4.13. Greater Discourse on Quarrelling

“Ye kecime diṭṭhiparibbasānā,

Idameva saccanti vivādayanti;

Sabbeva te nindamanvānayanti,

Atho pasaṁsampi labhanti tattha”.

“Appañhi etaṁ na alaṁ samāya,

Duve vivādassa phalāni brūmi;

Etampi disvā na vivādayetha,

Khemābhipassaṁ avivādabhūmiṁ”.

“Yā kācimā sammutiyo puthujjā,

Sabbāva etā na upeti vidvā;

Anūpayo so upayaṁ kimeyya,

Diṭṭhe sute khantimakubbamāno”.

“Sīluttamā saññamenāhu suddhiṁ,

Vataṁ samādāya upaṭṭhitāse;

Idheva sikkhema athassa suddhiṁ,

Bhavūpanītā kusalāvadānā.

Sace cuto sīlavatato hoti,

Pavedhatī kamma virādhayitvā;

Pajappatī patthayatī ca suddhiṁ,

Satthāva hīno pavasaṁ gharamhā.

Sīlabbataṁ vāpi pahāya sabbaṁ,

Kammañca sāvajjanavajjametaṁ;

Suddhiṁ asuddhinti apatthayāno,

Virato care santimanuggahāya.

Tamūpanissāya jigucchitaṁ vā,

Atha vāpi diṭṭhaṁ va sutaṁ mutaṁ vā;

Uddhaṁsarā suddhimanutthunanti,

Avītataṇhāse bhavābhavesu.

Patthayamānassa hi jappitāni,

Pavedhitaṁ vāpi pakappitesu;

Cutūpapāto idha yassa natthi,

Sa kena vedheyya kuhiṁ va jappe”.

“Yamāhu dhammaṁ paramanti eke,

Tameva hīnanti panāhu aññe;

Sacco nu vādo katamo imesaṁ,

Sabbeva hīme kusalāvadānā”.

“Sakañhi dhammaṁ paripuṇṇamāhu,

Aññassa dhammaṁ pana hīnamāhu;

Evampi viggayha vivādayanti,

Sakaṁ sakaṁ sammutimāhu saccaṁ.

Parassa ce vambhayitena hīno,

Na koci dhammesu visesi assa;

Puthū hi aññassa vadanti dhammaṁ,

Nihīnato samhi daḷhaṁ vadānā.

Saddhammapūjāpi nesaṁ tatheva,

Yathā pasaṁsanti sakāyanāni;

Sabbeva vādā tathiyā bhaveyyuṁ,

Suddhī hi nesaṁ paccattameva.

Na brāhmaṇassa paraneyyamatthi,

Dhammesu niccheyya samuggahītaṁ;

Tasmā vivādāni upātivatto,

Na hi seṭṭhato passati dhammamaññaṁ.

Jānāmi passāmi tatheva etaṁ,

Diṭṭhiyā eke paccenti suddhiṁ;

Addakkhi ce kiñhi tumassa tena,

Atisitvā aññena vadanti suddhiṁ.

Passaṁ naro dakkhati nāmarūpaṁ,

Disvāna vā ñassati tānimeva;

Kāmaṁ bahuṁ passatu appakaṁ vā,

Na hi tena suddhiṁ kusalā vadanti.

Nivissavādī na hi subbināyo,

Pakappitaṁ diṭṭhi purakkharāno;

Yaṁ nissito tattha subhaṁ vadāno,

Suddhiṁ vado tattha tathaddasā so.

Na brāhmaṇo kappamupeti saṅkhā,

Na diṭṭhisārī napi ñāṇabandhu;

Ñatvā ca so sammutiyo puthujjā,

Upekkhatī uggahaṇanti maññe.

Vissajja ganthāni munīdha loke,

Vivādajātesu na vaggasārī;

Santo asantesu upekkhako so,

Anuggaho uggahaṇanti maññe.

Pubbāsave hitvā nave akubbaṁ,

Na chandagū nopi nivissavādī;

Sa vippamutto diṭṭhigatehi dhīro,

Na lippati loke anattagarahī.

