[193] On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Vesālī, in the Great Wood, in the Hall with the Peaked Gable. Then Bhaddiya the Licchavi approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, he sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, Bhaddiya the Licchavi said this to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, I have heard this: 'The ascetic Gotama is a magician; he knows a converting magic (āvaṭṭanī māyā) by which he converts the disciples of those of other sects.' Venerable sir, do those who speak thus — 'The ascetic Gotama is a magician; he knows a converting magic by which he converts the disciples of those of other sects' — speak in accordance with what the Blessed One has said, and not misrepresent the Blessed One with what is untrue? Do they explain in accordance with the Dhamma, so that no legitimate consequence of their assertion incurs a ground for censure? For, venerable sir, we do not wish to misrepresent the Blessed One."
"Come, Bhaddiya: do not go by oral tradition, by lineage of teaching, by hearsay, by scriptural collections, by logic, by inference, by reasoned reflection, by acceptance of a view after consideration, by the seeming competence of a speaker, or because you think 'the ascetic is our teacher.' When, Bhaddiya, you know for yourselves: 'These dhammas are unwholesome; these dhammas are blameworthy; these dhammas are censured by the wise; these dhammas, when accepted and undertaken, lead to harm and to suffering (dukkha),' then, Bhaddiya, you should abandon them.
"What do you think, Bhaddiya? When greed (lobha) arises within a person, does it arise for his welfare or for his harm?"
"For his harm, venerable sir."
"And, Bhaddiya, a greedy person, overcome by greed, his mind (citta) obsessed by it, destroys life, takes what is not given, goes to another's wife, speaks falsely, and encourages others to do likewise — and this is for his harm and suffering for a long time?"
"So it is, venerable sir."
"What do you think, Bhaddiya? When hatred (dosa) ... delusion (moha) ... contentiousness (sārambha) arises within a person, does it arise for his welfare or for his harm?"
"For his harm, venerable sir."
"And, Bhaddiya, a contentious person, overcome by contentiousness, his mind obsessed by it, destroys life, takes what is not given, goes to another's wife, speaks falsely, and encourages others to do likewise — and this is for his harm and suffering for a long time?"
"So it is, venerable sir."
"What do you think, Bhaddiya? Are these dhammas wholesome or unwholesome?"
"Unwholesome, venerable sir."
"Blameworthy or blameless?"
"Blameworthy, venerable sir."
"Censured by the wise or praised by the wise?"
"Censured by the wise, venerable sir."
"When accepted and undertaken, do they lead to harm and to suffering, or not? Or how does it stand here?"
"When accepted and undertaken, venerable sir, they lead to harm and to suffering. So it stands for us here."
"Thus, Bhaddiya, when we said: 'Come, Bhaddiya: do not go by oral tradition, by lineage of teaching, by hearsay, by scriptural collections, by logic, by inference, by reasoned reflection, by acceptance of a view after consideration, by the seeming competence of a speaker, or because you think "the ascetic is our teacher." When, Bhaddiya, you know for yourselves: "These dhammas are unwholesome; these dhammas are blameworthy; these dhammas are censured by the wise; these dhammas, when accepted and undertaken, lead to harm and to suffering," then, Bhaddiya, you should abandon them' — it is because of this that this was said.
"Come, Bhaddiya: do not go by oral tradition, by lineage of teaching, by hearsay, by scriptural collections, by logic, by inference, by reasoned reflection, by acceptance of a view after consideration, by the seeming competence of a speaker, or because you think 'the ascetic is our teacher.' When, Bhaddiya, you know for yourselves: 'These dhammas are wholesome; these dhammas are blameless; these dhammas are praised by the wise; these dhammas, when accepted and undertaken, lead to welfare and to happiness,' then, Bhaddiya, you should enter upon them and dwell in them.
"What do you think, Bhaddiya? When non-greed (alobha) arises within a person, does it arise for his welfare or for his harm?"
"For his welfare, venerable sir."
"And, Bhaddiya, a person without greed, not overcome by greed, his mind not obsessed by it, does not destroy life, does not take what is not given, does not go to another's wife, does not speak falsely, and encourages others to be likewise — and this is for his welfare and happiness for a long time?"
"So it is, venerable sir."
"What do you think, Bhaddiya? When non-hatred (adosa) ... non-delusion (amoha) ... non-contentiousness (asārambha) arises within a person, does it arise for his welfare or for his harm?"
