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Sermon
to the Kálámas
I heard thus. Once the
Blessed One, while wandering in the Kosala country with a large community of
bhikkhus, entered a town of the Káláma people called Kesaputta. TheKálámas who were
inhabitants of Kesaputta: “Venerable Gotama, the
monk, the son of the Sakyans, has, while wandering in the Kosala country, entered
Kesaputta. The good repute of
the Venerable Gotama has been spread in this way: Indeed, the Exalted One is
thus consummate, fully enlightened, endowed with knowledge and practice,
sublime, knower of the worlds, peerless, guide of tamable men, teacher of
divine and human beings, which he by himself has through direct knowledge
understood clearly. He set forth the Dhamma, good in the beginning, good in the
middle, good in the end, possessed of meaning and the letter, and complete in
everything; and he proclaims the holy life that is perfectly pure. Seeing
such consummate ones is good indeed.” Then the Kálámas who were
inhabitants of Kesaputta went to where the Exalted One was. On arriving there
some paid homage to him and sat down on one side; some exchanged greetings
with him and after the ending of cordial memorable talk, sat down on one
side; some saluted him raising their joined palms and sat down on one side;
some announced their name and family and sat down on one side; some without
speaking, sat down on one side. The Kálámas who were
inhabitants of Kesaputta sitting on one side said to the Blessed One: “There are some monks
and brahmans, venerable sir, who visit Kesaputta. They expound and explain
only their own doctrines; the doctrines of others they despise, revile, and
pull to pieces. Some other monks and brahmans too, venerable sir, come to
Kesaputta. They also expound and explain only their own doctrines; the
doctrines of others they despise, revile, and pull to pieces. Venerable sir,
there is doubt and uncertainty in us concerning them. Which of these reverend
monks and brahmans spoke the truth and which falsehood?” “It is proper for you,
Kálámas, to doubt, to be uncertain; uncertainty has arisen in you about what
is doubtful. Come, Kálámas. Do not go upon what has been acquired by repeated
hearing; nor upon tradition; nor upon rumor; nor upon what is in a scripture;
nor upon surmise; nor upon an axiom; nor upon specious reasoning; nor upon a
bias towards a notion that has been pondered over; nor upon another's seeming
ability; nor upon the consideration, ‘The monk is our teacher.’ Kálámas, when
you yourselves know: ‘These things are bad; these things are blamable; these
things are censured by the wise; undertaken and observed, these things lead
to harm and ill,’ abandon them.” “Come, Kálámas. Do not
go upon what has been acquired by repeated hearing; nor upon tradition; nor
upon rumor; nor upon what is in a scripture; nor upon surmise; nor upon an
axiom; nor upon specious reasoning; nor upon a bias towards a notion that has
been pondered over; nor upon another's seeming ability; nor upon the
consideration, ‘The monk is our teacher.’ Kálámas, when you yourselves know:
‘These things are good; these things are not blamable; these things are
praised by the wise; undertaken and observed, these things lead to benefit
and happiness,’ enter on and abide in them.” |