Kalama Sutta

(Anguttara Nikaya III, 65) 

The Instruction to the Kalamas
Translated from the Pali
by Soma Thera

            
  (The Kalamas of Kesaputta go to see the Buddha)
      
 1. I heard thus. Once the Blessed One, while wandering in the
 Kosala country with a large community of bhikkhus, entered a town
 of the Kalama people called Kesaputta. The Kalamas who were
 inhabitants of Kesaputta: "Reverend Gotama, the monk, the son of
 the Sakyans, has, while wandering in the Kosala country, entered
 Kesaputta. The good repute of the Reverend Gotama has been spread
 in this way: Indeed, the Blessed One is thus consummate, fully
 enlightened, endowed with knowledge and practice, sublime, knower
 of the worlds, peerless, guide of tamable men, teacher of divine
 and human beings, which he by himself has through direct knowledge
 understood clearly. He set forth the Dhamma, good in the
 beginning, good in the middle, good in the end, possessed of
 meaning and the letter, and complete in everything; and he
 proclaims the holy life that is perfectly pure. Seeing such
 consummate ones is good indeed."
   
 2. Then the Kalamas who were inhabitants of Kesaputta went to
 where the Blessed One was. On arriving there some paid homage to
 him and sat down on one side; some exchanged greetings with him
 and after the ending of cordial memorable talk, sat down on one
 side; some saluted him raising their joined palms and sat down on
 one side; some announced their name and family and sat down on one
 side; some without speaking, sat down on one side.
   
 (The Kalamas of Kesaputta ask for guidance from the Buddha)
      
 3. The Kalamas who were inhabitants of Kesaputta sitting on one
 side said to the Blessed One: "There are some monks and brahmins,
 venerable sir, who visit Kesaputta. They expound and explain only
 their own doctrines; the doctrines of others they despise, revile,
 and pull to pieces. Some other monks and brahmins too, venerable
 sir, come to Kesaputta. They also expound and explain only their
 own doctrines; the doctrines of others they despise, revile, and
 pull to pieces. Venerable sir, there is doubt, there is
 uncertainty in us concerning them. Which of these reverend monks
 and brahmins spoke the truth and which falsehood?"
   
 (The criterion for rejection)
      
 4. "It is proper for you, Kalamas, to doubt, to be uncertain;
 uncertainty has arisen in you about what is doubtful. Come,
 Kalamas. Do not go upon what has been acquired by repeated
 hearing; nor upon tradition; nor upon rumor; nor upon what is in a
 scripture; nor upon surmise; nor upon an axiom; nor upon specious
 reasoning; nor upon a bias towards a notion that has been pondered
 over; nor upon another's seeming ability; nor upon the
 consideration, 'The monk is our teacher.' Kalamas, when you
 yourselves know: 'These things are bad; these things are blamable;
 these things are censured by the wise; undertaken and observed,
 these things lead to harm and ill,' abandon them.
   
 (Greed, hate, and delusion)
      
 5. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does greed appear in a man for his
 benefit or harm?" -- "For his harm, venerable sir." -- "Kalamas,
 being given to greed, and being overwhelmed and vanquished
 mentally by greed, this man takes life, steals, commits adultery,
 and tells lies; he prompts another too, to do likewise. Will that
 be long for his harm and ill?" -- "Yes, venerable sir."
   
 6. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does hate appear in a man for his
 benefit or harm?" -- "For his harm, venerable sir." -- "Kalamas,
 being given to hate, and being overwhelmed and vanquished mentally
 by hate, this man takes life, steals, commits adultery, and tells
 lies; he prompts another too, to do likewise. Will that be long
 for his harm and ill?" -- "Yes, venerable sir."
   
 7. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does delusion appear in a man for
 his benefit or harm?" -- "For his harm, venerable sir." --
 "Kalamas, being given to delusion, and being overwhelmed and
 vanquished mentally by delusion, this man takes life, steals,
 commits adultery, and tells lies; he prompts another too, to do
 likewise. Will that be long for his harm and ill?" -- "Yes,
 venerable sir."
   
 8. "What do you think, Kalamas? Are these things good or bad?" --
 "Bad, venerable sir" -- "Blamable or not blamable?" -- "Blamable,
 venerable sir." -- "Censured or praised by the wise?" --
 "Censured, venerable sir." -- "Undertaken and observed, do these
 things lead to harm and ill, or not? Or how does it strike you?"
 -- "Undertaken and observed, these things lead to harm and ill.
 Thus it strikes us here."
   
