Note: This teaching is infamous for being misquoted and quoted in the wrong contexts. It is, at the same time, a unique teaching among religious teachings, for instead of simply telling the Kālāmas, who have no established faith and are confused about whose teaching to follow that ‘My teaching is the only one you should listen to,’ the Buddha gives clear guidelines about the base upon which a teaching should be accepted and followed, and the base upon which a teaching should be rejected. In other words, he says that one should not follow a teaching blindly, the decision should be based upon the right sort of consideration, made with wisdom. This is a teaching about that right consideration and wisdom.
Venerable Varado’s notes on the Kālāma Sutta are very helpful, although I would add a clarification to his statement that ‘The Kālāma Sutta is irrelevant for those with established faith.’ In most religions, faith is paramount, in fact it is the most important value – and at the same time it is blind; you have faith simply because you have been born into a religion, or because it is the first spiritual path you come across. For people with such faith, the Kālāma sutta is very much relevant, as for anyone, whether with or without a religious faith, it is right to wisely consider the teachings that one follows. It is also extremely important to know that true faith in the Buddha’s teaching is based on insight, seeing the truth of the teaching by one’s own experience. For those with such faith, the Kālāma Sutta will indeed be irrelevant, because their strength in the Buddha’s teaching is unshakeable, and they will have no reason to question or doubt as the Kālāmas do in the beginning of the sutta.
I have heard that at one time the Blessed One, while wandering in the Kosalans with a large gathering of monks, arrived at Kesaputta, a town of a tribe called the Kalamas. And the Kalamas of Kesaputta heard it said that “Gotama the monk – the son of the Sakyans, who went forth from the Sakyan family – has arrived at Kesaputta. And these wonderful things are said about him:
“He is truly a Blessed One, worthy and rightly self-awakened, perfect in knowledge and perfect in action, well-gone, the one who knows all that is to be known, the highest teacher for those who are ready to learn, teacher of humans and divine beings, awakened, blessed.
“He has taught and opened up all the knowledge of the law of this world: the world that includes devas, maras and brahmas – as well as the generations of people with their monks and brahmans, their rulers and ordinary people.
“He has taught the Dhamma that is excellent in the beginning, excellent in the middle and excellent in the end. He has taught how to live the holy life – one that is high and worthy both in its aim and in the details of how it is lived – entirely perfect, of the utmost purity. It is good to see such a worthy one.”
So the Kalamas of Kesaputta went to see the Blessed One, and when they arrived some bowed down to him and sat to one side. Some of them exchanged polite greetings with him, and then sat to one side. Some of them saluted him with their hands together at the heart and then sat to one side. Some of them sat to one side in silence.
As they sat there, a spokesman for the Kalamas of Kesaputta said to the Blessed One, “Sir, we have met several brahmans and monks who come to our town. All of them praise their own teachings and say that their own teaching is the best one. And all, while saying that their own teaching is the best one, say that the teachings of others are useless, put down the teachings of others, show disrespect and scorn for the philosophies and teachings of others.
This leaves us in confusion and doubt: how do we know which ones are right and which are wrong?”
The Blessed One said:
“Of course you are doubtful, Kalamas, of course you are confused. When there is a subject that is doubtful, a doubtful matter, it is normal that you will have doubt and confusion about it. So Kalamas, in this case,
Do not abandon teachings merely because they do not agree with a tradition
Nor merely because they do not agree with a religion
Nor merely because they do not agree with popular opinion
Nor merely because they do not agree with scriptures or texts
Nor merely because they don’t seem to agree with logic
Nor merely because they don’t seem to agree with reasoning by inference
Nor merely because you do not agree after thinking over them,
Nor merely because you disapprove of some view in them,
Nor merely because the one who teaches is not your own teacher.
But if you yourselves should consider
“These teachings are wrong, shameful, unworthy, criticised by those who are wise; these teachings, when they are practiced and followed, lead to harm and bad consequences”
Then you should abandon and give up those teachings.
“For example, Kalamas, what do you think: When greed, hatred and ignorance arises in a person, does it lead to their lasting happiness and wellbeing, or to their long-lasting harm and suffering?”
“It leads to their lasting harm and suffering, sir.”
“Kalamas, when a person is overcome by greed, hatred or pure ignorance, unaware of the effect of their actions, and, driven by greed, hatred or ignorance, he kills, steals, commits sexual misconduct, lies and encourages others to do the same – is this not for his long-lasting harm and suffering?”
“Yes, sir.”
So what do you think, Kalamas, are these things wise and good, or foolish and wrong?
“Foolish and wrong, sir.”
“Are they worthy of blame, or worthy of admiration?”
“Worthy of blame, sir.”
“Are they moral or immoral ?”
“Immoral, sir.”
“Are they criticised by the wise or praised by the wise?”
“Criticised by the wise, sir.”
“When they are practiced and followed, do they lead to harm and bad consequences, or not?”
“They lead to harm and bad consequences, sir. That is how we see it.”
If you yourselves should consider that:
“These teachings are wrong, shameful, unworthy, criticised by those who are wise; these teachings, when they are practiced and followed, lead to harm and bad consequences”
Then you should abandon and give up those qualities, those intentions and those actions.”
