So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Kusinārā in the Forest of Offerings. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants, “Mendicants!”
PL
Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā pisinārāyaṁ viharati baliharaṇe vanasaṇḍe. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “bhikkhavo”ti.
EN
“Venerable sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this: “Mendicants, is this what you think of me? ‘The ascetic Gotama teaches the Dhamma for the sake of robes, almsfood, lodgings, or rebirth in this or that state.’”
In that case, each and every one of you should train in the things I have taught from my direct knowledge, that is: the four kinds of mindfulness meditation, the four right efforts, the four bases of psychic power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven awakening factors, and the noble eightfold path. You should train in these things in harmony, appreciating each other, without dispute. As you do so, it may happen that two mendicants disagree about the teaching.
Now, you might think, ‘These two venerables disagree on both the meaning and the phrasing.’ So you should approach whichever mendicant you think is most amenable and say to them: ‘The venerables disagree on the meaning and the phrasing. But the venerables should know that this is how
PL
Tatra ce tumhākaṁ evamassa: ‘imesaṁ kho āyasmantānaṁ atthato ceva nānaṁ byañjanato ca nānan’ti, tattha yaṁ bhikkhuṁ suvacataraṁ maññeyyātha so upasaṅkamitvā evamassa vacanīyo: ‘āyasmantānaṁ kho atthato ceva nānaṁ, byañjanato ca nānaṁ. Tadamināpetaṁ āyasmanto jānātha—
EN
such disagreement on the meaning and the phrasing comes to be. Please don’t get into a dispute about this.’ Then you should approach whichever mendicant they think is most amenable among those who side with the other party and say to them: ‘The venerables disagree on the meaning and the phrasing.
PL
yathā atthato ceva nānaṁ, byañjanato ca nānaṁ. Māyasmanto vivādaṁ āpajjitthā’ti. Athāparesaṁ ekatopakkhikānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ yaṁ bhikkhuṁ suvacataraṁ maññeyyātha so upasaṅkamitvā evamassa vacanīyo: ‘āyasmantānaṁ kho atthato ceva nānaṁ, byañjanato ca nānaṁ.
EN
But the venerables should know that this is how such disagreement on the meaning and the phrasing comes to be. Please don’t get into a dispute about this.’ So you should remember what has been incorrectly memorized as incorrectly memorized and what has been correctly memorized as correctly memorized.
Remembering this, you should speak on the teaching and the training. Now, you might think, ‘These two venerables disagree on the meaning but agree on the phrasing.’ So you should approach whichever mendicant you think is most amenable and say to them: ‘The venerables disagree on the meaning but agree on the phrasing.
PL
Duggahitaṁ duggahitato dhāretvā suggahitaṁ suggahitato dhāretvā yo dhammo yo vinayo so bhāsitabbo. Tatra ce tumhākaṁ evamassa: ‘imesaṁ kho āyasmantānaṁ atthato hi kho nānaṁ, byañjanato sametī’ti, tattha yaṁ bhikkhuṁ suvacataraṁ maññeyyātha so upasaṅkamitvā evamassa vacanīyo: ‘āyasmantānaṁ kho atthato hi nānaṁ, byañjanato sameti.
EN
But the venerables should know that this is how such disagreement on the meaning and agreement on the phrasing comes to be. Please don’t get into a dispute about this.’ Then you should approach whichever mendicant they think is most amenable among those who side with the other party and say to them:
‘The venerables disagree on the meaning but agree on the phrasing. But the venerables should know that this is how such disagreement on the meaning and agreement on the phrasing comes to be. Please don’t get into a dispute about this.’
So you should remember what has been incorrectly memorized as incorrectly memorized and what has been correctly memorized as correctly memorized. Remembering this, you should speak on the teaching and the training. Now, you might think, ‘These two venerables agree on the meaning but disagree on the phrasing.’ So you should approach whichever mendicant you think is most amenable and say to them:
PL
Iti duggahitaṁ duggahitato dhāretabbaṁ, suggahitaṁ suggahitato dhāretabbaṁ. Duggahitaṁ duggahitato dhāretvā suggahitaṁ suggahitato dhāretvā yo dhammo yo vinayo so bhāsitabbo. Tatra ce tumhākaṁ evamassa: ‘imesaṁ kho āyasmantānaṁ atthato hi kho sameti, byañjanato nānan’ti, tattha yaṁ bhikkhuṁ suvacataraṁ maññeyyātha so upasaṅkamitvā evamassa vacanīyo:
EN
‘The venerables agree on the meaning but disagree on the phrasing. But the venerables should know that this is how such agreement on the meaning and disagreement on the phrasing comes to be. But the phrasing is a minor matter.
