The Buddha’s Charter of Free Inquiry
Preface
The instruction of the Kalamas (Kalama Sutta) is justly famous forits encouragement of free inquiry; the spirit of the sutta signifies ateaching that is exempt from fanaticism, bigotry, dogmatism, andintolerance.
The reasonableness of the Dhamma, the Buddha’s teaching, is chieflyevident in its welcoming careful examination at all stages of the pathto enlightenment. Indeed the whole course of training for wisdomculminating in the purity of the consummate one (the arahant) isintimately bound up with examination and analysis of things internal:the eye and visible objects, the ear and sounds, the nose and smells,the tongue and tastes, the body and tactile impressions, the mind andideas.
Thus since all phenomena have to be correctly understood in thefield of Dhamma, insight is operative throughout. In this sutta it isactive in rejecting the bad and adopting the good way; in the extractsgiven below in clarifying the basis of knowledge of conditionality andarhatship. Here it may be mentioned that the methods of examination inthe Kalama Sutta and in the extracts cited here, have sprung from theknowledge of things as they are and that the tenor of these methods areimplied in all straight thinking. Further, as penetration andcomprehension, the constituents of wisdom are the result of suchthinking, the place of critical examination and analysis in thedevelopment of right vision is obvious. Where is the wisdom or visionthat can descend, all of a sudden, untouched and uninfluenced by acritical thought?
The Kalama Sutta, which sets forth the principles that should befollowed by a seeker of truth, and which contains a standard things arejudged by, belongs to a framework of the Dhamma; the four solacestaught in the sutta point out the extent to which the Buddha permitssuspense of judgment in matters beyond normal cognition. The solacesshow that the reason for a virtuous life does not necessarily depend onbelief in rebirth or retribution, but on mental well-being acquiredthrough the overcoming of greed, hate, and delusion.
More than fifty years ago, Moncure D. Conway, the author of "MyPilgrimage to the Wise Men of the East," visited Colombo. He was afriend of Ponnambalam Ramanathan (then Solicitor General of Ceylon),and together with him Conway went to the Vidyodaya Pirivena to learnsomething of the Buddha’s teaching from Hikkaduve Siri Sumangala NayakaThera, the founder of the institution. The Nayaka Thera explained tothem the principles contained in the Kalama Sutta and at the end of theconversation Ramanathan whispered to Conway: "Is it not strange thatyou and I, who come from far different religions and regions, shouldtogether listen to a sermon from the Buddha in favor of that freethought, that independence of traditional and fashionable doctrines,which is still the vital principle of human development?" xe2x80x94 Conway:"Yes, and we with the (Kalama) princes pronounce his doctrines good."
Supplementary Texts
"Friend Savittha, apart from faith, apart from liking, apart fromwhat has been acquired by repeated hearing, apart from speciousreasoning, and from a bias towards a notion that has been ponderedover, I know this, I see this: ‘Decay and death are due to birth.’"
Samyuttanikaya, Nidanavagga, Mahavagga, Sutta No. 8
"Here a bhikkhu, having seen an object with the eye, knows whengreed, hate, and delusion are within, ‘Greed, hate, and delusion are inme’; he knows when greed, hate, and delusion are not within, ‘Greed,hate, and delusion are not in me.’ Bhikkhus, have these things to beexperienced through faith, liking, what has been acquired by repeatedhearing, specious reasoning, or a bias towards a notion that has beenpondered over?" xe2x80x94 "No, venerable sir." xe2x80x94 "Bhikkhus, this even is theway by which a bhikkhu, apart from faith, liking, what has beenacquired by repeated hearing, specious reasoning, or a bias towards anotion that has been pondered over, declares realization of knowledgethus: I know that birth has been exhausted, the celibate life has beenlived, what must be done has been done and there is no more of this tocome."
