1On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrel sanctuary. Then the brahmin Vassakāra, the chief minister of Magadha, approached the Blessed One and exchanged greetings with him …. Then, sitting to one side, he said to the Blessed One:

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(1) "Master Gotama, can a bad person know of a bad person: ‘This fellow is a bad person’?"

"It is, brahmin, impossible and inconceivable that a bad person can know of a bad person: ‘This fellow is a bad person.’"

(2) "Then can a bad person know of a good person: ‘This fellow is a good person’?"

"It is also impossible and inconceivable that a bad person can know of a good person: ‘This fellow is a good person.’"

(3) "Then can a good person know of a good person: ‘This fellow is a good person’?"

"It is possible that a good person can know of a good person: ‘This fellow is a good person.’"

(4) "Then can a good person know of a bad person: ‘This fellow is a bad person’?"

"It is also possible that a good person can know of a bad person: ‘This fellow is a bad person.’"

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3"It is astounding and amazing, Master Gotama, how well this has been stated by Master Gotama: ‘It is, brahmin, impossible and inconceivable that a bad person can know of a bad person … all as above … It is also possible that a good person can know of a bad person: "This fellow is a bad person."’

4"On one occasion, Master Gotama, the members of the brahmin Todeyya's assembly were carping against others, saying: ‘This King Eḷeyya is a fool, for he has complete confidence in the ascetic Rāmaputta and shows him supreme honor by paying homage to him, rising up for him, reverentially saluting him, and observing proper etiquette toward him. [n.901] Mp identifies him as Uddaka Rāmaputta, one of the Buddha’s teachers before his enlightenment. See MN 26.24, I 165–66. These vassals of King Eḷeyya—Yamaka, Moggalla, Ugga, Nāvindakī, Gandhabba, and Aggivessa—are fools as well, for they, too, have complete confidence in the ascetic Rāmaputta and show him supreme honor by paying homage to him, rising up for him, reverentially saluting him, and observing proper etiquette toward him.’ Thereupon the brahmin Todeyya led them around by this method: ‘What do you think, sirs, in matters pertaining to tasks and administrative duties, to edicts and proclamations, isn’t King Eḷeyya wise and more astute even than those who are very astute?’

"They replied: ‘Yes, sir, in matters pertaining to tasks and administrative duties, to edicts and proclamations, King Eḷeyya is wise and more astute even than those who are very astute.’

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5"‘But, sirs,’ he said, ‘it is because the ascetic Rāmaputta is wiser than the wise King Eḷeyya, more astute than this astute king in matters pertaining to tasks and administrative duties, to edicts and proclamations, that King Eḷeyya has complete confidence in him and shows him supreme honor by paying homage to him, rising up for him, reverentially saluting him, and observing proper etiquette toward him.

6"‘What do you think, sirs, in matters pertaining to tasks and administrative duties, to edicts and proclamations, are King Eḷeyya's vassals—Yamaka, Moggalla, Ugga, Nāvindakī, Gandhabba, Aggivessa—wise and more astute even than those who are very astute?’

"‘Yes, sir, in matters pertaining to tasks and administrative duties, to edicts and proclamations, King Eḷeyya's vassals—Yamaka … Aggivessa—are wise and more astute even than those who are very astute.’

7"‘But, sirs, it is because the ascetic Rāmaputta is wiser than King Eḷeyya's vassals, more astute than those astute vassals in matters pertaining to tasks and administrative duties, to edicts and proclamations, that King Eḷeyya's vassals have complete confidence in him and show him supreme honor by paying homage to him, rising up for him, reverentially saluting him, and observing proper etiquette toward him.’" [n.902] Mp explains the purport of this apparent digression thus: "The brahmin, being a good person himself, praises King Eḷeyya, his retinue, and Uddaka Rāmaputta. For the bad person is like a blind man, and a good person like one with good sight. As a blind man does not see either one who is blind or one with sight, so a bad person does not know either a good person or a bad one. But just as one with good sight can see both a blind person and one with sight, so a good person can know both a good person and a bad one. The brahmin (Vassakāra), thinking: ‘Even Todeyya, being a good person, knew who were bad men,’ was delighted because of this and said: ‘It is astounding, Master Gotama!’"

