The Kesaputtisutta, known in the West as the Kalama Sutta, is a teaching from the Anguttara Nikaya. Popularized through fake quotes and internet memes, it is often incorrectly interpreted as advocating radical skepticism and an individualized rational approach to religious doctrine and faith. However, no traditional commentary supports such an interpretation of this previously not-often-cited teaching, and even a cursory reading of the full text proves otherwise.

In this sutra, the people of Kesaputta (the Kalamas) are being visited by many teachers and mendicants and are confused by their conflicting doctrines and mutual disparagement. They ask the Buddha for advice, who cautions them against blindly following teachers, scripture, tradition—even their own logical conjecture—and instead urges them to practice the teachings and directly experience if they work or not. The words of the wise should be heeded, but not before they are tested.

The writers of the sutra close by directly addressing two foundations of the Buddhist faith: karma and reincarnation. For them, the pros outweigh the cons. Whether or not karma and reincarnation exist, if you follow the Buddha’s advice on discerning the correct teachings, you can rest assured that life will be better—both now and in a possible next life.

–Frederick M. Ranallo-Higgins, associate editor

On one occasion, the Blessed One, on a wandering tour among the Kosalans with a large community of monks, arrived at Kesaputta, a town of the Kalamas. The Kalamas of Kesaputta heard it said, “Gotama the contemplative, the son of the Sakyans, having gone forth from the Sakyans, has arrived at Kesaputta. Master Gotama’s fine reputation has spread: He is indeed a Blessed One, worthy, and rightly self-awakened, consummate in knowledge and conduct, well-gone, a knower of the cosmos, an unexcelled trainer of those persons ready to be tamed, teacher of human and divine beings, awakened, blessed. He has made known—having realized it through direct knowledge—this world with its devas, maras, and brahmas, its generations with their contemplatives and brahmans, their rulers and common people; has explained the Dhamma admirable in the beginning, in the middle, in the end; has expounded the holy life both in its particulars and in its essence, entirely perfect, surpassingly pure. It is good to see such a worthy one.”

They said to the Blessed One, “Lord, there are some brahmans and contemplatives who come to Kesaputta. They expound and glorify their own doctrines, but they deprecate the doctrines of others, revile them, show contempt for them, and disparage them. They leave us absolutely uncertain and in doubt: Which of these venerable brahmans and contemplatives are speaking the truth, and which are lying?”

“Of course you are in doubt. When there are reasons for doubt, uncertainty is born.”

The Buddha said, “Of course you are uncertain. Of course you are in doubt. When there are reasons for doubt, uncertainty is born. So in this case, don’t go by reports, legends, traditions, scripture, logical conjecture, inference, analogies, agreement through pondering views, probability, or the thought, ‘This contemplative is our teacher.’ When you know for yourselves that certain qualities are unskillful, blameworthy, criticized by the wise, and, when adopted and carried out, lead to harm and suffering—then you should abandon them.

“When greed, aversion, or delusion arise in a person, does it arise for welfare or for harm?”

“For harm, lord.”

 “Overcome by greed, aversion, or delusion, he kills living beings, takes what is not given, goes after another person’s wife, tells lies, and induces others to do likewise, all of which is for long-term harm and suffering.”

“Yes, lord.”

“So, as I said: Don’t go by reports, legends, traditions, scripture, logical conjecture, inference, analogies, agreement through pondering views, probability, or the thought, ‘This contemplative is our teacher.’ When you know for yourselves that these qualities are unskillful, blameworthy, criticized by the wise, and, when adopted and carried out, lead to harm and suffering—then you should abandon them.

“Now, Kalamas, don’t go by reports, legends, traditions, scripture, logical conjecture, inference, analogies, agreement through pondering views, probability, or the thought, ‘This contemplative is our teacher.’ When you know for yourselves that these qualities are skillful, blameless, praised by the wise, and, when adopted and carried out, lead to welfare and happiness—then you should enter and remain in them.

“What do you think, Kalamas? When lack of greed, lack of aversion, or lack of delusion arises in a person, does it arise for welfare or for harm?”

“For welfare, lord.”

“And this ungreedy, unaversive, or undeluded person doesn’t kill living beings, take what is not given, go after another person’s wife, tell lies, or induce others to do likewise, all of which is for long-term welfare and happiness.”

“Yes, lord.”

“So, as I said: Don’t go by reports, legends, traditions, scripture, logical conjecture, inference, analogies, agreement through pondering views, probability, or the thought, ‘This contemplative is our teacher.’ When you know for yourselves that these qualities are skillful, blameless, praised by the wise, and, when adopted and carried out, lead to welfare and to happiness—then you should enter and remain in them.

“Now, Kalamas, one who is a disciple of the noble ones—thus devoid of greed and ill will, undeluded, alert, and resolute—keeps pervading all directions with an awareness imbued with goodwill, compassion, appreciation, and equanimity. Thus he keeps pervading above, below, and all around, everywhere, and in every respect the all-encompassing cosmos with an awareness imbued with goodwill, compassion, appreciation, and equanimity: abundant, expansive, immeasurable, free from hostility, free from ill will.

“Now, Kalamas, one who is a disciple of the noble ones—his mind thus free from hostility, free from ill will, undefiled, and pure—acquires four assurances in the here and now:

“‘If there is a world after death, if there is the fruit of actions rightly and wrongly done, then this is the basis by which, with the break-up of the body, after death, I will reappear in a good destination, the heavenly world.’ This is the first assurance he acquires.

“‘But if there is no world after death, if there is no fruit of actions rightly and wrongly done, then here in the present life I look after myself with ease—free from hostility, free from ill will, free from trouble.’ This is the second assurance he acquires.

“‘If evil is done through acting, still I have willed no evil for anyone. Having done no evil action, from where will suffering touch me?’ This is the third assurance he acquires.

“’But if no evil is done through acting, then I can assume myself pure in both respects.’ This is the fourth assurance he acquires.

“One who is a disciple of the noble ones—his mind thus free from hostility and ill will, undefiled, and pure—acquires these four assurances in the here and now.”

“Magnificent, lord! Magnificent! Just as if he were to place upright what was overturned, to reveal what was hidden, to show the way to one who was lost, or to carry a lamp into the dark so that those with eyes could see forms, in the same way, has the Blessed One—through many lines of reasoning—made the Dhamma clear. We go to the Blessed One for refuge, to the Dhamma, and to the Sangha of monks. May the Blessed One remember us as lay followers who have gone to him for refuge, from this day forward, for life.”

♦

Adapted from Kalama Sutta: To the Kalamas, translated by Thanissaro Bhikku