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 at that time a brahmin named Contraphile, who loved contradiction, was residing in Sāvatthī.
Now on that occasion a brahmin named Paccanīkasāta, Relisher of Contradiction, was residing at Sāvatthī.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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