 9. "Therefore, did we say, Kalamas, what was said thus, 'Come
 Kalamas. Do not go upon what has been acquired by repeated
 hearing; nor upon tradition; nor upon rumor; nor upon what is in a
 scripture; nor upon surmise; nor upon an axiom; nor upon specious
 reasoning; nor upon a bias towards a notion that has been pondered
 over; nor upon another's seeming ability; nor upon the
 consideration, "The monk is our teacher." Kalamas, when you
 yourselves know: "These things are bad; these things are blamable;
 these things are censured by the wise; undertaken and observed,
 these things lead to harm and ill," abandon them.'
   
 (The criterion for acceptance)
      
 10. "Come, Kalamas. Do not go upon what has been acquired by
 repeated hearing; nor upon tradition; nor upon rumor; nor upon
 what is in a scripture; nor upon surmise; nor upon an axiom; nor
 upon specious reasoning; nor upon a bias towards a notion that has
 been pondered over; nor upon another's seeming ability; nor upon
 the consideration, 'The monk is our teacher.' Kalamas, when you
 yourselves know: 'These things are good; these things are not
 blamable; these things are praised by the wise; undertaken and
 observed, these things lead to benefit and happiness,' enter on
 and abide in them.
   
 (Absence of greed, hate, and delusion)
      
 11. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does absence of greed appear in a
 man for his benefit or harm?" -- "For his benefit, venerable sir."
 -- "Kalamas, being not given to greed, and being not overwhelmed
 and not vanquished mentally by greed, this man does not take life,
 does not steal, does not commit adultery, and does not tell lies;
 he prompts another too, to do likewise. Will that be long for his
 benefit and happiness?" -- "Yes, venerable sir."
   
 12. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does absence of hate appear in a
 man for his benefit or harm?" -- "For his benefit, venerable sir."
 -- "Kalamas, being not given to hate, and being not overwhelmed
 and not vanquished mentally by hate, this man does not take life,
 does not steal, does not commit adultery, and does not tell lies;
 he prompts another too, to do likewise. Will that be long for his
 benefit and happiness?" -- "Yes, venerable sir."
   
 13. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does absence of delusion appear
 in a man for his benefit or harm?" -- "For his benefit, venerable
 sir." -- "Kalamas, being not given to delusion, and being not
 overwhelmed and not vanquished mentally by delusion, this man does
 not take life, does not steal, does not commit adultery, and does
 not tell lies; he prompts another too, to do likewise. Will that
 be long for his benefit and happiness?" -- "Yes, venerable sir."
   
 14. "What do you think, Kalamas? Are these things good or bad?" --
 "Good, venerable sir." -- "Blamable or not blamable?" -- "Not
 blamable, venerable sir." -- "Censured or praised by the wise?" --
 "Praised, venerable sir." -- "Undertaken and observed, do these
 things lead to benefit and happiness, or not? Or how does it
 strike you?" -- "Undertaken and observed, these things lead to
 benefit and happiness. Thus it strikes us here."
   
 15. "Therefore, did we say, Kalamas, what was said thus, 'Come
 Kalamas. Do not go upon what has been acquired by repeated
 hearing; nor upon tradition; nor upon rumor; nor upon what is in a
 scripture; nor upon surmise; nor upon an axiom; nor upon specious
 reasoning; nor upon a bias towards a notion that has been pondered
 over; nor upon another's seeming ability; nor upon the
 consideration, "The monk is our teacher." Kalamas, when you
 yourselves know: "These things are good; these things are not
 blamable; these things are praised by the wise; undertaken and
 observed, these things lead to benefit and happiness," enter on
 and abide in them.'
   
 (The Four Exalted Dwellings)
      
 16. "The disciple of the Noble Ones, Kalamas, who in this way is
 devoid of coveting, devoid of ill will, undeluded, clearly
 comprehending and mindful, dwells, having pervaded, with the
 thought of amity, one quarter; likewise the second; likewise the
 third; likewise the fourth; so above, below, and across; he
 dwells, having pervaded because of the existence in it of all
 living beings, everywhere, the entire world, with the great,
 exalted, boundless thought of amity that is free of hate or
 malice.
   
