AN 4.100

Potaliyasutta

Atha kho potaliyo paribbājako yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho potaliyaṁ paribbājakaṁ bhagavā etadavoca:

With Potaliya the Wanderer

Then the wanderer Potaliya 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 the Buddha said to him:

“Cattārome, potaliya, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Katame cattāro? Idha, potaliya, ekacco puggalo avaṇṇārahassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena, no ca kho vaṇṇārahassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena. Idha pana, potaliya, ekacco puggalo vaṇṇārahassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena, no ca kho avaṇṇārahassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena. Idha pana, potaliya, ekacco puggalo neva avaṇṇārahassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena, no ca vaṇṇārahassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena. Idha pana, potaliya, ekacco puggalo avaṇṇārahassa ca avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena, vaṇṇārahassa ca vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena. Ime kho, potaliya, cattāro puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Imesaṁ kho, potaliya, catunnaṁ puggalānaṁ katamo te puggalo khamati abhikkantataro ca paṇītataro cā”ti?

“Potaliya, these four individuals are found in the world. What four? One individual criticizes those deserving of criticism at the right time, truthfully and correctly. But they don’t praise those deserving of praise at the right time, truthfully and correctly. Another individual praises those deserving of praise … But they don’t criticize those deserving of criticism … Another individual doesn’t praise those deserving of praise … Nor do they criticize those deserving of criticism … Another individual criticizes those deserving of criticism at the right time, truthfully and correctly. And they praise those deserving of praise at the right time, truthfully and correctly. These are the four individuals found in the world. Of these four individuals, who do you believe to be the finest?”

“Cattārome, bho gotama, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Katame cattāro? Idha, bho gotama, ekacco puggalo avaṇṇārahassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena, no ca kho vaṇṇārahassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena. Idha pana, bho gotama, ekacco puggalo vaṇṇārahassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena, no ca kho avaṇṇārahassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena. Idha pana, bho gotama, ekacco puggalo neva avaṇṇārahassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena, no ca vaṇṇārahassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena. Idha pana, bho gotama, ekacco puggalo avaṇṇārahassa ca avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena, vaṇṇārahassa ca vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena. Ime kho, bho gotama, cattāro puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Imesaṁ, bho gotama, catunnaṁ puggalānaṁ yvāyaṁ puggalo neva avaṇṇārahassa avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena, no ca vaṇṇārahassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena; ayaṁ me puggalo khamati imesaṁ catunnaṁ puggalānaṁ abhikkantataro ca paṇītataro ca. Taṁ kissa hetu? Abhikkantā hesā, bho gotama, yadidaṁ upekkhā”ti.

“Worthy Gotama, of these four individuals, it is the individual who neither praises those deserving of praise at the right time, truthfully and correctly; nor criticizes those deserving of criticism at the right time, truthfully and correctly. That is the individual I believe to be the finest. Why is that? Because, worthy Gotama, equanimity is the best.”

“Cattārome, potaliya, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Katame cattāro …pe… ime kho, potaliya, cattāro puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Imesaṁ kho, potaliya, catunnaṁ puggalānaṁ yvāyaṁ puggalo avaṇṇārahassa ca avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena, vaṇṇārahassa ca vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā hoti bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena; ayaṁ imesaṁ catunnaṁ puggalānaṁ abhikkantataro ca paṇītataro ca. Taṁ kissa hetu? Abhikkantā hesā, potaliya, yadidaṁ tattha tattha kālaññutā”ti.

“Potaliya, of these four individuals, it is the individual who criticizes those deserving of criticism at the right time, truthfully and correctly; and praises those deserving of praise at the right time, truthfully and correctly. That is the individual I consider to be the finest. Why is that? Because, Potaliya, understanding of time and context is the best.”

“Cattārome, bho gotama, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Katame cattāro …pe… ime kho, bho gotama, cattāro puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Imesaṁ, bho gotama, catunnaṁ puggalānaṁ yvāyaṁ puggalo avaṇṇārahassa ca avaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena, vaṇṇārahassa ca vaṇṇaṁ bhāsitā bhūtaṁ tacchaṁ kālena; ayaṁ me puggalo khamati imesaṁ catunnaṁ puggalānaṁ abhikkantataro ca paṇītataro ca. Taṁ kissa hetu? Abhikkantā hesā, bho gotama, yadidaṁ tattha tattha kālaññutā.

“Worthy Gotama, of these four individuals, it is the individual who criticizes those deserving of criticism at the right time, truthfully and correctly; and praises those deserving of praise at the right time, truthfully and correctly. That is the individual I believe to be the finest. Why is that? Because, worthy Gotama, understanding of time and context is the best.

Abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama, abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama. Seyyathāpi, bho gotama, nikkujjitaṁ vā ukkujjeyya, paṭicchannaṁ vā vivareyya, mūḷhassa vā maggaṁ ācikkheyya, andhakāre vā telapajjotaṁ dhāreyya: ‘cakkhumanto rūpāni dakkhantī’ti; evamevaṁ bhotā gotamena anekapariyāyena dhammo pakāsito. Esāhaṁ bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi dhammañca bhikkhusaṅghañca. Upāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.

Excellent, worthy Gotama! Excellent! As if he were righting the overturned, or revealing the hidden, or pointing out the path to the lost, or lighting a lamp in the dark so people with clear eyes can see what’s there, worthy Gotama has made the teaching clear in many ways. I go for refuge to the worthy Gotama, to the teaching, and to the mendicant Saṅgha. From this day forth, may the worthy Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”