Sevitabbāsevitabbasutta

individual: that which you should cultivate, and that which you should not cultivate.’ That’s what the Buddha said, but why did he say it? You should not cultivate the kind of individual who causes unskillful qualities to grow while skillful qualities decline. And you should cultivate the kind of individual who causes unskillful qualities to decline while skillful qualities grow. ‘I say that there are two kinds of individual: those who you should cultivate, and those who you should not cultivate.’ That’s what the Buddha said, and this is why he said it.

Imassa kho ahaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa, vitthārena atthaṁ avibhattassa evaṁ vitthārena atthaṁ ājānāmī”ti.

Sir, that’s how I understand the detailed meaning of the Buddha’s brief statement.”

“Sādhu sādhu, sāriputta.
Sādhu kho tvaṁ, sāriputta, imassa mayā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa, vitthārena atthaṁ avibhattassa evaṁ vitthārena atthaṁ ājānāsi.

“Good, good, Sāriputta! It’s good that you understand the detailed meaning of my brief statement in this way.”

‘Cīvaraṁpāhaṁ, sāriputta, duvidhena vadāmi—
sevitabbampi, asevitabbampī’ti—
iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ mayā.
Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ?
Yathārūpaṁ, sāriputta, cīvaraṁ sevato akusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhanti, kusalā dhammā parihāyanti evarūpaṁ cīvaraṁ na sevitabbaṁ;
yathārūpañca kho, sāriputta, cīvaraṁ sevato akusalā dhammā parihāyanti, kusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhanti evarūpaṁ cīvaraṁ sevitabbaṁ.
‘Cīvaraṁpāhaṁ, sāriputta, duvidhena vadāmi—
sevitabbampi, asevitabbampī’ti—
iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ mayā idametaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ.
(Yathā paṭhamaṁ tathā vitthāretabbaṁ)
Evarūpo piṇḍapāto …
evarūpaṁ senāsanaṁ …
evarūpo gāmo …
evarūpo nigamo …
evarūpaṁ nagaraṁ …
evarūpo janapado.

And the Buddha went on to repeat and endorse Venerable Sāriputta’s explanation in full. Then he added:

‘Puggalaṁpāhaṁ, sāriputta, duvidhena vadāmi—
sevitabbampi, asevitabbampī’ti—
iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ mayā.
Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ?
Yathārūpaṁ, sāriputta, puggalaṁ sevato akusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhanti, kusalā dhammā parihāyanti evarūpo puggalo na sevitabbo;
yathārūpañca kho, sāriputta, puggalaṁ sevato akusalā dhammā parihāyanti, kusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhanti evarūpo puggalo sevitabbo.
‘Puggalaṁpāhaṁ, sāriputta, duvidhena vadāmi—
sevitabbampi, asevitabbampī’ti—
iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ mayā idametaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ.
Imassa kho, sāriputta, mayā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa evaṁ vitthārena attho daṭṭhabbo.

“A person too, Sāriputta, I say in two ways: one to be cultivated and one not to be cultivated.” This is what was said by me. And with reference to what was this said? Sāriputta, when associating with such a person, unwholesome dhammas increase and wholesome dhammas decline: such a person should not be cultivated. But Sāriputta, when associating with such a person, unwholesome dhammas decline and wholesome dhammas increase: such a person should be cultivated. “A person too, Sāriputta, I say in two ways: one to be cultivated and one not to be cultivated.” It was with reference to this that this was said by me. Now, Sāriputta, the meaning of this briefly spoken by me should be seen in detail in this way.

Sabbepi ce, sāriputta, khattiyā imassa mayā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa evaṁ vitthārena atthaṁ ājāneyyuṁ, sabbesānampissa khattiyānaṁ dīgharattaṁ hitāya sukhāya.
Sabbepi ce, sāriputta, brāhmaṇā …pe…
sabbepi ce, sāriputta, vessā …
sabbepi ce, sāriputta, suddā imassa mayā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa evaṁ vitthārena atthaṁ ājāneyyuṁ, sabbesānampissa suddānaṁ dīgharattaṁ hitāya sukhāya.
Sadevakopi ce, sāriputta, loko samārako sabrahmako sassamaṇabrāhmaṇī pajā sadevamanussā imassa mayā saṅkhittena bhāsitassa evaṁ vitthārena atthaṁ ājāneyya, sadevakassapissa lokassa samārakassa sabrahmakassa sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya dīgharattaṁ hitāya sukhāyā”ti.

“If all the aristocrats, brahmins, peasants, and menials were to understand the detailed meaning of my brief statement in this way, it would be for their lasting welfare and happiness. If the whole world—with its gods, Māras, and divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, gods and humans—was to understand the detailed meaning of my brief statement in this way, it would be for the whole world’s lasting welfare and happiness.”

Idamavoca bhagavā.
Attamano āyasmā sāriputto bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandīti.
Sevitabbāsevitabbasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ catutthaṁ.

That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, Venerable Sāriputta approved what the Buddha said.

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