That’s what I said, and it was with regard to this that I said it.
“Further, Kalamas, do not accept and follow teachings
* Merely because they agree with a tradition
* Merely because they agree with a religion
* Merely because they agree with popular opinion
* Merely because they agree with texts or scriptures
* Merely because they seem to agree with logical reasoning
* Merely because they seem to agree with reasoning by inference
* Merely because you agree after thinking over them
* Merely because you approve of some view in them
* Merely because the one who teaches is your own teacher.
But if you yourselves should consider:
“These teachings are right and good, wise, admirable, worthy, praised by those who are wise; these teachings, when they are practiced and followed, lead to wellbeing and happiness,” then you should practice and follow them, you should keep and strengthen them.
Kalamas, what do you think: When there is no greed, no hatred and no ignorance in a person, does it lead to their lasting happiness and wellbeing, or to their long-lasting harm and suffering?”
“It brings happiness and wellbeing, sir.”
“And when a person is without greed, without hatred, and without moha, whose mind is clear, aware and conscious of the effect of his actions, and being free of greed, hatred and ignorance, he does not kill, does not steal, does not commit sexual misconduct, does not lie, and encourages others to act in the same way – does this not lead to his lasting happiness and wellbeing?”
“Yes, sir.”
So what do you think, Kalamas, are these qualities wise and good, or foolish and wrong?
“Right and good, sir.”
“Are they shameful or admirable?”
“Admirable, sir.”
“Are they moral, or immoral?”
‘Moral, sir.”
“Are they criticised by the wise or praised by the wise?”
“Praised by the wise, sir.”
“When they are practiced and followed, do they lead to happiness and wellbeing, or not?”
“They lead to happiness and wellbeing, sir. That is how we see it.”
So Kalamas, if you yourselves should consider:
“These teachings are right and good, wise, admirable, worthy, praised by those who are wise; these teachings, when they are practiced and followed, lead to wellbeing and happiness,” then you should practice and follow them, you should keep and strengthen them.
That is what I said, and it was in regard to this that I said it.
Now, Kalamas, one who is a noble disciple, free of greed, free of anger and hatred, aware, attentive, and determined for the sake of good:
He fills every direction, the east, the west, the north and the south, with good will for all beings.
And so he fills every direction – above, below and all around, everywhere and in every way, the whole universe he fills with good will – abundant, unlimited, unmeasurable, infinite – free from conflict, free from ill-will.
He fills every direction: the east, the west, the north and the south, with compassion for all beings.
And so he fills every direction – above, below and all around, everywhere and every way, the whole universe he fills with compassion – abundant, unlimited, unmeasurable, infinite – free from conflict, free from ill-will.
He fills every direction: the east, the west, the north and the south, with equanimity.
And so he fills every direction – above, below and all around, everywhere and in every way, the whole universe he fills with equanimity – abundant, unlimited, unmeasurable, infinite – free from conflict, free from ill-will.
The noble disciple, Kalamas, who is so friendly-minded, so harmless, without defilements and purified, has found four sources of comfort and security in this very life.
“If there is a next life, and there is a result, a fruit of good actions and bad actions; then it is possible that after death, when the body breaks up, I will arise in a heavenly world, in the state of joy.” This is his first security.
“Even if there is no next life and no fruit, no result of good actions or bad actions – still, in this world, here and now, free from hatred, free from ill-will, safe and secure, I keep myself peaceful and happy.” This is his second security.
“Suppose that when one does harmful actions, he receives harm in return. I never think of doing harm to anyone – why should harm come to me?” This is his third security.
“Even if doing harm does not bring harmful results, still I purify myself of all harmful intentions.” This is his fourth security.”
So it is, Blessed One! So it is, O One Well-Gone. A student of the noble one’s whose mind is free from conflict, free from ill-will, unstained and pure, here and now, wherever he is, no matter what his situation, he has these four securities.
“If there is a next life, and there is a result, a fruit of good actions and bad actions; then it is possible that after death, when the body breaks up, I will arise in a heavenly world, in the state of joy.” This is his first security.
“Even if there is no next life and no fruit, no result of good actions or bad actions – still, in this world, here and now, free from hatred, free from ill-will, safe and secure, I keep myself peaceful and happy.” This is his second security.
“Suppose that when one does harmful actions, he receives harm in return. I never think of doing harm to anyone – why should harm come to me?” This is his third security.
“Even if doing harm does not bring harmful results, still I purify myself of all harmful intentions.” This is his fourth security.”
Magnificent, venerable sir! Magnificent! It is as if he has turned the right way up what was upside down, as if he has shown clearly what was hidden, as if he has pointed the way to one who was lost, or as if he has carried a lamp into the dark so that those with eyes could see – it is in this way that the Blessed One has made the Dhamma clear to us in many ways. We go to the Blessed One for refuge, to the Dhamma for refuge, and to the Sangha of monks for refuge. May the Blessed One know us as lay followers who have gone to him for refuge, from this day forward, for life.”