mn.103 Majjhima Nikāya (Middle Discourses)

What Do You Think About Me?

Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was living at Kusinārā, in the Grove of Offerings. There he addressed the bhikkhus thus: “Bhikkhus.”—“Venerable sir,” they replied. The Blessed One said this:

“What do you think about me, bhikkhus? That the recluse Gotama teaches the Dhamma for the sake of robes? Or that the recluse Gotama teaches the Dhamma for the sake of almsfood? Or that the recluse Gotama teaches the Dhamma for the sake of a resting place? Or that the recluse Gotama teaches the Dhamma for the sake of some better state of being?”

“We do not think thus about the Blessed One: ‘The recluse Gotama teaches the Dhamma for the sake of robes, or for the sake of almsfood, or for the sake of a resting place, or for the sake of some better state of being.’”

“So, bhikkhus, you do not think thus about me: ‘The recluse Gotama teaches the Dhamma for the sake of robes…or for the sake of some better state of being.’ Then what do you think about me?”

“Venerable sir, we think thus about the Blessed One: ‘The Blessed One is compassionate and seeks our welfare; he teaches the Dhamma out of compassion.’”

“So, bhikkhus, you think thus about me: ‘The Blessed One is compassionate and seeks our welfare; he teaches the Dhamma out of compassion.’

“So, bhikkhus, these things that I have taught you after directly knowing them—that is, the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right kinds of striving, the four bases for spiritual power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven enlightenment factors, the Noble Eightfold Path—in these things you should all train in concord, with mutual appreciation, without disputing.

“While you are training in concord, with mutual appreciation, without disputing, two bhikkhus might make different assertions about the higher Dhamma.

“Now if you should think thus: ‘These venerable ones differ about both the meaning and the phrasing,’ then whichever bhikkhu you think is the more reasonable should be approached and addressed thus: ‘The venerable ones differ about both the meaning and the phrasing. The venerable ones should know that it is for this reason that there is difference about the meaning and difference about the phrasing; let them not fall into a dispute.’ Then whichever bhikkhu you think is the most reasonable of those who side together on the opposite part should be approached and addressed thus: ‘The venerable ones differ about the meaning and the phrasing. The venerable ones should know that it is for this reason that there is difference about the meaning and difference about the phrasing; let them not fall into a dispute.’ So what has been wrongly grasped should be borne in mind as wrongly grasped. Bearing in mind what has been wrongly grasped as wrongly grasped, what is Dhamma and what is Discipline should be expounded.

“Now if you should think thus: ‘These venerable ones differ about the meaning but agree about the phrasing,’ then whichever bhikkhu you think is the more reasonable should be approached and addressed thus: ‘The venerable ones differ about the meaning but agree about the phrasing. The venerable ones should know that it is for this reason that there is difference about the meaning but agreement about the phrasing; let them not fall into a dispute.’ Then whichever bhikkhu you think is the most reasonable of those who side together on the opposite part should be approached and addressed thus: ‘The venerable ones differ about the meaning but agree about the phrasing. The venerable ones should know that it is for this reason that there is difference about the meaning but agreement about the phrasing; let them not fall into a dispute.’ So what has been wrongly grasped should be borne in mind as wrongly grasped and what has been rightly grasped should be borne in mind as rightly grasped. Bearing in mind what has been wrongly grasped as wrongly grasped, and bearing in mind what has been rightly grasped as rightly grasped, what is Dhamma and what is Discipline should be expounded.

“Now if you think thus: ‘These venerable ones agree about the meaning but differ about the phrasing,’ then whichever bhikkhu you think is the more reasonable should be approached and addressed thus: ‘The venerable ones agree about the meaning but differ about the phrasing. The venerable ones should know that it is for this reason that there is agreement about the meaning but difference about the phrasing. But the phrasing is a mere trifle. Let the venerable ones not fall into a dispute over a mere trifle.’ Then whichever bhikkhu you think is the most reasonable of those who side together on the opposite part should be approached and addressed thus: ‘The venerable ones agree about the meaning but differ about the phrasing. The venerable ones should know that it is for this reason that there is agreement about the meaning but difference about the phrasing. But the phrasing is a mere trifle. Let the venerable ones not fall into a dispute over a mere trifle.’ So what has been rightly grasped should be borne in mind as rightly grasped and what has been wrongly grasped should be borne in mind as wrongly grasped. Bearing in mind what has been rightly grasped as rightly grasped, and bearing in mind what has been wrongly grasped as wrongly grasped, what is Dhamma and what is Discipline should be expounded.

