1.1Evaṁ me sutaṁ—So I have heard.1.2ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kosalesu cārikaṁ caramāno mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ yena veḷudvāraṁ nāma kosalānaṁ brāhmaṇagāmo tadavasari.At one time the Buddha was wandering in the land of the Kosalans together with a large Saṅgha of mendicants when he arrived at a village of the Kosalan brahmins named Bamboo Gate.1.3Assosuṁ kho te veḷudvāreyyakā brāhmaṇagahapatikā:The brahmins and householders of Bamboo Gate heard:

1.4“samaṇo khalu, bho, gotamo sakyaputto sakyakulā pabbajito kosalesu cārikaṁ caramāno mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ veḷudvāraṁ anuppatto.“It seems the ascetic Gotama—a Sakyan, gone forth from a Sakyan family—has arrived at Bamboo Gate, together with a large Saṅgha of mendicants.1.5Taṁ kho pana bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ evaṁ kalyāṇo kittisaddo abbhuggato:He has this good reputation:1.6‘itipi so bhagavā arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā’.‘That Blessed One is perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those fit for training, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed.’1.7So imaṁ lokaṁ sadevakaṁ samārakaṁ sabrahmakaṁ sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiṁ pajaṁ sadevamanussaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedeti.He has realized with his own insight this world—with its gods, Māras, and divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, gods and humans—and he makes it known to others.1.8So dhammaṁ deseti ādikalyāṇaṁ majjhekalyāṇaṁ pariyosānakalyāṇaṁ sātthaṁ sabyañjanaṁ, kevalaparipuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ pakāseti.He teaches Dhamma that’s good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased. And he reveals a spiritual practice that’s entirely full and pure.1.9Sādhu kho pana tathārūpānaṁ arahataṁ dassanaṁ hotī”ti.It’s good to see such perfected ones.”

2.1PTS 5.353Atha kho te veḷudvāreyyakā brāhmaṇagahapatikā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā appekacce bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Appekacce bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodiṁsu; sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Appekacce yena bhagavā tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Appekacce bhagavato santike nāmagottaṁ sāvetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Appekacce tuṇhībhūtā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te veḷudvāreyyakā brāhmaṇagahapatikā bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:Then the brahmins and householders of Bamboo Gate went up to the Buddha. Before sitting down to one side, some bowed, some exchanged greetings and polite conversation, some held up their cupped palms toward the Buddha, some announced their name and clan, while some kept silent. Seated to one side they said to the Buddha:

2.2“mayaṁ, bho gotama, evaṅkāmā evaṁchandā evaṁadhippāyā—“Worthy Gotama, these are our wishes, desires, and hopes.2.3puttasambādhasayanaṁ ajjhāvaseyyāma, kāsikacandanaṁ paccanubhaveyyāma, mālāgandhavilepanaṁ dhāreyyāma, jātarūparajataṁ sādiyeyyāma, kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjeyyāma.We wish to live at home with our children; to use sandalwood imported from Kāsi; to wear garlands, fragrance, and makeup; and to accept gold and currency. And when our body breaks up, after death, we wish to be reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.2.4Tesaṁ no bhavaṁ gotamo amhākaṁ evaṅkāmānaṁ evaṁchandānaṁ evaṁadhippāyānaṁ tathā dhammaṁ desetu yathā mayaṁ puttasambādhasayanaṁ ajjhāvaseyyāma …pe… sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapajjeyyāmā”ti.Given that we have such wishes, may the Buddha teach us the Dhamma so that we may achieve them.”

3.1“Attupanāyikaṁ vo, gahapatayo, dhammapariyāyaṁ desessāmi.“Householders, I will teach you an explanation of the Dhamma that is relevant for oneself.¹3.2Taṁ suṇātha, sādhukaṁ manasi karotha, bhāsissāmī”ti.Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”

3.3“Evaṁ, bho”ti kho te veḷudvāreyyakā brāhmaṇagahapatikā bhagavato paccassosuṁ.“Yes, worthy sir,” they replied.3.4Bhagavā etadavoca:The Buddha said this:

4.1PTS 5.354“Katamo ca, gahapatayo, attupanāyiko dhammapariyāyo?“And what is the explanation of the Dhamma that applies to oneself?

