Gotamī Sutta
The Discourse to Gotamī
[Evam-me sutaṁ,] Ekaṁ samayaṁ Bhagavā, Vesāliyaṁ viharati, Mahā-vane kūṭāgārasālāyaṁ,
I have heard that at one time the Blessed One was staying at Vesālī, in the Peaked Roof Hall in the Great Forest.
Atha kho Mahāpajāpati Gotamī, Yena Bhagavā ten’upasaṅkami. Upasaṅkamitvā Bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekam-antaṁ aṭṭhāsi.
Then Mahāpajāpati Gotamī approached the Blessed One and, on approaching, having bowed down to him, stood to one side.
Ekam-antaṁ ṭhitā kho Mahāpajāpati Gotamī Bhagavantaṁ etad-avoca: “Sādhu me bhante Bhagavā saṅkhittena dhammaṁ desetu, yam-ahaṁ Bhagavato dhammaṁ sutvā, ekā vūpakaṭṭhā appamattā ātāpinī pahitattā vihareyyanti.”
As she was standing to one side, she said to the Blessed One: “It would be good, Venerable Sir, if the Blessed One would teach me the Dhamma in brief such that, having heard the Dhamma from the Blessed One, I might dwell alone, secluded, heedful, ardent, & resolute.”
“Ye kho tvaṁ Gotami dhamme jāneyyāsi, ‘Ime dhammā sarāgāya saṁvattanti no virāgāya.
“Gotami, the qualities of which you may know, ‘These qualities lead to passion, not to dispassion;
Saṁyogāya saṁvattanti no visaṁyogāya.
to being fettered, not to being unfettered;
Ācayāya saṁvattanti no apacayāya.
to accumulation, not to shedding;
Mahicchatāya saṁvattanti no appicchatāya.
to overweening ambition, not to modesty;
Asantuṭṭhiyā saṁvattanti no santuṭṭhiyā.
to discontent, not to contentment;
Saṅgaṇikāya saṁvattanti no pavivekāya.
to entanglement, not to seclusion;
Kosajjāya saṁvattanti no viriyārambhāya.
to laziness, not to activated persistence;
Dubbharatāya saṁvattanti no subharatāyāti.’
to being burdensome, not to being unburdensome’:
Ekaṁsena Gotami dhāreyyāsi, ‘N’eso dhammo n’eso vinayo n’etaṁ Satthu-sāsananti.’
You may categorically hold, ‘This is not the Dhamma, this is not the Vinaya, this is not the Teacher’s instruction.’
Ye ca kho tvaṁ Gotami dhamme jāneyyāsi, ‘Ime dhammā virāgāya saṁvattanti no sarāgāya.
As for the qualities of which you may know, ‘These qualities lead to dispassion, not to passion;
Visaṁyogāya saṁvattanti no saṁyogāya.
to being unfettered, not to being fettered;
Apacayāya saṁvattanti no ācayāya.
to shedding, not to accumulation;
Appicchatāya saṁvattanti no mahicchatāya.
to modesty, not to overweening ambition;
Santuṭṭhiyā saṁvattanti no asantuṭṭhiyā.
to contentment, not to discontent;
Pavivekāya saṁvattanti no saṅgaṇikāya.
to seclusion, not to entanglement;
Viriyārambhāya saṁvattanti no kosajjāya.
to activated persistence, not to laziness;
Subharatāya saṁvattanti no dubbharatāyāti.’
to being unburdensome, not to being burdensome’:
Ekaṁsena Gotami dhāreyyāsi, ‘Eso dhammo eso vinayo etaṁ Satthu-sāsananti.’”
You may categorically hold, ‘This is the Dhamma, this is the Vinaya, this is the Teacher’s instruction.’”
Idam-avoca Bhagavā. Attamanā Mahāpajāpati Gotamī Bhagavato bhāsitaṁ, abhinandīti.
That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, Mahāpajāpati Gotamī delighted in the Blessed One’s words.