“Now if you should think thus: ‘These venerable ones agree about both the meaning and the phrasing,’ then whichever bhikkhu you think is the more reasonable should be approached and addressed thus: ‘The venerable ones agree about both the meaning and the phrasing. The venerable ones should know that it is for this reason that there is agreement about both the meaning and the phrasing; let the venerable ones not fall into a dispute.’ Then whichever bhikkhu you think is the most reasonable of those who side together on the opposite part should be approached and addressed thus: ‘The venerable ones agree about both the meaning and the phrasing. The venerable ones should know that it is for this reason that there is agreement about both the meaning and the phrasing; let the venerable ones not fall into a dispute.’ So what has been rightly grasped should be borne in mind as rightly grasped. Bearing in mind what has been rightly grasped as rightly grasped, what is Dhamma and what is Discipline should be expounded.

“While you are training in concord, with mutual appreciation, without disputing, some bhikkhu might commit an offence or a transgression.

“Now, bhikkhus, you should not hurry to reprove him; rather, the person should be examined thus: ‘I shall not be troubled and the other person will not be hurt; for the other person is not given to anger and resentment, he is not firmly attached to his view and he relinquishes easily, and I can make that person emerge from the unwholesome and establish him in the wholesome. ’ If such occurs to you, bhikkhus, it is proper to speak.

“Then it may occur to you, bhikkhus: ‘I shall not be troubled, but the other person will be hurt, for the other person is given to anger and resentment. However, he is not firmly attached to his view and he relinquishes easily, and I can make that person emerge from the unwholesome and establish him in the wholesome. It is a mere trifle that the other person will be hurt, but it is a much greater thing that I can make that person emerge from the unwholesome and establish him in the wholesome. ’ If such occurs to you, bhikkhus, it is proper to speak.

“Then it may occur to you, bhikkhus: ‘I shall be troubled, but the other person will not be hurt; for the other person is not given to anger and resentment, though he is firmly attached to his view and he relinquishes with difficulty; yet I can make that person emerge from the unwholesome and establish him in the wholesome. It is a mere trifle that I shall be troubled, but it is a much greater thing that I can make that person emerge from the unwholesome and establish him in the wholesome.’ If such occurs to you, bhikkhus, it is proper to speak.

“Then it may occur to you, bhikkhus: ‘I shall be troubled and the other person will be hurt; for the other person is given to anger and resentment, and he is firmly attached to his view and he relinquishes with difficulty; yet I can make that person emerge from the unwholesome and establish him in the wholesome. It is a mere trifle that I shall be troubled and the other person hurt, but it is a much greater thing that I can make that person emerge from the unwholesome and establish him in the wholesome.’ If such occurs to you, bhikkhus, it is proper to speak.

“While you are training in concord, with mutual appreciation, without disputing, there might arise mutual verbal friction, insolence in views, mental annoyance, bitterness, and dejection. Then whichever bhikkhu you think is the most reasonable of those who side together on the one part should be approached and addressed thus: ‘While we were training in concord, friend, with mutual appreciation, without disputing, there arose mutual verbal friction, insolence in views, mental annoyance, bitterness, and dejection. If the Recluse knew, would he censure that?’ Answering rightly, the bhikkhu would answer thus: ‘While we were training…If the Recluse knew, he would censure that.’ “‘But, friend, without abandoning that thing, can one realise Nibbāna?’ Answering rightly, the bhikkhu would answer thus: ‘Friend, without abandoning that thing, one cannot realise Nibbāna.’

“Then whichever bhikkhu you think is the most reasonable of those who side together on the opposite part should be approached and addressed thus: ‘While we were training in concord, friend, with mutual appreciation, without disputing, there arose mutual verbal friction, insolence in views, mental annoyance, bitterness, and dejection. If the Recluse knew, would he censure that?’ Answering rightly, the bhikkhu would answer thus: ‘While we were training…If the Recluse knew, he would censure that.’

