The Debate That Ended Without Debate

Text

Aśvaghoṣa was a renowned brahmin philosopher who had defeated sixty Buddhist teachers in debate. When Puṇyayaśas came to his city, Aśvaghoṣa challenged him: 'I will debate you on the question of what is a Buddha.' Puṇyayaśas said: 'I do not debate.' Aśvaghoṣa said: 'Then you have already lost.' Puṇyayaśas said: 'Yes. I lost long ago, and since then I have known great peace.' Aśvaghoṣa fell silent. Then he bowed.

license: public_domain

Attribution

• Speaker
  Punyayashas

Lineage: Indian Patriarchs

From Denkoroku

• The Robe That Never Wears Out
• The Fragrance Without a Flower
• The Mind That Is Like Space
• The Auspicious Cloud
• The Wine Jar and the Dharma
• The Star That Does Not Move
• Entering the Gate as a Householder
• The Vow of Pārśva
• Meeting Nāgārjuna
• In Praise of the Perfection of Wisdom

Sources

• contentZen Editorial Overlay - Originals Curation

  Zen project editorial

  Denkoroku, Case 12; Jingde Chuandenglu, Punyayashas chapter

  Denkoroku: The Debate That Ended Without Debate