1Then a certain brahmin approached the Blessed One and exchanged greetings with him. When they had concluded their greetings and cordial talk, he sat down to one side and said to the Blessed One: "What does Master Gotama assert, what does he declare?"

"Brahmin, I assert a doctrine of deeds and a doctrine of nondoing." [n.253] The operative terms here are kiriyavāda and akiriyavāda. For the Buddhist critique of akiriyavāda, a doctrine that denied the validity of ethical distinctions, see MN 60.13, I 404,21–35; MN 76.10, I 516,3–17. The present sutta seems to be extracted from AN8.12 §§1–2.

"But in what way does Master Gotama assert a doctrine of deeds and a doctrine of non-doing?"

2"I assert non-doing with regard to bodily, verbal, and mental misconduct; I assert non-doing with regard to the numerous kinds of bad unwholesome qualities.

I assert doing with regard to good bodily, verbal, and mental conduct; I assert doing with regard to the numerous kinds of wholesome qualities.

It is in this way, brahmin, that I assert a doctrine of deeds and a doctrine of non-doing."

3"Excellent, Master Gotama! Excellent, Master Gotama! Master Gotama has made the Dhamma clear in many ways, as though he were turning upright what had been overthrown, revealing what was hidden, showing the way to one who was lost, or holding up a lamp in the darkness so those with good eyesight can see forms. I now go for refuge to Master Gotama, to the Dhamma, and to the Saṅgha of bhikkhus. Let Master Gotama consider me a lay follower who from today has gone for refuge for life."

1Atha kho aññataro brāhmaṇo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ … pe … ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:  "kiṁvādī bhavaṁ gotamo kimakkhāyī?"ti.

"Kiriyavādī cāhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, akiriyavādī cā"ti.

"Yathākathaṁ pana bhavaṁ gotamo kiriyavādī ca akiriyavādī cā?"ti

2"Akiriyaṁ kho ahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, vadāmi kāyaduccaritassa vacīduccaritassa manoduccaritassa, anekavihitānaṁ pāpakānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ akiriyaṁ vadāmi.

Kiriyañca kho ahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, vadāmi kāyasucaritassa vacīsucaritassa manosucaritassa, anekavihitānaṁ kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ kiriyaṁ vadāmi.

Evaṁ kho ahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, kiriyavādī ca akiriyavādī cā"ti.

3"Abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama, abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama. Seyyathāpi, bho gotama, nikkujjitaṁ vā ukkujjeyya, paṭicchannaṁ vā vivareyya, mūḷhassa vā maggaṁ ācikkheyya, andhakāre vā telapajjotaṁ dhāreyya:  ‘cakkhumanto rūpāni dakkhantī’ti; evamevaṁ bhotā gotamena anekapariyāyena dhammo pakāsito. Esāhaṁ bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi dhammañca bhikkhusaṅghañca. Upāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan"ti.