AN 4 The Book of the Fours – Catukkanipāta > AN 4.183 Vassakāra on What is Heard

Numbered Discourses 4.183 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.183

19. Brahmins – 19. Brāhmaṇavagga

AN 4.183 Vassakāra on What is Heard – Sutasutta

1.1

At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground.

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.

1.2

Then Vassakāra the brahmin, a chief minister of Magadha, went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him.

Atha kho vassakāro brāhmaṇo magadhamahāmatto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi.

1.3

When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to the Buddha:

Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho vassakāro brāhmaṇo magadhamahāmatto bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

2.1

“Master Gotama, this is my doctrine and view:

“Ahañhi, bho gotama, evaṁvādī evaṁdiṭṭhi:

2.2

There’s nothing wrong with talking about what you’ve seen, saying:

‘yo koci diṭṭhaṁ bhāsati—

2.3

‘So I have seen.’

evaṁ me diṭṭhanti, natthi tato doso;

2.4

There’s nothing wrong with talking about what you’ve heard, saying:

yo koci sutaṁ bhāsati—

2.5

‘So I have heard.’

evaṁ me sutanti, natthi tato doso;

2.6

There’s nothing wrong with talking about what you’ve thought, saying:

yo koci mutaṁ bhāsati—

2.7

‘So I have thought.’

evaṁ me mutanti, natthi tato doso;

2.8

There’s nothing wrong with talking about what you’ve known, saying:

yo koci viññātaṁ bhāsati—

2.9

‘So I have known.’”

evaṁ me viññātanti, natthi tato doso’”ti.

3.1

“Brahmin, I don’t say you should talk about everything you see, hear, think, and know.

“Nāhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, sabbaṁ diṭṭhaṁ bhāsitabbanti vadāmi;

3.2

But I also don’t say you should talk about nothing you see, hear, think, and know.

na panāhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, sabbaṁ diṭṭhaṁ na bhāsitabbanti vadāmi;

3.3

nāhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, sabbaṁ sutaṁ bhāsitabbanti vadāmi;

3.4

na panāhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, sabbaṁ sutaṁ na bhāsitabbanti vadāmi;

3.5

nāhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, sabbaṁ mutaṁ bhāsitabbanti vadāmi;

3.6

na panāhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, sabbaṁ mutaṁ na bhāsitabbanti vadāmi;

3.7

nāhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, sabbaṁ viññātaṁ bhāsitabbanti vadāmi;

3.8

na panāhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, sabbaṁ viññātaṁ na bhāsitabbanti vadāmi.

4.1

When talking about certain things you’ve seen, heard, thought, or known, unskillful qualities grow while skillful qualities decline. I say that you shouldn’t talk about those things.

Yañhi, brāhmaṇa, diṭṭhaṁ bhāsato akusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhanti, kusalā dhammā parihāyanti, evarūpaṁ diṭṭhaṁ na bhāsitabbanti vadāmi.

4.2

When talking about other things you’ve seen, heard, thought, or known, unskillful qualities decline while skillful qualities grow. I say that you should talk about those things.”

Yañca khvassa, brāhmaṇa, diṭṭhaṁ abhāsato kusalā dhammā parihāyanti, akusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhanti, evarūpaṁ diṭṭhaṁ bhāsitabbanti vadāmi.

5.1

Yañhi, brāhmaṇa, sutaṁ bhāsato akusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhanti, kusalā dhammā parihāyanti, evarūpaṁ sutaṁ na bhāsitabbanti vadāmi.

5.2

Yañca khvassa, brāhmaṇa, sutaṁ abhāsato kusalā dhammā parihāyanti, akusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhanti, evarūpaṁ sutaṁ bhāsitabbanti vadāmi.

6.1

Yañhi, brāhmaṇa, mutaṁ bhāsato akusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhanti, kusalā dhammā parihāyanti, evarūpaṁ mutaṁ na bhāsitabbanti vadāmi.

6.2

Yañca khvassa, brāhmaṇa, mutaṁ abhāsato kusalā dhammā parihāyanti, akusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhanti, evarūpaṁ mutaṁ bhāsitabbanti vadāmi.

7.1

Yañhi, brāhmaṇa, viññātaṁ bhāsato akusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhanti, kusalā dhammā parihāyanti, evarūpaṁ viññātaṁ na bhāsitabbanti vadāmi.

7.2

Yañca khvassa, brāhmaṇa, viññātaṁ abhāsato kusalā dhammā parihāyanti, akusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhanti, evarūpaṁ viññātaṁ bhāsitabbanti vadāmī”ti.

8.1

Then Vassakāra the brahmin, having approved and agreed with what the Buddha said, got up from his seat and left.

Atha kho vassakāro brāhmaṇo magadhamahāmatto bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkāmīti.

8.2

Tatiyaṁ.