8"It is astounding and amazing, Master Gotama, how well this has been stated by Master Gotama: ‘It is impossible and inconceivable that a bad person can know of a bad person: "This fellow is a bad person." It is also impossible and inconceivable that a bad person can know of a good person: "This fellow is a good person." It is possible that a good person can know of a good person: "This fellow is a good person." It is also possible that a good person can know of a bad person: "This fellow is a bad person."’ And now, Master Gotama, we must be going. We are busy and have much to do."

"You may go, brahmin, at your own convenience."

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9Then the brahmin Vassakāra, the chief minister of Magadha, having delighted and rejoiced in the Blessed One's statement, rose from his seat and departed.

1Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe. Atha kho vassakāro brāhmaṇo magadhamahāmatto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho vassakāro brāhmaṇo magadhamahāmatto bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

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2"Jāneyya nu kho, bho gotama, asappuriso asappurisaṁ: ‘asappuriso ayaṁ bhavan’"ti?

"Aṭṭhānaṁ kho etaṁ, brāhmaṇa, anavakāso yaṁ asappuriso asappurisaṁ jāneyya: ‘asappuriso ayaṁ bhavan’"ti.

"Jāneyya pana, bho gotama, asappuriso sappurisaṁ: ‘sappuriso ayaṁ bhavan’"ti?

"Etampi kho, brāhmaṇa, aṭṭhānaṁ anavakāso yaṁ asappuriso sappurisaṁ jāneyya: ‘sappuriso ayaṁ bhavan’"ti.

"Jāneyya nu kho, bho gotama, sappuriso sappurisaṁ: ‘sappuriso ayaṁ bhavan’"ti?

"Ṭhānaṁ kho etaṁ, brāhmaṇa, vijjati yaṁ sappuriso sappurisaṁ jāneyya: ‘sappuriso ayaṁ bhavan’"ti.

"Jāneyya pana, bho gotama, sappuriso asappurisaṁ: ‘asappuriso ayaṁ bhavan’"ti?

"Etampi kho, brāhmaṇa, ṭhānaṁ vijjati yaṁ sappuriso asappurisaṁ jāneyya: ‘asappuriso ayaṁ bhavan’"ti.

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3"Acchariyaṁ, bho gotama, abbhutaṁ, bho gotama. Yāva subhāsitañcidaṁ bhotā gotamena: ‘aṭṭhānaṁ kho etaṁ, brāhmaṇa, anavakāso yaṁ asappuriso asappurisaṁ jāneyya – asappuriso ayaṁ bhavanti. Etampi kho, brāhmaṇa, aṭṭhānaṁ anavakāso yaṁ asappuriso sappurisaṁ jāneyya – sappuriso ayaṁ bhavanti. Ṭhānaṁ kho etaṁ, brāhmaṇa, vijjati yaṁ sappuriso sappurisaṁ jāneyya – sappuriso ayaṁ bhavanti. Etampi kho, brāhmaṇa, ṭhānaṁ vijjati yaṁ sappuriso asappurisaṁ jāneyya – asappuriso ayaṁ bhavan’ti.