Please don’t get into a dispute about something so minor.’ Then you should approach whichever mendicant they think is most amenable among those who side with the other party and say to them: ‘The venerables agree on the meaning but disagree on the phrasing. But the venerables should know that this is how
such agreement on the meaning and disagreement on the phrasing comes to be. But the phrasing is a minor matter. Please don’t get into a dispute about something so minor.’ So you should remember what has been correctly memorized as correctly memorized and what has been incorrectly memorized as incorrectly memorized.
Remembering this, you should speak on the teaching and the training. Now, you might think, ‘These two venerables agree on both the meaning and the phrasing.’ So you should approach whichever mendicant you think is most amenable and say to them: ‘The venerables agree on both the meaning and the phrasing.
PL
Suggahitaṁ suggahitato dhāretvā duggahitaṁ duggahitato dhāretvā yo dhammo yo vinayo so bhāsitabbo. Tatra ce tumhākaṁ evamassa: ‘imesaṁ kho āyasmantānaṁ atthato ceva sameti byañjanato ca sametī’ti, tattha yaṁ bhikkhuṁ suvacataraṁ maññeyyātha so upasaṅkamitvā evamassa vacanīyo: ‘āyasmantānaṁ kho atthato ceva sameti, byañjanato ca sameti.
EN
But the venerables should know that this is how they come to agree on the meaning and the phrasing. Please don’t get into a dispute about this.’ Then you should approach whichever mendicant they think is most amenable among those who side with the other party and say to them:
‘The venerables agree on both the meaning and the phrasing. But the venerables should know that this is how they come to agree on the meaning and the phrasing. Please don’t get into a dispute about this.’
So you should remember what has been correctly memorized as correctly memorized. Remembering this, you should speak on the teaching and the training. As you train in harmony, appreciating each other, without dispute, one of the mendicants might commit an offense or transgression. In such a case, you should not be in a hurry to accuse them. The individual should be examined like this:
PL
Iti suggahitaṁ suggahitato dhāretabbaṁ. Suggahitaṁ suggahitato dhāretvā yo dhammo yo vinayo so bhāsitabbo. Tesañca vo, bhikkhave, samaggānaṁ sammodamānānaṁ avivadamānānaṁ sikkhataṁ siyā aññatarassa bhikkhuno āpatti siyā vītikkamo, tatra, bhikkhave, na codanāya taritabbaṁ. Puggalo upaparikkhitabbo:
EN
‘I won’t be troubled and the other individual won’t be hurt, for they’re not irritable and acrimonious. They don’t hold fast to their views, but let them go easily. I can draw them away from the unskillful and establish them in the skillful.’ If that’s what you think, then it’s appropriate to speak to them. But suppose you think this:
‘I will be troubled and the other individual will be hurt, for they’re irritable and acrimonious. However, they don’t hold fast to their views, but let them go easily. I can draw them away from the unskillful and establish them in the skillful. But for the other individual to get hurt is a minor matter. It’s more important
that I can draw them away from the unskillful and establish them in the skillful.’ If that’s what you think, then it’s appropriate to speak to them. But suppose you think this: ‘I will be troubled but the other individual won’t be hurt, for they’re not irritable and acrimonious. However, they hold fast to their views, refusing to let go. Nevertheless, I can draw them away from the unskillful and establish them in the skillful.
But for me to be troubled is a minor matter. It’s more important that I can draw them away from the unskillful and establish them in the skillful.’ If that’s what you think, then it’s appropriate to speak to them.
But suppose you think this: ‘I will be troubled and the other individual will be hurt, for they’re irritable and acrimonious. And they hold fast to their views, refusing to let go. Nevertheless, I can draw them away from the unskillful and establish them in the skillful. But for me to be troubled and the other individual to get hurt is a minor matter.
It’s more important that I can draw them away from the unskillful and establish them in the skillful.’ If that’s what you think, then it’s appropriate to speak to them. But suppose you think this:
‘I will be troubled and the other individual will be hurt, for they’re irritable and acrimonious. And they hold fast to their views, refusing to let go. I cannot draw them away from the unskillful and establish them in the skillful.’ Don’t underestimate the value of equanimity regarding such an individual. As you train in harmony, appreciating each other, without quarreling, the sides might continue to bring up settled issues with each other, with contempt for each other’s views, resentful, bitter, and exasperated.
