[161] "Bhikkhus, what is not Dhamma (adhamma) should be known, and also what is Dhamma; what is harmful (anattha) should be known, and also 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 practice in accordance with what is Dhamma, in accordance with what is beneficial." This is what the Blessed One said. Having said this, the Sublime One (sugata) rose from his seat and entered his dwelling.
Then, not long after the Blessed One had departed, it occurred to those bhikkhus: "Friends, the Blessed One has recited this summary (uddesa) to us in brief and, without analyzing its meaning in detail, has risen from his seat and entered his dwelling: 'Bhikkhus, what is not Dhamma should be known, and also what is Dhamma; what is harmful should be known, and also what is beneficial. Having known what is not Dhamma and what is Dhamma, having known what is harmful and what is beneficial, one should practice in accordance with what is Dhamma, in accordance with what is beneficial.' Who now could analyze in detail the meaning of this summary recited in brief by the Blessed One without its meaning being analyzed in detail?" Then it occurred to those bhikkhus: "This Venerable Mahākaccāna is praised by the Teacher himself and esteemed by his wise companions in the holy life. The Venerable Mahākaccāna is capable of analyzing in detail the meaning of this summary recited in brief by the Blessed One without its meaning being analyzed in detail. Suppose we were to approach the Venerable Mahākaccāna and, having approached, were to ask the Venerable Mahākaccāna the meaning of this. As the Venerable Mahākaccāna explains it to us, so shall we bear it in mind."
Then those bhikkhus approached the Venerable Mahākaccāna; having approached, they exchanged greetings with the Venerable Mahākaccāna, and when the courteous and amiable talk was concluded, they sat down to one side. Seated to one side, those bhikkhus said this to the Venerable Mahākaccāna: "Friend Kaccāna, the Blessed One has recited this summary to us in brief and, without analyzing its meaning in detail, has risen from his seat and entered his dwelling: 'Bhikkhus, what is not Dhamma should be known, and also what is Dhamma; what is harmful should be known, and also what is beneficial. Having known what is not Dhamma and what is Dhamma, having known what is harmful and what is beneficial, one should practice in accordance with what is Dhamma, in accordance with what is beneficial.' Friend, not long after the Blessed One had departed, it occurred to us: 'Friends, the Blessed One has recited this summary to us in brief and, without analyzing its meaning in detail, has risen from his seat and entered his dwelling: "Bhikkhus, what is not Dhamma should be known, and also what is Dhamma; what is harmful should be known, and also what is beneficial. Having known what is not Dhamma and what is Dhamma, having known what is harmful and what is beneficial, one should practice in accordance with what is Dhamma, in accordance with what is beneficial." Who now could analyze in detail the meaning of this summary recited in brief by the Blessed One without its meaning being analyzed in detail?' Then, friend, it occurred to us: 'This Venerable Mahākaccāna is praised by the Teacher himself and esteemed by his wise companions in the holy life. The Venerable Mahākaccāna is capable of analyzing in detail the meaning of this summary recited in brief by the Blessed One without its meaning being analyzed in detail. Suppose we were to approach the Venerable Mahākaccāna and, having approached, were to ask the Venerable Mahākaccāna the meaning of this. As the Venerable Mahākaccāna explains it to us, so shall we bear it in mind.' Let the Venerable Mahākaccāna analyze it."
"Friends, it is just as if a man needing heartwood, seeking heartwood, wandering in search of heartwood, though a great tree possessed of heartwood were standing there, should pass over its root, pass over its trunk, and think that the heartwood should be sought among the branches and leaves — such is what has befallen you venerable ones: though the Teacher was present before you face to face, you passed by that Blessed One and think that this matter should be asked of me. For, friends, that Blessed One, knowing, knows; seeing, he 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 indeed was the time when you should have approached the Blessed One himself and asked the meaning of this; as the Blessed One explained it to you, so you should have borne it in mind."
"Certainly, friend Kaccāna, the Blessed One, knowing, knows; seeing, he 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 indeed was the time when we should have approached the Blessed One himself and asked the meaning of this; as the Blessed One explained it to us, so we should have borne it in mind. Yet the Venerable Mahākaccāna is praised by the Teacher himself and esteemed by his wise companions in the holy life; the Venerable Mahākaccāna is capable of analyzing in detail the meaning of this summary recited in brief by the Blessed One without its meaning being analyzed in detail. Let the Venerable Mahākaccāna analyze it, without finding it troublesome."
"Then, friends, listen and attend closely; I will speak." "Yes, friend," those bhikkhus replied to the Venerable Mahākaccāna. The Venerable Mahākaccāna said this: "Friends, that summary which the Blessed One recited in brief and, without analyzing its meaning in detail, rose from his seat and entered his dwelling — 'Bhikkhus, what is not Dhamma should be known, and also what is Dhamma; what is harmful should be known, and also what is beneficial. Having known what is not Dhamma and what is Dhamma, having known what is harmful and what is beneficial, one should practice in accordance with what is Dhamma, in accordance with what is beneficial' — what now, friends, is not Dhamma, and what is Dhamma? What is harmful, and what is beneficial?
"The destruction of life (pāṇātipāta), friends, is not Dhamma; abstinence from the destruction of life is Dhamma; and the many bad, unwholesome states that come into being with the destruction of life as their condition — this is what is harmful; while with abstinence from the destruction of life as their condition many wholesome states go to fulfillment by development — this is what is beneficial.
