Where is the Mind heading? Towards Friendship and Health?
Towards Wonder and Delight?
Towards Wonder and Delight?
The Buddhist Charter of Free Enquiry.
What Religious Instructions Should We Follow?
Table of Contents.
F 1. What Religious Instructions Should We Follow?
F 2. The Kālāma Sutta, AN 3. 65 or 3. 66
Discussion of Kālāmā Sutta.
F 3. The Questionable.
F 2. The Kālāma Sutta, AN 3. 65 or 3. 66
Discussion of Kālāmā Sutta.
F 3. The Questionable.
F 1. What Religious Instructions Should We Follow?
There was a beautiful hand written sign summarising this Charter of Free Enquiry, at the entrance of the Dhamma hall at Wat Buddha Dhamma, in the Dharug National Park north-west of Sydney, in the mid 1980’s.
It is also called the Kālāma Sutta : Anguttara Nikaya 3. 65, or the Kesamutti Sutta, AN 3. 66.
I adapted and selected from the version at –
https://www.buddha-vacana.org/sutta/anguttara/03/an03-066.html This has word-for-word translation of the Pali. The Sutta begins thus –
F 2. The Kālāma Sutta, AN 3. 65 or 3. 66
It has been said that the historical Buddha gave this discourse (Sutta) to the Kalama people in their town of Kesamutta.
They said that other religious preachers support their own doctrines and reject those of others. What is Buddha’s position on this? Buddha replies thus -
Well, should we follow (eti) religious instructions because of -
Or should we investigate the consequences of thought, speech and action (dhammā) motivated by defilements, and free from the defilements?
When we know (jānāti) for ourselves (attanā) : "Such thought, speech and action are unwholesome, blameworthy, and condemned or censured by the wise, and when accepted and practised lead to poverty and harm and suffering," then we can abandon and let go of them (pajahati).
When we know (jānāti) for ourselves (attanā) : "Such thought, speech and action are wholesome, blameless, praised by the wise; and when adopted and carried out they lead to well-being, prosperity and happiness," then we can accept and practise them (viharati = dwell within).
When we are being a Noble Disciple (ariya sāvaka), then we can be free of defilements; we can be alert and resolute, we can have clear comprehension (sampajāna) and attentiveness (sata). And we can be radiant (pharati) with good will (mettā), compassion (karuṇā), appreciation (muditā) and equanimity (upekkhā) for all aspects of our mind (sabba-dhī) and all aspects of ourselves (sabba-attatāya), and for everyone else in our world (sabba-avantaṃ loke), in all four directions, and to those above and below us, with expansive abundance.
Then we may have assurance (assāsa) of a good future, in this existence (loke) or the next. Certainly we will intend no evil (na pāpa), whether evil occurs or not.
The audience praised this Sutta.
Discussion of Kālāmā Sutta.
F 3. The Questionable.
I have translated the questionable as : “scriptures, authority, general agreement and what we have read or heard”, or “agreement to our own belief system”. But the Sutta uses more indirect language that is more universal. These are the literal meanings -
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Discussion will come soon on how mettā, karuṇā, muditā, upekkhā, sam-pajāna interact together to improve relationships. sam-pajāna = perfection (sam) of our knowing (jānāti) with wisdom (pañña).
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There was a beautiful hand written sign summarising this Charter of Free Enquiry, at the entrance of the Dhamma hall at Wat Buddha Dhamma, in the Dharug National Park north-west of Sydney, in the mid 1980’s.
It is also called the Kālāma Sutta : Anguttara Nikaya 3. 65, or the Kesamutti Sutta, AN 3. 66.
I adapted and selected from the version at –
https://www.buddha-vacana.org/sutta/anguttara/03/an03-066.html This has word-for-word translation of the Pali. The Sutta begins thus –
F 2. The Kālāma Sutta, AN 3. 65 or 3. 66
It has been said that the historical Buddha gave this discourse (Sutta) to the Kalama people in their town of Kesamutta.
They said that other religious preachers support their own doctrines and reject those of others. What is Buddha’s position on this? Buddha replies thus -
Well, should we follow (eti) religious instructions because of -
- scriptures, authority, general agreement, or what we’ve read and heard?
- agreement to our own belief system?
- logic, or inference?
- considering appearances, or what is possible?
- the persuasive-ness of the Teacher?
Or should we investigate the consequences of thought, speech and action (dhammā) motivated by defilements, and free from the defilements?
When we know (jānāti) for ourselves (attanā) : "Such thought, speech and action are unwholesome, blameworthy, and condemned or censured by the wise, and when accepted and practised lead to poverty and harm and suffering," then we can abandon and let go of them (pajahati).
When we know (jānāti) for ourselves (attanā) : "Such thought, speech and action are wholesome, blameless, praised by the wise; and when adopted and carried out they lead to well-being, prosperity and happiness," then we can accept and practise them (viharati = dwell within).
When we are being a Noble Disciple (ariya sāvaka), then we can be free of defilements; we can be alert and resolute, we can have clear comprehension (sampajāna) and attentiveness (sata). And we can be radiant (pharati) with good will (mettā), compassion (karuṇā), appreciation (muditā) and equanimity (upekkhā) for all aspects of our mind (sabba-dhī) and all aspects of ourselves (sabba-attatāya), and for everyone else in our world (sabba-avantaṃ loke), in all four directions, and to those above and below us, with expansive abundance.
Then we may have assurance (assāsa) of a good future, in this existence (loke) or the next. Certainly we will intend no evil (na pāpa), whether evil occurs or not.
The audience praised this Sutta.
Discussion of Kālāmā Sutta.
F 3. The Questionable.
I have translated the questionable as : “scriptures, authority, general agreement and what we have read or heard”, or “agreement to our own belief system”. But the Sutta uses more indirect language that is more universal. These are the literal meanings -
- anussavena = what is learned or heard. This suggests what we have read and heard.
- param·parāya = further-further. This suggests what furthers our own views, what agrees to our belief system.
- iti·kirāya = what is emphasised or presumed. This suggests the authority of the speaker or writer. Or what is generally agreed.
- piṭaka·sampadānena = a collection or basket of texts, that is handed on or bestowed to successive generations. This suggests religious scriptures.
*******************
Discussion will come soon on how mettā, karuṇā, muditā, upekkhā, sam-pajāna interact together to improve relationships. sam-pajāna = perfection (sam) of our knowing (jānāti) with wisdom (pañña).
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