,
is painful, is subject to reversal,
this is considered by the wise of the world to exist;
of this I too say: "This exists."

These, beggars, are the things considered as existing
by the wise of the world
of which I too say: "This exists."

There is, beggars, a world of worldly things
which the Tathagata has understood and comprehended;
which, understanding and comprehending;
are explained, told of, made known,
set out, revealed, analysed, put into words.

What, beggars, is that world of worldly things
which the Tathagata has understood and comprehended;
which, understanding and comprehending,
are explained, told of, made known,
set out, revealed, analysed, put into words?

Matter, beggars, is a worldly thing
in that world which the Tathagata has understood and comprehended;
which, understanding and comprehending,
is explained, told of, made known,
set out, revealed, analysed, put into words.

He, beggars, to whom the Tathagata thus explains,
tells of, makes known, sets out, reveals, analyses, puts into words
...who does not come to know and see...
about such a one, beggars
...a foolish ordinary person without eyes in his head that can see
...what can I do?

Sense experience, beggars, is a worldly
thing in that world which the Tathagata has understood and comprehended;
which, understanding and comprehending,
is explained, told of, made known,
set out, revealed, analysed, put into words.

Perception, beggars, is a worldly
thing in that world which the Tathagata has understood and comprehended;
which, understanding and comprehending,
is explained, told of, made known,
set out, revealed, analysed, put into words.

The personal world, beggars, is a worldly
thing in that world which the Tathagata has understood and comprehended;
which, understanding and comprehending,
is explained, told of, made known,
set out, revealed, analysed, put into words.

Consciousness, beggars, is a worldly thing
in that world which the Tathagata has understood and comprehended;
which, understanding and comprehending,
is explained, told of, made known,
set out, revealed, analysed, put into words.

He, beggars, to whom the Tathagata thus explains,
tells of, makes known, sets out, reveals, analyses, puts into words
...who does not come to know and see...
about such a one, beggars
...a foolish ordinary person without eyes in his head that can see
...what can I do?

In the same way, Beggars, as
the white water lilly,
the blue water lilly,
the red water lilly,
born in the water,
growing in the water,
rising above the surface of the water,
stands unaffected by the water;
in the same way, beggars,
the Tathagata,

grown up in the world,
living in the world,
is unaffected by the world.