In this case you should approach whichever mendicant you think is most amenable among those who side with one party and say to them: ‘Reverend, as we were training, the sides continued to bring up settled issues with each other. If the Ascetic knew about this, would he criticize it?’
Answering rightly, the mendicant should say: ‘No, reverend, one cannot.’ Then you should approach whichever mendicant they think is most amenable among those who side with the other party and say to them: ‘Reverend, as we were training, the sides continued to bring up settled issues with each other. If the Ascetic knew about this, would he criticize it?’
Answering rightly, the mendicant should say: ‘No, reverend, one cannot.’ If others should ask that mendicant: ‘Were you the venerable who drew those mendicants away from the unskillful and established them in the skillful?’
PL
Sammā byākaramāno, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ byākareyya: ‘etaṁ kho, āvuso, dhammaṁ appahāya na nibbānaṁ sacchikareyyā’ti. Tañce, bhikkhave, bhikkhuṁ pare evaṁ puccheyyuṁ: ‘āyasmatā no ete bhikkhū akusalā vuṭṭhāpetvā kusale patiṭṭhāpitā’ti?
EN
Answering rightly, the mendicant should say: ‘Well, reverends, I approached the Buddha. He taught me the Dhamma. After hearing that teaching I explained it to those mendicants. When those mendicants heard that teaching they were drawn away from the unskillful and established in the skillful.’ Answering in this way, that mendicant doesn’t glorify themselves or put others down. They answer in line with the teaching, with no legitimate grounds for rebuttal and criticism.”
PL
Sammā byākaramāno, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ byākareyya: ‘idhāhaṁ, āvuso, yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁ, tassa me bhagavā dhammaṁ desesi, tāhaṁ dhammaṁ sutvā tesaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ abhāsiṁ. Taṁ te bhikkhū dhammaṁ sutvā akusalā vuṭṭhahiṁsu, kusale patiṭṭhahiṁsū’ti. Evaṁ byākaramāno kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu na ceva attānaṁ ukkaṁseti, na paraṁ vambheti, dhammassa cānudhammaṁ byākaroti, na ca koci sahadhammiko vādānuvādo gārayhaṁ ṭhānaṁ āgacchatī”ti.
EN
That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, the mendicants approved what the Buddha said.
So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Kusinārā in the Forest of Offerings. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants, “Mendicants!”
PL
Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā pisinārāyaṁ viharati baliharaṇe vanasaṇḍe. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “bhikkhavo”ti.
EN
“Venerable sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this: “Mendicants, is this what you think of me? ‘The ascetic Gotama teaches the Dhamma for the sake of robes, almsfood, lodgings, or rebirth in this or that state.’”
In that case, each and every one of you should train in the things I have taught from my direct knowledge, that is: the four kinds of mindfulness meditation, the four right efforts, the four bases of psychic power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven awakening factors, and the noble eightfold path. You should train in these things in harmony, appreciating each other, without dispute. As you do so, it may happen that two mendicants disagree about the teaching.
Now, you might think, ‘These two venerables disagree on both the meaning and the phrasing.’ So you should approach whichever mendicant you think is most amenable and say to them: ‘The venerables disagree on the meaning and the phrasing. But the venerables should know that this is how
PL
Tatra ce tumhākaṁ evamassa: ‘imesaṁ kho āyasmantānaṁ atthato ceva nānaṁ byañjanato ca nānan’ti, tattha yaṁ bhikkhuṁ suvacataraṁ maññeyyātha so upasaṅkamitvā evamassa vacanīyo: ‘āyasmantānaṁ kho atthato ceva nānaṁ, byañjanato ca nānaṁ. Tadamināpetaṁ āyasmanto jānātha—
EN
such disagreement on the meaning and the phrasing comes to be. Please don’t get into a dispute about this.’ Then you should approach whichever mendicant they think is most amenable among those who side with the other party and say to them: ‘The venerables disagree on the meaning and the phrasing.
PL
yathā atthato ceva nānaṁ, byañjanato ca nānaṁ. Māyasmanto vivādaṁ āpajjitthā’ti. Athāparesaṁ ekatopakkhikānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ yaṁ bhikkhuṁ suvacataraṁ maññeyyātha so upasaṅkamitvā evamassa vacanīyo: ‘āyasmantānaṁ kho atthato ceva nānaṁ, byañjanato ca nānaṁ.
EN
But the venerables should know that this is how such disagreement on the meaning and the phrasing comes to be. Please don’t get into a dispute about this.’ So you should remember what has been incorrectly memorized as incorrectly memorized and what has been correctly memorized as correctly memorized.
