1At one time the Buddha was staying near the city of Bhoga, at the Ānanda Tree-shrine. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants: “Mendicants!”

“Venerable sir,” they replied.

The Buddha said this: “Mendicants, I will teach you the four great references. Listen and pay close attention, I will speak.”

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

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2“Mendicants, what are the four great references?

Take a mendicant who says: ‘Reverend, I have heard and learned this in the presence of the Buddha: this is the teaching, this is the training, this is the Teacher’s instruction.’ You should neither approve nor dismiss that mendicant’s statement. Instead, you should carefully memorize those words and phrases, then check if they’re included in the discourses and found in the texts on monastic training. If they’re not included in the discourses and found in the texts on monastic training, you should draw the conclusion: ‘Clearly this is not the word of the Blessed One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha. It has been incorrectly memorized by that mendicant.’ And so you should reject it.

3Take another mendicant who says: ‘Reverend, I have heard and learned this in the presence of the Buddha: this is the teaching, this is the training, this is the Teacher’s instruction.’ You should neither approve nor dismiss that mendicant’s statement. Instead, you should carefully memorize those words and phrases, then check if they’re included in the discourses and found in the texts on monastic training. If they are included in the discourses and found in the texts on monastic training, you should draw the conclusion: ‘Clearly this is the word of the Blessed One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha. It has been correctly memorized by that mendicant.’ You should remember it. This is the first great reference.

4Take another mendicant who says: ‘In such-and-such monastery lives a Saṅgha with seniors and leaders. I’ve heard and learned this in the presence of that Saṅgha: this is the teaching, this is the training, this is the Teacher’s instruction.’ You should neither approve nor dismiss that mendicant’s statement. Instead, you should carefully memorize those words and phrases, then check if they’re included in the discourses or found in the texts on monastic training. If they’re not included in the discourses or found in the texts on monastic training, you should draw the conclusion: ‘Clearly this is not the word of the Blessed One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha. It has been incorrectly memorized by that Saṅgha.’ And so you should reject it.

5Take another mendicant who says: ‘In such-and-such monastery lives a Saṅgha with seniors and leaders. I’ve heard and learned this in the presence of that Saṅgha: this is the teaching, this is the training, this is the Teacher’s instruction.’ You should neither approve nor dismiss that mendicant’s statement. Instead, you should carefully memorize those words and phrases, then check if they’re included in the discourses or found in the texts on monastic training. If they are included in the discourses and found in the texts on monastic training, you should draw the conclusion: ‘Clearly this is the word of the Blessed One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha. It has been correctly memorized by that Saṅgha.’ You should remember it. This is the second great reference.

6Take another mendicant who says: ‘In such-and-such monastery there are several senior mendicants who are very learned, knowledgeable in the scriptures, who remember the teachings, the texts on monastic training, and the outlines. I’ve heard and learned this in the presence of those senior mendicants: this is the teaching, this is the training, this is the Teacher’s instruction.’ You should neither approve nor dismiss that mendicant’s statement. Instead, you should carefully memorize those words and phrases, then check if they’re included in the discourses or found in the texts on monastic training. If they’re not included in the discourses or found in the monastic law, you should draw the conclusion: ‘Clearly this is not the word of the Blessed One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha. It has been incorrectly memorized by those senior mendicants.’ And so you should reject it.

7Take another mendicant who says: ‘In such-and-such monastery there are several senior mendicants who are very learned, knowledgeable in the scriptures, who remember the teachings, the texts on monastic training, and the outlines. I’ve heard and learned this in the presence of those senior mendicants: this is the teaching, this is the training, this is the Teacher’s instruction.’ You should neither approve nor dismiss that mendicant’s statement. Instead, you should carefully memorize those words and phrases, then check if they’re included in the discourses and found in the texts on monastic training. If they are included in the discourses and found in the texts on monastic training, you should draw the conclusion: ‘Clearly this is the word of the Blessed One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha. It has been correctly memorized by those senior mendicants.’ You should remember it. This is the third great reference.

8Take another mendicant who says: ‘In such-and-such monastery there is a single senior mendicant who is very learned and knowledgeable in the scriptures, who has memorized the teachings, the texts on monastic discipline, and the outlines. I’ve heard and learned this in the presence of that senior mendicant: this is the teaching, this is the training, this is the Teacher’s instruction.’ You should neither approve nor dismiss that mendicant’s statement. Instead, you should carefully memorize those words and phrases, then check if they’re included in the discourses and found in the texts on monastic discipline. If they’re not included in the discourses or found in the texts on monastic discipline, you should draw the conclusion: ‘Clearly this is not the word of the Blessed One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha. It has been incorrectly memorized by that senior mendicant.’ And so you should reject it.

