Exploring the Path: Pali / English side-by-side

Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammāsambuddhassa

2.1.1 Kesamuttisuttaṃ (part one) - Don‘t Believe in Tradition, in Hearsay, in Teachers but your own Experience, understanding what is unwholesome

Kesamuttisuttaṃ (part one)	Don‘t Believe in Tradition, in Hearsay, in Teachers but your own Experience, understanding what is unwholesome
Evaṃ me sutaṃ– ekaṃ samayaṃ bhagavā kosalesu cārikaṃ caramāno mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṃ yena kesamuttaṃ nāma kālāmānaṃ nigamo tadavasari.	Thus have I heard. At one time the Bhagavā, while going his rounds among the Kosalans with a great company of monks, came to Kesamutta, a market-town of the Kālāmas.
Assosuṃ kho kesamuttiyā kālāmā— ‘samaṇo khalu, bho, gotamo sakyaputto sakyakulā pabbajito kesamuttaṃ anuppatto’.	The Kālāmas of Kesamutta heard that Gotama the recluse, the Sākyans’ son who had gone forth as a homeless wanderer from the Sākyan clan, had reached Kesamutta.
Taṃ kho pana bhavantaṃ gotamaṃ evaṃ kalyāṇo kittisaddo abbhuggato:	And the following good report was spread around about Gotama:
‘Itipi so bhagavā arahaṃ, sammāsambuddho, vijjācaraṇasampanno, sugato, lokavidū, anuttaro purisa-damma-sārathi, satthā devamanussānaṃ, Buddho, bhagavā’ti.	‘He is the Fully Enlightened One, a Bhagavā, an Arahant, fully enlightened by his own efforts, perfect in theory and in practice, having reached the final goal, knowing the entire universe, incomparable trainer of men, teacher of deities and humans, the Enlightened, the Exalted One.’
“Sādhu kho pana tathārūpānaṃ arahataṃ dassanaṃ hotī’”ti.	“It would be a good idea to see such arahants!”
Atha kho kesamuttiyā kālāmā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṃsu,	So the Kālāmas of Kesamutta went to the Bhagavā.
upasaṅkamitvā appekacce bhagavantaṃ abhivādetvā ekamantaṃ nisīdiṃsu,	On reaching him, some saluted the Bhagavā and sat down at one side,
appekacce bhagavatā saddhiṃ sammodiṃsu, sammodanīyaṃ kathaṃ sāraṇīyaṃ vītisāretvā ekamantaṃ nisīdiṃsu,	some greeted the Bhagavā courteously, and after the exchange of pleasant greetings and courtesies sat down at one side,
appekacce yena bhagavā tenañjaliṃ paṇāmetvā ekamantaṃ nisīdiṃsu,	some raising their joined palms to the Bhagavā sat down at one side,
appekacce nāmagottaṃ sāvetvā ekamantaṃ nisīdiṃsu,	some announced their name and clan and sat down at one side,
appekacce tuṇhībhūtā ekamantaṃ nisīdiṃsu.	some simply sat down at one side in silence.
Ekamantaṃ nisinnā kho te kesamuttiyā kālāmā bhagavantaṃ etadavocuṃ:	Then as they thus sat at one side, the Kālāmas of Kesamutta addressed the Bhagavā thus:
“Santi, bhante, eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā kesamuttaṃ āgacchanti.	“Bhante! There are certain recluses and Brahmins that come to Kesamutta.
Te sakaṃyeva vādaṃ dīpenti jotenti,	As to their own view, they proclaim and expound it in full,
parappavādaṃ pana khuṃsenti vambhenti paribhavanti omakkhiṃ karonti.	but as to others‘ view, they curse, despise, revile and depreciate it.
Aparepi, bhante, eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā kesamuttaṃ āgacchanti.	Bhante! Now some of the other recluses and Brahmins also come to Kesamutta.
Tepi sakaṃyeva vādaṃ dīpenti jotenti,	They likewise as to their own view, they proclaim and expound it in full,
parappavādaṃ pana khuṃsenti vambhenti paribhavanti omakkhiṃ karonti.	but as to others’ view, they curse, despise, revile and depreciate it.
Tesaṃ no, bhante amhākaṃ hoteva kaṅkhā hoti vicikicchā– ‘ko su nāma imesaṃ bhavataṃ samaṇabrāhmaṇānaṃ saccaṃ āha, ko musā’”ti?	Listening to them, Bhante, doubt and confusion arises within us as to which of these honorable recluses and Brahmins are telling the truth and which the untruth.”
“Alañhi vo, kālāmā, kaṅkhituṃ alaṃ vicikicchituṃ.	“Truly so, Kālāmas, you may well doubt, you may well be perplexed.
Kaṅkhanīyeva pana vo ṭhāne vicikicchā uppannā.	When there are reasons for doubt confusion does arise.
Etha tumhe, kālāmā, mā anussavena, mā paramparāya, mā itikirāya, mā piṭakasampadānena,	Now come, Kālāmas, do not simply believe whatever you are told, or whatever has been handed down from tradition, or what is common opinion, or whatever the scriptures say.
mā takkahetu, mā nayahetu, mā ākāraparivitakkena mā diṭṭhinijjhānakkhantiyā, mā bhabbarūpatāya, mā samaṇo no garūti.	Do not accept something as true merely by deduction or inference, or by logical examinations of reasons, or by preconception for certain beliefs, or because of its plausibility, or because a certain recluse or your teacher tells you it is so.
