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← Saṃyutta Nikāya

At Khomadussa

SN 7.22 · Khomadussasutta

Soft morning light falling through a rain-washed bamboo grove.

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Sakyans, where they have a town named Khomadussa.

Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Khomadussa for alms. Now at that time the brahmins and householders of Khomadussa were gathered in the council hall for some business, while a gentle rain drizzled down.

Then the Buddha approached that council. The brahmins and householders saw the Buddha coming off in the distance, and said, “Who are these shavelings, these fake ascetics? Don’t they understand the council rules?”

Then the Buddha addressed the brahmins and householders of Khomadussa in verse:

“If good people are not present it is no true council; and those whose speak against principle are not good people. Having given up greed, hate, and delusion, speakers of principle are good people.”

When he had spoken, the brahmins and householders of Khomadussa said to the Buddha, “Excellent, worthy Gotama! Excellent! As if he were righting the overturned, or revealing the hidden, or pointing out the path to the lost, or lighting a lamp in the dark so people with clear eyes can see what’s there, worthy Gotama has made the teaching clear in many ways. We go for refuge to the worthy Gotama, to the teaching, and to the mendicant Saṅgha. From this day forth, may the worthy Gotama remember us as lay followers who have gone for refuge for life.”

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Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato · SuttaCentral · CC0

This translation is an expression of an ancient spiritual text that has been passed down by the Buddhist tradition for the benefit of all sentient beings. It is dedicated to the public domain via Creative Commons Zero (CC0). You are encouraged to copy, reproduce, adapt, alter, or otherwise make use of this translation. The translator respectfully requests that any use be in accordance with the values and principles of the Buddhist community. In particular, please do not use this work in AI training datasets, for the development of any AI model or algorithm, or in any AI-derived technologies.

Published source. Translation wording and order are preserved; source headings and notes are retained, with navigation and formatting adapted for this reader.

The opening image is AI-generated nature artwork for Buddhist Atlas, an evocative companion rather than a historical depiction.