Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā bhoganagare viharati ānandacetiye.
At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling in the town of Bhoga, in the |Ānanda Shrine::name of a pagoda [ānandacetiya]|.
Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “bhikkhavo”ti.
There, the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: “Bhikkhus.”
“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ.
“Yes, venerable sir,” those bhikkhus replied to the Blessed One.
Bhagavā etadavoca: “cattārome, bhikkhave, mahāpadese desessāmi, taṁ suṇātha, sādhukaṁ manasi karotha, bhāsissāmī”ti.
The Blessed One said this: “Bhikkhus, I will teach you these four great references. Listen to this and pay close attention, I will speak.”
“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca:
“Yes, venerable sir,” those bhikkhus replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this:
“Katame, bhikkhave, cattāro mahāpadesā?
“What, bhikkhus, are the four great references?
Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ vadeyya: ‘sammukhā metaṁ, āvuso, bhagavato sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ— ayaṁ dhammo, ayaṁ vinayo, idaṁ satthusāsanan’ti. Tassa, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno bhāsitaṁ neva abhinanditabbaṁ nappaṭikkositabbaṁ. Anabhinanditvā appaṭikkositvā tāni padabyañjanāni sādhukaṁ uggahetvā sutte otāretabbāni, vinaye sandassetabbāni. Tāni ce sutte otāriyamānāni vinaye sandassiyamānāni na ceva sutte otaranti na vinaye sandissanti, niṭṭhamettha gantabbaṁ: ‘addhā idaṁ na ceva tassa bhagavato vacanaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassa; imassa ca bhikkhuno duggahitan’ti. Iti hetaṁ, bhikkhave, chaḍḍeyyātha.
1.) Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu might say: ‘Friends, I have heard this directly from the Blessed One, learned this in his presence — this is the |Dhamma::teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [dhamma]|, this is the |Vinaya::code of monastic discipline rules, training [vinaya]|, this is the teacher’s instruction.’ Bhikkhus, that bhikkhu’s statement should neither be approved nor rejected. Without approving or rejecting, those words and phrases should be carefully learned, examined in the |Suttas::the teachings attributed to the Buddha [suttas]|, and compared with the Vinaya. If, when examined in the Suttas and compared with the Vinaya, they do not align with the Suttas or appear in the Vinaya, then a conclusion should be reached: ‘Certainly, this is not the word of the Blessed One, |the Arahant::a worthy one, a fully awakened being, epithet of the Buddha [arahant]|, the perfectly Awakened One; rather, this bhikkhu has misunderstood.’ Thus, bhikkhus, it should be discarded.
Idha pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ vadeyya: ‘sammukhā metaṁ, āvuso, bhagavato sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ— ayaṁ dhammo, ayaṁ vinayo, idaṁ satthusāsanan’ti. Tassa, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno bhāsitaṁ neva abhinanditabbaṁ nappaṭikkositabbaṁ. Anabhinanditvā appaṭikkositvā tāni padabyañjanāni sādhukaṁ uggahetvā sutte otāretabbāni, vinaye sandassetabbāni. Tāni ce sutte otāriyamānāni vinaye sandassiyamānāni sutte ceva otaranti vinaye ca sandissanti, niṭṭhamettha gantabbaṁ: ‘addhā idaṁ tassa bhagavato vacanaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassa; imassa ca bhikkhuno suggahitan’ti. Idaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamaṁ mahāpadesaṁ dhāreyyātha.
But, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu might say: ‘Friends, I have heard this directly from the Blessed One, learned this in his presence — this is the Dhamma, this is the Vinaya, this is the teacher’s instruction.’ Bhikkhus, that bhikkhu’s statement should neither be approved nor rejected. Without approving or rejecting, those words and phrases should be carefully learned, examined in the Suttas, and compared with the Vinaya. If, when examined in the Suttas and compared with the Vinaya, they align with the Suttas and appear in the Vinaya, then a conclusion should be reached: ‘Certainly, this is the word of the Blessed One, the Arahant, the perfectly Awakened One; this bhikkhu has understood it correctly.’ Bhikkhus, this is the first great reference that you should |remember::keep in mind [dhāreti]|.
Idha pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ vadeyya: ‘asukasmiṁ nāma āvāse saṅgho viharati sathero sapāmokkho. Tassa me saṅghassa sammukhā sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ— ayaṁ dhammo, ayaṁ vinayo, idaṁ satthusāsanan’ti. Tassa, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno bhāsitaṁ neva abhinanditabbaṁ nappaṭikkositabbaṁ. Anabhinanditvā appaṭikkositvā tāni padabyañjanāni sādhukaṁ uggahetvā sutte otāretabbāni, vinaye sandassetabbāni. Tāni ce sutte otāriyamānāni vinaye sandassiyamānāni na ceva sutte otaranti na vinaye sandissanti, niṭṭhamettha gantabbaṁ: ‘addhā idaṁ na ceva tassa bhagavato vacanaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassa; tassa ca saṅghassa duggahitan’ti. Iti hetaṁ, bhikkhave, chaḍḍeyyātha.
