The Kesariya Stupa, situated at the place where Buddha delivered the Kalama Sutta.
Out of Buddhism’s tipitaka or basket of wisdom comes one of the Buddha’s most quoted and enlightened recommendations for choosing whose teachings one should follow, be it advice from a friend or family member, a philosophy or religion, or from a voice from within. For those who are either unconvinced or unfamiliar with the buddhistic approach to wisdom and the escape from life’s unsatisfactoriness, the Kalama Sutta is both a short and straightforward piece of advice.
The reason it’s called the Kalama Sutta is because when the Buddha passed through the village of Kesaputta and was greeted by the people there (the Kalamas) he was told that many holy men and ascetics came through Kesaputta, all offering their teachings and criticizing the teachings of others, So, the villagers didn’t know who or what to believe. They asked the Buddha to advise them.
I first discovered the Kalama Sutta some years ago, when I was visiting in Myanmar (Burma), At a monastery there, I bought a handmade scroll from a monk, which had the Kalama Sutta hand written in both English and Pali, the ancient language used by Burmese monks, as well as other Theravada Buddhists, when communicating in writing and verbally. Since then, I have always introduce the sutta to new students; it seems to put the dharma in proper perspective for newcomers to Buddhism.
There are several versions of the sutta, but I prefer the more concise one that follows. It could be said, “here it is in a nutshell”, but I think it’s better put this way: “Here it is in a lotus blossom”; it seems a bit more appropriate for the subject we’re discussing:
Do not believe in anything (simply) because you have heard it.
Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations.
Do not believe in anything because it is spoken and rumoured by many.
Do not believe in anything (simply) because it is found written in your religious books.
Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders.
But after observation and analysis when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conductive to the good and benefit of one and all then accept it and live up to it.
You can see that this basic teaching indicates that the Buddha had no intention of converting anyone to his way of thinking. He did not try to offer a belief or any dogma. He did not talk for or against any form of religion, spirituality or philosophy. He knew that everyone had reached their state of being by way of their parentage, environment, and experiences . . . each was individual kamma, the result of intention, volition and action.
May the clarity and wisdom of the Kalama Sutta help to advance this enlightened approach to life by both the religious and the non-religious. May it aid us in sustaining an open, tolerant and adventurous approach to our own evolution through existence.
Tags: kalama sutta
What a wonderful word of advice. Truly it applies to everything, particularly at a time in our history when theories & dogmas abound & flashy headlines bombard the world every second.