16. To the Kālāmas （一六）伽蓝经

I have heard thus:

At one time, the Buddha was staying in the Jeta Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍada's Park near Śrāvastī, together with a great assembly of bhikṣus. He went to the village of Kallavāḷa and stayed in the Śiṃśapā Forest north of the village.

At that time, the people of Kallavāḷa heard that the śramaṇa Gautama, the son of the Śākya clan, had renounced his family and gone forth to practice the path. He was traveling to the Kallavāḷa Grove with a great assembly of bhikṣus and had arrived at the village of Kallavāḷa, staying in the Śiṃśapā Forest north of the village. It was said of the śramaṇa Gautama, "He has a great reputation that is heard in the ten directions. The śramaṇa Gautama is a Tathāgata, an Arhat, a Perfectly Enlightened One, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, a Sugata, an unsurpassed knower of the world, a driver of tameable people, a teacher of gods and men, a Buddha, a Blessed One. He has realized for himself this world with its gods, Māra, Brahmā, and the generation of recluses and brahmins, and he dwells having personally realized it. He teaches a Dharma that is good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, with the right meaning and phrasing, revealing a holy life that is perfectly complete and pure. If one sees the Tathāgata, the Arhat, the Perfectly Enlightened One, and pays respect, makes offerings, and serves him, it is a great gain. We should all go together to see the śramaṇa Gautama and pay respect, make offerings, and serve him.

Having heard this, the people of Kallavāḷa each went out of Kallavāḷa with their respective retinues, heading north to the Śiṃśapā Forest, wishing to see the World-Honored One, pay respect, and make offerings. Having approached the Buddha, some of the people of Kallavāḷa bowed their heads at the Buddha's feet and then sat to one side; some greeted the Buddha and then sat to one side; some joined their palms towards the Buddha and then sat to one side; some saw the Buddha from afar and then sat in silence. At that time, when the people of Kallavāḷa had each sat down, the Buddha taught them the Dharma, inspiring and uplifting them, bringing them to a state of joy. Having taught them the Dharma with immeasurable skillful means, inspiring and uplifting them, bringing them to a state of joy, he remained silent.

At that time, the people of Kallavāḷa, having been taught the Dharma by the Buddha, inspired and uplifted, brought to a state of joy, each rose from their seats, bared their right shoulders, joined their palms towards the Buddha, and said to the World-Honored One, "Gautama! There is a śramaṇa or brāhmaṇa who comes to the monastery and only praises his own knowledge and insight, while disparaging the knowledge and insight of others. Gautama! There is another śramaṇa or brāhmaṇa who comes to the monastery and also praises his own knowledge and insight, while disparaging the knowledge and insight of others. Gautama! Having heard this, we become doubtful: 'Which of these śramaṇa or brāhmaṇa is true and which is false?'"

The World-Honored One said, "Kallavāḷa! Do not give rise to doubt. Why is that? Because of doubt, one gives rise to hesitation. Kallavāḷa! You yourselves do not have pure knowledge regarding whether there is an afterlife or not. Kallavāḷa! You also do not have pure knowledge regarding whether one's actions are sinful or not. Kallavāḷa! Know that there are three kinds of actions that have their roots in habitual tendencies. What are the three? Kallavāḷa! They are greed, which has its roots in habitual tendencies. Kallavāḷa! Hatred and delusion are also actions that have their roots in habitual tendencies. Kallavāḷa! Those who are greedy, being covered by greed, are insatiable in their minds. They may kill living beings, take what is not given, engage in sexual misconduct, speak falsely, or drink alcohol. Kallavāḷa! Those who are hateful, being covered by hatred, are insatiable in their minds. They may kill living beings, take what is not given, engage in sexual misconduct, speak falsely, or drink alcohol. Kallavāḷa! Those who are deluded, being covered by delusion, are insatiable in their minds. They may kill living beings, take what is not given, engage in sexual misconduct, speak falsely, or drink alcohol.

Kallavāḷa! The well-versed noble disciple abandons killing and refrains from killing. They discard weapons and have a sense of shame and conscience. They have a compassionate mind and benefit all beings, even insects. They purify their minds from killing. Kallavāḷa! The well-versed noble disciple abandons taking what is not given and refrains from taking what is not given. They take only what is given and delight in taking what is given. They are always generous and joyful, without stinginess, not expecting anything in return. They purify their minds from taking what is not given. Kallavāḷa! The well-versed noble disciple abandons sexual misconduct and refrains from sexual misconduct. They diligently cultivate the practice of celibacy, diligently practicing the sublime conduct, pure and undefiled, free from desire and abandoning sexual desire. They purify their minds from sexual misconduct. Kallavāḷa! The well-versed noble disciple abandons false speech and refrains from false speech. They speak the truth and delight in the truth. They abide in the truth without wavering. They are trustworthy and do not deceive the world. They purify their minds from false speech.

Kallavāḷa! The well-versed noble disciple abandons divisive speech and refrains from divisive speech. They do not engage in divisive speech, which breaks apart others. They do not hear something from here and tell it there to break them apart. They do not hear something from there and tell it here to break them apart. They wish to reconcile those who are divided and delight in the harmony of those who are united. They do not form factions, do not enjoy factions, and do not praise factions. They purify their minds from divisive speech. Kallavāḷa! The well-versed noble disciple abandons harsh speech and refrains from harsh speech. If they speak, their words are harsh, coarse, offensive, unpleasant to the ear, disagreeable, hurtful, and disturbing, causing others to lose their composure. They abandon such speech. If they speak, their words are gentle, smooth, pleasant to the ear, agreeable, delightful, bringing peace and joy to others, with a clear voice. They do not frighten others and cause them to lose their composure. They speak such words. They purify their minds from harsh speech. Kallavāḷa! The well-versed noble disciple abandons idle chatter and refrains from idle chatter. They speak at the right time, speak the truth, speak the Dharma, speak the meaning, speak the cessation, delight in speaking the cessation, and speak in accordance with the occasion. They are good teachers and good reprovers. They purify their minds from idle chatter. Kallavāḷa! The well-versed noble disciple abandons covetousness and refrains from covetousness. Their minds are free from contention. Seeing others' wealth and possessions, they do not give rise to covetousness, wishing to obtain them for themselves. They purify their minds from covetousness.