"Taking what is not given (adinnādāna), friends, is not Dhamma; abstinence from taking what is not given is Dhamma; and the many bad, unwholesome states that come into being with taking what is not given as their condition — this is what is harmful; while with abstinence from taking what is not given as their condition many wholesome states go to fulfillment by development — this is what is beneficial.
"Sexual misconduct (kāmesu micchācāra), friends, is not Dhamma; abstinence from sexual misconduct is Dhamma; and the many bad, unwholesome states that come into being with sexual misconduct as their condition — this is what is harmful; while with abstinence from sexual misconduct as their condition many wholesome states go to fulfillment by development — this is what is beneficial.
"False speech (musāvāda), friends, is not Dhamma; abstinence from false speech is Dhamma; and the many bad, unwholesome states that come into being with false speech as their condition — this is what is harmful; while with abstinence from false speech as their condition many wholesome states go to fulfillment by development — this is what is beneficial.
"Divisive speech (pisuṇā vācā), friends, is not Dhamma; abstinence from divisive speech is Dhamma; and the many bad, unwholesome states that come into being with divisive speech as their condition — this is what is harmful; while with abstinence from divisive speech as their condition many wholesome states go to fulfillment by development — this is what is beneficial.
"Harsh speech (pharusā vācā), friends, is not Dhamma; abstinence from harsh speech is Dhamma; and the many bad, unwholesome states that come into being with harsh speech as their condition — this is what is harmful; while with abstinence from harsh speech as their condition many wholesome states go to fulfillment by development — this is what is beneficial.
"Frivolous talk (samphappalāpa), friends, is not Dhamma; abstinence from frivolous talk is Dhamma; and the many bad, unwholesome states that come into being with frivolous talk as their condition — this is what is harmful; while with abstinence from frivolous talk as their condition many wholesome states go to fulfillment by development — this is what is beneficial.
"Covetousness (abhijjhā), friends, is not Dhamma; non-covetousness is Dhamma; and the many bad, unwholesome states that come into being with covetousness as their condition — this is what is harmful; while with non-covetousness as their condition many wholesome states go to fulfillment by development — this is what is beneficial.
"Ill will (byāpāda), friends, is not Dhamma; non-ill will is Dhamma; and the many bad, unwholesome states that come into being with ill will as their condition — this is what is harmful; while with non-ill will as their condition many wholesome states go to fulfillment by development — this is what is beneficial.
"Wrong view (micchādiṭṭhi), friends, is not Dhamma; right view (sammādiṭṭhi) is Dhamma; and the many bad, unwholesome states that come into being with wrong view as their condition — this is what is harmful; while with right view as their condition many wholesome states go to fulfillment by development — this is what is beneficial.
"Friends, that summary which the Blessed One recited to us in brief and, without analyzing its meaning in detail, rose from his seat and entered his dwelling — 'Bhikkhus, what is not Dhamma should be known, and also what is Dhamma; what is harmful should be known, and also what is beneficial. Having known what is not Dhamma and what is Dhamma, having known what is harmful and what is beneficial, one should practice in accordance with what is Dhamma, in accordance 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 without its meaning being analyzed in detail. But if you wish, friends, you may approach the Blessed One himself and ask him the meaning of this; as the Blessed One explains it to you, so should you bear it in mind."
"Yes, friend," said those bhikkhus, and having delighted in and approved of the Venerable Mahākaccāna's words, they rose from their seats and approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, they sat down to one side. Seated to one side, those bhikkhus said this to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, the Blessed One recited this summary to us in brief and, without analyzing its meaning in detail, rose from his seat and entered the dwelling: 'Bhikkhus, what is not Dhamma should be known, and also what is Dhamma; what is harmful should be known, and also what is beneficial. Having known what is not Dhamma and what is Dhamma, having known what is harmful and what is beneficial, one should practice in accordance with what is Dhamma, in accordance with what is beneficial.' Venerable sir, not long after the Blessed One had departed, it occurred to us: 'Friends, the Blessed One has recited this summary to us in brief and, without analyzing its meaning in detail, has risen from his seat and entered his dwelling: "Bhikkhus, what is not Dhamma should be known, and also what is Dhamma; what is harmful should be known, and also what is beneficial. Having known what is not Dhamma and what is Dhamma, having known what is harmful and what is beneficial, one should practice in accordance with what is Dhamma, in accordance with what is beneficial." Who now could analyze in detail the meaning of this summary recited in brief by the Blessed One?' Then, venerable sir, it occurred to us: 'This Venerable Mahākaccāna is praised by the Teacher himself and esteemed by his wise companions in the holy life; the Venerable Mahākaccāna is capable of analyzing in detail the meaning of this summary recited in brief by the Blessed One without its meaning being analyzed in detail. Suppose we were to approach the Venerable Mahākaccāna and, having approached, were to ask the Venerable Mahākaccāna the meaning of this. As the Venerable Mahākaccāna explains it to us, so shall we bear it in mind.' Then, venerable sir, we approached the Venerable Mahākaccāna and, having approached, asked the Venerable Mahākaccāna the meaning of this. The Venerable Mahākaccāna has analyzed the meaning well for us in these ways, with these terms, with these phrasings."
"Good, good, bhikkhus! Mahākaccāna is wise, bhikkhus; Mahākaccāna is of great wisdom, bhikkhus. If you had approached me and asked the meaning of this, I too would have explained it in just the same way as it has been explained by Mahākaccāna. Such indeed is the meaning of this, and so should you bear it in mind."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.