"For his welfare, venerable sir."
"And, Bhaddiya, a person without contentiousness, not overcome by contentiousness, his mind not obsessed by it, does not destroy life, does not take what is not given, does not go to another's wife, does not speak falsely, and encourages others to be likewise — and this leads to his welfare and happiness for a long time?"
"So it is, venerable sir."
"What do you think, Bhaddiya? Are these dhammas wholesome or unwholesome?"
"Wholesome, venerable sir."
"Blameworthy or blameless?"
"Blameless, venerable sir."
"Censured by the wise or praised by the wise?"
"Praised by the wise, venerable sir."
"When accepted and undertaken, do they lead to welfare and to happiness, or not? Or how does it stand here?"
"When accepted and undertaken, venerable sir, they lead to welfare and to happiness. So it stands for us here."
"Thus, Bhaddiya, when we said: 'Come, Bhaddiya: do not go by oral tradition, by lineage of teaching, by hearsay, by scriptural collections, by logic, by inference, by reasoned reflection, by acceptance of a view after consideration, by the seeming competence of a speaker, or because you think "the ascetic is our teacher." When, Bhaddiya, you know for yourselves: "These dhammas are wholesome; these dhammas are blameless; these dhammas are praised by the wise; these dhammas, when accepted and undertaken, lead to welfare and to happiness," then, Bhaddiya, you should enter upon them and dwell in them' — it is because of this that this was said.
"Bhaddiya, those in the world who are good, who are true persons, encourage a disciple thus: 'Come, good man, dwell dispelling, ever dispelling greed. Dwelling dispelling, ever dispelling greed, you will do no deed born of greed by body, speech, or mind. Dwell dispelling, ever dispelling hatred. Dwelling dispelling, ever dispelling hatred, you will do no deed born of hatred by body, speech, or mind. Dwell dispelling, ever dispelling delusion. Dwelling dispelling, ever dispelling delusion, you will do no deed born of delusion by body, speech, or mind. Dwell dispelling, ever dispelling contentiousness. Dwelling dispelling, ever dispelling contentiousness, you will do no deed born of contentiousness by body, speech, or mind.'"
When this was said, Bhaddiya the Licchavi said this to the Blessed One: "Excellent, venerable sir! … Venerable sir, let the Blessed One remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life from this day forth."
"But, Bhaddiya, did I say to you: 'Come, Bhaddiya, be my disciple; I will be your teacher'?"
"No indeed, venerable sir."
"Though I speak thus, Bhaddiya, and declare thus, some ascetics and brahmins misrepresent me with what is untrue, hollow, false, and contrary to fact, saying: 'The ascetic Gotama is a magician; he knows a converting magic by which he converts the disciples of those of other sects.'"
"Excellent, venerable sir, is this converting magic! Lovely, venerable sir, is this converting magic! If my dear kinsmen and blood relations were converted by this conversion, it would be for the welfare and happiness of my dear kinsmen and blood relations for a long time. And if all khattiyas, venerable sir, were converted by this conversion, it would be for the welfare and happiness of all khattiyas for a long time. And if all brahmins, venerable sir, ... vessas ... suddas were converted by this conversion, it would be for the welfare and happiness of all suddas for a long time."
"So it is, Bhaddiya! So it is, Bhaddiya! If all khattiyas, Bhaddiya, were converted to the abandoning of unwholesome dhammas and the taking up of wholesome dhammas, it would be for the welfare and happiness of all khattiyas for a long time. And if all brahmins, Bhaddiya, ... vessas ... suddas were converted to the abandoning of unwholesome dhammas and the taking up of wholesome dhammas, it would be for the welfare and happiness of all suddas for a long time. And if the world, Bhaddiya, with its devas, with Māra, with Brahmā, this generation with its ascetics and brahmins, with its devas and human beings, were converted to the abandoning of unwholesome dhammas and the taking up of wholesome dhammas, it would be for the welfare and happiness for a long time of the world with its devas, with Māra, with Brahmā, of this generation with its ascetics and brahmins, with its devas and human beings. And if even these great sāl trees, Bhaddiya, were converted by this conversion to the abandoning of unwholesome dhammas and the taking up of wholesome dhammas, it would be for the welfare and happiness of these great sāl trees for a long time — if they could think — how much more, then, for one who has become a human being!"
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.