Majjhima Nikāya 117

The Middle-Length Suttas Collection 117

Mahācattārīsakasutta

The Great Forty

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “bhikkhavo”ti.

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. There the Buddha addressed the bhikkhus, “Bhikkhus!”

“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca:

“Venerable sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:

“ariyaṁ vo, bhikkhave, sammāsamādhiṁ desessāmi saupanisaṁ saparikkhāraṁ. Taṁ suṇātha, sādhukaṁ manasi karotha, bhāsissāmī”ti.

“Bhikkhus, I will teach you noble right immersion with its vital conditions and its prerequisites. Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca:

“Yes, sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:

“Katamo ca, bhikkhave, ariyo sammāsamādhi saupaniso saparikkhāro? Seyyathidaṁ—sammādiṭṭhi, sammāsaṅkappo, sammāvācā, sammākammanto, sammāājīvo, sammāvāyāmo, sammāsati; yā kho, bhikkhave, imehi sattahaṅgehi cittassa ekaggatā parikkhatā—ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, ariyo sammāsamādhi saupaniso itipi, saparikkhāro itipi.

“And what is noble right immersion with its vital conditions and its prerequisites? They are: right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, and right mindfulness. Unification of mind with these seven factors as prerequisites is called noble right immersion with its vital conditions and also with its prerequisites.

Tatra, bhikkhave, sammādiṭṭhi pubbaṅgamā hoti. Kathañca, bhikkhave, sammādiṭṭhi pubbaṅgamā hoti? Micchādiṭṭhiṁ ‘micchādiṭṭhī’ti pajānāti, sammādiṭṭhiṁ ‘sammādiṭṭhī’ti pajānāti—sāssa hoti sammādiṭṭhi.

In this context, right view comes first. And how does right view come first? When you understand wrong view as wrong view and right view as right view, that’s your right view.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, micchādiṭṭhi? ‘Natthi dinnaṁ, natthi yiṭṭhaṁ, natthi hutaṁ, natthi sukatadukkaṭānaṁ kammānaṁ phalaṁ vipāko, natthi ayaṁ loko, natthi paro loko, natthi mātā, natthi pitā, natthi sattā opapātikā, natthi loke samaṇabrāhmaṇā sammaggatā sammāpaṭipannā ye imañca lokaṁ parañca lokaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedentī’ti—ayaṁ, bhikkhave, micchādiṭṭhi.

And what is wrong view? ‘There’s no meaning in giving, sacrifice, or offerings. There’s no fruit or result of good and bad deeds. There’s no afterlife. There’s no such thing as mother and father, or beings that are reborn spontaneously. And there’s no ascetic or brahmin who is well attained and practiced, and who describes the afterlife after realizing it with their own insight.’ This is wrong view.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, sammādiṭṭhi? Sammādiṭṭhimpahaṁ, bhikkhave, dvāyaṁ¹ vadāmi—atthi, bhikkhave, sammādiṭṭhi sāsavā puññabhāgiyā upadhivepakkā; atthi, bhikkhave, sammādiṭṭhi ariyā anāsavā lokuttarā maggaṅgā.

And what is right view? Right view is twofold, I say. There is right view that is accompanied by defilements, has the attributes of good deeds, and ripens in attachment. And there is right view that is noble, undefiled, transcendent, a factor of the path.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, sammādiṭṭhi sāsavā puññabhāgiyā upadhivepakkā? ‘Atthi dinnaṁ, atthi yiṭṭhaṁ, atthi hutaṁ, atthi sukatadukkaṭānaṁ kammānaṁ phalaṁ vipāko, atthi ayaṁ loko, atthi paro loko, atthi mātā, atthi pitā, atthi sattā opapātikā, atthi loke samaṇabrāhmaṇā sammaggatā sammāpaṭipannā ye imañca lokaṁ parañca lokaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedentī’ti—ayaṁ, bhikkhave, sammādiṭṭhi sāsavā puññabhāgiyā upadhivepakkā.