Yadā tumhe, kālāmā, attanāva jāneyyātha:	But when you yourselves directly know:
‘Ime dhammā akusalā, ime dhammā sāvajjā, ime dhammā viññugarahitā,	‘These principles are unwholesome, blameworthy, condemned by the wise,
ime dhammā samattā samādinnā ahitāya dukkhāya saṃvattantī’”ti, atha tumhe, kālāmā, pajaheyyātha.	when adopted and carried out they lead to harm and suffering,’ then you should abandon them.”
“Taṃ kiṃ maññatha, kālāmā,	“Now what do you think, Kālāmas?
lobho purisassa ajjhattaṃ uppajjamāno uppajjati hitāya vā ahitāya vā”ti?	When greed arises in a person, does it arise for welfare or for harm?”
“Ahitāya, bhante”.	“For harm, Bhante!”
“Luddho panāyaṃ, kālāmā, purisapuggalo lobhena abhibhūto pariyādinnacitto pāṇampi hanati, adinnampi ādiyati, paradārampi gacchati, musāpi bhaṇati, parampi tathattāya samādapeti, yaṃ sa hoti dīgharattaṃ ahitāya dukkhāyā”ti.	“And this greedy person, overcome by greed, his mind possessed by greed, kills living beings, takes what is not given, goes after another person’s wife, tells lies, and induces others to do likewise, all of which produces harm and suffering for long.”
“Evaṃ, bhante”.	“Yes, Bhante!”
“Taṃ kiṃ maññatha, kālāmā,	“Now, what do you think, Kālāmas?
doso purisassa ajjhattaṃ uppajjamāno uppajjati hitāya vā ahitāya vā”ti?	When ill will arises in a person, does it arise for welfare or for harm?”
“Ahitāya, bhante”.	“For harm, Bhante!”
“Duṭṭho panāyaṃ, kālāmā, purisapuggalo dosena abhibhūto pariyādinnacitto pāṇampi hanati, adinnampi ādiyati, paradārampi gacchati, musāpi bhaṇati, parampi tathattāya samādapeti, yaṃ sa hoti dīgharattaṃ ahitāya dukkhāyā”ti.	“And this aversive person, overcome by ill will, his mind possessed by ill will, kills living beings, takes what is not given, goes after another person’s wife, tells lies, and induces others to do likewise, all of which produces harm and suffering for long.”
“Evaṃ, bhante”.	“Yes, Bhante!”
“Taṃ kiṃ maññatha, kālāmā,	“Now, what do you think, Kālāmas?
moho purisassa ajjhattaṃ uppajjamāno uppajjati hitāya vā ahitāya vā”ti?	When delusion arises in a person, does it arise for welfare or for harm?”
“Ahitāya, bhante”.	“For harm, Bhante!”
“Mūḷho panāyaṃ, kālāmā, purisapuggalo mohena abhibhūto pariyādinnacitto pāṇampi hanati, adinnampi ādiyati, paradārampi gacchati, musāpi bhaṇati, parampi tathattāya samādapeti, yaṃ sa hoti dīgharattaṃ ahitāya dukkhāyā”ti.	“And this deluded person, overcome by delusion, his mind possessed by delusion, kills living beings, takes what is not given, goes after another person’s wife, tells lies, and induces others to do likewise, all of which produces harm and suffering for long.”
“Evaṃ, bhante”.	“Yes, Bhante!”
“Taṃ kiṃ maññatha, kālāmā,	“So what do you think, Kālāmas,
ime dhammā kusalā vā akusalā vā”ti?	Are these states wholesome or unwholesome?”
“Akusalā, bhante”.	“Unwholesome, Bhante!”
“Sāvajjā vā anavajjā vā”ti?	“Blameworthy or blameless?”
“Sāvajjā, bhante”.	“Blameworthy, Bhante!”
“Viññugarahitā vā viññuppasatthā vā”ti?	“Criticized by the wise or praised by the wise?”
“Viññugarahitā, bhante”.	“Criticized by the wise, Bhante!”
“Samattā samādinnā ahitāya dukkhāya saṃvattanti, no vā?	“When undertaken and performed, do they lead to harm and to suffering, or not?
Kathaṃ vā ettha hotī”ti.	How does this matter stand here?”
“Samattā, bhante, samādinnā ahitāya dukkhāya saṃvattantīti.	“When undertaken and performed, they lead to harm and to suffering.
Evaṃ no ettha hotī”ti.	That is how we understand this matter.”
“Iti kho, kālāmā, yaṃ taṃ avocumhā—‘etha tumhe, kālāmā! Mā anussavena, mā paramparāya,	“So, as I said, Kālāmas, do not simply believe whatever you are told, or whatever has been handed down from tradition,
mā itikirāya, mā piṭakasampadānena,	or what is common opinion, or whatever the scriptures say.
mā takkahetu, mā nayahetu, mā ākāraparivitakkena,	Do not accept something as true merely by deduction or inference, or by logical examinations of reasons,
mā diṭṭhinijjhānakkhantiyā, mā bhabbarūpatāya, mā samaṇo no garūti.	or by preconception for certain beliefs, or because of its plausibility, or because a certain recluse or your teacher tells you it is so.
Yadā tumhe kālāmā attanāva jāneyyātha:	But when you yourselves directly know:
‘ime dhammā akusalā, ime dhammā sāvajjā, ime dhammā viññugarahitā,	‘These principles are unwholesome, blameworthy, condemned by the wise,
ime dhammā samattā samādinnā ahitāya dukkhāya saṃvattantīti,	when adopted and carried out they lead to harm and suffering,
atha tumhe, kālāmā, pajaheyyāthā’ti. ”	then you should abandon them.”