Sa sabbadhammesu visenibhūto,

Yaṁ kiñci diṭṭhaṁ va sutaṁ mutaṁ vā;

Sa pannabhāro muni vippamutto,

Na kappiyo nūparato na patthiyo”ti.

Mahābyūhasuttaṁ terasamaṁ.

SC 1SC Verse 902Question
Regarding those people who hold to their views,
Arguing, “Only this is true!”
Should all of them be criticized,
Or are some praiseworthy also?

SC 2SC Verse 903Buddha
This is a small thing, not enough for peace.
I say there are two outcomes of dispute;
Seeing this one should not dispute,
Recognizing that safety is a place without dispute.

SC 3SC Verse 904Regarding these widely-held opinions,
One who knows does not get involved with any of them.
Why would the uninvolved become involved,
Since they have no preferences
In what is seen or heard?

SC 4SC Verse 905Those who consider ethics to be the highest
Say that purity comes from self-restraint.
They undertake a vow and stick to it,
Thinking that only training in this way is there purity,
Declaring themselves experts,
They go to future rebirths.

SC 5SC Verse 906If he falls away from virtuous conduct and vows,
He is anxious, having failed in his task.
He yearns and longs for purity, as one far from home
Who has lost his travelling companions.

SC 6SC Verse 907But one who abandons all virtue and vows,
and deeds both blameless and blameworthy,
Does not long for either purity or impurity;
he lives detached, fostering peace.

SC 7SC Verse 908Dependent on ascetic practices,
Or on what is seen, heard, or thought,
They say that purity comes from continual transmigration,
They are not free of craving for life after life.

SC 8SC Verse 909One who yearns has longings,
And is anxious regarding their aspirations;
But for one here who has no falling away or reappearing,
Why would they be anxious,
Or for what would they long?

SC 9SC Verse 910Question
The doctrine that some people call the ultimate,
Others say is deficient.
Which of these speaks the truth?
For all of them say they are experts.

SC 10SC Verse 911Buddha
They say their own doctrine is complete,
While that of others is deficient.
Thus arguing they dispute,
Each taking what they agree upon to be the truth.

SC 11SC Verse 912If by criticizing an opponent
Their doctrine became deficient,
There would be no distinguished doctrines,
Because it is common for people to speak
In defence of their own doctrines,
While making the other’s out to be deficient.

SC 12SC Verse 913Indeed, the honoring of their own teachings
Is nothing other than praise of themselves;
If each doctrine were valid,
Then purity would be just a personal matter.

SC 13SC Verse 914The brahmin is not led by another,
Considering wisely, they do not grasp any teaching;
Therefore they go beyond disputes,
Since they see no other doctrine as best.

SC 14SC Verse 915Thinking, “I know, I see, this is how it is!”
Some fall back on view as purity.
Even if one has seen, what use is that to them?
Overstepping, they say purity
Comes by some other means.

SC 15SC Verse 916A person with vision sees mind and body,
And then knows only that much;
Let them see much or little,
The experts say purity does not come from that.

SC 16SC Verse 917One who speaks dogmatically,
Who’s settled down in view,
Will not be deferent, one not easily trained.
To that attached, his own views “pure”,
“pure path” according to what he’s seen.

SC 17SC Verse 918The paragon with wisdom comes not near
To following views, by partial knowledge bound.
Having known opinions of common people,
He’s equanimous, though others study them.

SC 18SC Verse 919The sage lets go of all ties to the world,
And when disputes come up they do not take sides;
Peaceful amid the agitated, they are equanimous,
They don’t hold on, thinking, “Let them hold on”.

SC 19SC Verse 920Former corruptions are abandoned,
While new ones are not created,
They have no biases, and are not dogmatic.
The sage is freed from commitment to views,
Not clinging to the world, nor reproaching themselves.

SC 20SC Verse 921They have no enemies in the doctrines,
Whether seen, heard, or thought;
The sage is freed, having put down the burden,
Not planning, not wanting, not wishing.