[180] On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Bhoganagara, at the Ānanda Shrine. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: "Bhikkhus!" "Venerable sir," those bhikkhus replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this: "Bhikkhus, I will teach these four great references (mahāpadesa). Listen to it and attend carefully; I will speak." "Yes, venerable sir," those bhikkhus replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this:
"And what, bhikkhus, are the four great references? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu might say thus: 'Friend, I have heard this in the presence of the Blessed One; I have received it in his presence: this is the Dhamma, this is the Discipline (vinaya), this is the Teacher's instruction.' Bhikkhus, that bhikkhu's statement should neither be approved nor rejected. Without approving and without rejecting it, having learned those words and phrases well, they should be laid alongside the Suttas and compared with the Discipline. If, when they are being laid alongside the Suttas and compared with the Discipline, they do not fit into the Suttas and are not seen in the Discipline, the conclusion should be reached here: 'Assuredly, this is not the word of that Blessed One, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Enlightened One, and it has been wrongly grasped by this bhikkhu.' Thus, bhikkhus, you should discard it. But here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu might say thus: 'Friend, I have heard this in the presence of the Blessed One; I have received it in his presence: this is the Dhamma, this is the Discipline, this is the Teacher's instruction.' Bhikkhus, that bhikkhu's statement should neither be approved nor rejected. Without approving and without rejecting it, having learned those words and phrases well, they should be laid alongside the Suttas and compared with the Discipline. If, when they are being laid alongside the Suttas and compared with the Discipline, they do fit into the Suttas and are seen in the Discipline, the conclusion should be reached here: 'Assuredly, this is the word of that Blessed One, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Enlightened One, and it has been rightly grasped by this bhikkhu.' Bhikkhus, you should retain this as the first great reference.
"Here again, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu might say thus: 'In such-and-such a residence dwells a Saṅgha with elders, with a leading bhikkhu. I have heard this in the presence of that Saṅgha; I have received it in its presence: this is the Dhamma, this is the Discipline, this is the Teacher's instruction.' Bhikkhus, that bhikkhu's statement should neither be approved nor rejected. Without approving and without rejecting it, having learned those words and phrases well, they should be laid alongside the Suttas and compared with the Discipline. If, when they are being laid alongside the Suttas and compared with the Discipline, they do not fit into the Suttas and are not seen in the Discipline, the conclusion should be reached here: 'Assuredly, this is not the word of that Blessed One, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Enlightened One, and it has been wrongly grasped by that Saṅgha.' Thus, bhikkhus, you should discard it. But here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu might say thus: 'In such-and-such a residence dwells a Saṅgha with elders, with a leading bhikkhu. I have heard this in the presence of that Saṅgha; I have received it in its presence: this is the Dhamma, this is the Discipline, this is the Teacher's instruction.' Bhikkhus, that bhikkhu's statement should neither be approved nor rejected. Without approving and without rejecting it, having learned those words and phrases well, they should be laid alongside the Suttas and compared with the Discipline. If, when they are being laid alongside the Suttas and compared with the Discipline, they do fit into the Suttas and are seen in the Discipline, the conclusion should be reached here: 'Assuredly, this is the word of that Blessed One, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Enlightened One, and it has been rightly grasped by that Saṅgha.' Bhikkhus, you should retain this as the second great reference.
"Here again, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu might say thus: 'In such-and-such a residence dwell several elder bhikkhus of great learning, versed in the collections, bearers of the Dhamma, bearers of the Discipline, bearers of the summaries (mātikā). I have heard this in the presence of those elders; I have received it in their presence: this is the Dhamma, this is the Discipline, this is the Teacher's instruction.' Bhikkhus, that bhikkhu's statement should neither be approved nor rejected. Without approving and without rejecting it, having learned those words and phrases well, they should be laid alongside the Suttas and compared with the Discipline. If, when they are being laid alongside the Suttas and compared with the Discipline, they do not fit into the Suttas and are not seen in the Discipline, the conclusion should be reached here: 'Assuredly, this is not the word of that Blessed One, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Enlightened One, and it has been wrongly grasped by those elders.' Thus, bhikkhus, you should discard it. But here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu might say thus: 'In such-and-such a residence dwell several elder bhikkhus of great learning, versed in the collections, bearers of the Dhamma, bearers of the Discipline, bearers of the summaries. I have heard this in the presence of those elders; I have received it in their presence: this is the Dhamma, this is the Discipline, this is the Teacher's instruction.' Bhikkhus, that bhikkhu's statement should neither be approved nor rejected. Without approving and without rejecting it, having learned those words and phrases well, they should be laid alongside the Suttas and compared with the Discipline. If, when they are being laid alongside the Suttas and compared with the Discipline, they do fit into the Suttas and are seen in the Discipline, the conclusion should be reached here: 'Assuredly, this is the word of that Blessed One, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Enlightened One, and it has been rightly grasped by those elders.' Bhikkhus, you should retain this as the third great reference.
"Here again, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu might say thus: 'In such-and-such a residence dwells a single elder bhikkhu of great learning, versed in the collections, a bearer of the Dhamma, a bearer of the Discipline, a bearer of the summaries. I have heard this in the presence of that elder; I have received it in his presence: this is the Dhamma, this is the Discipline, this is the Teacher's instruction.' Bhikkhus, that bhikkhu's statement should neither be approved nor rejected. Without approving and without rejecting it, having learned those words and phrases well, they should be laid alongside the Suttas and compared with the Discipline. If, when they are being laid alongside the Suttas and compared with the Discipline, they do not fit into the Suttas and are not seen in the Discipline, the conclusion should be reached here: 'Assuredly, this is not the word of that Blessed One, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Enlightened One, and it has been wrongly grasped by that elder.' Thus, bhikkhus, you should discard it. But here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu might say thus: 'In such-and-such a residence dwells a single elder bhikkhu of great learning, versed in the collections, a bearer of the Dhamma, a bearer of the Discipline, a bearer of the summaries. I have heard this in the presence of that elder; I have received it in his presence: this is the Dhamma, this is the Discipline, this is the Teacher's instruction.' Bhikkhus, that bhikkhu's statement should neither be approved nor rejected. Without approving and without rejecting it, having learned those words and phrases well, they should be laid alongside the Suttas and compared with the Discipline. If, when they are being laid alongside the Suttas and compared with the Discipline, they do fit into the Suttas and are seen in the Discipline, the conclusion should be reached here: 'Assuredly, this is the word of that Blessed One, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Enlightened One, and it has been rightly grasped by that elder.' Bhikkhus, you should retain this as the fourth great reference.
"These, bhikkhus, are the four great references."
The Sañcetaniya Vagga, the Third.
[1]
The Yodhājīva Vagga, the Fourth
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.