Is the soul distinct from the body? (sutra)

Rhys Davids (trans.), Jāliya Sutra (DN 7), suttacentral.net; Dhr. Seven (ed.), Wisdom Quarterly

SUTRA: "Discourse to Jāliya"

This sutra from the Long Discourses (DN) is mostly quoted verbatim by the Buddha from the previous sutra. Therefore, the next section in the Pali text is greatly abbreviated. The following is a fully expanded version, based on the text of the "Fruits of Recluseship Discourse" or Sāmaññaphala Sutra (DN 2) as translated by American scholar-monk Bhikkhu Bodhi. It should be noted that is not always possible to determine exactly how the expansion should be done.

Chapter on the Virtues

Recluse and holy man, shramana and sadhu

Thus have I heard. On one occasion, the Blessed One (the Buddha) was staying at Kosambī, in the Ghosita pleasance. There two recluses, Maṇḍissa the wandering ascetic, and Jāliya the pupil of Dārupattika (the man with the wooden bowl), came to the Blessed One.

They exchanged greetings and compliments of politeness and courtesy with him then stood reverently to one side. Standing they said to the Blessed One:

“O Venerable Gautama, how is it then, Is the soul the same thing as the body, or is the soul one thing and the body another?"

“Listen then, sirs, give heed attentively, and I will speak."

“Very good, sir" said those two ascetics in assent, and the Blessed One said:

“Herein [within this Doctrine and Discipline], sirs, a Tathāgata [Wayfarer, the Buddha] arises in the world, a worthy one, supremely enlightened, endowed with clear knowledge and right conduct, accomplished, a knower of the world, unsurpassed trainer of persons to be tamed, teacher of devas and humans, enlightened and exalted.

“Having realized by his own direct knowledge this world with its devas, its māras, and its brahmās, this generation with its wandering ascetics (recluses) and Brahmins, its rulers and people, he makes it known to others.

“He teaches the Dharma that is good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, possessing meaning and phrasing. He reveals the holy life that is fully complete and purified.

“A householder, or a householder’s offspring, or one born into some other family, hears the Dharma. Having heard the Dharma, one gains confidence in the Tathāgata. Endowed with such confidence, one reflects: ‘The household life is crowded, a path of dust. Going forth is like the open air.

“It is not easy for one dwelling at home to lead the perfectly complete, perfectly purified supreme life (brahmacariya), bright as a polished conch. Let me then shave off my hair, put on saffron robes, and go forth from home to the home-free life.’

“After some time one abandons one’s accumulation of wealth, large or small. One abandons one’s circle of relatives, large or small. One shaves off one’s hair, puts on saffron robes, and goes forth from home to the home-free life.

“When one has thus gone forth, one lives restrained by the restraint of the "Path to Liberation" guidelines (pātimokkha), possessed of proper behavior and resort.

“Having taken up the rules of training, one trains oneself in them, seeing danger in the slightest fault. One comes to be endowed with wholesome bodily and verbal action, one’s livelihood is purified, and one is possessed of right conduct.

“One guards the doors of the sense faculties, is endowed with mindfulness and clear comprehension, and is content.

Smaller Section on Discipline in Virtue

“How, sirs, is the [Buddhist] monastic possessed of discipline in virtue? Herein, sirs, having abandoned the destruction of life, the monastic abstains from the destruction of life.

“One has laid down weapons and dwells conscientious, full of kindness, sympathetic for the welfare of all living beings.

“Having abandoned taking what is not given, one abstains from taking what is not given. Accepting and expecting only what is given, one lives in honesty with a pure mind.

“Having abandoned incelibacy, one leads the supreme life of celibacy. One dwells aloof and abstains from the vulgar practice of sexual intercourse.

“Having abandoned false speech, one abstains from falsehood. One speaks only the truth, one lives devoted to truth; trustworthy and reliable, one does not deceive anyone in the world.

“Having abandoned slander, one abstains from slander. One does not repeat elsewhere what one has heard here in order to divide others from the people here, nor does one repeat here what one has heard elsewhere in order to divide these people from the people there.

“Thus one is a reconciler of those who are divided and a promoter of friendship. Rejoicing, delighting, and exulting in concord, one speaks only words that are conducive to concord.

“Having abandoned harsh speech, one abstains from harsh speech. One speaks only such words as are gentle, pleasing to the ear, endearing, going to the heart, polite, amiable, and agreeable to the many.

“Having abandoned idle chatter, one abstains from idle chatter. One speaks at the right time, speaks what is factual and beneficial, speaks on the Dharma and the Discipline. One's words are worth treasuring; they are timely, backed by reasons, measured, and connected with the skillful.

“One abstains from damaging seed and plant life.

“One eats only in one part of the day, refraining from food at night and from eating at improper times.

“One abstains from dancing, singing, instrumental music, and from watching unsuitable shows.

“One abstains from wearing garlands, embellishing oneself with scents, and beautifying oneself with creams.

“One abstains from high and luxurious beds and seats.

“One abstains from accepting [money] gold and silver.

“One abstains from accepting uncooked grain, raw meat, women and girls, male and female slaves, goats and sheep, fowl and swine, elephants and cattle, horses and mares.

“One abstains from accepting fields and lands.

“One abstains from running messages and errands.

“One abstains from buying and selling.

“One abstains from dealing with false weights, false metals, and false measures.

“One abstains from the crooked ways of bribery, deception, and fraud.

“One abstains from mutilating, executing, imprisoning, robbery, plunder, and violence.

“This, too, pertains to one’s discipline in virtue. CONTINUED IN PART II