“‘But, friend, without abandoning that thing, can one realise Nibbāna?’ Answering rightly, the bhikkhu would answer thus: ‘Friend, without abandoning that thing, one cannot realise Nibbāna.’

“If others should ask that bhikkhu thus: ‘Was it the venerable one who made those bhikkhus emerge from the unwholesome and established them in the wholesome?’ answering rightly, the bhikkhu would answer thus: ‘Here, friends, I went to the Blessed One. The Blessed One taught me the Dhamma. Having heard that Dhamma, I spoke to those bhikkhus. The bhikkhus heard that Dhamma, and they emerged from the unwholesome and became established in the wholesome.’ Answering thus, the bhikkhu neither exalts himself nor disparages others; he answers in accordance with the Dhamma in such a way that nothing which provides a ground for censure can be legitimately deduced from his assertion.”

That is what the Blessed One said. The bhikkhus were satisfied and delighted in the Blessed One’s words.

- Translator: Bhikkhu Bodhi

- Editor: Blake Walsh

Is This What You Think Of Me?

So I have heard.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Kusināra, in the Forest of Offerings.
There the Buddha addressed the mendicants,
“Mendicants!”
“Venerable sir,” they replied.
The Buddha said this:
“Mendicants, is this what you think of me?
‘The ascetic Gotama teaches the Dhamma for the sake of robes, almsfood, lodgings, or rebirth in this or that state.’”
“No sir, we don’t think of you that way.”

“If you don’t think of me that way,

then what exactly do you think of me?”
“We think of you this way:
‘The Buddha is compassionate and wants what’s best for us.
He teaches out of compassion.’”
“So it seems you think