And what is right view that is accompanied by defilements, has the attributes of good deeds, and ripens in attachment? ‘There is meaning in giving, sacrifice, and offerings. There are fruits and results of good and bad deeds. There is an afterlife. There are such things as mother and father, and beings that are reborn spontaneously. And there are ascetics and brahmins who are well attained and practiced, and who describe the afterlife after realizing it with their own insight.’ This is right view that is accompanied by defilements, has the attributes of good deeds, and ripens in attachment.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, sammādiṭṭhi ariyā anāsavā lokuttarā maggaṅgā? Yā kho, bhikkhave, ariyacittassa anāsavacittassa ariyamaggasamaṅgino ariyamaggaṁ bhāvayato paññā paññindriyaṁ paññābalaṁ dhammavicayasambojjhaṅgo sammādiṭṭhi maggaṅgaṁ—ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, sammādiṭṭhi ariyā anāsavā lokuttarā maggaṅgā.

And what is right view that is noble, undefiled, transcendent, a factor of the path? It’s the wisdom—the faculty of wisdom, the power of wisdom, the awakening factor of investigation of principles, and right view as a factor of the path—in one of noble mind and undefiled mind, who possesses the noble path and develops the noble path. This is called right view that is noble, undefiled, transcendent, a factor of the path.

So micchādiṭṭhiyā pahānāya vāyamati, sammādiṭṭhiyā, upasampadāya, svāssa² hoti sammāvāyāmo. So sato micchādiṭṭhiṁ pajahati, sato sammādiṭṭhiṁ upasampajja viharati, sāssa³ hoti sammāsati. Itiyime⁴ tayo dhammā sammādiṭṭhiṁ anuparidhāvanti anuparivattanti, seyyathidaṁ—sammādiṭṭhi, sammāvāyāmo, sammāsati.

They make an effort to give up wrong view and embrace right view: that’s their right effort. Mindfully they give up wrong view and take up right view: that’s their right mindfulness. So these three things keep running and circling around right view, namely: right view, right effort, and right mindfulness.

Tatra, bhikkhave, sammādiṭṭhi pubbaṅgamā hoti. Kathañca, bhikkhave, sammādiṭṭhi pubbaṅgamā hoti? Micchāsaṅkappaṁ ‘micchāsaṅkappo’ti pajānāti, sammāsaṅkappaṁ ‘sammāsaṅkappo’ti pajānāti, sāssa hoti sammādiṭṭhi.

In this context, right view comes first. And how does right view come first? When you understand wrong thought as wrong thought and right thought as right thought, that’s your right view.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, micchāsaṅkappo? Kāmasaṅkappo, byāpādasaṅkappo, vihiṁsāsaṅkappo—ayaṁ, bhikkhave, micchāsaṅkappo.

And what is wrong thought? Thoughts of sensuality, of malice, and of cruelty. This is wrong thought.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sammāsaṅkappo? Sammāsaṅkappampahaṁ, bhikkhave, dvāyaṁ vadāmi—atthi, bhikkhave, sammāsaṅkappo sāsavo puññabhāgiyo upadhivepakko; atthi, bhikkhave, sammāsaṅkappo ariyo anāsavo lokuttaro maggaṅgo.

And what is right thought? Right thought is twofold, I say. There is right thought that is accompanied by defilements, has the attributes of good deeds, and ripens in attachment. And there is right thought that is noble, undefiled, transcendent, a factor of the path.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sammāsaṅkappo sāsavo puññabhāgiyo upadhivepakko? Nekkhammasaṅkappo, abyāpādasaṅkappo, avihiṁsāsaṅkappo: ‘ayaṁ, bhikkhave, sammāsaṅkappo sāsavo puññabhāgiyo upadhivepakko’.

And what is right thought that is accompanied by defilements, has the attributes of good deeds, and ripens in attachment? Thoughts of renunciation, good will, and harmlessness. This is right thought that is accompanied by defilements.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sammāsaṅkappo ariyo anāsavo lokuttaro maggaṅgo? Yo kho, bhikkhave, ariyacittassa anāsavacittassa ariyamaggasamaṅgino ariyamaggaṁ bhāvayato takko vitakko saṅkappo appanā byappanā cetaso abhiniropanā vacīsaṅkhāro—ayaṁ, bhikkhave, sammāsaṅkappo ariyo anāsavo lokuttaro maggaṅgo.

And what is right thought that is noble, undefiled, transcendent, a factor of the path? It’s the thinking—the placing of the mind, thought, applying, application, implanting of the mind, verbal processes—in one of noble mind and undefiled mind, who possesses the noble path and develops the noble path. This is right thought that is noble.

