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- Anguttara Nikaya III.65
- Kalama Sutta
- The Instruction to the Kalamas
- Translated from the Pali by Soma Thera
- For free distribution only,
by arrangement with the Buddhist Publication Society
Read an alternate translation
From Kalama Sutta: The Buddha's
Charter of Free Inquiry (WH 8), translated by Soma Thera, (Kandy: Buddhist
Publication Society, 1981).
(The Kalamas of Kesaputta go to see the Buddha)
1. I heard thus. Once the Blessed One, while wandering in the Kosala
country with a large community of bhikkhus, entered a town of the Kalama
people called Kesaputta. The Kalamas who were inhabitants of
Kesaputta: "Reverend Gotama, the monk, the son of the Sakyans, has, while wandering
in the Kosala country, entered Kesaputta. The good repute of the Reverend Gotama has been
spread in this way: Indeed, the Blessed 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."
2. Then the Kalamas who were inhabitants of Kesaputta went to where the Blessed 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 Kalamas of Kesaputta ask for guidance from the Buddha)
3. The Kalamas who were inhabitants of Kesaputta sitting on one side said to the
Blessed One: "There are some monks and brahmins, 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 brahmins 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, there is
uncertainty in us concerning them. Which of these reverend monks and brahmins spoke the
truth and which falsehood?"
(The criterion for rejection)
4. "It is proper for you, Kalamas, to doubt, to be uncertain; uncertainty has
arisen in you about what is doubtful. Come, Kalamas. 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.' Kalamas, 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.
5. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does greed appear in a man for his benefit or
harm?" -- "For his harm, venerable sir." -- "Kalamas, being given to
greed, and being overwhelmed and vanquished mentally by greed, this man takes life,
steals, commits adultery, and tells lies; he prompts another too, to do likewise. Will
that be long for his harm and ill?" -- "Yes, venerable sir."
6. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does hate appear in a man for his benefit or
harm?" -- "For his harm, venerable sir." -- "Kalamas, being given to
hate, and being overwhelmed and vanquished mentally by hate, this man takes life, steals,
commits adultery, and tells lies; he prompts another too, to do likewise. Will that be
long for his harm and ill?" -- "Yes, venerable sir."
7. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does delusion appear in a man for his benefit or
harm?" -- "For his harm, venerable sir." -- "Kalamas, being given to
delusion, and being overwhelmed and vanquished mentally by delusion, this man takes life,
steals, commits adultery, and tells lies; he prompts another too, to do likewise. Will
that be long for his harm and ill?" -- "Yes, venerable sir."
8. "What do you think, Kalamas? Are these things good or bad?" -- "Bad,
venerable sir" -- "Blamable or not blamable?" -- "Blamable, venerable
sir." -- "Censured or praised by the wise?" -- "Censured, venerable
sir." -- "Undertaken and observed, do these things lead to harm and ill, or not?
Or how does it strike you?" -- "Undertaken and observed, these things lead to
harm and ill. Thus it strikes us here."
9. "Therefore, did we say, Kalamas, what was said thus, 'Come Kalamas. 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." Kalamas, 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.'
(The criterion for acceptance)
10. "Come, Kalamas. 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.' Kalamas, 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.
(Absence of greed, hate, and delusion)
11. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does absence of greed appear in a man for his
benefit or harm?" -- "For his benefit, venerable sir." -- "Kalamas,
being not given to greed, and being not overwhelmed and not vanquished mentally by greed,
this man does not take life, does not steal, does not commit adultery, and does not tell
lies; he prompts another too, to do likewise. Will that be long for his benefit and
happiness?" -- "Yes, venerable sir."
12. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does absence of hate appear in a man for his
benefit or harm?" -- "For his benefit, venerable sir." -- "Kalamas,
being not given to hate, and being not overwhelmed and not vanquished mentally by hate,
this man does not take life, does not steal, does not commit adultery, and does not tell
lies; he prompts another too, to do likewise. Will that be long for his benefit and
happiness?" -- "Yes, venerable sir."
13. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does absence of delusion appear in a man for his
benefit or harm?" -- "For his benefit, venerable sir." -- "Kalamas,
being not given to delusion, and being not overwhelmed and not vanquished mentally by
delusion, this man does not take life, does not steal, does not commit adultery, and does
not tell lies; he prompts another too, to do likewise. Will that be long for his benefit
and happiness?" -- "Yes, venerable sir."
14. "What do you think, Kalamas? Are these things good or bad?" --
"Good, venerable sir." -- "Blamable or not blamable?" -- "Not
blamable, venerable sir." -- "Censured or praised by the wise?" --
"Praised, venerable sir." -- "Undertaken and observed, do these things lead
to benefit and happiness, or not? Or how does it strike you?" -- "Undertaken and
observed, these things lead to benefit and happiness. Thus it strikes us here."