that I teach out of compassion.
In that case, each and every one of you should train in the things I have taught from my direct knowledge, that is:
the four kinds of mindfulness meditation, the four right efforts, the four bases of psychic power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven awakening factors, and the noble eightfold path. You should train in these things in harmony, appreciating each other, without quarreling.
As you do so, it may happen that two mendicants disagree about the teaching.
Now, you might think,
‘These two venerables disagree on both the meaning and the phrasing.’ So you should approach whichever mendicant you think is most amenable and say to them:
‘The venerables disagree on the meaning and the phrasing.
But the venerables should know that this is how
such disagreement on the meaning and the phrasing comes to be.
Please don’t get into a dispute about this.’
Then they should approach whichever mendicant they think is most amenable among those who side with the other party and say to them:
‘The venerables disagree on the meaning and the phrasing.
But the venerables should know that this is how
such disagreement on the meaning and the phrasing comes to be.
Please don’t get into a dispute about this.’
So you should remember what has been incorrectly memorized as incorrectly memorized and what has been correctly memorized as correctly memorized.
Remembering this, you should speak on the teaching and the training.
Now, you might think,
‘These two venerables disagree on the meaning but agree on the phrasing.’ So you should approach whichever mendicant you think is most amenable and say to them:
‘The venerables disagree on the meaning but agree on the phrasing.
But the venerables should know that this is how
such disagreement on the meaning and agreement on the phrasing comes to be.
Please don’t get into a dispute about this.’
Then they should approach whichever mendicant they think is most amenable among those who side with the other party and say to them:
‘The venerables disagree on the meaning but agree on the phrasing.
But the venerables should know that this is how
such disagreement on the meaning and agreement on the phrasing comes to be.
Please don’t get into a dispute about this.’
So you should remember what has been incorrectly memorized as incorrectly memorized and what has been correctly memorized as correctly memorized.
Remembering this, you should speak on the teaching and the training.
Now, you might think,
‘These two venerables agree on the meaning but disagree on the phrasing.’ So you should approach whichever mendicant you think is most amenable and say to them:
‘The venerables agree on the meaning but disagree on the phrasing.
But the venerables should know that this is how
such agreement on the meaning and disagreement on the phrasing comes to be.
But the phrasing is a minor matter.
Please don’t get into a dispute about something so minor.’
Then they should approach whichever mendicant they think is most amenable among those who side with the other party and say to them:
‘The venerables agree on the meaning but disagree on the phrasing.
But the venerables should know that this is how
such agreement on the meaning and disagreement on the phrasing comes to be.
But the phrasing is a minor matter.
Please don’t get into a dispute about something so minor.’
So you should remember what has been correctly memorized as correctly memorized and what has been incorrectly memorized as incorrectly memorized.
Remembering this, you should speak on the teaching and the training.
Now, you might think,
‘These two venerables agree on both the meaning and the phrasing.’ So you should approach whichever mendicant you think is most amenable and say to them:
‘The venerables agree on both the meaning and the phrasing.
But the venerables should know that this is how
they come to agree on the meaning and the phrasing.
Please don’t get into a dispute about this.’
Then they should approach whichever mendicant they think is most amenable among those who side with the other party and say to them:
‘The venerables agree on both the meaning and the phrasing.
But the venerables should know that this is how
they come to agree on the meaning and the phrasing.
Please don’t get into a dispute about this.’
So you should remember what has been correctly memorized as correctly memorized.
Remembering this, you should speak on the teaching and the training.
As you train in harmony, appreciating each other, without quarreling, one of the mendicants might commit an offense or transgression.
In such a case, you should not be in a hurry to accuse them. The individual should be examined like this:
‘I won’t be troubled and the other individual won’t be hurt, for they’re not irritable and hostile. They don’t hold fast to their views, but let them go easily. I can draw them away from the unskillful and establish them in the skillful.’
If that’s what you think, then it’s appropriate to speak to them.
But suppose you think this:
‘I will be troubled and the other individual will be hurt, for they’re irritable and hostile. However, they don’t hold fast to their views, but let them go easily. I can draw them away from the unskillful and establish them in the skillful.
But for the other individual to get hurt is a minor matter.
It’s more important
that I can draw them away from the unskillful and establish them in the skillful.’
If that’s what you think, then it’s appropriate to speak to them.
But suppose you think this:
‘I will be troubled but the other individual won’t be hurt, for they’re not irritable and hostile. However, they hold fast to their views, refusing to let go. Nevertheless, I can draw them away from the unskillful and establish them in the skillful.
But for me to be troubled is a minor matter.
It’s more important
that I can draw them away from the unskillful and establish them in the skillful.’
If that’s what you think, then it’s appropriate to speak to them.
But suppose you think this:
‘I will be troubled and the other individual will be hurt, for they’re irritable and hostile. And they hold fast to their views, refusing to let go. Nevertheless, I can draw them away from the unskillful and establish them in the skillful.
But for me to be troubled and the other individual to get hurt is a minor matter.
It’s more important
that I can draw them away from the unskillful and establish them in the skillful.’
If that’s what you think, then it’s appropriate to speak to them.
But suppose you think this:
‘I will be troubled and the other individual will be hurt, for they’re irritable and hostile. And they hold fast to their views, refusing to let go. I cannot draw them away from the unskillful and establish them in the skillful.’
Don’t underestimate the value of equanimity for such a person.
As you train in harmony, appreciating each other, without quarreling, mutual tale-bearing might come up, with contempt for each other’s views, resentful, bitter, and exasperated.
In this case you should approach whichever mendicant you think is most amenable among those who side with one party and say to them:
‘Reverend, as we were training, mutual tale-bearing came up. If the Ascetic knew about this, would he rebuke it?’
Answering rightly, the mendicant should say:
‘Yes, reverend, he would.’
‘But without giving that up, reverend, can one realize extinguishment?’
Answering rightly, the mendicant should say:
‘No, reverend, one cannot.’
Then they should approach whichever mendicant they think is most amenable among those who side with the other party and say to them:
‘Reverend, as we were training, mutual tale-bearing came up. If the Ascetic knew about this, would he rebuke it?’
Answering rightly, the mendicant should say:
‘Yes, reverend, he would.’
‘But without giving that up, reverend, can one realize extinguishment?’
Answering rightly, the mendicant should say:
‘No, reverend, one cannot.’
If others should ask that mendicant:
‘Were you the venerable who drew those mendicants away from the unskillful and established them in the skillful?’
Answering rightly, the mendicant should say:
‘Well, reverends, I approached the Buddha. He taught me the Dhamma. After hearing that teaching I explained it to those mendicants.
When those mendicants heard that teaching they were drawn away from the unskillful and established in the skillful.’
Answering in this way, that mendicant doesn’t glorify themselves or put others down. They answer in line with the teaching, with no legitimate grounds for rebuke and criticism.”
That is what the Buddha said.
Satisfied, the mendicants were happy with what the Buddha said.