Guidance on "good" and "bad" (sutra)

Ven. Soma (accesstoinsight); Amber Larson, Dhr. Seven (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly (AN 3.65)

Light bursts through, enlightenment, into a dark cave (Chatchai Laka-mankong/flickr)

Kalamas ask the Buddha for Guidance

...3. The Kalamas, inhabitants of Kesaputta, sitting to one side said to the [Buddha]: "There are some wandering ascetics and Brahmin priests, venerable sir, who visit Kesaputta. They expound and explain only their own doctrines. The doctrines (dharrmas) of others they despise, revile, and pull to pieces. Some other ascetics 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 revered ascetics and Brahmins spoke the truth and which falsehood?"

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 axiomatic, nor upon (hammering out by mere) reasoning, nor upon preference toward an idea that has been pondered over, nor upon another's seeming ability, nor upon the consideration, 'The ascetic is our teacher.' 

"But, Kalamas, when you yourselves know: 'These things are bad; these things are blameworthy; these things are censured by the wise; when undertaken and observed, these things lead to harm and ill,' abandon them. 

 

Greed, hate, and delusion

5. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does greed appear in a person for benefit or harm?" — "For one's harm, venerable sir." — "Kalamas, being given to greed, and being overwhelmed and vanquished mentally by greed, this person takes life, steals, commits sexual misconduct, and tells lies. One also prompts another to do likewise. Will that be long for harm and ill?" — "Yes, venerable sir."

 

6. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does hate appear in a person for benefit or harm?" — "For one's harm, venerable sir." — "Kalamas, being given to hate, and being overwhelmed and vanquished mentally by hate, this person takes life, steals, commits sexual misconduct, and tells lies. One also prompts another to do likewise. Will that be long for harm and ill?" — "Yes, venerable sir."

 

7. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does delusion appear in a person for benefit or harm?" — "For one's harm, venerable sir." — "Kalamas, being given to delusion, and being overwhelmed and vanquished mentally by delusion, this person takes life, steals, commits sexual misconduct, and tells lies; one also prompts another to do likewise. Will that be long for harm and ill?" — "Yes, venerable sir."

 

8. "What do you think, Kalamas? Are these things good or bad [profitable or unprofitable, skillful or unskillful, wholesome or unwholesome]?" — "Bad, venerable sir" — "Blameworthy or not blameworthy?" — "Blameworthy, 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 the consideration, "The ascetic is our teacher." But, Kalamas, when you yourselves know: "These things are bad; these things are blameworthy; these things are censured by the wise; undertaken and observed, these things lead to harm and ill," abandon them.'

Criterion for acceptance

10. "Come, Kalamas. Do not go upon what has been acquired by repeated hearing, nor upon tradition... nor upon the consideration, 'The ascetic is our teacher.' But, Kalamas, when you yourselves know: 'These things are good; these things are blameless; these things are praised by the wise; when undertaken and observed, these things lead to benefit and happiness,' enter on and abide in them.

Absence of greed, hate, delusion

11. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does absence of greed appear in a person for benefit or harm?" — "For one's benefit, venerable sir." — "Kalamas, being not given to greed, and being not overwhelmed and not vanquished mentally by greed, this person does not take life, does not steal, does not commit sexual misconduct, and does not tell lies, neither does one prompts another to do likewise. Will that be long for one's benefit and happiness?" — "Yes, venerable sir." More