Samyuttanikaya, Salyatanavagga, Navapuranavagga, Sutta No. 8
The Instruction to the Kalamas
Anguttara Nikaya, Tika Nipata, Mahavagga, Sutta No. 65
The Kalamas of Kesaputta go to see the Buddha
1. I heard thus. Once the Blessed One, while wandering in the Kosalacountry with a large community of bhikkhus, entered a town of theKalama people called Kesaputta. The Kalamas who were inhabitants ofKesaputta: "Reverend Gotama, the monk, the son of the Sakyans, has,while wandering in the Kosala country, entered Kesaputta. The goodrepute of the Reverend Gotama has been spread in this way: Indeed, theBlessed One is thus consummate, fully enlightened, endowed withknowledge and practice, sublime, knower of the worlds, peerless, guideof tamable men, teacher of divine and human beings, which he by himselfhas through direct knowledge understood clearly. He set forth theDhamma, good in the beginning, good in the middle, good in the end,possessed of meaning and the letter, and complete in everything; and heproclaims the holy life that is perfectly pure. Seeing such consummateones is good indeed."
2. Then the Kalamas who were inhabitants of Kesaputta went to wherethe Blessed One was. On arriving there some paid homage to him and satdown on one side; some exchanged greetings with him and after theending of cordial memorable talk, sat down on one side; some salutedhim raising their joined palms and sat down on one side; some announcedtheir name and family and sat down on one side; some without speaking,sat down on one side.
The Kalamas of Kesaputta ask for guidance from the Buddha
3. The Kalamas who were inhabitants of Kesaputta sitting on one sidesaid to the Blessed One: "There are some monks and brahmans, venerablesir, who visit Kesaputta. They expound and explain only their owndoctrines; the doctrines of others they despise, revile, and pull topieces. Some other monks and brahmans too, venerable sir, come toKesaputta. They also expound and explain only their own doctrines; thedoctrines of others they despise, revile, and pull to pieces. Venerablesir, there is doubt, there is uncertainty in us concerning them. Whichof these reverend monks and brahmans spoke the truth and whichfalsehood?"
The criterion for rejection
4. "It is proper for you, Kalamas, to doubt, to be uncertain;uncertainty has arisen in you about what is doubtful. Come, Kalamas. Donot go upon what has been acquired by repeated hearing; nor upontradition; nor upon rumor; nor upon what is in a scripture; nor uponsurmise; nor upon an axiom; nor upon specious reasoning; nor upon abias towards a notion that has been pondered over; nor upon another’sseeming ability; nor upon the consideration, ‘The monk is our teacher.’Kalamas, when you yourselves know: ‘These things are bad; these thingsare blamable; these things are censured by the wise; undertaken andobserved, these things lead to harm and ill,’ abandon them.
Greed, hate, and delusion
5. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does greed appear in a man for hisbenefit or harm?" xe2x80x94 "For his harm, venerable sir." xe2x80x94 "Kalamas, beinggiven to greed, and being overwhelmed and vanquished mentally by greed,this man takes life, steals, commits adultery, and tells lies; heprompts another too, to do likewise. Will that be long for his harm andill?" xe2x80x94 "Yes, venerable sir."
6. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does hate appear in a man for hisbenefit or harm?" xe2x80x94 "For his harm, venerable sir." xe2x80x94 "Kalamas, beinggiven to hate, and being overwhelmed and vanquished mentally by hate,this man takes life, steals, commits adultery, and tells lies; heprompts another too, to do likewise. Will that be long for his harm andill?" xe2x80x94 "Yes, venerable sir."
7. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does delusion appear in a man forhis benefit or harm?" xe2x80x94 "For his harm, venerable sir." xe2x80x94 "Kalamas,being given to delusion, and being overwhelmed and vanquished mentallyby delusion, this man takes life, steals, commits adultery, and tellslies; he prompts another too, to do likewise. Will that be long for hisharm and ill?" xe2x80x94 "Yes, venerable sir."
8. "What do you think, Kalamas? Are these things good or bad?" xe2x80x94"Bad, venerable sir" xe2x80x94 "Blamable or not blamable?" xe2x80x94 "Blamable,venerable sir." xe2x80x94 "Censured or praised by the wise?" xe2x80x94 "Censured,venerable sir." xe2x80x94 "Undertaken and observed, do these things lead toharm and ill, or not? Or how does it strike you?" xe2x80x94 "Undertaken andobserved, these things lead to harm and ill. Thus it strikes us here."
