sutta » sn » sn7 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 7.16

Paccanīkasutta

The Contraphile

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
At Sāvatthī.
At Sāvatthī.

Tena kho pana samayena paccanīkasāto nāma brāhmaṇo sāvatthiyaṁ paṭivasati.
Now on that occasion a brahmin named Paccanīkasāta, Relisher of Contradiction, was residing at Sāvatthī.
Now at that time a brahmin named Contraphile, who loved contradiction, was residing in Sāvatthī.

Atha kho paccanīkasātassa brāhmaṇassa etadahosi:
Then it occurred to the brahmin Paccanīkasāta:
Then Contraphile thought,

“yannūnāhaṁ yena samaṇo gotamo tenupasaṅkameyyaṁ.
“Let me approach the ascetic Gotama
“Why don’t I go to the ascetic Gotama and

Yaṁ yadeva samaṇo gotamo bhāsissati taṁ tadevassāhaṁ paccanīkāssan”ti.
and contradict whatever he says.”
contradict everything he says?”

Tena kho pana samayena bhagavā abbhokāse caṅkamati.
Now on that occasion the Blessed One was walking back and forth in the open.
At that time the Buddha was walking mindfully in the open air.

Atha kho paccanīkasāto brāhmaṇo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ caṅkamantaṁ etadavoca:
Then the brahmin Paccanīkasāta approached the Blessed One and said to him while he was walking back and forth:
Then the brahmin Contraphile went up to the Buddha, and said to him as he was walking,

“bhaṇa samaṇadhamman”ti.
“Speak Dhamma, ascetic!”
“Ascetic, preach the Dhamma.”

“Na paccanīkasātena,
“Well-spoken counsel is hard to understand
“Fine words aren’t easy to understand

suvijānaṁ subhāsitaṁ;
By one who relishes contradiction,
by a lover of contradiction,

Upakkiliṭṭhacittena,
By one with a corrupt mind
whose mind is tainted

sārambhabahulena ca.
Who is engrossed in aggression.
and full of aggression.

Yo ca vineyya sārambhaṁ,
“But if one has removed aggression
But when you’ve dispelled aggression,

appasādañca cetaso;
And the distrust of one’s heart,
and your suspicious mind,

Āghātaṁ paṭinissajja,
If one has cast away aversion,
and you’ve got rid of resentment,

sa ve jaññā subhāsitan”ti.
One can understand well-spoken counsel.”
then you’ll understand fine words.”

Evaṁ vutte, paccanīkasāto brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
When this was said, the brahmin Paccanīkasāta said to the Blessed One:
When he had spoken, the brahmin Contraphile said to the Buddha,

“abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama, abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama …pe…
“Magnificent, Master Gotama! Magnificent, Master Gotama!…
“Excellent, Mister Gotama! Excellent! …

upāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.
Let Master Gotama remember me as a lay follower who from today has gone for refuge for life.
From this day forth, may Mister Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”