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buddhavacana

Advice (`ovādasutta`)

· 18 min read

This is a timeless and relevant sutta for those that engage in frequent debate (online, or in academic journals) with each other on various aspects of Buddhism ...

12S2/5.1.6 Ovādasutta

This is a timeless and relevant sutta for those that engage in frequent debate (online, or in academic journals) with each other on various aspects of Buddhism …

933. [The Bhagavā] was dwelling at Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove.

Then āyasmā Mahākassapa approached the Bhagavā. Having approached, he bowed to the Bhagavā and sat down to one side. The Bhagavā said this to āyasmā Mahākassapa seated to one side:

“Kassapa, admonish the bhikkhū; Kassapa, give the bhikkhū a discourse on the Dhamma. Either I, Kassapa, would admonish the bhikkhū, or you would; either I would give the bhikkhū a discourse on the Dhamma, or you would.”

934. “Indeed, Bhante, nowadays the bhikkhū are difficult to admonish, they are endowed with qualities that make them difficult to admonish, they are impatient, and they do not take instruction in the right way. Here, Bhante, I saw a bhikkhu named Bhaṇḍa, a pupil of Ānanda, and a bhikkhu named Abhijika, a pupil of Anuruddha, out-talking each other about what they had heard, saying:

‘Come, bhikkhu, who will speak more, who will speak more eloquently, who will speak longer?’”

935. Then the Bhagavā addressed a certain bhikkhu:

“Come, bhikkhu, in my name, summon the bhikkhu Bhaṇḍa, a pupil of Ānanda, and the bhikkhu Abhijika, a pupil of Anuruddha, saying: ‘The Teacher summons the āyasmanto.’”

“Yes, Bhante,”

that bhikkhu replied to the Bhagavā, and he approached those bhikkhū. Having approached, he said this to those bhikkhū:

“The Teacher summons the āyasmanto.”

936. “Yes, friend,”

those bhikkhū replied to that bhikkhu, and they approached the Bhagavā. Having approached, they bowed to the Bhagavā and sat down to one side. The Bhagavā said this to those bhikkhū seated to one side:

“Is it really true, Bhikkhave, that you out-talk each other about what you have heard, saying:

‘Come, bhikkhu, who will speak more, who will speak more eloquently, who will speak longer?’”

“Yes, Bhante.”

“Have you, Bhikkhave, understood the Dhamma taught by me in this way —

‘Come, Bhikkhave, out-talk each other about what you have heard, saying: Come, bhikkhu, who will speak more, who will speak more eloquently, who will speak longer?’”

“Of course not, Bhante.”

“If indeed you, Bhikkhave, have not understood the Dhamma taught by me in this way, then for what reason, you foolish men, knowing what, seeing what, having gone forth in such a well-proclaimed Dhamma and Discipline, do you out-talk each other about what you have heard, saying:

‘Come, bhikkhu, who will speak more, who will speak more eloquently, who will speak longer?’”

937. Then those bhikkhū fell with their heads at the Bhagavā’s feet and said this to the Bhagavā:

“Bhante, an offence has overtaken us, as if we were foolish, deluded, and unskilful, we who, having gone forth in such a well-proclaimed Dhamma and Discipline, out-talked each other about what we had heard, saying:

‘Come, bhikkhu, who will speak more, who will speak more eloquently, who will speak longer.’

Bhante, may the Bhagavā accept our offence as an offence for future restraint.”

938. “Indeed, Bhikkhave, an offence has overtaken you, as if you were foolish, deluded, and unskilful, you who, having gone forth in such a well-proclaimed Dhamma and Discipline, out-talked each other about what you had heard, saying:

‘Come, bhikkhu, who will speak more, who will speak more eloquently, who will speak longer.’

And since indeed you, Bhikkhave, seeing the offence as an offence, rectify it in accordance with the Dhamma, we accept that from you. For this is growth in the Discipline of the Liberated One, Bhikkhave: when one sees an offence as an offence, rectifies it in accordance with the Dhamma, and undertakes future restraint.”

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