4.2Idha, gahapatayo, ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati:It’s when a noble disciple reflects:4.3‘ahaṁ khosmi jīvitukāmo amaritukāmo sukhakāmo dukkhappaṭikūlo.‘I want to live and don’t want to die; I want to be happy and recoil from pain.4.4Yo kho maṁ jīvitukāmaṁ amaritukāmaṁ sukhakāmaṁ dukkhappaṭikūlaṁ jīvitā voropeyya, na metaṁ assa piyaṁ manāpaṁ.Since this is so, if someone were to take my life, I wouldn’t like that.4.5Ahañceva kho pana paraṁ jīvitukāmaṁ amaritukāmaṁ sukhakāmaṁ dukkhappaṭikūlaṁ jīvitā voropeyyaṁ, parassapi taṁ assa appiyaṁ amanāpaṁ.But others also want to live and don’t want to die; they want to be happy and recoil from pain. So if I were to take the life of someone else, they wouldn’t like that either.4.6Yo kho myāyaṁ dhammo appiyo amanāpo, parassa peso dhammo appiyo amanāpo.The thing that is disliked by me is also disliked by others.4.7Yo kho myāyaṁ dhammo appiyo amanāpo, kathāhaṁ paraṁ tena saṁyojeyyan’ti.Since I dislike this thing, how can I inflict it on someone else?’4.8So iti paṭisaṅkhāya attanā ca pāṇātipātā paṭivirato hoti, parañca pāṇātipātā veramaṇiyā samādapeti, pāṇātipātā veramaṇiyā ca vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati.Reflecting in this way, they give up killing living creatures themselves. And they encourage others to give up killing living creatures, praising the giving up of killing living creatures.4.9Evamassāyaṁ kāyasamācāro tikoṭiparisuddho hoti.So their bodily behavior is purified in three points.

5.1Puna caparaṁ, gahapatayo, ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati:Furthermore, a noble disciple reflects:5.2‘yo kho me adinnaṁ theyyasaṅkhātaṁ ādiyeyya, na metaṁ assa piyaṁ manāpaṁ.‘If someone were to steal from me, I wouldn’t like that.5.3Ahañceva kho pana parassa adinnaṁ theyyasaṅkhātaṁ ādiyeyyaṁ, parassapi taṁ assa appiyaṁ amanāpaṁ.But if I were to steal from someone else, they wouldn’t like that either.5.4Yo kho myāyaṁ dhammo appiyo amanāpo, parassa peso dhammo appiyo amanāpo.The thing that is disliked by me is also disliked by others.5.5Yo kho myāyaṁ dhammo appiyo amanāpo, kathāhaṁ paraṁ tena saṁyojeyyan’ti.Since I dislike this thing, how can I inflict it on someone else?’5.6So iti paṭisaṅkhāya attanā ca adinnādānā paṭivirato hoti, parañca adinnādānā veramaṇiyā samādapeti, adinnādānā veramaṇiyā ca vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati.Reflecting in this way, they give up stealing themselves. And they encourage others to give up stealing, praising the giving up of stealing.5.7Evamassāyaṁ kāyasamācāro tikoṭiparisuddho hoti.So their bodily behavior is purified in three points.

6.1Puna caparaṁ, gahapatayo, ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati:Furthermore, a noble disciple reflects:6.2‘yo kho me dāresu cārittaṁ āpajjeyya, na metaṁ assa piyaṁ manāpaṁ.‘If someone were to have relations with my wives, I wouldn’t like it.6.3Ahañceva kho pana parassa dāresu cārittaṁ āpajjeyyaṁ, parassapi taṁ assa appiyaṁ amanāpaṁ.But if I were to have relations with someone else’s wives, he wouldn’t like that either.6.4Yo kho myāyaṁ dhammo appiyo amanāpo, parassa peso dhammo appiyo amanāpo.The thing that is disliked by me is also disliked by others.6.5Yo kho myāyaṁ dhammo appiyo amanāpo, kathāhaṁ paraṁ tena saṁyojeyyan’ti.Since I dislike this thing, how can I inflict it on others?’6.6So iti paṭisaṅkhāya attanā ca kāmesumicchācārā paṭivirato hoti, parañca kāmesumicchācārā veramaṇiyā samādapeti, kāmesumicchācārā veramaṇiyā ca vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati.Reflecting in this way, they give up sexual misconduct themselves. And they encourage others to give up sexual misconduct, praising the giving up of sexual misconduct.6.7Evamassāyaṁ kāyasamācāro tikoṭiparisuddho hoti.So their bodily behavior is purified in three points.

7.1PTS 5.355Puna caparaṁ, gahapatayo, ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati:Furthermore, a noble disciple reflects:7.2‘yo kho me musāvādena atthaṁ bhañjeyya, na metaṁ assa piyaṁ manāpaṁ.‘If someone were to distort my meaning by lying, I wouldn’t like it.²7.3Ahañceva kho pana parassa musāvādena atthaṁ bhañjeyyaṁ, parassapi taṁ assa appiyaṁ amanāpaṁ.But if I were to distort someone else’s meaning by lying, they wouldn’t like it either.7.4Yo kho myāyaṁ dhammo appiyo amanāpo, parassa peso dhammo appiyo amanāpo.The thing that is disliked by me is also disliked by someone else.7.5Yo kho myāyaṁ dhammo appiyo amanāpo, kathāhaṁ paraṁ tena saṁyojeyyan’ti.Since I dislike this thing, how can I inflict it on others?’7.6So iti paṭisaṅkhāya attanā ca musāvādā paṭivirato hoti, parañca musāvādā veramaṇiyā samādapeti, musāvādā veramaṇiyā ca vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati.Reflecting in this way, they give up lying themselves. And they encourage others to give up lying, praising the giving up of lying.7.7Evamassāyaṁ vacīsamācāro tikoṭiparisuddho hoti.So their verbal behavior is purified in three points.

