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.

of thisImassa indeedkho Iahaṁ, sirbhante, by the Buddhabhagavatā brieflysaṅkhittena spokenbhāsitassa, in detailvitthārena the meaningatthaṁ unanalyzedavibhattassa thusevaṁ in detailvitthārena the meaningatthaṁ I understandājānāmī”ti.

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

good“Sādhu goodsādhu, Sāriputtasāriputta.
goodSādhu indeedkho youtvaṁ, Sāriputtasāriputta, of thisimassa by memayā by the briefsaṅkhittena of the spokenbhāsitassa, in detailvitthārena the meaningatthaṁ of the unanalysedavibhattassa thusevaṁ in detailvitthārena the meaningatthaṁ you understandājānāsi.

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

as to a robe‘Cīvaraṁpāhaṁ, Sāriputtasāriputta, in two waysduvidhena I sayvadāmi—
to be followedsevitabbampi, and not to be followedasevitabbampī’ti—
thusiti indeedkho but thispanetaṁ was saidvuttaṁ by memayā.
but whatKiñcetaṁ in dependence onpaṭicca was saidvuttaṁ?
of such kindYathārūpaṁ, Sāriputtasāriputta, a robecīvaraṁ for one usingsevato unwholesomeakusalā statesdhammā increaseabhivaḍḍhanti, wholesomekusalā statesdhammā diminishparihāyanti such kindevarūpaṁ a robecīvaraṁ notna should be usedsevitabbaṁ;
and of such kindyathārūpañca indeedkho, Sāriputtasāriputta, a robecīvaraṁ for one usingsevato unwholesomeakusalā statesdhammā diminishparihāyanti, wholesomekusalā statesdhammā increaseabhivaḍḍhanti such kindevarūpaṁ a robecīvaraṁ should be usedsevitabbaṁ.
as to a robe‘Cīvaraṁpāhaṁ, Sāriputtasāriputta, in two waysduvidhena I sayvadāmi—
to be followedsevitabbampi, and not to be followedasevitabbampī’ti—
thusiti whichyaṁ thattaṁ was saidvuttaṁ by memayā this indeedidametaṁ in dependence onpaṭicca was saidvuttaṁ.
As(Yathā the firstpaṭhamaṁ sotathā should be expandedvitthāretabbaṁ)
suchEvarūpo almsfoodpiṇḍapāto ……
suchevarūpaṁ a dwellingsenāsanaṁ ……
suchevarūpo a villagegāmo ……
suchevarūpo a market townnigamo ……
suchevarūpaṁ a citynagaraṁ ……
suchevarūpo a countryjanapado.

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

a person too, I say‘Puggalaṁpāhaṁ, Sāriputtasāriputta, in two waysduvidhena I sayvadāmi—
to be cultivatedsevitabbampi, not to be cultivatedasevitabbampī’ti—
thusiti indeedkho but thispanetaṁ saidvuttaṁ by memayā.
what is thisKiñcetaṁ with reference topaṭicca saidvuttaṁ?
such asYathārūpaṁ, Sāriputtasāriputta, a personpuggalaṁ associating withsevato unwholesomeakusalā dhammasdhammā increaseabhivaḍḍhanti, wholesomekusalā dhammasdhammā declineparihāyanti such a oneevarūpo personpuggalo notna to be cultivatedsevitabbo;
and such asyathārūpañca indeedkho, Sāriputtasāriputta, a personpuggalaṁ associating withsevato unwholesomeakusalā dhammasdhammā declineparihāyanti, wholesomekusalā dhammasdhammā increaseabhivaḍḍhanti such a oneevarūpo personpuggalo to be cultivatedsevitabbo.
a person too, I say‘Puggalaṁpāhaṁ, Sāriputtasāriputta, in two waysduvidhena I sayvadāmi—
to be cultivatedsevitabbampi, not to be cultivatedasevitabbampī’ti—
thusiti whichyaṁ thattaṁ saidvuttaṁ by memayā thisidametaṁ with reference topaṭicca saidvuttaṁ.
of thisImassa indeedkho, Sāriputtasāriputta, by memayā brieflysaṅkhittena spokenbhāsitassa thusevaṁ in detailvitthārena the meaningattho is to be seendaṭṭhabbo.

“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.

all indeedSabbepi ifce, Sāriputtasāriputta, aristocratskhattiyā of thisimassa by memayā brieflysaṅkhittena spokenbhāsitassa thusevaṁ in detailvitthārena meaningatthaṁ would understandājāneyyuṁ, and for all of themsabbesānampissa of aristocratskhattiyānaṁ for a long timedīgharattaṁ for welfarehitāya for happinesssukhāya.
all indeedSabbepi ifce, Sāriputtasāriputta, brahminsbrāhmaṇā …pe……pe…
all indeedsabbepi ifce, Sāriputtasāriputta, peasantsvessā ……
all indeedsabbepi ifce, Sāriputtasāriputta, menialssuddā of thisimassa by memayā brieflysaṅkhittena spokenbhāsitassa thusevaṁ in detailvitthārena meaningatthaṁ would understandājāneyyuṁ, and for all of themsabbesānampissa of menialssuddānaṁ for a long timedīgharattaṁ for welfarehitāya for happinesssukhāya.
the world with its gods indeedSadevakopi ifce, Sāriputtasāriputta, worldloko with its Mārassamārako with its Brahmāssabrahmako with its ascetics and brahminssassamaṇabrāhmaṇī populationpajā with its gods and humanssadevamanussā of thisimassa by memayā brieflysaṅkhittena spokenbhāsitassa thusevaṁ in detailvitthārena meaningatthaṁ would understandājāneyya, and for the world with its gods indeedsadevakassapissa of the worldlokassa of the one with its Mārassamārakassa of the one with its Brahmāssabrahmakassa of the one with its ascetics and brahminssassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā of the populationpajāya of the one with its gods and humanssadevamanussāya for a long timedīgharattaṁ for welfarehitāya for happinesssukhāyā”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.”

this he saidIdamavoca the Blessed Onebhagavā.
satisfiedAttamano Venerableāyasmā Sāriputtasāriputto of the Blessed Onebhagavato speechbhāsitaṁ approvedabhinandīti.
the discourse on what should and should not be cultivatedSevitabbāsevitabbasuttaṁ finishedniṭṭhitaṁ fourthcatutthaṁ.

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

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