Nagaravindeyyasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 150

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

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thusEvaṁ by meme heardsutaṁ—
oneekaṁ timesamayaṁ the Blessed Onebhagavā among the Kosalanskosalesu walking tourcārikaṁ wanderingcaramāno with a largemahatā with a Saṅgha of mendicantsbhikkhusaṅghena together withsaddhiṁ whereyena Nagaravindanagaravindaṁ namednāma of the Kosalanskosalānaṁ of the brahminsbrāhmaṇānaṁ villagegāmo he arrived at ittadavasari.

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was wandering in the land of the Kosalans together with a large Saṅgha of mendicants when he arrived at a village of the Kosalan brahmins named Nagaravinda.

they heardAssosuṁ indeedkho of Nagaravindanagaravindeyyakā brahmins and householdersbrāhmaṇagahapatikā:
ascetic“samaṇo it seemskhalu, sirbho, Gotamagotamo a Sakyansakyaputto from a Sakyan familysakyakulā gone forthpabbajito among the Kosalanskosalesu wanderingcārikaṁ while wanderingcaramāno with a largemahatā with a Saṅgha of mendicantsbhikkhusaṅghena togethersaddhiṁ to Nagaravindanagaravindaṁ has arrivedanuppatto.
thisTaṁ indeedkho andpana to the venerablebhavantaṁ Gotamagotamaṁ thusevaṁ goodkalyāṇo reputationkittisaddo has arisenabbhuggato:
thus‘itipi heso Blessed Onebhagavā perfectedarahaṁ fully awakened Buddhasammāsambuddho accomplished in knowledge and conductvijjācaraṇasampanno holysugato knower of the worldlokavidū supremeanuttaro guide for those fit for trainingpurisadammasārathi teachersatthā of gods and humansdevamanussānaṁ awakenedbuddho blessedbhagavā’ti.
heSo thisimaṁ worldlokaṁ with its godssadevakaṁ with its Mārassamārakaṁ with its divinitiessabrahmakaṁ with its ascetics and brahminssassamaṇabrāhmaṇiṁ populationpajaṁ with its gods and humanssadevamanussaṁ with his own insightsayaṁ by direct knowledgeabhiññā having realizedsacchikatvā he makes knownpavedeti.
heSo Dhammadhammaṁ he teachesdeseti good in the beginningādikalyāṇaṁ good in the middlemajjhekalyāṇaṁ good in the endpariyosānakalyāṇaṁ meaningfulsātthaṁ well-phrasedsabyañjanaṁ, entirely fullkevalaparipuṇṇaṁ pureparisuddhaṁ spiritual practicebrahmacariyaṁ he revealspakāseti.
goodSādhu indeedkho andpana of suchtathārūpānaṁ perfected onesarahataṁ seeingdassanaṁ it ishotī”ti.

The brahmins and householders of Nagaravinda heard, “It seems the ascetic Gotama—a Sakyan, gone forth from a Sakyan family—while wandering in the land of the Kosalans has arrived at Nagaravinda, together with a large Saṅgha of mendicants. He has this good reputation: ‘That Blessed One is perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those fit for training, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed.’ He has realized with his own insight this world—with its gods, Māras, and divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, gods and humans—and he makes it known to others. He teaches Dhamma that’s good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased. And he reveals a spiritual practice that’s entirely full and pure. It’s good to see such perfected ones.”

thenAtha indeedkho of Nagaravindanagaravindeyyakā brahmins and householdersbrāhmaṇagahapatikā whereyena the Blessed Onebhagavā they approachedtenupasaṅkamiṁsu; having approachedupasaṅkamitvā someappekacce the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ having bowedabhivādetvā to one sideekamantaṁ they sat downnisīdiṁsu. someAppekacce with the Blessed Onebhagavatā togethersaddhiṁ they exchanged greetingssammodiṁsu; politesammodanīyaṁ conversationkathaṁ memorablesāraṇīyaṁ having exchangedvītisāretvā to one sideekamantaṁ they sat downnisīdiṁsu. someAppekacce whereyena the Blessed Onebhagavā cupped palmstenañjaliṁ having held uppaṇāmetvā to one sideekamantaṁ they sat downnisīdiṁsu. someAppekacce of the Blessed Onebhagavato in the presencesantike name and clannāmagottaṁ having announcedsāvetvā to one sideekamantaṁ they sat downnisīdiṁsu. someAppekacce silenttuṇhībhūtā to one sideekamantaṁ they sat downnisīdiṁsu. to one sideEkamantaṁ seatednisinne indeedkho of Nagaravindanagaravindeyyake brahmins and householdersbrāhmaṇagahapatike the Blessed Onebhagavā said thisetadavoca:

Then the brahmins and householders of Nagaravinda went up to the Buddha. Before sitting down to one side, some bowed, some exchanged greetings and polite conversation, some held up their cupped palms toward the Buddha, some announced their name and clan, while some kept silent. The Buddha said to them:

“Householders, if wanderers who follow another religion were to ask you: ‘What kind of ascetic or brahmin doesn’t deserve honor, respect, reverence, and veneration?’ You should answer them: ‘There are ascetics and brahmins who are not free of greed, hate, and delusion for sights known by the eye, whose minds are not settled internally, and who conduct themselves badly among the good by way of body, speech, and mind. They don’t deserve honor, respect, reverence, and veneration. Why is that? Because we ourselves are not free of these things, so we do not see that they have any higher good conduct than us. That’s why they don’t deserve honor, respect, reverence, and veneration. There are ascetics and brahmins who are not free of greed, hate, and delusion for sounds known by the ear … smells known by the nose … tastes known by the tongue …

in forms known by bodykāyaviññeyyesu in touchesphoṭṭhabbesu ……
in forms known by mindmanoviññeyyesu in ideasdhammesu not free of greedavītarāgā not free of hatredavītadosā not free of delusion,avītamohā, internallyajjhattaṁ with unsettled mind,avūpasantacittā, badly among the goodsamavisamaṁ they conductcaranti by bodykāyena by speechvācāya by mind,manasā, suchevarūpā ascetics and brahminssamaṇabrāhmaṇā notna to be honoredsakkātabbā notna to be respectedgarukātabbā notna to be reveredmānetabbā notna to be venerated.pūjetabbā.
thatTaṁ of whatkissa reason?hetu?
we ourselves tooMayampi indeedhi in forms known by mindmanoviññeyyesu in ideasdhammesu not free of greedavītarāgā not free of hatredavītadosā not free of delusion,avītamohā, internallyajjhattaṁ with unsettled mind,avūpasantacittā, badly among the goodsamavisamaṁ we conductcarāma by bodykāyena by speechvācāya by mind,manasā, of themtesaṁ for usno even good conductsamacariyampi thishetaṁ higheruttari of not seeingapassataṁ.
thereforeTasmā thosete sirsbhonto ascetics and brahminssamaṇabrāhmaṇā notna to be honoredsakkātabbā notna to be respectedgarukātabbā notna to be reveredmānetabbā notna to be venerated.'pūjetabbā’ti.
thusEvaṁ askedpuṭṭhā youtumhe, householders,gahapatayo, of thosetesaṁ of other religionsaññatitthiyānaṁ of wanderersparibbājakānaṁ thusevaṁ you should answer.byākareyyātha.

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

ifSace thenpana to youvo, householdersgahapatayo, of other religionsaññatitthiyā wanderersparibbājakā thusevaṁ might askpuccheyyuṁ:
of what kind‘kathaṁbhūtā, householdersgahapatayo, ascetics and brahminssamaṇabrāhmaṇā to be honoredsakkātabbā to be respectedgarukātabbā to be reveredmānetabbā to be veneratedpūjetabbā’ti?
thusEvaṁ askedpuṭṭhā youtumhe, householdersgahapatayo, to thosetesaṁ of other religionsaññatitthiyānaṁ wanderersparibbājakānaṁ thusevaṁ you should answerbyākareyyātha:
who‘ye thosete ascetics and brahminssamaṇabrāhmaṇā in sights known by the eyecakkhuviññeyyesu in formsrūpesu free of greedvītarāgā free of hatevītadosā free of delusionvītamohā, internallyajjhattaṁ with settled mindsvūpasantacittā, good conductsamacariyaṁ they conductcaranti by bodykāyena by speechvācāya by mindmanasā, suchevarūpā ascetics and brahminssamaṇabrāhmaṇā to be honoredsakkātabbā to be respectedgarukātabbā to be reveredmānetabbā to be veneratedpūjetabbā.
thatTaṁ of whatkissa reasonhetu?
we tooMayampi indeedhi in sights known by the eyecakkhuviññeyyesu in formsrūpesu not free of greedavītarāgā not free of hateavītadosā not free of delusionavītamohā, internallyajjhattaṁ with unsettled mindsavūpasantacittā, uneven conductsamavisamaṁ we conductcarāma by bodykāyena by speechvācāya by mindmanasā, of thosetesaṁ for usno even good conductsamacariyampi thishetaṁ higheruttari seeingpassataṁ.
thereforeTasmā thosete sirsbhonto ascetics and brahminssamaṇabrāhmaṇā to be honoredsakkātabbā to be respectedgarukātabbā to be reveredmānetabbā to be veneratedpūjetabbā.
whoYe thosete ascetics and brahminssamaṇabrāhmaṇā in sounds known by the earsotaviññeyyesu in soundssaddesu ……
in smells known by the noseghānaviññeyyesu in smellsgandhesu ……
in tastes known by the tonguejivhāviññeyyesu in tastesrasesu ……
in touches known by the bodykāyaviññeyyesu in touchesphoṭṭhabbesu ……

If wanderers of other religions were to ask you: ‘What kind of ascetic or brahmin deserves honor, respect, reverence, and veneration?’ You should answer them: ‘There are ascetics and brahmins who are free of greed, hate, and delusion for sights known by the eye, 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. There are ascetics and brahmins who are free of greed, hate, and delusion for sounds known by the ear … smells known by the nose … tastes known by the tongue … touches known by the body …

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