Sāleyyakasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 41

The People of Sālā · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

Parallels & more translations on SuttaCentral

Glosses: Fluent · Literal · Off
Translation: Hide · Show

Tap any word for its dictionary entry.

harsh·speechPharusavāco indeedkho furthermorepana ishoti. whateverYā thatsā speechvācā cruelaṇḍakā nastykakkasā other·hurtfulparakaṭukā offensiveparābhisajjanī anger·borderingkodhasāmantā not·immersion·leading toasamādhisaṁvattanikā, such·kindtathārūpiṁ speechvācaṁ one who speaksbhāsitā ishoti.
one who talks nonsenseSamphappalāpī indeedkho furthermorepana ishoti. not·time·speakerAkālavādī not·factual·speakerabhūtavādī not·beneficial·speakeranatthavādī not·teaching·speakeradhammavādī not·training·speakeravinayavādī. not·value·havingAnidhānavatiṁ speechvācaṁ one who speaksbhāsitā ishoti not·timeakālena not·reasonanapadesaṁ not·limit·havingapariyantavatiṁ not·point·connected withanatthasaṁhitaṁ.
thusEvaṁ indeedkho, householdersgahapatayo, four·foldcatubbidhaṁ by way of speechvācāya not·principle·conduct·immoral·conductadhammacariyāvisamacariyā ishoti.

They speak harshly. They use the kinds of words that are cruel, nasty, hurtful, offensive, bordering on anger, not leading to immersion. They talk nonsense. Their speech is untimely, and is neither factual nor beneficial. It has nothing to do with the teaching or the training. Their words have no value, and are untimely, unreasonable, rambling, and pointless. This is how unprincipled and immoral conduct is fourfold by way of speech.

how + andKathañca, householdersgahapatayo, threefoldtividhaṁ by mindmanasā unprincipled and immoral conductadhammacariyāvisamacariyā ishoti?
hereIdha, householdersgahapatayo, someoneekacco covetousabhijjhālu ishoti, whichyaṁ thattaṁ of anotherparassa other·wealth·belongingparavittūpakaraṇaṁ thattaṁ covetsabhijjhātā ishoti: oh‘aho indeedvata whatyaṁ belongs to anotherparassa thattaṁ mine weremamassā’ti.
malevolent·mindByāpannacitto indeedkho andpana ishoti of corrupt mental intentionpaduṭṭhamanasaṅkappo: these‘ime sentient beingssattā may be killedhaññantu orvā may be slaughteredvajjhantu orvā may be slainucchijjantu orvā may be destroyedvinassantu orvā notmā orvā may beahesun’ti.
wrong·viewMicchādiṭṭhiko indeedkho andpana ishoti with distorted perspectiveviparītadassano:
there is not‘natthi givingdinnaṁ not·isnatthi sacrificeyiṭṭhaṁ not·isnatthi offeringhutaṁ, not·isnatthi good deed·bad deedsukatadukkaṭānaṁ of deedskammānaṁ fruitphalaṁ resultvipāko, not·isnatthi thisayaṁ worldloko not·isnatthi otherparo worldloko, not·isnatthi mothermātā not·isnatthi fatherpitā, not·isnatthi beingssattā spontaneously rebornopapātikā, not·isnatthi in the worldloke ascetic·brahminsamaṇabrāhmaṇā rightly comportedsammaggatā rightly·practicedsammāpaṭipannā whoye this + andimañca worldlokaṁ other + andparañca worldlokaṁ themselvessayaṁ higher·knowledgeabhiññā directly·donesacchikatvā proclaimpavedentī’ti.
thusEvaṁ indeedkho, householdersgahapatayo, threefoldtividhaṁ by mindmanasā unprincipled and immoral conductadhammacariyāvisamacariyā ishoti.

And how is unprincipled and immoral conduct threefold by way of mind? It’s when someone is covetous. They covet the wealth and belongings of others: ‘Oh, if only their belongings were mine!’ They have ill will and malicious intentions: ‘May these sentient beings be killed, slaughtered, slain, destroyed, or annihilated!’ They have wrong view. Their perspective is distorted: ‘There’s no meaning in giving, sacrifice, or offerings. There’s no fruit or result of good and bad deeds. There’s no afterlife. There’s no such thing as mother and father, or beings that are reborn spontaneously. And there’s no ascetic or brahmin who is rightly comported and rightly practiced, and who describes the afterlife after realizing it with their own insight.’ This is how unprincipled and immoral conduct is threefold by way of mind.

thusEvaṁ because of unprincipled and immoral conductadhammacariyāvisamacariyāhetu indeedkho, householdersgahapatayo, thus here someevam’idhekacce sentient beingssattā of the bodykāyassa from breaking upbhedā afterparaṁ from deathmaraṇā to a place of lossapāyaṁ to a bad placeduggatiṁ to the underworldvinipātaṁ to hellnirayaṁ are rebornupapajjanti.

