Aṅguttara Nikāya
Catukka Nipāta
XIX: Yodhajīva Vagga
The Book of the Gradual Sayings
The Book of the Fours
Chapter XIX: Fighting Man
Sutta 183
Vassakāra (aka Suta) Suttaɱ
Hearsay
Translated from the Pali by F. L. Woodward, M.A.
Copyright The Pali Text Society
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On a certain occasion the Exalted One was staying near Rājagaha, in Bamboo Grove at the Squirrels' Feeding-ground.
Then the brahmin Vassakāra,[1] a great official of Magadha, came to visit the Exalted One.
On coming to him he greeted him courteously
and sat down at one side.
So seated, the brahmin Vassakāra,
a great official of Magadha,
said this to the Exalted One:
'For my part, master Gotama,
I say this,
I hold this view:
If any man speaks of what he has seen,
there is no harm in his saying:
"Thus I saw."
If any man speaks of what he has heard,
there is no harm in his saying:
"Thus I heard."
If any man speaks of what he has sensed,
of what he has understood, saying:
"Thus I sensed,
thus I understood,"
there is no harm resulting from that.'
§
'I, for my part, brahmin,
do not say that all that one has [180] seen
should be spoken of.
Yet do I not say, brahmin,
that all that one has seen
should not be spoken of.
■
'I, for my part, brahmin,
do not say that all that one has heard
should be spoken of.
Yet do I not say, brahmin,
that all that one has heard
should not be spoken of.
■
'I, for my part, brahmin,
do not say that all that one has sensed,
what has been understood
should be spoken of.
Yet do I not say, brahmin,
that all that one has sensed,
what has been understood
should not be spoken of.
§
Now, brahmin, in so far as to him
who speaks what he has seen
unprofitable states wax
and profitable states wane,
I say that such a thing if seen
should not be spoken of.
But brahmin, in so far as to him
who speaks what he has seen
unprofitable states wane
and profitable states wax,
in one who speaks thereof
I say that such things should be spoken of.
■
In so far as to him
who speaks what he has heard,
unprofitable states wax
and profitable states wane,
I say that such a thing if seen
should not be spoken of.
But brahmin, in so far as to him
who speaks what he has heard
unprofitable states wane
and profitable states wax,
in one who speaks thereof
I say that such things should be spoken of.
■
In so far as to him
who speaks what he has sensed,
what has been understood
unprofitable states wax
and profitable states wane,
I say that such a thing if seen
should not be spoken of.
But brahmin, in so far as to him
who speaks what he has sensed,
what has been understood
unprofitable states wane
and profitable states wax,
in one who speaks thereof
I say that such things should be spoken of.
■
Thereupon the brahmin Vassakāra,
the great official of Magadha,
welcomed what was said by the Exalted One,
and returning thanks
he rose from his seat and went away.
