AN 4.30

Paribbājakasutta

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati gijjhakūṭe pabbate. Tena kho pana samayena sambahulā abhiññātā abhiññātā paribbājakā sippinikātīre paribbājakārāme paṭivasanti, seyyathidaṁ annabhāro varadharo sakuludāyī ca paribbājako aññe ca abhiññātā abhiññātā paribbājakā. Atha kho bhagavā sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yena sippinikātīraṁ paribbājakārāmo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi. Nisajja kho bhagavā te paribbājake etadavoca:

Wanderers

At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, on the Vulture’s Peak Mountain. Now at that time several very well-known wanderers were residing in their monastery on the bank of the Serpentine River. They included Annabhāra, Varadhara, Sakuludāyī, and other very well-known wanderers. Then in the late afternoon, the Buddha came out of retreat and went to the wanderer’s monastery on the bank of the Serpentine River. He sat down on the seat spread out and said to the wanderers:

“Cattārimāni, paribbājakā, dhammapadāni aggaññāni rattaññāni vaṁsaññāni porāṇāni asaṅkiṇṇāni asaṅkiṇṇapubbāni, na saṅkīyanti na saṅkīyissanti, appaṭikuṭṭhāni samaṇehi brāhmaṇehi viññūhi. Katamāni cattāri? Anabhijjhā, paribbājakā, dhammapadaṁ aggaññaṁ rattaññaṁ vaṁsaññaṁ porāṇaṁ asaṅkiṇṇaṁ asaṅkiṇṇapubbaṁ, na saṅkīyati na saṅkīyissati, appaṭikuṭṭhaṁ samaṇehi brāhmaṇehi viññūhi. Abyāpādo, paribbājakā, dhammapadaṁ …pe… sammāsati, paribbājakā, dhammapadaṁ …pe… sammāsamādhi, paribbājakā, dhammapadaṁ aggaññaṁ rattaññaṁ vaṁsaññaṁ porāṇaṁ asaṅkiṇṇaṁ asaṅkiṇṇapubbaṁ, na saṅkīyati na saṅkīyissati, appaṭikuṭṭhaṁ samaṇehi brāhmaṇehi viññūhi. Imāni kho, paribbājakā, cattāri dhammapadāni aggaññāni rattaññāni vaṁsaññāni porāṇāni asaṅkiṇṇāni asaṅkiṇṇapubbāni, na saṅkīyanti na saṅkīyissanti, appaṭikuṭṭhāni samaṇehi brāhmaṇehi viññūhi.

“Wanderers, these four footprints of the Dhamma are primordial, long-standing, customary, and traditional. They are uncorrupted, as they have been since the beginning. They’re not being corrupted now nor will they be. Sensible ascetics and brahmins don’t look down on them. What four? Contentment … Good will … Right mindfulness … Right immersion … These four footprints of the Dhamma are primordial, long-standing, customary, and traditional. They are uncorrupted, as they have been since the beginning. They’re not being corrupted now nor will they be. Sensible ascetics and brahmins don’t look down on them.

Yo kho, paribbājakā, evaṁ vadeyya: ‘ahametaṁ anabhijjhaṁ dhammapadaṁ paccakkhāya abhijjhāluṁ kāmesu tibbasārāgaṁ samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā paññāpessāmī’ti, tamahaṁ tattha evaṁ vadeyyaṁ: ‘etu vadatu byāharatu passāmissānubhāvan’ti. So vata, paribbājakā, anabhijjhaṁ dhammapadaṁ paccakkhāya abhijjhāluṁ kāmesu tibbasārāgaṁ samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā paññāpessatīti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.

Wanderers, if someone should say: ‘I’ll deny this Dhamma footprint of contentment, and describe a true ascetic or brahmin who covets sensual pleasures with acute lust.’ Then I’d say to them: ‘Let them come, speak, and discuss. We’ll see how powerful they are.’ It is quite impossible to deny this Dhamma footprint of contentment, and point out a true ascetic or brahmin who covets sensual pleasures with acute lust.

Yo kho, paribbājakā, evaṁ vadeyya: ‘ahametaṁ abyāpādaṁ dhammapadaṁ paccakkhāya byāpannacittaṁ paduṭṭhamanasaṅkappaṁ samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā paññāpessāmī’ti, tamahaṁ tattha evaṁ vadeyyaṁ: ‘etu vadatu byāharatu passāmissānubhāvan’ti. So vata, paribbājakā, abyāpādaṁ dhammapadaṁ paccakkhāya byāpannacittaṁ paduṭṭhamanasaṅkappaṁ samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā paññāpessatīti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.

If someone should say: ‘I’ll deny this Dhamma footprint of good will, and describe a true ascetic or brahmin who has ill will and malicious intent.’ Then I’d say to them: ‘Let them come, speak, and discuss. We’ll see how powerful they are.’ It is quite impossible to deny this Dhamma footprint of good will, and point out a true ascetic or brahmin who has ill will and malicious intent.

