[115] "Bhikkhus, what is not Dhamma (adhamma) should be known, and what is Dhamma (dhamma); what is harmful (anattha) should be known, and what is beneficial (attha). Having known what is not Dhamma and what is Dhamma, having known what is harmful and what is beneficial, one should practise as accords with what is Dhamma, as accords with what is beneficial." This is what the Blessed One said. Having said this, the Sublime One rose from his seat and entered the dwelling.
Then, not long after the Blessed One had departed, it occurred to those bhikkhus: "Friends, the Blessed One has recited this summary (uddesa) in brief and, without analysing the meaning in detail, has risen from his seat and entered the dwelling: 'Bhikkhus, what is not Dhamma should be known, and what is Dhamma; what is harmful should be known, and what is beneficial. Having known what is not Dhamma and what is Dhamma, having known what is harmful and what is beneficial, one should practise as accords with what is Dhamma, as accords with what is beneficial.' Who, now, might analyse in detail the meaning of this summary recited in brief by the Blessed One, whose meaning he did not analyse in detail?" Then it occurred to those bhikkhus: "This Venerable Ānanda is praised by the Teacher and esteemed by his wise fellows in the holy life; the Venerable Ānanda is able to analyse in detail the meaning of this summary recited in brief by the Blessed One, whose meaning he did not analyse in detail. Suppose we were to approach the Venerable Ānanda and, having approached, ask the Venerable Ānanda about this matter; as the Venerable Ānanda answers us, so shall we bear it in mind."
Then those bhikkhus approached the Venerable Ānanda; having approached, they exchanged greetings with the Venerable Ānanda, and when the cordial talk worth remembering had been concluded, they sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, those bhikkhus said to the Venerable Ānanda: "Friend Ānanda, the Blessed One has recited this summary in brief and, without analysing the meaning in detail, has risen from his seat and entered the dwelling: 'Bhikkhus, what is not Dhamma should be known, and what is Dhamma; what is harmful should be known, and what is beneficial. Having known what is not Dhamma and what is Dhamma, having known what is harmful and what is beneficial, one should practise as accords with what is Dhamma, as accords with what is beneficial.' Then, friend, not long after the Blessed One had departed, it occurred to us: 'Friends, the Blessed One has recited this summary in brief and, without analysing the meaning in detail, has risen from his seat and entered the dwelling: "Bhikkhus, what is not Dhamma should be known, and what is Dhamma; what is harmful should be known, and what is beneficial. Having known what is not Dhamma and what is Dhamma, having known what is harmful and what is beneficial, one should practise as accords with what is Dhamma, as accords with what is beneficial." Who, now, might analyse in detail the meaning of this summary recited in brief by the Blessed One, whose meaning he did not analyse in detail?' Then, friend, it occurred to us: 'This Venerable Ānanda is praised by the Teacher and esteemed by his wise fellows in the holy life; the Venerable Ānanda is able to analyse in detail the meaning of this summary recited in brief by the Blessed One, whose meaning he did not analyse in detail. Suppose we approach the Venerable Ānanda and, having approached, ask the Venerable Ānanda about this matter; as the Venerable Ānanda answers us, so shall we bear it in mind.' Let the Venerable Ānanda analyse it."
"Friends, it is just as if a man needing heartwood, seeking heartwood, wandering in search of heartwood, while a great tree possessed of heartwood stood there, should pass over the very root, pass over the trunk, and think that heartwood is to be sought among the branches and foliage — such is this case of the venerable ones: with the Teacher present face to face, you have passed by that Blessed One and think this matter should be asked of me. For, friends, that Blessed One, knowing, knows; seeing, sees; he has become the eye, become knowledge (ñāṇa), become Dhamma, become Brahmā; he is the speaker, the proclaimer, the elucidator of the meaning, the giver of the Deathless, the lord of the Dhamma, the Tathāgata. That was the very time for you to have approached the Blessed One himself and asked him about this matter; as the Blessed One answered you, so you should have borne it in mind."
"Certainly, friend Ānanda, the Blessed One, knowing, knows; seeing, sees; he has become the eye, become knowledge, become Dhamma, become Brahmā; he is the speaker, the proclaimer, the elucidator of the meaning, the giver of the Deathless, the lord of the Dhamma, the Tathāgata. That was indeed the very time for us to have approached the Blessed One himself and asked him about this matter; as the Blessed One answered us, so we should have borne it in mind. But the Venerable Ānanda is praised by the Teacher and esteemed by his wise fellows in the holy life; the Venerable Ānanda is able to analyse in detail the meaning of this summary recited in brief by the Blessed One, whose meaning he did not analyse in detail. Let the Venerable Ānanda analyse it, without finding it burdensome."
