At Sāvatthī. Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

Then the wanderer Timbaruka went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him. Atha kho timbaruko paribbājako yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to the Buddha: Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho timbaruko paribbājako bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“Well, worthy Gotama, are pleasure and pain made by oneself?” “Kiṁ nu kho, bho gotama, sayaṅkataṁ sukhadukkhanti?

“Not so, Timbaruka,” said the Buddha. Mā hevaṁ, timbarukāti bhagavā avoca.

“Then are pleasure and pain made by another?” Kiṁ pana, bho gotama, paraṅkataṁ sukhadukkhanti?

“Not so, Timbaruka,” said the Buddha. Mā hevaṁ, timbarukāti bhagavā avoca.

“Well, are pleasure and pain made by both oneself and another?” Kiṁ nu kho, bho gotama, sayaṅkatañca paraṅkatañca sukhadukkhanti?

“Not so, Timbaruka,” said the Buddha. Mā hevaṁ, timbarukāti bhagavā avoca.

“Then do pleasure and pain arise anomalously, not made by oneself or another?” Kiṁ pana, bho gotama, asayaṅkāraṁ aparaṅkāraṁ adhiccasamuppannaṁ sukhadukkhanti?

“Not so, Timbaruka,” said the Buddha. Mā hevaṁ, timbarukāti bhagavā avoca.

“Well, is there no such thing as pleasure and pain?” Kiṁ nu kho, bho gotama, natthi sukhadukkhanti?

“It’s not that there’s no such thing as pleasure and pain. Na kho, timbaruka, natthi sukhadukkhaṁ; Pleasure and pain are real.” atthi kho, timbaruka, sukhadukkhanti.

“Then does the worthy Gotama not know or see suffering?” Tena hi bhavaṁ gotamo sukhadukkhaṁ na jānāti, na passatīti?

“It’s not that I don’t know or see pleasure and pain. Na khvāhaṁ, timbaruka, sukhadukkhaṁ na jānāmi, na passāmi. I do know pleasure and pain, Jānāmi khvāhaṁ, timbaruka, sukhadukkhaṁ; I do see pleasure and pain.” passāmi khvāhaṁ, timbaruka, sukhadukkhan”ti.

“Worthy Gotama, when asked these questions, you say ‘not so’. “‘Kiṁ nu kho, bho gotama, sayaṅkataṁ sukhadukkhan’ti iti puṭṭho samāno ‘mā hevaṁ, timbarukā’ti vadesi. ‘Kiṁ pana, bho gotama, paraṅkataṁ sukhadukkhan’ti iti puṭṭho samāno ‘mā hevaṁ, timbarukā’ti vadesi. ‘Kiṁ nu kho, bho gotama, sayaṅkatañca paraṅkatañca sukhadukkhan’ti iti puṭṭho samāno ‘mā hevaṁ, timbarukā’ti vadesi. ‘Kiṁ pana, bho gotama, asayaṅkāraṁ aparaṅkāraṁ adhiccasamuppannaṁ sukhadukkhan’ti iti puṭṭho samāno ‘mā hevaṁ, timbarukā’ti vadesi. Yet you say that there is such a thing as pleasure and pain. ‘Kiṁ nu kho, bho gotama, natthi sukhadukkhan’ti iti puṭṭho samāno ‘na kho, timbaruka, natthi sukhadukkhaṁ; atthi kho, timbaruka, sukhadukkhan’ti vadesi. ‘Tena hi bhavaṁ gotamo sukhadukkhaṁ na jānāti, na passatī’ti iti puṭṭho samāno ‘na khvāhaṁ, timbaruka, sukhadukkhaṁ na jānāmi, na passāmi. And you say that you do know pleasure and pain, Jānāmi khvāhaṁ, timbaruka, sukhadukkhaṁ; and you do see pleasure and pain. passāmi khvāhaṁ, timbaruka, sukhadukkhan’ti vadesi. Sir, explain pleasure and pain to me! Ācikkhatu ca me bhavaṁ gotamo sukhadukkhaṁ. Teach me about pleasure and pain!” Desetu ca me bhavaṁ gotamo sukhadukkhan”ti.

“Suppose that the feeling and the one who feels it are one and the same. Then for one who has existed since the beginning, pleasure and pain is made by oneself. I don’t say this. “‘Sā vedanā, so vedayatī’ti kho, timbaruka, ādito sato ‘sayaṅkataṁ sukhadukkhan’ti evampāhaṁ na vadāmi. Suppose that the feeling is one thing and the one who feels it is another. Then for one stricken by feeling, pleasure and pain is made by another. I don’t say this. ‘Aññā vedanā, añño vedayatī’ti kho, timbaruka, vedanābhitunnassa sato ‘paraṅkataṁ sukhadukkhan’ti evampāhaṁ na vadāmi. Avoiding these two extremes, the Realized One teaches by the middle way: Ete te, timbaruka, ubho ante anupagamma majjhena tathāgato dhammaṁ deseti: ‘Ignorance is a requirement for choices. ‘avijjāpaccayā saṅkhārā;

Choices are a requirement for consciousness. … saṅkhārapaccayā viññāṇaṁ …pe… That is how this entire mass of suffering originates. evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa samudayo hoti. When ignorance fades away and ceases with nothing left over, choices cease. Avijjāya tveva asesavirāganirodhā saṅkhāranirodho; When choices cease, consciousness ceases. … saṅkhāranirodhā viññāṇanirodho …pe… That is how this entire mass of suffering ceases.’” evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hotī’”ti.

When he said this, the wanderer Timbaruka said to the Buddha, Evaṁ vutte, timbaruko paribbājako bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “Excellent, worthy Gotama! Excellent! … “abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama …pe… I go for refuge to the worthy Gotama, to the teaching, and to the mendicant Saṅgha. esāhaṁ bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi dhammañca bhikkhusaṅghañca. From this day forth, may the worthy Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.” Upāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.

Aṭṭhamaṁ.