2.) Here again, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu might say: ‘In a such and such residence, there dwells a |Saṅgha::The community of monks and nuns practicing in line with the Buddha’s teachings. In the broader sense, this is the community of disciples who have realized the noble path and fruition through the Buddha’s teachings [saṅgha]| with an |elder bhikkhu::senior bhikkhu [sathero]| and respected leaders. I have heard this directly from that community, learned it in the presence of that community — this is the Dhamma, this is the Vinaya, this is the teacher’s instruction.’ Bhikkhus, that bhikkhu’s statement should neither be approved nor rejected. Without approving or rejecting, those words and phrases should be carefully learned, examined in the Suttas, and compared with the Vinaya. If, when examined in the Suttas and compared with the Vinaya, they do not align with the Suttas or appear in the Vinaya, then a conclusion should be reached: ‘Certainly, this is not the word of the Blessed One, the Arahant, the perfectly Awakened One; rather, that community has misunderstood.’ Thus, bhikkhus, it should be discarded.
Idha pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ vadeyya: ‘asukasmiṁ nāma āvāse saṅgho viharati sathero sapāmokkho. Tassa me saṅghassa sammukhā sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ— ayaṁ dhammo, ayaṁ vinayo, idaṁ satthusāsanan’ti. Tassa, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno bhāsitaṁ neva abhinanditabbaṁ nappaṭikkositabbaṁ. Anabhinanditvā appaṭikkositvā tāni padabyañjanāni sādhukaṁ uggahetvā sutte otāretabbāni, vinaye sandassetabbāni. Tāni ce sutte otāriyamānāni, vinaye sandassiyamānāni sutte ceva otaranti vinaye ca sandissanti, niṭṭhamettha gantabbaṁ: ‘addhā idaṁ tassa bhagavato vacanaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassa; tassa ca saṅghassa suggahitan’ti. Idaṁ, bhikkhave, dutiyaṁ mahāpadesaṁ dhāreyyātha.
But, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu might say: ‘In a such and such residence, there dwells a community with an elder bhikkhu and respected leaders. I have heard this directly from that community, learned it in the presence of that community — this is the Dhamma, this is the Vinaya, this is the teacher’s instruction.’ Bhikkhus, that bhikkhu’s statement should neither be approved nor rejected. Without approving or rejecting, those words and phrases should be carefully learned, examined in the Suttas, and compared with the Vinaya. If, when examined in the Suttas and compared with the Vinaya, they align with the Suttas and appear in the Vinaya, then a conclusion should be reached: ‘Certainly, this is the word of the Blessed One, the Arahant, the perfectly Awakened One; that community has understood it correctly.’ Bhikkhus, this is the second great reference that you should remember.
Idha pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ vadeyya: ‘asukasmiṁ nāma āvāse sambahulā therā bhikkhū viharanti bahussutā āgatāgamā dhammadharā vinayadharā mātikādharā. Tesaṁ me therānaṁ sammukhā sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ— ayaṁ dhammo, ayaṁ vinayo, idaṁ satthusāsanan’ti. Tassa, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno bhāsitaṁ neva abhinanditabbaṁ nappaṭikkositabbaṁ. Anabhinanditvā appaṭikkositvā tāni padabyañjanāni sādhukaṁ uggahetvā sutte otāretabbāni, vinaye sandassetabbāni. Tāni ce sutte otāriyamānāni vinaye sandassiyamānāni na ceva sutte otaranti na vinaye sandissanti, niṭṭhamettha gantabbaṁ: ‘addhā idaṁ na ceva tassa bhagavato vacanaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassa; tesañca therānaṁ duggahitan’ti. Iti hetaṁ, bhikkhave, chaḍḍeyyātha.
3.) Here again, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu might say: ‘In a such and such residence, there dwell many elder bhikkhus who are |very learned::well educated, knowledgeable [bahussutā]|, heirs to the scriptures, |who know the Dhamma by heart::lit. Dhamma bearer [dhammadhara]|, |experts in Vinaya::keepers of the monastic law [vinayadhara]|, and |keepers of the summaries::who know the summaries of the Dhamma and Vinaya [mātikādharā]|. I have heard this directly from those elders, learned it in their presence — this is the Dhamma, this is the Vinaya, this is the teacher’s instruction.’ Bhikkhus, that bhikkhu’s statement should neither be approved nor rejected. Without approving or rejecting, those words and phrases should be carefully learned, examined in the Suttas, and compared with the Vinaya. If, when examined in the Suttas and compared with the Vinaya, they do not align with the Suttas or appear in the Vinaya, then a conclusion should be reached: ‘Certainly, this is not the word of the Blessed One, the Arahant, the perfectly Awakened One; rather, those elders have misunderstood.’ Thus, bhikkhus, it should be discarded.