9. "Therefore, did we say, Kalamas, what was said thus, ‘ComeKalamas. Do not go upon what has been acquired by repeated hearing; norupon tradition; nor upon rumor; nor upon what is in a scripture; norupon surmise; nor upon an axiom; nor upon specious reasoning; nor upona bias towards a notion that has been pondered over; nor upon another’sseeming ability; nor upon the consideration, "The monk is our teacher."Kalamas, when you yourselves know: "These things are bad; these thingsare blamable; these things are censured by the wise; undertaken andobserved, these things lead to harm and ill," abandon them.’
The criterion for acceptance
10. "Come, Kalamas. Do not go upon what has been acquired byrepeated hearing; nor upon tradition; nor upon rumor; nor upon what isin a scripture; nor upon surmise; nor upon an axiom; nor upon speciousreasoning; nor upon a bias towards a notion that has been ponderedover; nor upon another’s seeming ability; nor upon the consideration,’The monk is our teacher.’ Kalamas, when you yourselves know: ‘Thesethings are good; these things are not blamable; these things arepraised by the wise; undertaken and observed, these things lead tobenefit and happiness,’ enter on and abide in them.
Absence of greed, hate, and delusion
11. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does absence of greed appear in aman for his benefit or harm?" xe2x80x94 "For his benefit, venerable sir." xe2x80x94"Kalamas, being not given to greed, and being not overwhelmed and notvanquished mentally by greed, this man does not take life, does notsteal, does not commit adultery, and does not tell lies; he promptsanother too, to do likewise. Will that be long for his benefit andhappiness?" xe2x80x94 "Yes, venerable sir."
12. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does absence of hate appear in aman for his benefit or harm?" xe2x80x94 "For his benefit, venerable sir." xe2x80x94"Kalamas, being not given to hate, and being not overwhelmed and notvanquished mentally by hate, this man does not take life, does notsteal, does not commit adultery, and does not tell lies; he promptsanother too, to do likewise. Will that be long for his benefit andhappiness?" _ "Yes, venerable sir."
13. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does absence of delusion appear ina man for his benefit or harm?" xe2x80x94 "For his benefit, venerable sir." xe2x80x94"Kalamas, being not given to delusion, and being not overwhelmed andnot vanquished mentally by delusion, this man does not take life, doesnot steal, does not commit adultery, and does not tell lies; he promptsanother too, to do likewise. Will that be long for his benefit andhappiness?" _ "Yes, venerable sir."
14. "What do you think, Kalamas? Are these things good or bad?" xe2x80x94"Good, venerable sir." xe2x80x94 "Blamable or not blamable?" xe2x80x94 "Not blamable,venerable sir." xe2x80x94 "Censured or praised by the wise?" xe2x80x94 "Praised,venerable sir." xe2x80x94 "Undertaken and observed, do these things lead tobenefit and happiness, or not? Or how does it strike you?" xe2x80x94"Undertaken and observed, these things lead to benefit and happiness.Thus it strikes us here."
15. "Therefore, did we say, Kalamas, what was said thus, ‘ComeKalamas. Do not go upon what has been acquired by repeated hearing; norupon tradition; nor upon rumor; nor upon what is in a scripture; norupon surmise; nor upon an axiom; nor upon specious reasoning; nor upona bias towards a notion that has been pondered over; nor upon another’sseeming ability; nor upon the consideration, "The monk is our teacher."Kalamas, when you yourselves know: "These things are good; these thingsare not blamable; these things are praised by the wise; undertaken andobserved, these things lead to benefit and happiness," enter on andabide in them.’
The Four Exalted Dwellings
16. "The disciple of the Noble Ones, Kalamas, who in this way isdevoid of coveting, devoid of ill will, undeluded, clearlycomprehending and mindful, dwells, having pervaded, with the thought ofamity, one quarter; likewise the second; likewise the third; likewisethe fourth; so above, below, and across; he dwells, having pervadedbecause of the existence in it of all living beings, everywhere, theentire world, with the great, exalted, boundless thought of amity thatis free of hate or malice.
