Sakkacca Sutta

The Buddha's words

Tipitaka_Pali_Reader

Then, while Venerable Sāriputta was in seclusion, this thought arose in his mind: “By revering, honoring, and relying on whom would a bhikkhu abandon unwholesome states and develop wholesome states?” Then it occurred to Venerable Sāriputta: “By revering, honoring, and relying on the Teacher would a bhikkhu abandon unwholesome states and develop wholesome states. “A bhikkhu, relying on the Dhamma (…), on the Saṅgha (…), on the training (…), on concentration (…), on diligence (…), on hospitality, treating them with respect and reverence, should abandon unwholesome states and develop wholesome states.”

Then it occurred to Venerable Sāriputta: “These teachings of mine are pure and clear. What if I were to go and report these teachings to the Blessed One? Thus, these teachings of mine will become pure and even more surely reckoned as pure. Just as a man might acquire a gold coin, pure and clear. It would occur to him: ‘This gold coin of mine is pure and clear. What if I were to go and show this gold coin to the goldsmiths? Thus, this gold coin of mine, having been shown to the goldsmiths, will become pure and even more surely reckoned as pure.’ In the same way, these teachings of mine are pure and clear. What if I were to go and report these teachings to the Blessed One? Thus, these teachings of mine will become pure and even more surely reckoned as pure.”

Then, in the evening, Venerable Sāriputta, having emerged from seclusion, approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, he sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, Venerable Sāriputta said to the Blessed One:

“Here, Bhante, while I was in seclusion, a thought arose in my mind thus: ‘What is it, indeed, that a bhikkhu, treating with respect and reverence, relying on, should abandon unwholesome states and develop wholesome states?’

Then, Bhante, it occurred to me: ‘A bhikkhu, relying on the Teacher, treating him with respect and reverence, should abandon unwholesome states and develop wholesome states. A bhikkhu, relying on the Dhamma (…), on hospitality, treating it with respect (…), should develop wholesome states.’ Then, Bhante, it occurred to me: ‘These teachings of mine are pure and clear. What if I were to go and report these teachings to the Blessed One? Thus, these teachings of mine will become pure and even more surely reckoned as pure. Just as a man might acquire a gold coin, pure and clear. It would occur to him: This gold coin of mine is pure and clear. What if I were to go and show this gold coin to the goldsmiths? Thus, this gold coin of mine, having been shown to the goldsmiths, will become pure and even more surely reckoned as pure. In the same way, these teachings of mine are pure and clear. What if I were to go and report these teachings to the Blessed One? Thus, these teachings of mine will become pure and even more surely reckoned as pure.”

“Excellent, excellent, Sāriputta! A bhikkhu, Sāriputta, relying on the Teacher, treating him with respect and reverence, should abandon unwholesome states and develop wholesome states. A bhikkhu, Sāriputta, relying on the Dhamma, treating it with respect and reverence, should abandon unwholesome states and develop wholesome states. A bhikkhu, Sāriputta, relying on the Saṅgha (…), on the training (…), on concentration (…), on diligence (…), on hospitality, treating them with respect and reverence, should abandon unwholesome states and develop wholesome states.”

When this was said, Venerable Sāriputta said to the Blessed One: “Bhante, I understand the meaning of this brief statement by the Blessed One in this detailed way: It is not possible, Bhante, that a bhikkhu who is disrespectful towards the Teacher would be respectful towards the Dhamma. "That bhikkhu, Venerable Sir, who is disrespectful towards the Teacher, is also disrespectful towards the Dhamma."

"Venerable Sir, it is not possible that a bhikkhu who is disrespectful towards the Teacher and disrespectful towards the Dhamma would be respectful towards the Saṅgha. That bhikkhu, Venerable Sir, who is disrespectful towards the Teacher and disrespectful towards the Dhamma, is also disrespectful towards the Saṅgha.

"Venerable Sir, it is not possible that a bhikkhu who is disrespectful towards the Teacher, disrespectful towards the Dhamma, and disrespectful towards the Saṅgha would be respectful towards the training (sikkhā). That bhikkhu, Venerable Sir, who is disrespectful towards the Teacher, disrespectful towards the Dhamma, and disrespectful towards the Saṅgha, is also disrespectful towards the training (sikkhā).

"Venerable Sir, it is not possible that a bhikkhu who is disrespectful towards the Teacher, disrespectful towards the Dhamma, disrespectful towards the Saṅgha, and disrespectful towards the training (sikkhā) would be respectful towards concentration (samādhi). That bhikkhu, Venerable Sir, who is disrespectful towards the Teacher, disrespectful towards the Dhamma, disrespectful towards the Saṅgha, and disrespectful towards the training (sikkhā), is also disrespectful towards concentration (samādhi).