Kallavāḷa! The well-versed noble disciple abandons anger and refrains from anger. They have a sense of shame and conscience. They have a compassionate mind and benefit all beings, even insects. They purify their minds from anger and resentment. Kallavāḷa! The well-versed noble disciple abandons wrong views and refrains from wrong views. They practice right views and do not have distorted views. They see and speak thus: there is giving, there is sacrifice, there are offerings; there are good and bad deeds and their results; there is this world and the next world; there are mother and father; there are beings who are reborn spontaneously; there are ascetics and brahmins who are well attained, well gone, well-directed, who have attained the highest knowledge, who are well-restrained, well-liberated, and well-attained in wisdom, who have realized for themselves the highest knowledge and dwell in it. They purify their minds from wrong views.

Thus, Kallavāḷa! The well-versed noble disciple accomplishes pure bodily, verbal, and mental actions. They are free from anger and disputes, have removed sleepiness, are free from arrogance, have cut through doubt and transcended conceit, have right mindfulness and right knowledge, and are free from delusion. Their mind is filled with loving-kindness and pervades one direction, accomplishing the practice. Thus, in the second, third, and fourth directions, in the four intermediate directions, above and below, everywhere, their mind is filled with loving-kindness, free from attachment, resentment, anger, and disputes. It is extremely vast, immeasurable, well-cultivated, and pervades the entire world, accomplishing the practice. Thus, with compassion and joy, their mind is filled with equanimity, free from attachment, resentment, anger, and disputes. It is extremely vast, immeasurable, well-cultivated, and pervades the entire world, accomplishing the practice.

"Thus, Kallavāḷa! The well-versed noble disciple, with a mind free from attachment, resentment, anger, and disputes, attains four peaceful abodes. What are the four? There is this world and the next world, there are good and bad deeds and their results. I have attained this right view and its associated actions, and I uphold them fully. When my body perishes and my life ends, I will surely go to a good place and be reborn in heaven. Thus, Kallavāḷa! The well-versed noble disciple, with a mind free from attachment, resentment, anger, and disputes, attains the first peaceful abode. Furthermore, Kallavāḷa! There is no this world or the next world, no good or bad deeds and their results. Thus, in this present life, I am not criticized by others for this, but am praised by those with right knowledge and diligent people who see rightly. Thus, Kallavāḷa! The well-versed noble disciple, with a mind free from attachment, resentment, anger, and disputes, attains the second peaceful abode. Furthermore, Kallavāḷa! Whatever I do, I will never do evil. I do not think of evil. Why? Since I do not do evil, how can suffering arise? Thus, Kallavāḷa! The well-versed noble disciple, with a mind free from attachment, resentment, anger, and disputes, attains the third peaceful abode. Furthermore, Kallavāḷa! Whatever I do, I will never do evil. I do not violate worldly fears and non-fears. I always have compassion for all beings. My mind does not dispute with beings, and I am joyful without defilement. Thus, Kallavāḷa! The well-versed noble disciple, with a mind free from attachment, resentment, anger, and disputes, attains the fourth peaceful abode. Thus, Kallavāḷa! The well-versed noble disciple, with a mind free from attachment, resentment, anger, and disputes, attains these four peaceful abodes."

Kallavāḷa said to the World-Honored One, "Thus, Gotama! The well-versed noble disciple, with a mind free from attachment, resentment, anger, and disputes, attains four peaceful abodes. What are the four? There is this world and the next world, there are good and bad deeds and their results. I have attained this right view and its associated actions, and I uphold them fully. When my body perishes and my life ends, I will surely go to a good place and be reborn in heaven. Thus, Gotama! The well-versed noble disciple, with a mind free from attachment, resentment, anger, and disputes, attains the first peaceful abode. Furthermore, Gotama! If there is no this world or the next world, no good or bad deeds and their results, I am not criticized by others in this present life for this, but am praised by those with right knowledge and diligent people who see rightly. Thus, Gotama! The well-versed noble disciple, with a mind free from attachment, resentment, anger, and disputes, attains the second peaceful abode. Furthermore, Gotama! Whatever I do, I will never do evil. I do not think of evil. Why? Since I do not do evil, how can suffering arise? Thus, Gotama! The well-versed noble disciple, with a mind free from attachment, resentment, anger, and disputes, attains the third peaceful abode. Furthermore, Gotama! Whatever I do, I will never do evil. I do not violate worldly fears and non-fears. I always have compassion for all beings. My mind does not dispute with beings, and I am joyful without defilement. Thus, Gotama! The well-versed noble disciple, with a mind free from attachment, resentment, anger, and disputes, attains the fourth peaceful abode. Thus, Gotama! The well-versed noble disciple, with a mind free from attachment, resentment, anger, and disputes, attains these four peaceful abodes. Gotama! I have understood, Well-Gone One! I have understood, World-Honored One! We all take refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. We only wish that the World-Honored One would accept us as lay followers, from this day forward, for as long as we live, taking refuge until the end of our lives."

The Buddha spoke thus. All the people of Kallavāḷa and the monks, having heard the Buddha's words, rejoiced and practiced them.