"He lives, having pervaded, with the thought of compassion, onequarter; likewise the second; likewise the third; likewise the fourth;so above, below, and across; he dwells, having pervaded because of theexistence in it of all living beings, everywhere, the entire world,with the great, exalted, boundless thought of compassion that is freeof hate or malice.
"He lives, having pervaded, with the thought of gladness, onequarter; likewise the second; likewise the third; likewise the fourth;so above, below, and across; he dwells, having pervaded because of theexistence in it of all living beings, everywhere, the entire world,with the great, exalted, boundless thought of gladness that is free ofhate or malice.
"He lives, having pervaded, with the thought of equanimity, onequarter; likewise the second; likewise the third; likewise the fourth;so above, below, and across; he dwells, having pervaded because of theexistence in it of all living beings, everywhere, the entire world,with the great, exalted, boundless thought of equanimity that is freeof hate or malice.
The Four Solaces
17. "The disciple of the Noble Ones, Kalamas, who has such ahate-free mind, such a malice-free mind, such an undefiled mind, andsuch a purified mind, is one by whom four solaces are found here andnow.
"’Suppose there is a hereafter and there is a fruit, result, ofdeeds done well or ill. Then it is possible that at the dissolution ofthe body after death, I shall arise in the heavenly world, which ispossessed of the state of bliss.’ This is the first solace found by him.
"’Suppose there is no hereafter and there is no fruit, no result, ofdeeds done well or ill. Yet in this world, here and now, free fromhatred, free from malice, safe and sound, and happy, I keep myself.’This is the second solace found by him.
"’Suppose evil (results) befall an evil-doer. I, however, think ofdoing evil to no one. Then, how can ill (results) affect me who do noevil deed?’ This is the third solace found by him.
"’Suppose evil (results) do not befall an evil-doer. Then I seemyself purified in any case.’ This is the fourth solace found by him.
"The disciple of the Noble Ones, Kalamas, who has such a hate-freemind, such a malice-free mind, such an undefiled mind, and such apurified mind, is one by whom, here and now, these four solaces arefound."
"So it is, Blessed One. So it is, Sublime one. The disciple of theNoble Ones, venerable sir, who has such a hate-free mind, such amalice-free mind, such an undefiled mind, and such a purified mind, isone by whom, here and now, four solaces are found.
"’Suppose there is a hereafter and there is a fruit, result, ofdeeds done well or ill. Then it is possible that at the dissolution ofthe body after death, I shall arise in the heavenly world, which ispossessed of the state of bliss.’ This is the first solace found by him.
"’Suppose there is no hereafter and there is no fruit, no result, ofdeeds done well or ill. Yet in this world, here and now, free fromhatred, free from malice, safe and sound, and happy, I keep myself.’This is the second solace found by him.
"’Suppose evil (results) befall an evil-doer. I, however, think ofdoing evil to no one. Then, how can ill (results) affect me who do noevil deed?’ This is the third solace found by him.
"’Suppose evil (results) do not befall an evil-doer. Then I seemyself purified in any case.’ This is the fourth solace found by him.
"The disciple of the Noble Ones, venerable sir, who has such ahate-free mind, such a malice-free mind, such an undefiled mind, andsuch a purified mind, is one by whom, here and now, these four solacesare found.
"Marvelous, venerable sir! Marvelous, venerable sir! As if,venerable sir, a person were to turn face upwards what is upside down,or to uncover the concealed, or to point the way to one who is lost orto carry a lamp in the darkness, thinking, ‘Those who have eyes willsee visible objects,’ so has the Dhamma been set forth in many ways bythe Blessed One. We, venerable sir, go to the Blessed One for refuge,to the Dhamma for refuge, and to the Community of Bhikkhus for refuge.Venerable sir, may the Blessed One regard us as lay followers who havegone for refuge for life, from today."
14 September 2009 at 11:39
Thanks much for that wonderful blog post.