I heard thus. Once the Blessed One, while
wandering in the Kosala country with a large community of bhikkhus, entered a
town of the Káláma people called Kesaputta.
TheKálámas who were inhabitants of
Kesaputta:
“Venerable Gotama, the monk, the son of the Sakyans, has, while
wandering in the Kosala country, entered Kesaputta. The good repute of the Venerable Gotama has been spread in
this way: Indeed, the Exalted 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.”
Then the Kálámas who were inhabitants of
Kesaputta went to where the Exalted 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 Kálámas who were inhabitants of
Kesaputta sitting on one side said to the Blessed One:
“There are some monks and brahmans,
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 brahmans 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 and
uncertainty in us concerning them. Which of these reverend monks and brahmans
spoke the truth and which falsehood?”
“It is proper for you, Kálámas, to doubt, to
be uncertain; uncertainty has arisen in you about what is doubtful. Come,
Kálámas. 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.’ Kálámas, 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.”
“Come, Kálámas. 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.’ Kálámas, 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.”