Remembering this, you should speak on the teaching and the training. Now, you might think, ‘These two venerables disagree on the meaning but agree on the phrasing.’ So you should approach whichever mendicant you think is most amenable and say to them: ‘The venerables disagree on the meaning but agree on the phrasing.
PL
Duggahitaṁ duggahitato dhāretvā suggahitaṁ suggahitato dhāretvā yo dhammo yo vinayo so bhāsitabbo. Tatra ce tumhākaṁ evamassa: ‘imesaṁ kho āyasmantānaṁ atthato hi kho nānaṁ, byañjanato sametī’ti, tattha yaṁ bhikkhuṁ suvacataraṁ maññeyyātha so upasaṅkamitvā evamassa vacanīyo: ‘āyasmantānaṁ kho atthato hi nānaṁ, byañjanato sameti.
EN
But the venerables should know that this is how such disagreement on the meaning and agreement on the phrasing comes to be. Please don’t get into a dispute about this.’ Then you should approach whichever mendicant they think is most amenable among those who side with the other party and say to them:
‘The venerables disagree on the meaning but agree on the phrasing. But the venerables should know that this is how such disagreement on the meaning and agreement on the phrasing comes to be. Please don’t get into a dispute about this.’
So you should remember what has been incorrectly memorized as incorrectly memorized and what has been correctly memorized as correctly memorized. Remembering this, you should speak on the teaching and the training. Now, you might think, ‘These two venerables agree on the meaning but disagree on the phrasing.’ So you should approach whichever mendicant you think is most amenable and say to them:
PL
Iti duggahitaṁ duggahitato dhāretabbaṁ, suggahitaṁ suggahitato dhāretabbaṁ. Duggahitaṁ duggahitato dhāretvā suggahitaṁ suggahitato dhāretvā yo dhammo yo vinayo so bhāsitabbo. Tatra ce tumhākaṁ evamassa: ‘imesaṁ kho āyasmantānaṁ atthato hi kho sameti, byañjanato nānan’ti, tattha yaṁ bhikkhuṁ suvacataraṁ maññeyyātha so upasaṅkamitvā evamassa vacanīyo:
EN
‘The venerables agree on the meaning but disagree on the phrasing. But the venerables should know that this is how such agreement on the meaning and disagreement on the phrasing comes to be. But the phrasing is a minor matter.
Please don’t get into a dispute about something so minor.’ Then you should approach whichever mendicant they think is most amenable among those who side with the other party and say to them: ‘The venerables agree on the meaning but disagree on the phrasing. But the venerables should know that this is how
such agreement on the meaning and disagreement on the phrasing comes to be. But the phrasing is a minor matter. Please don’t get into a dispute about something so minor.’ So you should remember what has been correctly memorized as correctly memorized and what has been incorrectly memorized as incorrectly memorized.
Remembering this, you should speak on the teaching and the training. Now, you might think, ‘These two venerables agree on both the meaning and the phrasing.’ So you should approach whichever mendicant you think is most amenable and say to them: ‘The venerables agree on both the meaning and the phrasing.
PL
Suggahitaṁ suggahitato dhāretvā duggahitaṁ duggahitato dhāretvā yo dhammo yo vinayo so bhāsitabbo. Tatra ce tumhākaṁ evamassa: ‘imesaṁ kho āyasmantānaṁ atthato ceva sameti byañjanato ca sametī’ti, tattha yaṁ bhikkhuṁ suvacataraṁ maññeyyātha so upasaṅkamitvā evamassa vacanīyo: ‘āyasmantānaṁ kho atthato ceva sameti, byañjanato ca sameti.
EN
But the venerables should know that this is how they come to agree on the meaning and the phrasing. Please don’t get into a dispute about this.’ Then you should approach whichever mendicant they think is most amenable among those who side with the other party and say to them:
‘The venerables agree on both the meaning and the phrasing. But the venerables should know that this is how they come to agree on the meaning and the phrasing. Please don’t get into a dispute about this.’