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9Take another mendicant who says: ‘In such-and-such monastery there is a single senior mendicant who is very learned and knowledgeable in the scriptures, who has memorized the teachings, the texts on monastic discipline, and the outlines. I’ve heard and learned this in the presence of that senior mendicant: this is the teaching, this is the training, this is the Teacher’s instruction.’ You should neither approve nor dismiss that mendicant’s statement. Instead, you should carefully memorize those words and phrases, then check if they’re included in the discourses and found in the texts on monastic discipline. If they are included in the discourses and found in the monastic law, you should draw the conclusion: ‘Clearly this is the word of the Blessed One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha. It has been correctly memorized by that senior mendicant.’ You should remember it. This is the fourth great reference.

These are the four great references.”

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1Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā bhoganagare viharati ānandacetiye. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:  "bhikkhavo"ti.

"Bhadante"ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca: 

"cattārome, bhikkhave, mahāpadese desessāmi, taṁ suṇātha, sādhukaṁ manasi karotha, bhāsissāmī"ti.

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

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2"Katame, bhikkhave, cattāro mahāpadesā?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ vadeyya:  ‘sammukhā metaṁ, āvuso, bhagavato sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ – ayaṁ dhammo, ayaṁ vinayo, idaṁ satthusāsanan’ti. Tassa, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno bhāsitaṁ neva abhinanditabbaṁ nappaṭikkositabbaṁ. Anabhinanditvā appaṭikkositvā tāni padabyañjanāni sādhukaṁ uggahetvā sutte otāretabbāni, vinaye sandassetabbāni. Tāni ce sutte otāriyamānāni vinaye sandassiyamānāni na ceva sutte otaranti na vinaye sandissanti, niṭṭhamettha gantabbaṁ:  ‘addhā idaṁ na ceva tassa bhagavato vacanaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassa; imassa ca bhikkhuno duggahitan’ti. Iti hetaṁ, bhikkhave, chaḍḍeyyātha.

3Idha pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ vadeyya:  ‘sammukhā metaṁ, āvuso, bhagavato sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ – ayaṁ dhammo, ayaṁ vinayo, idaṁ satthusāsanan’ti. Tassa, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno bhāsitaṁ neva abhinanditabbaṁ nappaṭikkositabbaṁ. Anabhinanditvā appaṭikkositvā tāni padabyañjanāni sādhukaṁ uggahetvā sutte otāretabbāni, vinaye sandassetabbāni. Tāni ce sutte otāriyamānāni vinaye sandassiyamānāni sutte ceva otaranti vinaye ca sandissanti, niṭṭhamettha gantabbaṁ:  ‘addhā idaṁ tassa bhagavato vacanaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassa; imassa ca bhikkhuno suggahitan’ti. Idaṁ, bhikkhave, paṭhamaṁ mahāpadesaṁ dhāreyyātha.

4Idha pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ vadeyya:  ‘asukasmiṁ nāma āvāse saṅgho viharati sathero sapāmokkho. Tassa me saṅghassa sammukhā sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ – ayaṁ dhammo, ayaṁ vinayo, idaṁ satthusāsanan’ti. Tassa, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno bhāsitaṁ neva abhinanditabbaṁ nappaṭikkositabbaṁ. Anabhinanditvā appaṭikkositvā tāni padabyañjanāni sādhukaṁ uggahetvā sutte otāretabbāni, vinaye sandassetabbāni. Tāni ce sutte otāriyamānāni vinaye sandassiyamānāni na ceva sutte otaranti na vinaye sandissanti, niṭṭhamettha gantabbaṁ:  ‘addhā idaṁ na ceva tassa bhagavato vacanaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassa; tassa ca saṅghassa duggahitan’ti. Iti hetaṁ, bhikkhave, chaḍḍeyyātha.

5Idha pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ vadeyya:  ‘asukasmiṁ nāma āvāse saṅgho viharati sathero sapāmokkho. Tassa me saṅghassa sammukhā sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ – ayaṁ dhammo, ayaṁ vinayo, idaṁ satthusāsanan’ti. Tassa, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno bhāsitaṁ neva abhinanditabbaṁ nappaṭikkositabbaṁ. Anabhinanditvā appaṭikkositvā tāni padabyañjanāni sādhukaṁ uggahetvā sutte otāretabbāni, vinaye sandassetabbāni. Tāni ce sutte otāriyamānāni, vinaye sandassiyamānāni sutte ceva otaranti vinaye ca sandissanti, niṭṭhamettha gantabbaṁ:  ‘addhā idaṁ tassa bhagavato vacanaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassa; tassa ca saṅghassa suggahitan’ti. Idaṁ, bhikkhave, dutiyaṁ mahāpadesaṁ dhāreyyātha.