So micchāsaṅkappassa pahānāya vāyamati, sammāsaṅkappassa upasampadāya, svāssa hoti sammāvāyāmo. So sato micchāsaṅkappaṁ pajahati, sato sammāsaṅkappaṁ upasampajja viharati; sāssa hoti sammāsati. Itiyime tayo dhammā sammāsaṅkappaṁ anuparidhāvanti anuparivattanti, seyyathidaṁ—sammādiṭṭhi, sammāvāyāmo, sammāsati.

They make an effort to give up wrong thought and embrace right thought: that’s their right effort. Mindfully they give up wrong thought and take up right thought: that’s their right mindfulness. So these three things keep running and circling around right thought, namely: right view, right effort, and right mindfulness.

Tatra, bhikkhave, sammādiṭṭhi pubbaṅgamā hoti. Kathañca, bhikkhave, sammādiṭṭhi pubbaṅgamā hoti? Micchāvācaṁ ‘micchāvācā’ti pajānāti, sammāvācaṁ ‘sammāvācā’ti pajānāti; sāssa hoti sammādiṭṭhi.

In this context, right view comes first. And how does right view come first? When you understand wrong speech as wrong speech and right speech as right speech, that’s your right view.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, micchāvācā? Musāvādo, pisuṇā vācā, pharusā vācā, samphappalāpo—ayaṁ, bhikkhave, micchāvācā.

And what is wrong speech? Speech that’s false, divisive, harsh, or nonsensical. This is wrong speech.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, sammāvācā? Sammāvācampahaṁ, bhikkhave, dvāyaṁ vadāmi—atthi, bhikkhave, sammāvācā sāsavā puññabhāgiyā upadhivepakkā; atthi, bhikkhave, sammāvācā ariyā anāsavā lokuttarā maggaṅgā.

And what is right speech? Right speech is twofold, I say. There is right speech that is accompanied by defilements, has the attributes of good deeds, and ripens in attachment. And there is right speech that is noble, undefiled, transcendent, a factor of the path.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, sammāvācā sāsavā puññabhāgiyā upadhivepakkā? Musāvādā veramaṇī, pisuṇāya vācāya veramaṇī, pharusāya vācāya veramaṇī, samphappalāpā veramaṇī—ayaṁ, bhikkhave, sammāvācā sāsavā puññabhāgiyā upadhivepakkā.

And what is right speech that is accompanied by defilements, has the attributes of good deeds, and ripens in attachment? The refraining from lying, divisive speech, harsh speech, and talking nonsense. This is right speech that is accompanied by defilements.

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, sammāvācā ariyā anāsavā lokuttarā maggaṅgā? Yā kho, bhikkhave, ariyacittassa anāsavacittassa ariyamaggasamaṅgino ariyamaggaṁ bhāvayato catūhi vacīduccaritehi ārati virati paṭivirati veramaṇī—ayaṁ, bhikkhave, sammāvācā ariyā anāsavā lokuttarā maggaṅgā.

And what is right speech that is noble, undefiled, transcendent, a factor of the path? It’s the desisting, abstaining, abstinence, and refraining from the four kinds of bad verbal conduct in one of noble mind and undefiled mind, who possesses the noble path and develops the noble path. This is right speech that is noble.

So micchāvācāya pahānāya vāyamati, sammāvācāya upasampadāya; svāssa hoti sammāvāyāmo. So sato micchāvācaṁ pajahati, sato sammāvācaṁ upasampajja viharati; sāssa hoti sammāsati. Itiyime tayo dhammā sammāvācaṁ anuparidhāvanti anuparivattanti, seyyathidaṁ—sammādiṭṭhi, sammāvāyāmo, sammāsati.

They make an effort to give up wrong speech and embrace right speech: that’s their right effort. Mindfully they give up wrong speech and take up right speech: that’s their right mindfulness. So these three things keep running and circling around right speech, namely: right view, right effort, and right mindfulness.

Tatra, bhikkhave, sammādiṭṭhi pubbaṅgamā hoti. Kathañca, bhikkhave, sammādiṭṭhi pubbaṅgamā hoti? Micchākammantaṁ ‘micchākammanto’ti pajānāti, sammākammantaṁ ‘sammākammanto’ti pajānāti; sāssa hoti sammādiṭṭhi.

In this context, right view comes first. And how does right view come first? When you understand wrong action as wrong action and right action as right action, that’s your right view.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, micchākammanto? Pāṇātipāto, adinnādānaṁ, kāmesumicchācāro—ayaṁ, bhikkhave, micchākammanto.

