“With what morality, what conduct, fostering what deeds, would a person lay the foundations right, and reach the highest goal?”
“Honoring elders without jealousy, they’d know the time to visit their respected teachers. Treasuring the chance for a Dhamma talk, they’d listen carefully to the well-spoken words.
At the right time, they’d enter the vicinity of their respected teachers in placid manner, leaving obstinacy behind. They’d call to mind and put into practice the meaning, the teaching, self-control, and the spiritual life.
Delighting in the teaching, enjoying the teaching, standing on the teaching, evaluating the teaching, they’d never say anything that degraded the teaching, but would be guided by genuine words well-spoken.
Giving up mirth, muttered prayer, weeping, ill will, deceit, fawning, greed, conceit, aggression, crudeness, stains, and indulgence, they’d wander free of vanity, steadfast.
Understanding is the essence of well-spoken words, stillness is the essence of learning and understanding. Wisdom and learning do not flourish in a hasty and negligent person.
Those happy with the teaching proclaimed by the Noble One are supreme in speech, mind, and deed. Abiding in peace, gentleness, and stillness, they’ve realized the essence of learning and wisdom.”
What Morality?
Snp 2.9 · Kiṁsīlasutta
Connections
Collection & context
- Sutta NipātaThe collection containing this text
- The Pāli canonCanonical collection in which this edition is preserved
- Theravāda traditionsTransmission and study context
- The early Buddhist communityHistorical and traditional setting
Books
- Handful of Leaves: an Anthology from the Sutta PiṭakaEarly Buddhist discourses; Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu (translator and compiler) · Included in anthology
About this edition
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.