AN 4.183 Vassakāra on What is Heard

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground.

Then Vassakāra the brahmin, a chief minister of Magadha, went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him.

When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to the Buddha:

“Worthy Gotama, this is my doctrine and view:

There’s nothing wrong with talking about what you’ve seen, saying:

‘So I have seen.’

There’s nothing wrong with talking about what you’ve heard, saying:

‘So I have heard.’

There’s nothing wrong with talking about what you’ve thought, saying:

‘So I have thought.’

There’s nothing wrong with talking about what you’ve known, saying:

‘So I have known.’”

“Brahmin, I don’t say you should talk about everything you see, hear, think, and know.

But I also don’t say you should talk about nothing you see, hear, think, and know.

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When talking about certain things you’ve seen, heard, thought, or known, unskillful qualities grow while skillful qualities decline. I say that you shouldn’t talk about those things.

When talking about other things you’ve seen, heard, thought, or known, unskillful qualities decline while skillful qualities grow. I say that you should talk about those things.”

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Then Vassakāra the brahmin, having approved and agreed with what the Buddha said, rose from his seat and left.

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Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.

Atha kho vassakāro brāhmaṇo magadhamahāmatto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi.

Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho vassakāro brāhmaṇo magadhamahāmatto bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“Ahañhi, bho gotama, evaṁvādī evaṁdiṭṭhi:

‘yo koci diṭṭhaṁ bhāsati—

evaṁ me diṭṭhanti, natthi tato doso;

yo koci sutaṁ bhāsati—

evaṁ me sutanti, natthi tato doso;

yo koci mutaṁ bhāsati—

evaṁ me mutanti, natthi tato doso;

yo koci viññātaṁ bhāsati—

evaṁ me viññātanti, natthi tato doso’”ti.

“Nāhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, sabbaṁ diṭṭhaṁ bhāsitabbanti vadāmi;

na panāhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, sabbaṁ diṭṭhaṁ na bhāsitabbanti vadāmi;

nāhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, sabbaṁ sutaṁ bhāsitabbanti vadāmi;

na panāhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, sabbaṁ sutaṁ na bhāsitabbanti vadāmi;

nāhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, sabbaṁ mutaṁ bhāsitabbanti vadāmi;

na panāhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, sabbaṁ mutaṁ na bhāsitabbanti vadāmi;

nāhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, sabbaṁ viññātaṁ bhāsitabbanti vadāmi;

na panāhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, sabbaṁ viññātaṁ na bhāsitabbanti vadāmi.

Yañhi, brāhmaṇa, diṭṭhaṁ bhāsato akusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhanti, kusalā dhammā parihāyanti, evarūpaṁ diṭṭhaṁ na bhāsitabbanti vadāmi.

Yañca khvassa, brāhmaṇa, diṭṭhaṁ abhāsato kusalā dhammā parihāyanti, akusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhanti, evarūpaṁ diṭṭhaṁ bhāsitabbanti vadāmi.

Yañhi, brāhmaṇa, sutaṁ bhāsato akusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhanti, kusalā dhammā parihāyanti, evarūpaṁ sutaṁ na bhāsitabbanti vadāmi.

Yañca khvassa, brāhmaṇa, sutaṁ abhāsato kusalā dhammā parihāyanti, akusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhanti, evarūpaṁ sutaṁ bhāsitabbanti vadāmi.

Yañhi, brāhmaṇa, mutaṁ bhāsato akusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhanti, kusalā dhammā parihāyanti, evarūpaṁ mutaṁ na bhāsitabbanti vadāmi.

Yañca khvassa, brāhmaṇa, mutaṁ abhāsato kusalā dhammā parihāyanti, akusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhanti, evarūpaṁ mutaṁ bhāsitabbanti vadāmi.

Yañhi, brāhmaṇa, viññātaṁ bhāsato akusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhanti, kusalā dhammā parihāyanti, evarūpaṁ viññātaṁ na bhāsitabbanti vadāmi.

Yañca khvassa, brāhmaṇa, viññātaṁ abhāsato kusalā dhammā parihāyanti, akusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhanti, evarūpaṁ viññātaṁ bhāsitabbanti vadāmī”ti.

Atha kho vassakāro brāhmaṇo magadhamahāmatto bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkāmīti.

Tatiyaṁ.