1.1Sāvatthinidānaṁ.At Sāvatthī.

1.2Tena kho pana samayena paccanīkasāto nāma brāhmaṇo sāvatthiyaṁ paṭivasati.Now at that time a brahmin named Contraphile, who loved contradiction, was residing in Sāvatthī.¹

1.3Atha kho paccanīkasātassa brāhmaṇassa etadahosi:Then Contraphile thought,1.4“yannūnāhaṁ yena samaṇo gotamo tenupasaṅkameyyaṁ.“Why don’t I go to the ascetic Gotama and1.5Yaṁ yadeva samaṇo gotamo bhāsissati taṁ tadevassāhaṁ paccanīkāssan”ti.contradict everything he says?”

1.6Tena kho pana samayena bhagavā abbhokāse caṅkamati.At that time the Buddha was walking mindfully in the open air.

1.7Atha kho paccanīkasāto brāhmaṇo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ caṅkamantaṁ etadavoca:Then the brahmin Contraphile went up to the Buddha, and said to him as he was walking,1.8“bhaṇa samaṇadhamman”ti.“Ascetic, preach the Dhamma.”

2.1“Na paccanīkasātena,“Fine words aren’t easy to understand2.2suvijānaṁ subhāsitaṁ;by a lover of contradiction,2.3Upakkiliṭṭhacittena,whose mind is tainted2.4sārambhabahulena ca.and full of aggression.

3.1Yo ca vineyya sārambhaṁ,But when you’ve dispelled aggression,3.2appasādañca cetaso;and your suspicious mind,3.3Āghātaṁ paṭinissajja,and you’ve got rid of resentment,3.4sa ve jaññā subhāsitan”ti.then you’ll understand fine words.”

4.1Evaṁ vutte, paccanīkasāto brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:When he had spoken, the brahmin Contraphile said to the Buddha,4.2“abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama, abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama …pe…“Excellent, worthy Gotama! Excellent! …4.3upāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.From this day forth, may the worthy Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”