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Articles
Four Great Standards Now there at Bhoganagara the Blessed One stayed at the -Ananda Shrine. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus (monks) and said, “I will teach you, bhikkhus, these four Great Standards. -Listen! Pay attention! I will speak.” Yes, Bhante (Venerable Sir),” replied the bhikkhus. The -Blessed One said: 1. “Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu may say, ‘In the presence of the Blessed One himself have I heard this, in his presence have I learned this. This is the Dhamma, this is the Vinaya (Monastic Discipline), this is the teaching of the Master.’ The word spoken, bhikkhus, by that bhikkhu should neither be rejoiced at nor scorned. Without rejoicing and without scorn the words and syllables should be carefully learned and checked to see if they are included in the sutta (discourse) or seen in the Vinaya. If when so doing they are not included in the sutta, and are not seen in the Vinaya, then you may come to the conclusion: ‘Surely, this is not the word of the Blessed One, and has been wrongly learned by that bhikkhu.’ So, bhikkhus, you should reject it. “But if they are included in the sutta, and are seen in the Vinaya, then you may come to the conclusion: ‘Surely, this is the word of the Blessed One, and has been well learned by that bhikkhu.’ This, bhikkhus, you should bear in mind as the first Great Standard. 2. “Here again, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu may say, ‘In such and such a monastery there is a Sangha with its theras (elders) and leaders. In the presence of that Sangha have I heard this, in its presence have I learned this. This is the Dhamma, this is the Vinaya, this is the teaching of the Master.’ The word spoken, bhikkhus, by that bhikkhu should neither be rejoiced at nor scorned. Without praise and without scorn the words and syllables should be carefully learned and checked to see if they are included in the sutta or seen in the Vinaya. If when so doing they are not included in the sutta, and are not seen in the Vinaya, then you may come to the conclusion: ‘Surely, this is not the word of the Blessed One, and has been wrongly learned by that Sangha.’ So, bhikkhus, you should reject it. “But if they are included in the sutta, and are seen in the -Vinaya, then you may come to the conclusion: ‘Surely, this is the word of the Blessed One, and has been well learned by that Sangha.’ This, bhikkhus, you should bear in mind as the second Great Standard. 3. “Here again, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu may say, ‘In such and such a monastery there are dwelling many theras, learned, holders of the traditional teachings, bearers of the Dhamma, bearers of the Vinaya, bearers of the summaries. In the presence of those theras have I heard this, in their presence have I learned this. This is the Dhamma, this is the Vinaya, this is the teaching of the Master.’ “The word spoken, bhikkhus, by that bhikkhu should neither be rejoiced at nor scorned. Without rejoicing and without scorn the words and syllables should be carefully learned and checked to see if they are included in the sutta or seen in the Vinaya. If when so doing they are not included in the sutta, and are not seen in the Vinaya, then you may come to the conclusion: ‘Surely, this is not the word of the Blessed One, and has been wrongly learned by those theras.’ So, bhikkhus, you should reject it. “But if they are included in the sutta, and are seen in the -Vinaya, then you may come to the conclusion: ‘Surely, this is the word of the Blessed One, and has been well learned by those theras.’ This, bhikkhus, you should bear in mind as the third Great Standard. 4. “Here again, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu may say, ‘In such and such a monastery there dwells a thera, learned, holder of the traditional teachings, bearer of the Dhamma, bearer of the Vinaya, bearer of the summaries. In the presence of that thera have I heard this, in his presence have I learned this. This is the Dhamma, this is the Vinaya, this is the teaching of the Master.’ “The word spoken, bhikkhus, by that bhikkhu should neither be rejoiced at nor scorned. Without rejoicing and without scorn the words and syllables should be carefully learned and checked to see if they are included in the sutta or seen in the Vinaya. If when so doing they are not included in the sutta, and are not seen in the Vinaya, then you may come to the conclusion: ‘Surely, this is not the word of the Blessed One, and has been wrongly learned by that thera.’ So, bhikkhus, you should reject it. “But if they are included in the Sutta, and are seen in the Vinaya, then you may come to the conclusion: ‘Surely, this is the word of the Blessed One, and has been well learned by that thera.’ This, bhikkhus, you should bear in mind as the fourth Great Standard. These, bhikkhus, are the Four Great Standards.” MAHAPARINIBBANA SUTTA (DN 16) SBS
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