否定も訂正もしない
Neither negate nor correct
2025-07-14
The various Tathāgatas, even when seeing or hearing the statements made by people (sentient beings), fundamentally do not negate or correct them.
This is because the Tathāgatas always teach the Dharma according to the capacities of the people, and although they appear to be responding to the person in front of them, their answers are in fact directed toward the countless sentient beings beyond the immediate questioner.
In short, their stance is to treat the person in front of them as an interviewer.
Accordingly, it is only natural that they do not negate the interwoven statements made by the immediate questioner, and certainly do not correct them.
Of course, when the Tathāgata gives a response that perfectly aligns with the questioner's intent, there may be some who, upon seeing such flawless exchanges, mistakenly think that the Tathāgata is answering solely to satisfy the person before them—but that is not the case.
For this reason, even if the questioner is not a regular person (sentient being) but a deity, a demon, or their retinue, the Tathāgata will respond in the same way as with other sentient beings, and in such cases as well, they will not negate or correct the questioner's statements.
In other words, what the various Tathāgatas teach is always the perfect Dharma, expounded in accordance with the capacities of the listener, regardless of the circumstances.
Moreover, for this very reason, the same approach is taken when a Tathāgata engages in teaching and spreading the Dharma.
That is, the Tathāgata does not attempt to persuade people (sentient beings), but simply manifests and speaks of the state of Nirvāṇa to which they have themselves arrived, thereby inviting those with sincerity of heart.
Incidentally, in the early Buddhist scriptures of the Buddha, the following Dharma teaching can be found:
“Standing at the side, that deity recited this verse to the Blessed One: ‘Because they have not fully known the truth, people are drawn into heretical paths—they are asleep and have not awakened. Now is the time to awaken them.’ [The Blessed One said:] ‘It is those who have fully known the truth, and who are not drawn into heretical paths, who truly attain awakening, truly understand, and walk a difficult path as if it were level.’” (Saṃyutta Nikāya I, translated by Nakamura Hajime, Iwanami-Bunko)
832 If there are people who cling to (particular) dogmas and engage in disputes, saying, “Only this is the truth,” then you should say to them: “Even if disputes arise, there is no one here who will engage in argument with you.”
833 Moreover, they are, in fact, those who have withdrawn from opposition with adversaries, and do not make one (particular) view contend against various other dogmas. So then, what is it that you seek to gain from them? Pasūra, among them, there is nothing that is clung to as “the supreme.”
834 Now, you have come here, turning over thoughts in your mind, thinking, “I shall gain victory,” contemplating various dogmas within, attempting to argue with the one who has eradicated evil (the Buddha)—but truly, if that is all you are relying on, there is no way you can accomplish it. (The Words of the Buddha – Sutta-Nipāta, Chapter 4: The Chapter of the Eights, 8: Pasūra, translated by Nakamura Hajime, Iwanami-Bunko)
If you are interested in this topic, you may want to consult, for example, The Saṁyutta Nikāya I and II, (translated by Hajime Nakamura, Iwanami-Bunko), which includes many such passages from the Buddha.
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