So you should remember what has been correctly memorized as correctly memorized. Remembering this, you should speak on the teaching and the training. As you train in harmony, appreciating each other, without dispute, one of the mendicants might commit an offense or transgression. In such a case, you should not be in a hurry to accuse them. The individual should be examined like this:
PL
Iti suggahitaṁ suggahitato dhāretabbaṁ. Suggahitaṁ suggahitato dhāretvā yo dhammo yo vinayo so bhāsitabbo. Tesañca vo, bhikkhave, samaggānaṁ sammodamānānaṁ avivadamānānaṁ sikkhataṁ siyā aññatarassa bhikkhuno āpatti siyā vītikkamo, tatra, bhikkhave, na codanāya taritabbaṁ. Puggalo upaparikkhitabbo:
EN
‘I won’t be troubled and the other individual won’t be hurt, for they’re not irritable and acrimonious. They don’t hold fast to their views, but let them go easily. I can draw them away from the unskillful and establish them in the skillful.’ If that’s what you think, then it’s appropriate to speak to them. But suppose you think this:
‘I will be troubled and the other individual will be hurt, for they’re irritable and acrimonious. However, they don’t hold fast to their views, but let them go easily. I can draw them away from the unskillful and establish them in the skillful. But for the other individual to get hurt is a minor matter. It’s more important
that I can draw them away from the unskillful and establish them in the skillful.’ If that’s what you think, then it’s appropriate to speak to them. But suppose you think this: ‘I will be troubled but the other individual won’t be hurt, for they’re not irritable and acrimonious. However, they hold fast to their views, refusing to let go. Nevertheless, I can draw them away from the unskillful and establish them in the skillful.
But for me to be troubled is a minor matter. It’s more important that I can draw them away from the unskillful and establish them in the skillful.’ If that’s what you think, then it’s appropriate to speak to them.
But suppose you think this: ‘I will be troubled and the other individual will be hurt, for they’re irritable and acrimonious. And they hold fast to their views, refusing to let go. Nevertheless, I can draw them away from the unskillful and establish them in the skillful. But for me to be troubled and the other individual to get hurt is a minor matter.
It’s more important that I can draw them away from the unskillful and establish them in the skillful.’ If that’s what you think, then it’s appropriate to speak to them. But suppose you think this:
‘I will be troubled and the other individual will be hurt, for they’re irritable and acrimonious. And they hold fast to their views, refusing to let go. I cannot draw them away from the unskillful and establish them in the skillful.’ Don’t underestimate the value of equanimity regarding such an individual. As you train in harmony, appreciating each other, without quarreling, the sides might continue to bring up settled issues with each other, with contempt for each other’s views, resentful, bitter, and exasperated.
In this case you should approach whichever mendicant you think is most amenable among those who side with one party and say to them: ‘Reverend, as we were training, the sides continued to bring up settled issues with each other. If the Ascetic knew about this, would he criticize it?’
Answering rightly, the mendicant should say: ‘No, reverend, one cannot.’ Then you should approach whichever mendicant they think is most amenable among those who side with the other party and say to them: ‘Reverend, as we were training, the sides continued to bring up settled issues with each other. If the Ascetic knew about this, would he criticize it?’
Answering rightly, the mendicant should say: ‘No, reverend, one cannot.’ If others should ask that mendicant: ‘Were you the venerable who drew those mendicants away from the unskillful and established them in the skillful?’
PL
Sammā byākaramāno, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ byākareyya: ‘etaṁ kho, āvuso, dhammaṁ appahāya na nibbānaṁ sacchikareyyā’ti. Tañce, bhikkhave, bhikkhuṁ pare evaṁ puccheyyuṁ: ‘āyasmatā no ete bhikkhū akusalā vuṭṭhāpetvā kusale patiṭṭhāpitā’ti?
EN
Answering rightly, the mendicant should say: ‘Well, reverends, I approached the Buddha. He taught me the Dhamma. After hearing that teaching I explained it to those mendicants. When those mendicants heard that teaching they were drawn away from the unskillful and established in the skillful.’ Answering in this way, that mendicant doesn’t glorify themselves or put others down. They answer in line with the teaching, with no legitimate grounds for rebuttal and criticism.”
PL
Sammā byākaramāno, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ byākareyya: ‘idhāhaṁ, āvuso, yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁ, tassa me bhagavā dhammaṁ desesi, tāhaṁ dhammaṁ sutvā tesaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ abhāsiṁ. Taṁ te bhikkhū dhammaṁ sutvā akusalā vuṭṭhahiṁsu, kusale patiṭṭhahiṁsū’ti. Evaṁ byākaramāno kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu na ceva attānaṁ ukkaṁseti, na paraṁ vambheti, dhammassa cānudhammaṁ byākaroti, na ca koci sahadhammiko vādānuvādo gārayhaṁ ṭhānaṁ āgacchatī”ti.
EN
That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, the mendicants approved what the Buddha said.
Sutraya