MN150 — Nagaravindeyyasutta

Thus have I heard: At one time, the Blessed One was wandering in the Kosala country with a large community of disciples when he arrived at Nagaravinda, a village of the brahmins of the Kosala.

The brahmin householders of Nagaravinda heard:

Indeed, the ascetic Gotama, the son of the Sakyans, who went forth from the Sakyan clan, is wandering in the Kosala country with a large community of disciples and has arrived at Nagaravinda.

Now, a good report about that Blessed One has been spread to this effect:

The Blessed One is indeed an Arahant, a fully enlightened Buddha, perfect in true knowing and conduct, sublime, knower of worlds, incomparable leader of persons to be tamed, teacher of gods and humans, enlightened and blessed.

He makes known this world with its gods, Māras, and Brahmās, this generation with its ascetics and brahmins, its princes and people, which he has himself realized through direct knowing.

He teaches the Dhamma that is good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, with the right meaning and phrasing, and he reveals a holy life that is utterly perfect and pure.

It is good to see such Arahants.

Then the brahmin householders of Nagaravinda approached the Blessed One; some of them, having approached, paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Some exchanged greetings with the Blessed One, and when this courteous and amiable talk was finished, sat down to one side. Some saluted the Blessed One with joined palms and sat down to one side. Some announced their name and clan in the Blessed Ones presence and sat down to one side. Some remained silent and sat down to one side.

When they were seated, the Blessed One said this to the brahmin householders of Nagaravinda:

Householders, if wanderers of other sects should ask you:

In what kind of ascetics and brahmins should we not place faith, respect, reverence, and homage?

Being asked thus, you should answer those wanderers of other sects thus:

Those ascetics and brahmins who are not free from lust, hatred, and delusion in regard to visible forms cognizable by the eye, whose minds are not inwardly peaceful, who conduct themselves unevenly in body, speech, and mind: such ascetics and brahmins should not be placed faith in, respected, revered, and honored.

Why is that?

Because we too are not free from lust, hatred, and delusion in regard to visible forms cognizable by the eye, our minds are not inwardly peaceful, and we conduct ourselves unevenly in body, speech, and mind. We see in them the same conduct that we have.

Therefore, such ascetics and brahmins should not be placed faith in, respected, revered, and honored.

Those ascetics and brahmins who are not free from lust, hatred, and delusion in regard to sounds cognizable by the ear…

odors cognizable by the nose…

flavors cognizable by the tongue…

tangibles cognizable by the body…

mental phenomena cognizable by the mind, whose minds are not inwardly peaceful, who conduct themselves unevenly in body, speech, and mind: such ascetics and brahmins should not be placed faith in, respected, revered, and honored.

Why is that?

Because we too are not free from lust, hatred, and delusion in regard to mental phenomena cognizable by the mind, our minds are not inwardly peaceful, and we conduct ourselves unevenly in body, speech, and mind. We see in them the same conduct that we have.

Therefore, such ascetics and brahmins should not be placed faith in, respected, revered, and honored.

Being asked thus, householders, you should answer those wanderers of other sects thus.

But if wanderers of other sects should ask you:

In what kind of ascetics and brahmins should we place faith, respect, reverence, and homage?

Being asked thus, you should answer those wanderers of other sects thus:

Those ascetics and brahmins who are free from lust, hatred, and delusion in regard to visible forms cognizable by the eye, whose minds are inwardly peaceful, who conduct themselves evenly in body, speech, and mind: such ascetics and brahmins should be placed faith in, respected, revered, and honored.

Why is that?

Therefore, such ascetics and brahmins should be placed faith in, respected, revered, and honored.

Those ascetics and brahmins who are free from lust, hatred, and delusion in regard to sounds cognizable by the ear…

odors cognizable by the nose…

flavors cognizable by the tongue…

tangibles cognizable by the body…

mental phenomena cognizable by the mind, whose minds are inwardly peaceful, who conduct themselves evenly in body, speech, and mind: such ascetics and brahmins should be placed faith in, respected, revered, and honored.

Why is that?

Therefore, such ascetics and brahmins should be placed faith in, respected, revered, and honored.

They are free from passion, free from hatred, free from delusion, with their minds inwardly calmed, and they conduct themselves evenly and unevenly in body, speech, and mind. This is the reason for their even conduct, which is superior to others. Therefore, those venerable ascetics and brahmins should be respected, honored, revered, and worshipped.

When asked in this way, householders, you should answer those wanderers of other sects in this manner. If, householders, those wanderers of other sects were to ask you: What are the characteristics, what is the lineage, by which you say this?

Surely those venerable ones are either free from passion or are practicing for the removal of passion, free from hatred or are practicing for the removal of hatred, free from delusion or are practicing for the removal of delusion?

When asked in this way, householders, you should answer those wanderers of other sects in this manner: Indeed, those venerable ones frequent remote forest and jungle dwellings.

There are no forms there that are cognizable by the eye, which, having seen repeatedly, they would delight in. There are no sounds there that are cognizable by the ear, which, having heard repeatedly, they would delight in. There are no smells there that are cognizable by the nose, which, having smelled repeatedly, they would delight in.

There are no tastes there that are cognizable by the tongue, which, having tasted repeatedly, they would delight in. There are no tactile objects there that are cognizable by the body, which, having touched repeatedly, they would delight in.

These are the characteristics, these are the lineages, by which we say this: surely those venerable ones are either free from passion or are practicing for the removal of passion, free from hatred or are practicing for the removal of hatred, free from delusion or are practicing for the removal of delusion.

When asked in this way, householders, you should answer those wanderers of other sects in this manner.

When this was said, the brahmin householders of Nagaravinda said to the Blessed One: Excellent, Master Gotama, excellent! Just as if one were to set upright what had been overturned, to reveal what was hidden, to show the way to one who was lost, or to hold up a lamp in the dark so that those with eyes could see forms, in the same way, Master Gotama has made the Dhamma clear in many ways.

We go to Master Gotama for refuge, to the Dhamma, and to the Sangha of disciples. May Master Gotama remember us as lay followers who have gone for refuge from this day onward, for life.

The discourse of Nagaravinda is finished.