And what is wrong action? Killing living creatures, stealing, and sexual misconduct. This is wrong action.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sammākammanto? Sammākammantampahaṁ, bhikkhave, dvāyaṁ vadāmi—atthi, bhikkhave, sammākammanto sāsavo puññabhāgiyo upadhivepakko; atthi, bhikkhave, sammākammanto ariyo anāsavo lokuttaro maggaṅgo.

And what is right action? Right action is twofold, I say. There is right action that is accompanied by defilements, has the attributes of good deeds, and ripens in attachment. And there is right action that is noble, undefiled, transcendent, a factor of the path.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sammākammanto sāsavo puññabhāgiyo upadhivepakko? Pāṇātipātā veramaṇī, adinnādānā veramaṇī, kāmesumicchācārā veramaṇī—ayaṁ, bhikkhave, sammākammanto sāsavo puññabhāgiyo upadhivepakko.

And what is right action that is accompanied by defilements, has the attributes of good deeds, and ripens in attachment? Refraining from killing living creatures, stealing, and sexual misconduct. This is right action that is accompanied by defilements.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sammākammanto ariyo anāsavo lokuttaro maggaṅgo? Yā kho, bhikkhave, ariyacittassa anāsavacittassa ariyamaggasamaṅgino ariyamaggaṁ bhāvayato tīhi kāyaduccaritehi ārati virati paṭivirati veramaṇī—ayaṁ, bhikkhave, sammākammanto ariyo anāsavo lokuttaro maggaṅgo.

And what is right action that is noble, undefiled, transcendent, a factor of the path? It’s the desisting, abstaining, abstinence, and refraining from the three kinds of bad bodily conduct in one of noble mind and undefiled mind, who possesses the noble path and develops the noble path. This is right action that is noble.

So micchākammantassa pahānāya vāyamati, sammākammantassa upasampadāya; svāssa hoti sammāvāyāmo. So sato micchākammantaṁ pajahati, sato sammākammantaṁ upasampajja viharati; sāssa hoti sammāsati. Itiyime tayo dhammā sammākammantaṁ anuparidhāvanti anuparivattanti, seyyathidaṁ—sammādiṭṭhi, sammāvāyāmo, sammāsati.

They make an effort to give up wrong action and embrace right action: that’s their right effort. Mindfully they give up wrong action and take up right action: that’s their right mindfulness. So these three things keep running and circling around right action, namely: right view, right effort, and right mindfulness.

Tatra, bhikkhave, sammādiṭṭhi pubbaṅgamā hoti. Kathañca, bhikkhave, sammādiṭṭhi pubbaṅgamā hoti? Micchāājīvaṁ ‘micchāājīvo’ti pajānāti, sammāājīvaṁ ‘sammāājīvo’ti pajānāti; sāssa hoti sammādiṭṭhi.

In this context, right view comes first. And how does right view come first? When you understand wrong livelihood as wrong livelihood and right livelihood as right livelihood, that’s your right view.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, micchāājīvo? Kuhanā, lapanā, nemittikatā, nippesikatā, lābhena lābhaṁ nijigīsanatā—ayaṁ, bhikkhave, micchāājīvo.

And what is wrong livelihood? Deceit, flattery, hinting, and belittling, and using material possessions to chase after other material possessions. This is wrong livelihood.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sammāājīvo? Sammāājīvampahaṁ, bhikkhave, dvāyaṁ vadāmi—atthi, bhikkhave, sammāājīvo sāsavo puññabhāgiyo upadhivepakko; atthi, bhikkhave, sammāājīvo ariyo anāsavo lokuttaro maggaṅgo.

And what is right livelihood? Right livelihood is twofold, I say. There is right livelihood that is accompanied by defilements, has the attributes of good deeds, and ripens in attachment. And there is right livelihood that is noble, undefiled, transcendent, a factor of the path.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sammāājīvo sāsavo puññabhāgiyo upadhivepakko? Idha, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako micchāājīvaṁ pahāya sammāājīvena jīvikaṁ kappeti—ayaṁ, bhikkhave, sammāājīvo sāsavo puññabhāgiyo upadhivepakko.

And what is right livelihood that is accompanied by defilements, has the attributes of good deeds, and ripens in attachment? It’s when a noble disciple gives up wrong livelihood and earns a living by right livelihood. This is right livelihood that is accompanied by defilements.

