The Kalama Sutta (AN 3.65)

The Kālāma Sutta

(a condensed version from translations by Vens. Bodhi, Thanissaro, Soma and Buddhadāsa)

Anguttara Nikāya 3.65

Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Buddha was wandering on tour among the Kosalans with a large community of monks when he arrived at a town of the Kālāmas named Kesaputta. The Kālāmas of Kesaputta had heard it said, “The ascetic Gotama is fully enlightened,” and therefore they decided to see him.

So the Kālāmas of Kesaputta went out to visit the Buddha. On arrival, some bowed down to him, some exchanged courteous greetings with him, some saluted him reverentially, some announced their name and clan, and some remained silent. They all sat down to one side of him.

Then the Kālāmas of Kesaputta said to the Buddha, “Sir, there are some priests and contemplatives who come to Kesaputta. They explain and extol their own doctrines, but they disparage, debunk, revile and vilify the doctrines of others. And then other priests and contemplatives come to Kesaputta. They explain and extol their own doctrines, but they disparage, debunk, revile and vilify the doctrines of the others. For us there is perplexity and doubt as to which of these venerable priests and contemplatives are speaking the truth, and which ones are lying.”

“Of course you are perplexed, Kālāmas. Of course you are in doubt. When the causes for doubt are present, perplexity arises. So, Kālāmas, don’t go by oral traditions, by lineage of teaching, by reports and hearsay, by scriptures, by logic, by inference, by appearance and analogy, by accordance with opinions, by the seeming competence of the speaker, or by the thought, ‘This person is our teacher.’ But when you know for yourselves, ‘These things are unskillful; these things are blameworthy; these things are criticized by the wise; these things, when adopted and carried out, lead to harm and suffering’ – then you should abandon them.

“What do you think, Kālāmas? When greed, hatred and confusion arise in a person, do they arise for welfare or for harm?”

“For harm.”

“Kālāmas, a greedy, hating, confused person, overcome by greed, hatred, and confusion, his mind possessed by greed, hatred, and confusion, will destroy life, take what is not given, commit sexual misconduct, and tell lies, and will also encourage others to do likewise. Will that lead to harm and suffering for him for a long time?”

“Yes.”

“So what do you think, Kālāmas: Are these things skillful or unskillful, blameworthy or blameless, criticized by the wise or praised by the wise? When adopted and carried out, do they lead to harm and suffering, or not, or how do you see it in this case?”

“They are unskillful, blameworthy and criticized by the wise. When adopted and carried out, they lead to harm and suffering. That is how we see it in this case.”

“So, as I said, Kālāmas: don’t go by oral traditions, by lineage of teaching, by reports and hearsay, by scriptures, by logic, by inference, by appearance and analogy, by accordance with opinions, by the seeming competence of the speaker, or by the thought, ‘This person is our teacher.’ But when you know for yourselves, ‘These things are skillful; these things are blameless; these things are praised by the wise; these things, when adopted and carried out, lead to welfare and happiness’ – then you should engage in them.

“What do you think, Kālāmas? When non-greed (generosity), non-hatred (kindness), and non-confusion (clarity) arise in a person, do they arise for welfare or for harm?”

“For welfare.”

“And an ungreedy, unhating, unconfused person, not overcome by greed, hatred and confusion, his mind not possessed by greed, hatred, and confusion, will not destroy life, will not take what is not given, will not commit sexual misconduct, and will not tell lies, nor will he encourage others to do likewise. Will that lead to his welfare and happiness for a long time?”

“Yes.”

“So what do you think, Kālāmas: Are these things skillful or unskillful, blameworthy or blameless, criticized or praised by the wise? When adopted and carried out, do they lead to welfare and happiness, or not, or how do you see it in this case?”

“They are skillful, blameless and praised by the wise. When adopted and carried out, they lead to welfare and happiness. That is how we see it in this case.”

“Now, Kālāmas, a noble disciple – free from greed, free from hatred, unconfused, alert, clearly comprehending and ever mindful – pervades one quarter of the world with a mind imbued with loving-kindness, likewise the second quarter, the third, and the fourth. Thus above, below, all around and everywhere he keeps pervading the entire world with a mind imbued with loving-kindness, abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility, without ill will. In the same way he pervades the entire world with a mind imbued with compassion, with appreciation, and with equanimity.

“When, Kālāmas, a noble disciple has made his mind free of hatred, free of ill will, undefiled, and pure in this way, he wins four assurances here and now:

“The first assurance he wins is this: ‘Suppose there is a world after death, and rightly and wrongly done actions bear fruit and yield results. In that case it is possible that, with the breakup of the body, after death, I will reappear in a good destination, a heavenly world.’
“The second assurance is this: ‘But suppose there is no world after death, and rightly and wrongly done actions do not bear fruit or yield results. Still, right here in this very life I live happily, free from hostility, free from ill will.’

“The third assurance is this: ‘Suppose evil happens to one who does evil. Then, as I have willed no evil for anyone and have done no evil action, from where will suffering touch me?’

“The fourth assurance is this: ‘But suppose evil does not happen to one as a result of his evil actions. In that case I am pure in both respects.’

“One who is a disciple of the noble ones – his mind thus free from hostility, free from ill will, undefiled, and pure – acquires these four assurances in the here-and-now.”

And the Kālāmas delighted and rejoiced in the words of the Buddha.