6Idha pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ vadeyya:  ‘asukasmiṁ nāma āvāse sambahulā therā bhikkhū viharanti bahussutā āgatāgamā dhammadharā vinayadharā mātikādharā. Tesaṁ me therānaṁ sammukhā sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ – ayaṁ dhammo, ayaṁ vinayo, idaṁ satthusāsanan’ti. Tassa, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno bhāsitaṁ neva abhinanditabbaṁ nappaṭikkositabbaṁ. Anabhinanditvā appaṭikkositvā tāni padabyañjanāni sādhukaṁ uggahetvā sutte otāretabbāni, vinaye sandassetabbāni. Tāni ce sutte otāriyamānāni vinaye sandassiyamānāni na ceva sutte otaranti na vinaye sandissanti, niṭṭhamettha gantabbaṁ:  ‘addhā idaṁ na ceva tassa bhagavato vacanaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassa; tesañca therānaṁ duggahitan’ti. Iti hetaṁ, bhikkhave, chaḍḍeyyātha.

7Idha pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ vadeyya:  ‘asukasmiṁ nāma āvāse sambahulā therā bhikkhū viharanti bahussutā āgatāgamā dhammadharā vinayadharā mātikādharā. Tesaṁ me therānaṁ sammukhā sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ – ayaṁ dhammo, ayaṁ vinayo, idaṁ satthusāsanan’ti. Tassa, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno bhāsitaṁ neva abhinanditabbaṁ nappaṭikkositabbaṁ. Anabhinanditvā appaṭikkositvā tāni padabyañjanāni sādhukaṁ uggahetvā sutte otāretabbāni, vinaye sandassetabbāni. Tāni ce sutte otāriyamānāni vinaye sandassiyamānāni sutte ceva otaranti vinaye ca sandissanti, niṭṭhamettha gantabbaṁ:  ‘addhā idaṁ tassa bhagavato vacanaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassa; tesañca therānaṁ suggahitan’ti. Idaṁ, bhikkhave, tatiyaṁ mahāpadesaṁ dhāreyyātha.

8Idha pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ vadeyya:  ‘asukasmiṁ nāma āvāse eko thero bhikkhu viharati bahussuto āgatāgamo dhammadharo vinayadharo mātikādharo. Tassa me therassa sammukhā sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ – ayaṁ dhammo, ayaṁ vinayo, idaṁ satthusāsanan’ti. Tassa, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno bhāsitaṁ neva abhinanditabbaṁ nappaṭikkositabbaṁ. Anabhinanditvā appaṭikkositvā tāni padabyañjanāni sādhukaṁ uggahetvā sutte otāretabbāni, vinaye sandassetabbāni. Tāni ce sutte otāriyamānāni vinaye sandassiyamānāni na ceva sutte otaranti na vinaye sandissanti, niṭṭhamettha gantabbaṁ:  ‘addhā idaṁ na ceva tassa bhagavato vacanaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassa; tassa ca therassa duggahitan’ti. Iti hetaṁ, bhikkhave, chaḍḍeyyātha.

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9Idha pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁ vadeyya:  ‘asukasmiṁ nāma āvāse eko thero bhikkhu viharati bahussuto āgatāgamo dhammadharo vinayadharo mātikādharo. Tassa me therassa sammukhā sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ – ayaṁ dhammo, ayaṁ vinayo, idaṁ satthusāsanan’ti. Tassa, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno bhāsitaṁ neva abhinanditabbaṁ nappaṭikkositabbaṁ. Anabhinanditvā appaṭikkositvā tāni padabyañjanāni sādhukaṁ uggahetvā sutte otāretabbāni, vinaye sandassetabbāni. Tāni ce sutte otāriyamānāni vinaye sandassiyamānāni sutte ceva otaranti vinaye ca sandissanti, niṭṭhamettha gantabbaṁ:  ‘addhā idaṁ tassa bhagavato vacanaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassa; tassa ca therassa suggahitan’ti. Idaṁ, bhikkhave, catutthaṁ mahāpadesaṁ dhāreyyātha.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro mahāpadesā"ti.

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Dasamaṁ.

Sañcetaniyavaggo tatiyo.

10Cetanā vibhatti koṭṭhiko,
Ānando upavāṇapañcamaṁ;
Āyācana rāhula jambālī,
Nibbānaṁ mahāpadesenāti.