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sammāājīvo ariyo anāsavo lokuttaro maggaṅgo? Yā kho, bhikkhave, ariyacittassa anāsavacittassa ariyamaggasamaṅgino ariyamaggaṁ bhāvayato micchāājīvā ārati virati paṭivirati veramaṇī—ayaṁ, bhikkhave, sammāājīvo ariyo anāsavo lokuttaro maggaṅgo.

And what is right livelihood that is noble, undefiled, transcendent, a factor of the path? It’s the desisting, abstaining, abstinence, and refraining from wrong livelihood in one of noble mind and undefiled mind, who possesses the noble path and develops the noble path. This is right livelihood that is noble.

So micchāājīvassa pahānāya vāyamati, sammāājīvassa upasampadāya; svāssa hoti sammāvāyāmo. So sato micchāājīvaṁ pajahati, sato sammāājīvaṁ upasampajja viharati; sāssa hoti sammāsati. Itiyime tayo dhammā sammāājīvaṁ anuparidhāvanti anuparivattanti, seyyathidaṁ—sammādiṭṭhi, sammāvāyāmo, sammāsati.

They make an effort to give up wrong livelihood and embrace right livelihood: that’s their right effort. Mindfully they give up wrong livelihood and take up right livelihood: that’s their right mindfulness. So these three things keep running and circling around right livelihood, namely: right view, right effort, and right mindfulness.

Tatra, bhikkhave, sammādiṭṭhi pubbaṅgamā hoti. Kathañca, bhikkhave, sammādiṭṭhi pubbaṅgamā hoti? Sammādiṭṭhissa, bhikkhave, sammāsaṅkappo pahoti, sammāsaṅkappassa sammāvācā pahoti, sammāvācassa sammākammanto pahoti, sammākammantassa sammāājīvo pahoti, sammāājīvassa sammāvāyāmo pahoti, sammāvāyāmassa sammāsati pahoti, sammāsatissa sammāsamādhi pahoti, sammāsamādhissa sammāñāṇaṁ pahoti, sammāñāṇassa sammāvimutti pahoti. Iti kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭhaṅgasamannāgato sekkho, dasaṅgasamannāgato arahā hoti. Tatrapi sammāñāṇena aneke pāpakā akusalā dhammā vigatā bhāvanāpāripūriṁ gacchanti.

In this context, right view comes first. And how does right view come first? Right view gives rise to right thought. Right thought gives rise to right speech. Right speech gives rise to right action. Right action gives rise to right livelihood. Right livelihood gives rise to right effort. Right effort gives rise to right mindfulness. Right mindfulness gives rise to right immersion. Right immersion gives rise to right knowledge. Right knowledge gives rise to right freedom. So the trainee has eight factors, while the perfected one has ten factors. And here too, the eradication of many bad, unskillful qualities is fully developed due to right knowledge.

Tatra, bhikkhave, sammādiṭṭhi pubbaṅgamā hoti. Kathañca, bhikkhave, sammādiṭṭhi pubbaṅgamā hoti? Sammādiṭṭhissa, bhikkhave, micchādiṭṭhi nijjiṇṇā hoti. Ye ca micchādiṭṭhipaccayā aneke pāpakā akusalā dhammā sambhavanti te cassa nijjiṇṇā honti. Sammādiṭṭhipaccayā aneke kusalā dhammā bhāvanāpāripūriṁ gacchanti. Sammāsaṅkappassa, bhikkhave, micchāsaṅkappo nijjiṇṇo hoti …pe… sammāvācassa, bhikkhave, micchāvācā nijjiṇṇā hoti … sammākammantassa, bhikkhave, micchākammanto nijjiṇṇo hoti … sammāājīvassa, bhikkhave, micchāājīvo nijjiṇṇo hoti … sammāvāyāmassa, bhikkhave, micchāvāyāmo nijjiṇṇo hoti … sammāsatissa, bhikkhave, micchāsati nijjiṇṇā hoti … sammāsamādhissa, bhikkhave, micchāsamādhi nijjiṇṇo hoti … sammāñāṇassa, bhikkhave, micchāñāṇaṁ nijjiṇṇaṁ hoti … sammāvimuttassa, bhikkhave, micchāvimutti nijjiṇṇā hoti. Ye ca micchāvimuttipaccayā aneke pāpakā akusalā dhammā sambhavanti te cassa nijjiṇṇā honti. Sammāvimuttipaccayā ca aneke kusalā dhammā bhāvanāpāripūriṁ gacchanti.