4Ekamidaṁ, bho gotama, samayaṁ todeyyassa brāhmaṇassa parisati parūpārambhaṁ vattenti: ‘bālo ayaṁ rājā eḷeyyo samaṇe rāmaputte abhippasanno, samaṇe ca pana rāmaputte evarūpaṁ paramanipaccakāraṁ karoti, yadidaṁ abhivādanaṁ paccuṭṭhānaṁ añjalikammaṁ sāmīcikammanti. Imepi rañño eḷeyyassa parihārakā bālā – yamako moggallo uggo nāvindakī gandhabbo aggivesso, ye samaṇe rāmaputte abhippasannā, samaṇe ca pana rāmaputte evarūpaṁ paramanipaccakāraṁ karonti, yadidaṁ abhivādanaṁ paccuṭṭhānaṁ añjalikammaṁ sāmīcikamman’ti. Tyāssudaṁ todeyyo brāhmaṇo iminā nayena neti. ‘Taṁ kiṁ maññanti, bhonto, paṇḍito rājā eḷeyyo karaṇīyādhikaraṇīyesu vacanīyādhivacanīyesu alamatthadasatarehi alamatthadasataro’ti?

‘Evaṁ, bho, paṇḍito rājā eḷeyyo karaṇīyādhikaraṇīyesu vacanīyādhivacanīyesu alamatthadasatarehi alamatthadasataroti.

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5Yasmā ca kho, bho, samaṇo rāmaputto raññā eḷeyyena paṇḍitena paṇḍitataro karaṇīyādhikaraṇīyesu vacanīyādhivacanīyesu alamatthadasatarena alamatthadasataro, tasmā rājā eḷeyyo samaṇe rāmaputte abhippasanno, samaṇe ca pana rāmaputte evarūpaṁ paramanipaccakāraṁ karoti, yadidaṁ abhivādanaṁ paccuṭṭhānaṁ añjalikammaṁ sāmīcikammaṁ’.

6‘Taṁ kiṁ maññanti, bhonto, paṇḍitā rañño eḷeyyassa parihārakā – yamako moggallo uggo nāvindakī gandhabbo aggivesso, karaṇīyādhikaraṇīyesu vacanīyādhivacanīyesu alamatthadasatarehi alamatthadasatarā’ti?

‘Evaṁ, bho, paṇḍitā rañño eḷeyyassa parihārakā – yamako moggallo uggo nāvindakī gandhabbo aggivesso, karaṇīyādhikaraṇīyesu vacanīyādhivacanīyesu alamatthadasatarehi alamatthadasatarāti.

7Yasmā ca kho, bho, samaṇo rāmaputto rañño eḷeyyassa parihārakehi paṇḍitehi paṇḍitataro karaṇīyādhikaraṇīyesu vacanīyādhivacanīyesu alamatthadasatarehi alamatthadasataro, tasmā rañño eḷeyyassa parihārakā samaṇe rāmaputte abhippasannā; samaṇe ca pana rāmaputte evarūpaṁ paramanipaccakāraṁ karonti, yadidaṁ abhivādanaṁ paccuṭṭhānaṁ añjalikammaṁ sāmīcikamman’ti.

8Acchariyaṁ, bho gotama, abbhutaṁ, bho gotama. Yāva subhāsitañcidaṁ bhotā gotamena: ‘aṭṭhānaṁ kho etaṁ, brāhmaṇa, anavakāso yaṁ asappuriso asappurisaṁ jāneyya – asappuriso ayaṁ bhavanti. Etampi kho, brāhmaṇa, aṭṭhānaṁ anavakāso yaṁ asappuriso sappurisaṁ jāneyya – sappuriso ayaṁ bhavanti. Ṭhānaṁ kho etaṁ, brāhmaṇa, vijjati yaṁ sappuriso sappurisaṁ jāneyya – sappuriso ayaṁ bhavanti. Etampi kho, brāhmaṇa, ṭhānaṁ vijjati yaṁ sappuriso asappurisaṁ jāneyya – asappuriso ayaṁ bhavan’ti. Handa ca dāni mayaṁ, bho gotama, gacchāma. Bahukiccā mayaṁ bahukaraṇīyā"ti.

"Yassadāni tvaṁ, brāhmaṇa, kālaṁ maññasī"ti.

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9Atha kho vassakāro brāhmaṇo magadhamahāmatto bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkāmīti.

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Sattamaṁ.