Date: 08/03/2024 08/04/2024
Location: Star Ocean Meditation Center
Teacher: Otto Huang
Dharma Talk
Buddha’s Undetermined Answers
Once, a non-Buddhist ascetic named Yudhika visited Buddha at the Kalandaka Bamboo Grove in Rajagaha. After greetings, Yudhika asked:
“Gotama! Does the world have an end?”
“Yudhika! That is undetermined,” Buddha replied.
“Then, Gotama! Does the world not have an end?”
“Yudhika! That too is undetermined.”
“Gotama! Then, is the world eternal? Or is it transient? Is the essence of life the body or distinct from the body? Does the true self exist after death or not?”
“Yudhika! All these are undetermined.”
“Gotama! You say these are undetermined, so what exactly is your doctrine?”
“Yudhika! I teach based on my own direct enlightenment to help beings fully liberate themselves from suffering, sorrow, and distress to attain enlightenment and ultimate liberation.”
“Gotama! Then tell me, what proportion of people in the world follow your demonstrated path to liberation? Is it half, or perhaps one-third?”
At this point, Buddha remained silent. Despite Yudhika’s persistent questioning, Buddha maintained his silence and did not respond.
At that moment, Ananda, who was nearby, thought: “It must not be assumed that Yudhika has confounded Buddha or that Buddha is afraid to answer.” So Ananda took up the conversation:
“Yudhika! Let me give you an analogy: Imagine a king built a very strong fortress at the border, for safety, leaving only one gate for entry and exit. The gatekeeper is wise and clever, adept at recognizing who should enter or leave, and stops all those who should not enter. The gatekeeper knows that the fortress walls are extremely solid, without a single crack, and all people and animals can only enter or exit through this gate, there being no other possibility. Similarly, the Exalted One knows that all those who have achieved liberation, whether in the past, present, or future, have done so by following the path of abandoning the five hindrances, practicing the four foundations of mindfulness, and developing the seven factors of enlightenment. As for the exact proportion of people, whether it’s half or one-third of the world, that is not significant, and Buddha does not concern himself with these details.”
