Nagaravindeyyasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 150

With the People of Nagaravinda · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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manoviññeyyesu dhammesu vītarāgā vītadosā vītamohā, ajjhattaṁ vūpasantacittā, samacariyaṁ caranti kāyena vācāya manasā, evarūpā samaṇabrāhmaṇā sakkātabbā garukātabbā mānetabbā pūjetabbā.
Taṁ kissa hetu?
Mayampi hi manoviññeyyesu dhammesu avītarāgā avītadosā avītamohā ajjhattaṁ avūpasantacittā, samavisamaṁ carāma kāyena vācāya manasā, tesaṁ no samacariyampi hetaṁ uttari passataṁ.
Tasmā te bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā sakkātabbā garukātabbā mānetabbā pūjetabbā’ti.
Evaṁ puṭṭhā tumhe, gahapatayo, tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ evaṁ byākareyyātha.

ideas known by the mind, whose minds are settled internally, and who conduct themselves well by way of body, speech, and mind. They deserve honor, respect, reverence, and veneration. Why is that? Because we ourselves are not free of these things, but we see that they have a higher good conduct than us. That’s why they deserve honor, respect, reverence, and veneration.’ When questioned by wanderers of other religions, that’s how you should answer them.

Sace pana vo, gahapatayo, aññatitthiyā paribbājakā evaṁ puccheyyuṁ:
‘ke panāyasmantānaṁ ākārā, ke anvayā, yena tumhe āyasmanto evaṁ vadetha?
Addhā te āyasmanto vītarāgā vā rāgavinayāya vā paṭipannā, vītadosā vā dosavinayāya vā paṭipannā, vītamohā vā mohavinayāya vā paṭipannā’ti?
Evaṁ puṭṭhā tumhe, gahapatayo, tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ evaṁ byākareyyātha:
‘tathā hi te āyasmanto araññavanapatthāni pantāni senāsanāni paṭisevanti.

If wanderers of other religions were to ask you: ‘But what reasons and evidence do you have regarding those venerables that justifies saying, “Clearly those venerables are free of greed, hate, and delusion, or practicing to be free of them”?’ You should answer them: ‘It’s because those venerables frequent remote lodgings in the wilderness and the forest.

Natthi kho pana tattha tathārūpā cakkhuviññeyyā rūpā ye disvā disvā abhirameyyuṁ, natthi kho pana tattha tathārūpā sotaviññeyyā saddā ye sutvā sutvā abhirameyyuṁ, natthi kho pana tattha tathārūpā ghānaviññeyyā gandhā ye ghāyitvā ghāyitvā abhirameyyuṁ, natthi kho pana tattha tathārūpā jivhāviññeyyā rasā ye sāyitvā sāyitvā abhirameyyuṁ, natthi kho pana tattha tathārūpā kāyaviññeyyā phoṭṭhabbā ye phusitvā phusitvā abhirameyyuṁ.
Ime kho no, āvuso, ākārā, ime anvayā, yena mayaṁ evaṁ vadema—
addhā te āyasmanto vītarāgā vā rāgavinayāya vā paṭipannā, vītadosā vā dosavinayāya vā paṭipannā, vītamohā vā mohavinayāya vā paṭipannā’ti.
Evaṁ puṭṭhā tumhe, gahapatayo, tesaṁ aññatitthiyānaṁ paribbājakānaṁ evaṁ byākareyyāthā”ti.

In such places there are no sights known by the eye to see and enjoy, there are no sounds known by the ear to hear and enjoy, no odors known by the nose to smell and enjoy, no flavors known by the tongue to taste and enjoy, and no touches known by the body to feel and enjoy. These are the reasons and evidence that you have regarding those venerables that justifies saying, “Clearly those venerables are free of greed, hate, and delusion, or practicing to be free of them”.’ When questioned by wanderers of other religions, that’s how you should answer them.”

Evaṁ vutte, nagaravindeyyakā brāhmaṇagahapatikā bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:
“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.
Ete mayaṁ bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāma dhammañca bhikkhusaṅghañca.
Upāsake no bhavaṁ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupete saraṇaṁ gate”ti.
Nagaravindeyyasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ aṭṭhamaṁ.

When he had spoken, the brahmins and householders of Nagaravinda said to the Buddha, “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. We go for refuge to the worthy Gotama, to the teaching, and to the mendicant Saṅgha. From this day forth, may the worthy Gotama remember us as lay followers who have gone for refuge for life.”

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