In this context, right view comes first. And how does right view come first? For one of right view, wrong view is worn away. And the many bad, unskillful qualities that arise because of wrong view are worn away. And because of right view, many skillful qualities are fully developed. For one of right thought, wrong thought is worn away. … For one of right speech, wrong speech is worn away. … For one of right action, wrong action is worn away. … For one of right livelihood, wrong livelihood is worn away. … For one of right effort, wrong effort is worn away. … For one of right mindfulness, wrong mindfulness is worn away. … For one of right immersion, wrong immersion is worn away. … For one of right knowledge, wrong knowledge is worn away. … For one of right freedom, wrong freedom is worn away. And the many bad, unskillful qualities that arise because of wrong freedom are worn away. And because of right freedom, many skillful qualities are fully developed.

Iti kho, bhikkhave, vīsati kusalapakkhā, vīsati akusalapakkhā—mahācattārīsako dhammapariyāyo pavattito appaṭivattiyo samaṇena vā brāhmaṇena vā devena vā mārena vā brahmunā vā kenaci vā lokasmiṁ.

So there are twenty on the side of the skillful, and twenty on the side of the unskillful. This exposition of the teaching on the Great Forty has been rolled forth. And it cannot be rolled back by any ascetic or brahmin or god or Māra or Brahmā or by anyone in the world.

Yo hi koci, bhikkhave, samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā imaṁ mahācattārīsakaṁ dhammapariyāyaṁ garahitabbaṁ paṭikkositabbaṁ maññeyya tassa diṭṭheva dhamme dasasahadhammikā vādānuvādā gārayhaṁ ṭhānaṁ āgacchanti—sammādiṭṭhiñce bhavaṁ garahati, ye ca micchādiṭṭhī samaṇabrāhmaṇā te bhoto pujjā, te bhoto pāsaṁsā; sammāsaṅkappañce bhavaṁ garahati, ye ca micchāsaṅkappā samaṇabrāhmaṇā te bhoto pujjā, te bhoto pāsaṁsā; sammāvācañce bhavaṁ garahati …pe… sammākammantañce bhavaṁ garahati … sammāājīvañce bhavaṁ garahati … sammāvāyāmañce bhavaṁ garahati … sammāsatiñce bhavaṁ garahati … sammāsamādhiñce bhavaṁ garahati … sammāñāṇañce bhavaṁ garahati … sammāvimuttiñce bhavaṁ garahati, ye ca micchāvimuttī samaṇabrāhmaṇā te bhoto pujjā, te bhoto pāsaṁsā. Yo koci, bhikkhave, samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā imaṁ mahācattārīsakaṁ dhammapariyāyaṁ garahitabbaṁ paṭikkositabbaṁ maññeyya tassa diṭṭheva dhamme ime dasasahadhammikā vādānuvādā gārayhaṁ ṭhānaṁ āgacchanti.

If any ascetic or brahmin imagines they can criticize and reject the exposition of the teaching on the Great Forty, they deserve rebuke and criticism on ten legitimate grounds in the present life. If such a gentleman criticizes right view, they praise and honor the ascetics and brahmins who have wrong view. If they criticize right thought … right speech … right action … right livelihood … right effort … right mindfulness … right immersion … right knowledge … right freedom, they praise and honor the ascetics and brahmins who have wrong freedom. If any ascetic or brahmin imagines they can criticize and reject the exposition of the teaching on the Great Forty, they deserve rebuke and criticism on these ten legitimate grounds in the present life.

Yepi te, bhikkhave, ahesuṁ okkalā vassabhaññā ahetuvādā akiriyavādā natthikavādā tepi mahācattārīsakaṁ dhammapariyāyaṁ na garahitabbaṁ nappaṭikkositabbaṁ amaññiṁsu. Taṁ kissa hetu? Nindābyārosaupārambhabhayā”ti.

Even those wanderers of the past, Vassa and Bhañña of Ukkalā, who taught the doctrines of no-cause, inaction, and nihilism, didn’t imagine that the Great Forty should be criticized or rejected. Why is that? For fear of blame, attack, and condemnation.”

Idamavoca bhagavā. Attamanā te bhikkhū bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandunti.

That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, the bhikkhus approved what the Buddha said.

Mahācattārīsakasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ sattamaṁ.