15. "Therefore, did we say, Kalamas, what was said thus, 'Come Kalamas. 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." Kalamas, 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.'
16. "The disciple of the Noble Ones, Kalamas, who in this way is devoid of
coveting, devoid of ill will, undeluded, clearly comprehending and mindful, dwells, having
pervaded, with the thought of amity, one quarter; likewise the second; likewise the third;
likewise the fourth; so above, below, and across; he dwells, having pervaded because of
the existence in it of all living beings, everywhere, the entire world, with the great,
exalted, boundless thought of amity that is free of hate or malice.
"He lives, having pervaded, with the thought of compassion, one quarter; likewise
the second; likewise the third; likewise the fourth; so above, below, and across; he
dwells, having pervaded because of the existence in it of all living beings, everywhere,
the entire world, with the great, exalted, boundless thought of compassion that is free of
hate or malice.
"He lives, having pervaded, with the thought of gladness, one quarter; likewise
the second; likewise the third; likewise the fourth; so above, below, and across; he
dwells, having pervaded because of the existence in it of all living beings, everywhere,
the entire world, with the great, exalted, boundless thought of gladness that is free of
hate or malice.
"He lives, having pervaded, with the thought of equanimity, one quarter; likewise
the second; likewise the third; likewise the fourth; so above, below, and across; he
dwells, having pervaded because of the existence in it of all living beings, everywhere,
the entire world, with the great, exalted, boundless thought of equanimity that is free of
hate or malice.
17. "The disciple of the Noble Ones, Kalamas, who has such a hate-free mind, such
a malice-free mind, such an undefiled mind, and such a purified mind, is one by whom four
solaces are found here and now.
"'Suppose there is a hereafter and there is a fruit, result, of deeds done well or
ill. Then it is possible that at the dissolution of the body after death, I shall arise in
the heavenly world, which is possessed of the state of bliss.' This is the first solace
found by him.
"'Suppose there is no hereafter and there is no fruit, no result, of deeds done
well or ill. Yet in this world, here and now, free from hatred, free from malice, safe and
sound, and happy, I keep myself.' This is the second solace found by him.
"'Suppose evil (results) befall an evil-doer. I, however, think of doing evil to
no one. Then, how can ill (results) affect me who do no evil deed?' This is the third
solace found by him.
"'Suppose evil (results) do not befall an evil-doer. Then I see myself purified in
any case.' This is the fourth solace found by him.
"The disciple of the Noble Ones, Kalamas, who has such a hate-free mind, such a
malice-free mind, such an undefiled mind, and such a purified mind, is one by whom, here
and now, these four solaces are found."
"So it is, Blessed One. So it is, Sublime one. The disciple of the Noble Ones,
venerable sir, who has such a hate-free mind, such a malice-free mind, such an undefiled
mind, and such a purified mind, is one by whom, here and now, four solaces are found.
"'Suppose there is a hereafter and there is a fruit, result, of deeds done well or
ill. Then it is possible that at the dissolution of the body after death, I shall arise in
the heavenly world, which is possessed of the state of bliss.' This is the first solace
found by him.
"'Suppose there is no hereafter and there is no fruit, no result, of deeds done
well or ill. Yet in this world, here and now, free from hatred, free from malice, safe and
sound, and happy, I keep myself.' This is the second solace found by him.
"'Suppose evil (results) befall an evil-doer. I, however, think of doing evil to
no one. Then, how can ill (results) affect me who do no evil deed?' This is the third
solace found by him.
"'Suppose evil (results) do not befall an evil-doer. Then I see myself purified in
any case.' This is the fourth solace found by him.
"The disciple of the Noble Ones, venerable sir, who has such a hate-free mind,
such a malice-free mind, such an undefiled mind, and such a purified mind, is one by whom,
here and now, these four solaces are found.
"Marvelous, venerable sir! Marvelous, venerable sir! As if,
venerable sir, a person were to turn face upwards what is upside down, or to uncover the
concealed, or to point the way to one who is lost or to carry a lamp in the darkness,
thinking, 'Those who have eyes will see visible objects,' so has the Dhamma been set forth
in many ways by the Blessed One. We, venerable sir, go to the Blessed One for refuge, to
the Dhamma for refuge, and to the Community of Bhikkhus for refuge. Venerable sir, may the
Blessed One regard us as lay followers who have gone for refuge for life, from
today."
See also: "A Look at the Kalama Sutta,"
by Bhikkhu Bodhi.