"Venerable Sir, it is not possible that a bhikkhu who is disrespectful towards the Teacher, disrespectful towards the Dhamma, disrespectful towards the Saṅgha, disrespectful towards the training (sikkhā), and disrespectful towards concentration (samādhi) would be respectful towards diligence (appamāda). That bhikkhu, Venerable Sir, who is disrespectful towards the Teacher, disrespectful towards the Dhamma, disrespectful towards the Saṅgha, disrespectful towards the training (sikkhā), and disrespectful towards concentration (samādhi), is also disrespectful towards diligence (appamāda).

"Venerable Sir, it is not possible that a bhikkhu who is disrespectful towards the Teacher, disrespectful towards the Dhamma, disrespectful towards the Saṅgha, disrespectful towards the training (sikkhā), disrespectful towards concentration (samādhi), and disrespectful towards diligence (appamāda) would be respectful towards hospitality (paṭisanthāra). That bhikkhu, Venerable Sir, who is disrespectful towards the Teacher… and disrespectful towards diligence (appamāda), is also disrespectful towards hospitality (paṭisanthāra).

"Venerable Sir, it is not possible that a bhikkhu who is respectful towards the Teacher would be disrespectful towards the Dhamma. That bhikkhu, Venerable Sir, who is respectful towards the Teacher, is also respectful towards the Dhamma… and so on.

"Venerable Sir, it is not possible that a bhikkhu who is respectful towards the Teacher… and so on. … respectful towards diligence (appamāda) would be disrespectful towards hospitality (paṭisanthāra). That bhikkhu, Venerable Sir, who is respectful towards the Teacher… and so on… respectful towards diligence (appamāda), is also respectful towards hospitality (paṭisanthāra).

"Venerable Sir, it is possible that a bhikkhu who is respectful towards the Teacher is also respectful towards the Dhamma. That bhikkhu, Venerable Sir, who is respectful towards the Teacher, is also respectful towards the Dhamma… and so on.

"Venerable Sir, it is possible that a bhikkhu who is respectful towards the Teacher… and so on… respectful towards diligence (appamāda) is also respectful towards hospitality (paṭisanthāra). That bhikkhu, Venerable Sir, who is respectful towards the Teacher, respectful towards the Dhamma, respectful towards the Saṅgha, respectful towards the training (sikkhā), respectful towards concentration (samādhi), respectful towards diligence (appamāda), is also respectful towards hospitality (paṭisanthāra)."

"Venerable Sir, I understand the meaning of this brief statement by the Blessed One in this detailed way."

"Excellent, excellent, Sāriputta! Excellent indeed, Sāriputta, that you understand the meaning of this brief statement by me in this detailed way. Sāriputta, it is not possible that a bhikkhu who is disrespectful towards the Teacher would be respectful towards the Dhamma… and so on… That bhikkhu, Sāriputta, who is disrespectful towards the Teacher, disrespectful towards the Dhamma, disrespectful towards the Saṅgha, disrespectful towards the training (sikkhā), and disrespectful towards concentration (samādhi), is also disrespectful towards diligence (appamāda).

"Sāriputta, it is not possible that a bhikkhu who is disrespectful towards the Teacher, disrespectful towards the Dhamma, disrespectful towards the Saṅgha, disrespectful towards the training (sikkhā), disrespectful towards concentration (samādhi), and disrespectful towards diligence (appamāda) would be respectful towards hospitality (paṭisanthāra). That bhikkhu, Sāriputta, who is disrespectful towards the Teacher, disrespectful towards the Dhamma, disrespectful towards the Saṅgha, disrespectful towards the training (sikkhā), disrespectful towards concentration (samādhi), and disrespectful towards diligence (appamāda), is also disrespectful towards hospitality (paṭisanthāra)."

“It is not possible, Sāriputta, that a bhikkhu who is respectful towards the Teacher would be disrespectful towards the Dhamma… That bhikkhu, Sāriputta, who is respectful towards the Teacher, is also respectful towards the Dhamma….

“It is not possible, Sāriputta, that a bhikkhu who is respectful towards the Teacher, respectful towards the Dhamma… respectful towards diligence, would be disrespectful towards hospitality. That bhikkhu, Sāriputta, who is respectful towards the Teacher… respectful towards diligence, is also respectful towards hospitality.

“It is possible, Sāriputta, that a bhikkhu who is respectful towards the Teacher would also be respectful towards the Dhamma. That bhikkhu, Sāriputta, who is respectful towards the Teacher, is also respectful towards the Dhamma….

“It is possible, Sāriputta, that a bhikkhu who is respectful towards the Teacher… respectful towards diligence, would also be respectful towards hospitality. That bhikkhu, Sāriputta, who is respectful towards the Teacher… respectful towards diligence, is also respectful towards hospitality.”

“The meaning of this, Sāriputta, which I have spoken in brief, should be understood in detail thus.”