That’s how unprincipled and immoral conduct is the reason why some sentient beings, when their body breaks up, after death, are reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.

threefoldTividhaṁ indeedkho, householdersgahapatayo, by way of bodykāyena principled·conduct·moral·conductdhammacariyāsamacariyā ishoti, four·kindcatubbidhaṁ by way of speechvācāya principled·conduct·moral·conductdhammacariyāsamacariyā ishoti, three·kindtividhaṁ by way of mindmanasā principled·conduct·moral·conductdhammacariyāsamacariyā ishoti.

Householders, principled and moral conduct is threefold by way of body, fourfold by way of speech, and threefold by way of mind.

how + andKathañca, householdersgahapatayo, three·foldtividhaṁ by way of bodykāyena principle·conduct + moral·conductdhammacariyāsamacariyā ishoti?
hereIdha, householdersgahapatayo, someoneekacco killing living creaturespāṇātipātaṁ having given uppahāya from killing living creaturespāṇātipātā against·refrainingpaṭivirato ishoti, renounced·rodnihitadaṇḍo renounced·swordnihitasattho scrupulouslajjī kindness + endowed withdayāpanno full of sympathy for all living beingssabbapāṇabhūtahitānukampī livesviharati.
stealingAdinnādānaṁ having given uppahāya from stealingadinnādānā against·refrainingpaṭivirato ishoti. whichYaṁ thattaṁ of anotherparassa wealth or belongings of othersparavittūpakaraṇaṁ, village + gonegāmagataṁ orvā wilderness + gonearaññagataṁ orvā, thattaṁ not givennādinnaṁ theft + reckonedtheyyasaṅkhātaṁ takerādātā ishoti.
sensual + wrong + conductKāmesumicchācāraṁ having given uppahāya sensual + wrong + conductkāmesumicchācārā against·refrainingpaṭivirato ishoti. those women whoYā thosetā mother + protectedmāturakkhitā father + protectedpiturakkhitā mother + father + protectedmātāpiturakkhitā brother + protectedbhāturakkhitā sister + protectedbhaginirakkhitā relative + protectedñātirakkhitā clan + protectedgottarakkhitā principle + protecteddhammarakkhitā having a husbandsassāmikā with + legal penaltysaparidaṇḍā evenantamaso garlanded as a token of betrothalmālāguḷaparikkhittāpi, such + kindtathārūpāsu notna sexual relationscārittaṁ undertakerāpajjitā ishoti.
thusEvaṁ indeedkho, householdersgahapatayo, three·foldtividhaṁ by way of bodykāyena principle·conduct + moral·conductdhammacariyāsamacariyā ishoti.

And how is principled and moral conduct threefold by way of body? It’s when someone gives up killing living creatures, renouncing the rod and the sword. They’re scrupulous and kind, living full of sympathy for all living beings. They give up stealing. They don’t, with the intention to commit theft, take the wealth or belongings of others from village or wilderness. They give up sexual misconduct. They don’t have relations with women who have their mother, father, both mother and father, brother, sister, relatives, or clan as guardian. They don’t have relations with a woman who is protected on principle, or who has a husband, or whose violation is punishable by law, or even one who has been garlanded as a token of betrothal. This is how principled and moral conduct is threefold by way of body.

and howKathañca, householdersgahapatayo, fourfoldcatubbidhaṁ by speechvācāya principled and moral conductdhammacariyāsamacariyā ishoti?
hereIdha, householdersgahapatayo, someoneekacco lyingmusāvādaṁ having given uppahāya from lyingmusāvādā restrainedpaṭivirato ishoti. to a councilSabhāgato orvā to an assemblyparisāgato orvā, to a family meetingñātimajjhagato orvā to a guildpūgamajjhagato orvā to the royal courtrājakulamajjhagato orvā, summonedabhinīto asked as a witnesssakkhipuṭṭho: please, my friend‘ehambho manpurisa, whatyaṁ you knowjānāsi thattaṁ sayvadehī’ti, heso not knowingajānaṁ orvā saysāha: not‘na I knowjānāmī’ti, knowingjānaṁ orvā saysāha: I know‘jānāmī’ti, not seeingapassaṁ orvā saysāha: not‘na I seepassāmī’ti, seeingpassaṁ orvā saysāha: I see‘passāmī’ti. soIti for one's own sakeattahetu orvā for another's sakeparahetu orvā for some trivial worldly reasonāmisakiñcikkhahetu orvā notna deliberately lyingsampajānamusā speakerbhāsitā ishoti.
backbitingPisuṇaṁ speechvācaṁ having given uppahāya from backbitingpisuṇāya speechvācāya restrainedpaṭivirato ishoti, from hereito having heardsutvā notna thereamutra a repeaterakkhātā of theseimesaṁ for dividingbhedāya, thereamutra orvā having heardsutvā notna of theseimesaṁ a repeaterakkhātā of thoseamūsaṁ for dividingbhedāya. soIti of the dividedbhinnānaṁ orvā a reconcilersandhātā, of the unitedsahitānaṁ orvā a supporteranuppadātā, delighting in harmonysamaggārāmo loving harmonysamaggarato enjoying harmonysamagganandī promoting harmonysamaggakaraṇiṁ speechvācaṁ speakerbhāsitā ishoti.