8.1Puna caparaṁ, gahapatayo, ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati:Furthermore, a noble disciple reflects:8.2“yo kho maṁ pisuṇāya vācāya mitte bhindeyya, na metaṁ assa piyaṁ manāpaṁ.‘If someone were to break me up from my friends by backbiting, I wouldn’t like it.8.3Ahañceva kho pana paraṁ pisuṇāya vācāya mitte bhindeyyaṁ, parassapi taṁ assa appiyaṁ amanāpaṁ …pe…But if I were to break someone else from their friends by backbiting, they wouldn’t like it either. …’8.4evamassāyaṁ vacīsamācāro tikoṭiparisuddho hoti.So their verbal behavior is purified in three points.

9.1Puna caparaṁ, gahapatayo, ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati:Furthermore, a noble disciple reflects:9.2“yo kho maṁ pharusāya vācāya samudācareyya, na metaṁ assa piyaṁ manāpaṁ.‘If someone were to attack me with harsh speech, I wouldn’t like it.9.3Ahañceva kho pana paraṁ pharusāya vācāya samudācareyyaṁ, parassapi taṁ assa appiyaṁ amanāpaṁ.But if I were to attack someone else with harsh speech, they wouldn’t like it either. …’9.4Yo kho myāyaṁ dhammo …pe…9.5evamassāyaṁ vacīsamācāro tikoṭiparisuddho hoti.So their verbal behavior is purified in three points.

10.1Puna caparaṁ, gahapatayo, ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati:Furthermore, a noble disciple reflects:10.2‘yo kho maṁ samphabhāsena samphappalāpabhāsena samudācareyya, na metaṁ assa piyaṁ manāpaṁ.‘If someone were to annoy me by talking silliness and nonsense, I wouldn’t like it.10.3Ahañceva kho pana paraṁ samphabhāsena samphappalāpabhāsena samudācareyyaṁ, parassapi taṁ assa appiyaṁ amanāpaṁ.But if I were to annoy someone else by talking silliness and nonsense, they wouldn’t like it either.’10.4Yo kho myāyaṁ dhammo appiyo amanāpo, parassa peso dhammo appiyo amanāpo.The thing that is disliked by me is also disliked by another.10.5Yo kho myāyaṁ dhammo appiyo amanāpo, kathāhaṁ paraṁ tena saṁyojeyyan’ti.Since I dislike this thing, how can I inflict it on another?’10.6So iti paṭisaṅkhāya attanā ca samphappalāpā paṭivirato hoti, parañca samphappalāpā veramaṇiyā samādapeti, samphappalāpā veramaṇiyā ca vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati.Reflecting in this way, they give up talking nonsense themselves. And they encourage others to give up talking nonsense, praising the giving up of talking nonsense.10.7Evamassāyaṁ vacīsamācāro tikoṭiparisuddho hoti.So their verbal behavior is purified in three points.

11.1PTS 5.356So buddhe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti—And they have experiential confidence in the Buddha …11.2itipi so bhagavā …pe… satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavāti;11.3dhamme …pe…the teaching …11.4saṅghe aveccappasādena samannāgato hoti suppaṭipanno bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho …pe… anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassāti.the Saṅgha …11.5ariyakantehi sīlehi samannāgato hoti akhaṇḍehi …pe… samādhisaṁvattanikehi.And they have the ethical conduct loved by the noble ones … leading to immersion.11.6Yato kho, gahapatayo, ariyasāvako imehi sattahi saddhammehi samannāgato hoti imehi catūhi ākaṅkhiyehi ṭhānehi, so ākaṅkhamāno attanāva attānaṁ byākareyya:When a noble disciple possesses these seven good qualities and these four desirable states they may, if they wish, declare of themselves:11.7‘khīṇanirayomhi khīṇatiracchānayoni khīṇapettivisayo khīṇāpāyaduggativinipāto, sotāpannohamasmi avinipātadhammo niyato sambodhiparāyaṇo’”ti.‘I’ve finished with rebirth in hell, the animal realm, and the ghost realm. I’ve finished with all places of loss, bad places, the underworld. I am a stream-enterer! I’m not liable to be reborn in the underworld, and am assured, destined for awakening.’”

12.1Evaṁ vutte, veḷudvāreyyakā brāhmaṇagahapatikā bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:When he had spoken, the brahmins and householders of Bamboo Gate said to the Buddha,12.2“abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama …pe…“Excellent, worthy Gotama! …12.3ete mayaṁ bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāma dhammañca bhikkhusaṅghañca.We go for refuge to the worthy Gotama, to the teaching, and to the mendicant Saṅgha.12.4Upāsake no bhavaṁ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupete saraṇaṁ gate”ti.From this day forth, may the worthy Gotama remember us as lay followers who have gone for refuge for life.”

12.5Sattamaṁ.