Other Translations: Deutsch
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Sutta Nipāta 3.3 Sutta Nipāta 3.3Anthology of Discourses 3.3
Subhāsitasutta Well-spokenThis sutta is identical with SN 8:5.Well-Spoken Words
Evaṁ me sutaṁ—I have heard thatSo I have heard.
eka samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.
Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: There he addressed the monks,There the Buddha addressed the mendicants,
“bhikkhavo”ti. “Monks!”“Mendicants!”
“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. “Yes, lord,” the monks responded to him.“Venerable sir,” they replied.
Bhagavā etadavoca: The Blessed One said:The Buddha said this:
“Catūhi, bhikkhave, aṅgehi samannāgatā vācā subhāsitā hoti, na dubbhāsitā, anavajjā ca ananuvajjā ca viññūnaṁ. “Monks, speech endowed with four characteristics is well-spoken, not poorly spoken—faultless & not to be faulted by the observant.“Mendicants, speech that has four factors is well spoken, not poorly spoken. It’s blameless and is not criticized by sensible people.
Katamehi catūhi? Which four?What four?
Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu subhāsitaṁyeva bhāsati no dubbhāsitaṁ, dhammaṁyeva bhāsati no adhammaṁ, piyaṁyeva bhāsati no appiyaṁ, saccaṁyeva bhāsati no alikaṁ. There is the case where a monk says only what is well-spoken, not what is poorly spoken; only what is just, not what is unjust; only what is endearing, not what is unendearing; only what is true, not what is false.It’s when a mendicant speaks well, not poorly; their speech is principled, not unprincipled; they speak pleasantly, not unpleasantly; and they speak truthfully, not falsely.
Imehi kho, bhikkhave, catūhi aṅgehi samannāgatā vācā subhāsitā hoti, no dubbhāsitā, anavajjā ca ananuvajjā ca viññūnan”ti. Speech endowed with these four characteristics is well-spoken, not poorly spoken—faultless & not to be faulted by the observant.”Speech with these four factors is well spoken, not poorly spoken. It’s blameless and is not criticized by sensible people.”
Idamavoca bhagavā. That is what the Blessed One said.That is what the Buddha said.
Idaṁ vatvāna sugato, athāparaṁ etadavoca satthā: Having said this, the One Well-Gone, the Teacher, said further:Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:
“Subhāsitaṁ uttamamāhu santo, “The calm say that what is well-spoken is best;“Good people say well-spoken words are foremost;
Dhammaṁ bhaṇe nādhammaṁ taṁ dutiyaṁ; second, that one should say what is just, not unjust;second, speech ought be principled, not unprincipled;
Piyaṁ bhaṇe nāppiyaṁ taṁ tatiyaṁ, third, what’s endearing, not unendearing;third, speak pleasantly, not unpleasantly;
Saccaṁ bhaṇe nālikaṁ taṁ catutthan”ti. fourth, what is true, not false.”and fourth, speak truthfully, not falsely.”
Atha kho āyasmā vaṅgīso uṭṭhāyāsanā ekaṁsaṁ cīvaraṁ katvā yena bhagavā tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: Then Ven. Vaṅgīsa,1 rising from his seat, arranging his robe over one shoulder, faced the Blessed One with his hands palm-to-palm in front of his heart and said,See Sn 2:12, note 1.Then Venerable Vaṅgīsa rose from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, raised his cupped palms toward the Buddha, and said,
“paṭibhāti maṁ, bhagavā, paṭibhāti maṁ, sugatā”ti. “An inspiration has come to me, Blessed One! An inspiration has come to me, One Well-Gone!”“I feel inspired to speak, Blessed One! I feel inspired to speak, Holy One!”
“Paṭibhātu taṁ, vaṅgīsā”ti bhagavā avoca. “Let the inspiration come to you, Vaṅgīsa,” the Blessed One said.“Then speak as you feel inspired,” said the Buddha.
Atha kho āyasmā vaṅgīso bhagavantaṁ sammukhā sāruppāhi gāthāhi abhitthavi: Then Ven. Vaṅgīsa praised the Blessed One to his face with these fitting verses:Then Vaṅgīsa extolled the Buddha in his presence with fitting verses:
“Tameva vācaṁ bhāseyya, “Speak only the speech“Speak only those words
yāyattānaṁ na tāpaye; that neither torments selfthat do not hurt yourself
Pare ca na vihiṁseyya, nor does harm to others.nor harm others;
sā ve vācā subhāsitā. That speech is truly well-spoken.such speech is truly well spoken.
Piyavācameva bhāseyya, Speak only endearing speech,Speak only pleasing words,
yā vācā paṭinanditā; speech that is welcomed.words gladly welcomed.
Yaṁ anādāya pāpāni, Speech when it brings no evilPleasing words are those
paresaṁ bhāsate piyaṁ. to others is pleasant.that bring nothing bad to others.
Saccaṁ ve amatā vācā, Truth, indeed, is deathless speech:Truth itself is undying speech:
esa dhammo sanantano; This is a primeval principle.this is an ancient teaching.
Sacce atthe ca dhamme ca, The goal and the DhammaGood people say the teaching and meaning
āhu santo patiṭṭhitā. —so say the calm— are firmly established on truth.are grounded in truth.
Yaṁ buddho bhāsati vācaṁ, The speech the Awakened One speaks,The words spoken by the Buddha
Khemaṁ nibbānapattiyā; for attaining unbinding, rest,for finding the sanctuary, extinguishment,
Dukkhassantakiriyāya, for making an end to the mass of stress:for making an end of suffering,
Sā ve vācānamuttamā”ti. That is the speech unsurpassed.”this really is the best kind of speech.”
Subhāsitasuttaṁ tatiyaṁ. The Subhāsita Sutta, the third.vv. 450–454. See also: MN 21; MN 58; SN 11:5; AN 4:183; AN 5:198; AN 8:8; AN 10:165.