Idha pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ vadeyya: ‘asukasmiṁ nāma āvāse sambahulā therā bhikkhū viharanti bahussutā āgatāgamā dhammadharā vinayadharā mātikādharā. Tesaṁ me therānaṁ sammukhā sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ— ayaṁ dhammo, ayaṁ vinayo, idaṁ satthusāsanan’ti. Tassa, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno bhāsitaṁ neva abhinanditabbaṁ nappaṭikkositabbaṁ. Anabhinanditvā appaṭikkositvā tāni padabyañjanāni sādhukaṁ uggahetvā sutte otāretabbāni, vinaye sandassetabbāni. Tāni ce sutte otāriyamānāni vinaye sandassiyamānāni sutte ceva otaranti vinaye ca sandissanti, niṭṭhamettha gantabbaṁ: ‘addhā idaṁ tassa bhagavato vacanaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassa; tesañca therānaṁ suggahitan’ti. Idaṁ, bhikkhave, tatiyaṁ mahāpadesaṁ dhāreyyātha.
But, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu might say: ‘In a such and such residence, there dwell many elder bhikkhus who are very learned, heirs to the scriptures, who know the Dhamma by heart, experts in Vinaya, and keepers of the summaries. I have heard this directly from those elders, learned it in their presence — this is the Dhamma, this is the Vinaya, this is the teacher’s instruction.’ Bhikkhus, that bhikkhu’s statement should neither be approved nor rejected. Without approving or rejecting, those words and phrases should be carefully learned, examined in the Suttas, and compared with the Vinaya. If, when examined in the Suttas and compared with the Vinaya, they align with the Suttas and appear in the Vinaya, then a conclusion should be reached: ‘Certainly, this is the word of the Blessed One, the Arahant, the perfectly Awakened One; those elders have understood it correctly.’ Bhikkhus, this is the third great reference that you should remember.
Idha pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ vadeyya: ‘asukasmiṁ nāma āvāse eko thero bhikkhu viharati bahussuto āgatāgamo dhammadharo vinayadharo mātikādharo. Tassa me therassa sammukhā sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ— ayaṁ dhammo, ayaṁ vinayo, idaṁ satthusāsanan’ti. Tassa, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno bhāsitaṁ neva abhinanditabbaṁ nappaṭikkositabbaṁ. Anabhinanditvā appaṭikkositvā tāni padabyañjanāni sādhukaṁ uggahetvā sutte otāretabbāni, vinaye sandassetabbāni. Tāni ce sutte otāriyamānāni vinaye sandassiyamānāni na ceva sutte otaranti na vinaye sandissanti, niṭṭhamettha gantabbaṁ: ‘addhā idaṁ na ceva tassa bhagavato vacanaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassa; tassa ca therassa duggahitan’ti. Iti hetaṁ, bhikkhave, chaḍḍeyyātha.
4.) Here again, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu might say: ‘In a such and such residence, there dwells a single elder bhikkhu who is very learned, an heir to the scriptures, who knows the Dhamma by heart, an expert in Vinaya, and a keeper of the summaries. I have heard this directly from that elder, learned it in his presence — this is the Dhamma, this is the Vinaya, this is the teacher’s instruction.’ Bhikkhus, that bhikkhu’s statement should neither be approved nor rejected. Without approving or rejecting, those words and phrases should be carefully learned, examined in the Suttas, and compared with the Vinaya. If, when examined in the Suttas and compared with the Vinaya, they do not align with the Suttas or appear in the Vinaya, then a conclusion should be reached: ‘Certainly, this is not the word of the Blessed One, the Arahant, the perfectly Awakened One; rather, that elder has misunderstood.’ Thus, bhikkhus, it should be discarded.
Idha pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ vadeyya: ‘asukasmiṁ nāma āvāse eko thero bhikkhu viharati bahussuto āgatāgamo dhammadharo vinayadharo mātikādharo. Tassa me therassa sammukhā sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ— ayaṁ dhammo, ayaṁ vinayo, idaṁ satthusāsanan’ti. Tassa, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno bhāsitaṁ neva abhinanditabbaṁ nappaṭikkositabbaṁ. Anabhinanditvā appaṭikkositvā tāni padabyañjanāni sādhukaṁ uggahetvā sutte otāretabbāni, vinaye sandassetabbāni. Tāni ce sutte otāriyamānāni vinaye sandassiyamānāni sutte ceva otaranti vinaye ca sandissanti, niṭṭhamettha gantabbaṁ: ‘addhā idaṁ tassa bhagavato vacanaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassa; tassa ca therassa suggahitan’ti. Idaṁ, bhikkhave, catutthaṁ mahāpadesaṁ dhāreyyātha.
But, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu might say: ‘In a such and such residence, there dwells a single elder bhikkhu who is very learned, an heir to the scriptures, who knows the Dhamma by heart, an expert in Vinaya, and a keeper of the summaries. I have heard this directly from that elder, learned it in his presence — this is the Dhamma, this is the Vinaya, this is the teacher’s instruction.’ Bhikkhus, that bhikkhu’s statement should neither be approved nor rejected. Without approving or rejecting, those words and phrases should be carefully learned, examined in the Suttas, and compared with the Vinaya. If, when examined in the Suttas and compared with the Vinaya, they align with the Suttas and appear in the Vinaya, then a conclusion should be reached: ‘Certainly, this is the word of the Blessed One, the Arahant, the perfectly Awakened One; that elder has understood it correctly.’ Bhikkhus, this is the fourth great reference that you should remember.
Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro mahāpadesā”ti.
These, bhikkhus, are the four great references that you should remember.”