 "He lives, having pervaded, with the thought of compassion, one
 quarter; likewise the second; likewise the third; likewise the
 fourth; so above, below, and across; he dwells, having pervaded
 because of the existence in it of all living beings, everywhere,
 the entire world, with the great, exalted, boundless thought of
 compassion that is free of hate or malice.
   
 "He lives, having pervaded, with the thought of gladness, one
 quarter; likewise the second; likewise the third; likewise the
 fourth; so above, below, and across; he dwells, having pervaded
 because of the existence in it of all living beings, everywhere,
 the entire world, with the great, exalted, boundless thought of
 gladness that is free of hate or malice.
   
 "He lives, having pervaded, with the thought of equanimity, one
 quarter; likewise the second; likewise the third; likewise the
 fourth; so above, below, and across; he dwells, having pervaded
 because of the existence in it of all living beings, everywhere,
 the entire world, with the great, exalted, boundless thought of
 equanimity that is free of hate or malice.
   
 (The Four Solaces)
      
 17. "The disciple of the Noble Ones, Kalamas, who has such a
 hate-free mind, such a malice-free mind, such an undefiled mind,
 and such a purified mind, is one by whom four solaces are found
 here and now.
   
 "'Suppose there is a hereafter and there is a fruit, result, of
 deeds done well or ill. Then it is possible that at the
 dissolution of the body after death, I shall arise in the heavenly
 world, which is possessed of the state of bliss.' This is the
 first solace found by him.
   
 "'Suppose there is no hereafter and there is no fruit, no result,
 of deeds done well or ill. Yet in this world, here and now, free
 from hatred, free from malice, safe and sound, and happy, I keep
 myself.' This is the second solace found by him.
   
 "'Suppose evil (results) befall an evil-doer. I, however, think of
 doing evil to no one. Then, how can ill (results) affect me who do
 no evil deed?' This is the third solace found by him.
   
 "'Suppose evil (results) do not befall an evil-doer. Then I see
 myself purified in any case.' This is the fourth solace found by
 him.
   
 "The disciple of the Noble Ones, Kalamas, who has such a hate-free
 mind, such a malice-free mind, such an undefiled mind, and such a
 purified mind, is one by whom, here and now, these four solaces
 are found."
   
 "So it is, Blessed One. So it is, Sublime one. The disciple of the
 Noble Ones, venerable sir, who has such a hate-free mind, such a
 malice-free mind, such an undefiled mind, and such a purified
 mind, is one by whom, here and now, four solaces are found.
   
 "'Suppose there is a hereafter and there is a fruit, result, of
 deeds done well or ill. Then it is possible that at the
 dissolution of the body after death, I shall arise in the heavenly
 world, which is possessed of the state of bliss.' This is the
 first solace found by him.
   
 "'Suppose there is no hereafter and there is no fruit, no result,
 of deeds done well or ill. Yet in this world, here and now, free
 from hatred, free from malice, safe and sound, and happy, I keep
 myself.' This is the second solace found by him.
   
 "'Suppose evil (results) befall an evil-doer. I, however, think of
 doing evil to no one. Then, how can ill (results) affect me who do
 no evil deed?' This is the third solace found by him.
   
 "'Suppose evil (results) do not befall an evil-doer. Then I see
 myself purified in any case.' This is the fourth solace found by
 him.
   
 "The disciple of the Noble Ones, venerable sir, who has such a
 hate-free mind, such a malice-free mind, such an undefiled mind,
 and such a purified mind, is one by whom, here and now, these four
 solaces are found.
   
 "Marvelous, venerable sir! Marvelous, venerable sir! As if,
 venerable sir, a person were to turn face upwards what is upside
 down, or to uncover the concealed, or to point the way to one who
 is lost or to carry a lamp in the darkness, thinking, 'Those who
 have eyes will see visible objects,' so has the Dhamma been set
 forth in many ways by the Blessed One. We, venerable sir, go to
 the Blessed One for refuge, to the Dhamma for refuge, and to the
 Community of Bhikkhus for refuge. Venerable sir, may the Blessed
 One regard us as lay followers who have gone for refuge for life,
 from today."
   
   
Note: Bhikkhu Bodhi's essay,
"A Look at the Kalama Sutta", offers some important insights into this sutta, clarifying some points that have recently become muddled in various contemporary teachings. Revised: Fri 19 February 1999 , Access-to-Insight http://world.std.com/~metta/canon/anguttara/an3-65b.html