"Then, friends, listen and attend carefully; I shall speak." "Yes, friend," those bhikkhus replied to the Venerable Ānanda. The Venerable Ānanda said this: "Friends, as to the summary the Blessed One recited in brief and, without analysing the meaning in detail, rose from his seat and entered the dwelling: 'Bhikkhus, what is not Dhamma should be known, and what is Dhamma; what is harmful should be known, and what is beneficial. Having known what is not Dhamma and what is Dhamma, having known what is harmful and what is beneficial, one should practise as accords with what is Dhamma, as accords with what is beneficial' —
"What, friends, is not Dhamma, what is Dhamma, what is harmful, and what is beneficial? Wrong view, friends, is not Dhamma; right view is Dhamma; and the many evil, unwholesome dhammas that come to be with wrong view as condition — this is harmful; and the many wholesome dhammas that, with right view as condition, go to fulfilment by development — this is beneficial. Wrong thought, friends, is not Dhamma; right thought is Dhamma … Wrong speech, friends, is not Dhamma; right speech is Dhamma … Wrong action, friends, is not Dhamma; right action is Dhamma … Wrong livelihood, friends, is not Dhamma; right livelihood is Dhamma … Wrong effort, friends, is not Dhamma; right effort is Dhamma … [Wrong mindfulness, friends, is not Dhamma; right mindfulness is Dhamma …] Wrong concentration, friends, is not Dhamma; right concentration (samādhi) is Dhamma … Wrong knowledge, friends, is not Dhamma; right knowledge is Dhamma … Wrong deliverance, friends, is not Dhamma; right deliverance is Dhamma; and the many evil, unwholesome dhammas that come to be with wrong deliverance as condition — this is harmful; and the many wholesome dhammas that, with right deliverance as condition, go to fulfilment by development — this is beneficial.
"Friends, as to the summary the Blessed One recited in brief and, without analysing the meaning in detail, rose from his seat and entered the dwelling: 'Bhikkhus, what is not Dhamma should be known, and what is Dhamma; what is harmful should be known, and what is beneficial. Having known what is not Dhamma and what is Dhamma, having known what is harmful and what is beneficial, one should practise as accords with what is Dhamma, as accords with what is beneficial' — it is thus, friends, that I understand in detail the meaning of this summary recited in brief by the Blessed One, whose meaning he did not analyse in detail. But if you wish, friends, you may approach the Blessed One himself and ask him about this matter; as the Blessed One answers you, so should you bear it in mind."
"Yes, friend," said those bhikkhus, and having delighted in and rejoiced at the Venerable Ānanda's words, they rose from their seats and approached the Blessed One; having approached, they paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, those bhikkhus said to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, the Blessed One recited a summary in brief and, without analysing the meaning in detail, rose from his seat and entered the dwelling: 'Bhikkhus, what is not Dhamma should be known, and what is Dhamma; what is harmful should be known, and what is beneficial. Having known what is not Dhamma and what is Dhamma, having known what is harmful and what is beneficial, one should practise as accords with what is Dhamma, as accords with what is beneficial.' Then, venerable sir, not long after the Blessed One had departed, it occurred to us: 'Friends, the Blessed One has recited this summary in brief and, without analysing the meaning in detail, has risen from his seat and entered the dwelling: "Bhikkhus, what is not Dhamma should be known, and what is Dhamma; what is harmful should be known, and what is beneficial. Having known what is not Dhamma and what is Dhamma, having known what is harmful and what is beneficial, one should practise as accords with what is Dhamma, as accords with what is beneficial." Who, now, might analyse in detail the meaning of this summary recited in brief by the Blessed One, whose meaning he did not analyse in detail?' Then, venerable sir, it occurred to us: 'This Venerable Ānanda is praised by the Teacher and esteemed by his wise fellows in the holy life; the Venerable Ānanda is able to analyse in detail the meaning of this summary recited in brief by the Blessed One, whose meaning he did not analyse in detail. Suppose we were to approach the Venerable Ānanda and, having approached, ask the Venerable Ānanda about this matter; as the Venerable Ānanda answers us, so shall we bear it in mind.' Then, venerable sir, we approached the Venerable Ānanda and, having approached, asked the Venerable Ānanda about this matter. Venerable sir, the meaning has been well analysed for us by the Venerable Ānanda with these modes, these terms, these phrasings."
"Good, good, bhikkhus! Ānanda is wise, bhikkhus; Ānanda is of great wisdom, bhikkhus. If you had approached me and asked about this matter, I too would have answered it in just the way it was answered by Ānanda. That indeed is the meaning of it, and so should you bear it in mind."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.