And how is principled and moral conduct fourfold by way of speech? It’s when someone gives up lying. They’re summoned to a council, an assembly, a family meeting, a guild, or to the royal court, and asked to bear witness: ‘Please, my friend, say what you know.’ Not knowing, they say ‘I don’t know.’ Knowing, they say ‘I know.’ Not seeing, they say ‘I don’t see.’ And seeing, they say ‘I see.’ So they don’t deliberately lie for the sake of themselves or another, or for some trivial worldly reason. They give up backbiting. They don’t repeat in one place what they heard in another so as to divide people against each other. Instead, they reconcile those who are divided and support those who are united, delighting in harmony, loving harmony, speaking words that promote harmony.

harshPharusaṁ speechvācaṁ forth·leavepahāya harshpharusāya speechvācāya against·restrainpaṭivirato ishoti. whicheverYā thatsā speechvācā mellownelā ear·pleasantkaṇṇasukhā endearingpemanīyā heart·gohadayaṅgamā politeporī people·likablebahujanakantā people·agreeable + of such kindbahujanamanāpā—tathārūpiṁ speechvācaṁ speaksbhāsitā ishoti.
talking nonsenseSamphappalāpaṁ forth·leavepahāya nonsense·talksamphappalāpā against·restrainpaṭivirato ishoti. time·speakerKālavādī true·speakerbhūtavādī meaning·speakeratthavādī dhamma·speakerdhammavādī training·speakervinayavādī valuablenidhānavatiṁ speechvācaṁ speaksbhāsitā ishoti at the right timekālena with good reasonsāpadesaṁ succinctpariyantavatiṁ benefit·connectedatthasaṁhitaṁ.
thusEvaṁ indeed,kho, householders,gahapatayo, four·kindcatubbidhaṁ by way of speechvācāya dhamma·conduct·moral·conductdhammacariyāsamacariyā ishoti.

They give up harsh speech. They speak in a way that’s mellow, pleasing to the ear, endearing, going to the heart, polite, likable, and agreeable to the people. They give up talking nonsense. Their words are timely, true, and meaningful, in line with the teaching and training. They say things at the right time which are valuable, reasonable, succinct, and beneficial. This is how principled and moral conduct is fourfold by way of speech.

and howKathañca, householdersgahapatayo, threefoldtividhaṁ by mindmanasā principled conduct + moral conductdhammacariyāsamacariyā ishoti?
hereIdha, householdersgahapatayo, someoneekacco not·covetousanabhijjhālu ishoti, whichyaṁ thattaṁ of anotherparassa the wealth and belongings of othersparavittūpakaraṇaṁ thattaṁ not·covetousnābhijjhātā ishoti: oh‘aho if onlyvata whichyaṁ of anotherparassa thattaṁ were minemamassā’ti.
kind·heartAbyāpannacitto indeedkho thenpana ishoti loving intentionsappaduṭṭhamanasaṅkappo: these‘ime sentient beingssattā free of enmityaverā free of ill willabyābajjhā untroubledanīghā happysukhī themselvesattānaṁ may they livepariharantū’ti.
right·viewSammādiṭṭhiko indeedkho thenpana ishoti with undistorted perspectiveaviparītadassano:
there is‘atthi givingdinnaṁ there isatthi sacrificeyiṭṭhaṁ there isatthi offeringhutaṁ, there areatthi good deeds·bad deedssukatadukkaṭānaṁ of deedskammānaṁ fruitphalaṁ resultvipāko, there isatthi thisayaṁ worldloko there isatthi otherparo worldloko, there isatthi mothermātā there isatthi fatherpitā, there areatthi beingssattā reborn spontaneouslyopapātikā, there areatthi in the worldloke ascetic·brahminsamaṇabrāhmaṇā rightly comportedsammaggatā rightly·practicedsammāpaṭipannā whoye thisimañca worldlokaṁ and the otherparañca worldlokaṁ with their own insightsayaṁ direct knowledgeabhiññā having realizedsacchikatvā describepavedentī’ti.
thusEvaṁ indeedkho, householdersgahapatayo, threefoldtividhaṁ by mindmanasā principled and moral conductdhammacariyāsamacariyā ishoti.

And how is principled and moral conduct threefold by way of mind? It’s when someone is not covetous. They don’t covet the wealth and belongings of others: ‘Oh, if only their belongings were mine!’ They have a kind heart and loving intentions: ‘May these sentient beings live free of enmity and ill will, untroubled and happy!’ They have right view, an undistorted perspective: ‘There is meaning in giving, sacrifice, and offerings. There are fruits and results of good and bad deeds. There is an afterlife. There are such things as mother and father, and beings that are reborn spontaneously. And there are ascetics and brahmins who are rightly comported and rightly practiced, and who describe the afterlife after realizing it with their own insight.’ This is how principled and moral conduct is threefold by way of mind.

Lite mode — plain HTML for e-readers and old browsers. Full version