“To the one who reveals the past,” said Venerable Posāla, “who is imperturbable, with doubts cut off, and who has gone beyond all things, I have come seeking with a question.
Consider one who perceives that form has vanished, who has entirely given up the body, and who sees nothing at all internally and externally. I ask the Sakyan about knowledge for them; how should that sort be guided?”
“The Realized One directly knows,” said the Buddha, “all planes of consciousness. And he knows this one who remains, committed to that as their final goal.
Understanding that desire for rebirth in the dimension of nothingness is a fetter, and directly knowing what this really means, one then discerns that matter clearly. That is their knowledge of truth, the brahmin who has lived the life.”
The Question of Posāla
Snp 5.15 · Posālamāṇavapucchā
Connections
Collection & context
- Sutta NipātaThe collection containing this text
- The Pāli canonCanonical collection in which this edition is preserved
- Theravāda traditionsTransmission and study context
- The early Buddhist communityHistorical and traditional setting
Books
- On The Way To The Far Shore: Q&A with The Buddha on the Way to AwakeningLeigh Brasington · Commentary
- Handful of Leaves: an Anthology from the Sutta PiṭakaEarly Buddhist discourses; Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu (translator and compiler) · Included in anthology
About this edition
Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato · SuttaCentral · CC0
This translation is an expression of an ancient spiritual text that has been passed down by the Buddhist tradition for the benefit of all sentient beings. It is dedicated to the public domain via Creative Commons Zero (CC0). You are encouraged to copy, reproduce, adapt, alter, or otherwise make use of this translation. The translator respectfully requests that any use be in accordance with the values and principles of the Buddhist community. In particular, please do not use this work in AI training datasets, for the development of any AI model or algorithm, or in any AI-derived technologies.
Published source. Translation wording and order are preserved; source headings and notes are retained, with navigation and formatting adapted for this reader.
The opening image is AI-generated nature artwork for Buddhist Atlas, an evocative companion rather than a historical depiction.