Yo kho, paribbājakā, evaṁ vadeyya: ‘ahametaṁ sammāsatiṁ dhammapadaṁ paccakkhāya muṭṭhassatiṁ asampajānaṁ samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā paññāpessāmī’ti, tamahaṁ tattha evaṁ vadeyyaṁ: ‘etu vadatu byāharatu passāmissānubhāvan’ti. So vata, paribbājakā, sammāsatiṁ dhammapadaṁ paccakkhāya muṭṭhassatiṁ asampajānaṁ samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā paññāpessatīti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.

If someone should say: ‘I’ll deny this Dhamma footprint of right mindfulness, and describe a true ascetic or brahmin who is unmindful, with no situational awareness.’ Then I’d say to them: ‘Let them come, speak, and discuss. We’ll see how powerful they are.’ It is quite impossible to deny this Dhamma footprint of right mindfulness, and point out a true ascetic or brahmin who is unmindful, with no situational awareness.

Yo kho, paribbājakā, evaṁ vadeyya: ‘ahametaṁ sammāsamādhiṁ dhammapadaṁ paccakkhāya asamāhitaṁ vibbhantacittaṁ samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā paññāpessāmī’ti, tamahaṁ tattha evaṁ vadeyyaṁ: ‘etu vadatu byāharatu passāmissānubhāvan’ti. So vata, paribbājakā, sammāsamādhiṁ dhammapadaṁ paccakkhāya asamāhitaṁ vibbhantacittaṁ samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā paññāpessatīti netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.

If someone should say: ‘I’ll deny this Dhamma footprint of right immersion, and describe a true ascetic or brahmin who is scattered, with straying mind.’ Then I’d say to them: ‘Let them come, speak, and discuss. We’ll see how powerful they are.’ It is quite impossible to deny this Dhamma footprint of right immersion, and point out a true ascetic or brahmin who is scattered, with straying mind.

Yo kho, paribbājakā, imāni cattāri dhammapadāni garahitabbaṁ paṭikkositabbaṁ maññeyya, tassa diṭṭheva dhamme cattāro sahadhammikā vādānupātā gārayhā ṭhānā āgacchanti. Katame cattāro? Anabhijjhañce bhavaṁ dhammapadaṁ garahati paṭikkosati, ye ca hi abhijjhālū kāmesu tibbasārāgā samaṇabrāhmaṇā te bhoto pujjā te bhoto pāsaṁsā. Abyāpādañce bhavaṁ dhammapadaṁ garahati paṭikkosati, ye ca hi byāpannacittā paduṭṭhamanasaṅkappā samaṇabrāhmaṇā te bhoto pujjā te bhoto pāsaṁsā. Sammāsatiñce bhavaṁ dhammapadaṁ garahati paṭikkosati, ye ca hi muṭṭhassatī asampajānā samaṇabrāhmaṇā te bhoto pujjā te bhoto pāsaṁsā. Sammāsamādhiñce bhavaṁ dhammapadaṁ garahati paṭikkosati, ye ca hi asamāhitā vibbhantacittā samaṇabrāhmaṇā te bhoto pujjā te bhoto pāsaṁsā.

If anyone imagines they can criticize and reject these four footprints of the Dhamma, they deserve rebuttal and criticism on four legitimate grounds in this very life. What four? If you reject the Dhamma footprint of contentment, then you must honor and praise those ascetics and brahmins who covet sensual pleasures with acute lust. If you reject the Dhamma footprint of good will, you must honor and praise those ascetics and brahmins who have ill will and malicious intent. If you reject the Dhamma footprint of right mindfulness, then you must honor and praise those ascetics and brahmins who are unmindful, with no situational awareness. If you reject the Dhamma footprint of right immersion, you must honor and praise those ascetics and brahmins who are scattered, with straying minds.

Yo kho, paribbājakā, imāni cattāri dhammapadāni garahitabbaṁ paṭikkositabbaṁ maññeyya, tassa diṭṭheva dhamme ime cattāro sahadhammikā vādānupātā gārayhā ṭhānā āgacchanti. Yepi te, paribbājakā, ahesuṁ ukkalā vassabhaññā ahetukavādā akiriyavādā natthikavādā, tepi imāni cattāri dhammapadāni na garahitabbaṁ na paṭikkositabbaṁ amaññiṁsu. Taṁ kissa hetu? Nindābyārosanaupārambhabhayāti.

If anyone imagines they can criticize and reject these four footprints of the Dhamma, they deserve rebuttal and criticism on four legitimate grounds in this very life. Even those who were loud and bold advocates of the doctrines of no-cause, inaction, and nihilism didn’t imagine that these four footprints of the Dhamma should be criticized or rejected. Why is that? For fear of being blamed, provoked, and faulted.

Abyāpanno sadā sato, ajjhattaṁ susamāhito; Abhijjhāvinaye sikkhaṁ, appamattoti vuccatī”ti.

One who has good will, ever mindful, serene within, training to remove desire, is called ‘a diligent one’.”