The Buddha's "conversion magic" (sutra)

Ajahn Sujato (trans.), AN 4.193 (suttacentral.org); edited by Dhr. Seven, Wisdom Quarterly

193. “Discourse to Bhaddiya”

Primary translator Ajahn Sujato (Anthony Best)

Thus have I heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, in the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof. Then Bhaddiya the Licchavi went to the Buddha, bowed, sat respectfully to one side, and asked:

“Sir, I have heard, ‘The wandering ascetic Gautama is a magician. He knows a conversion magic and uses it to convert the disciples of those who follow other paths.’ I trust that those who say this repeat what the Buddha has said, that they do not misrepresent him with an untruth? Is their explanation in line with the Dharma (Teaching)? Are there any legitimate grounds for rebuke and criticism?”

[The power of instruction]

The Buddha, the wandering ascetic

“Bhaddiya, please do not go by oral transmission [as in the Kalama Sutra], do not go by lineage, do not go by testament, do not go by canonical authority, do not rely on logic, do not rely on inference, do not go by reasoned contemplation, do not go by the acceptance of a view after consideration, do not go by the appearance of competence, and do not go by the thought ‘This ascetic is our respected teacher.’

“But when you know for yourself, ‘These things are unskillful, blameworthy, criticized by sensible people, and when undertaken they lead to harm and suffering.’ In that case they should be given up.

“What do you think, Bhaddiya? Does greed arise in a person for that person's welfare or harm?”

“Harm, sir.”

“A greedy individual — overcome by greed — kills living creatures, steals, engages in sexual misconduct, lies, and encourages others to do so. Is that for their lasting harm and suffering?”

“Yes, sir.”

“What do you think, Bhaddiya? Does hate… does delusion… does aggression arise in a person for that person's welfare or harm?”

“Harm, sir.”

“A [hateful, deluded, aggressive] individual kills living creatures, steals, engages in sexual misconduct, lies, and encourages others to do so. Is that for their lasting harm and suffering?”

“Yes, sir.”

“What do you think, Bhaddiya, are these things skillful or unskillful?”

“Unskillful, sir.”

“Blameworthy or blameless?”

“Blameworthy, sir.”

“Criticized or praised by sensible people?”

“Criticized by sensible people, sir.”

“When undertaken, do they lead to harm and suffering or not? Or how is it?”

“When undertaken they lead to harm and suffering. That’s how it is.”

“So, Bhaddiya, when it was said, ‘Please, Bhaddiya, do not go by oral transmission, do not go by lineage...and do not go by thinking, “This ascetic is our respected teacher.” But when you know for yourself, “These things are unskillful, blameworthy, criticized by sensible people, and when undertaken they lead to harm and suffering” then they should be given up.’ That’s what I said, and this is why I said it.

“Please, Bhaddiya, do not rely on oral transmission… But when you know for yourself, ‘These things are skillful, blameless, praised by sensible people, and when undertaken, they lead to welfare and happiness’ then they should be acquired and kept.

“What do you think, Bhaddiya? Does contentment… love… understanding… benevolence arise in a person for welfare or harm?”

“Welfare, sir.”

“An individual who is benevolent — not overcome by aggression — does not kill living creatures, steal, engage in sexual misconduct, lie, or encourage others to do so. Is that for their lasting welfare and happiness?”

“Yes, sir.”

“What do you think, Bhaddiya, are these things skillful or unskillful?”

“Skillful, sir.”

“Blameworthy or blameless?”

“Blameless, sir.”

“Criticized or praised by sensible people?”

“Praised by sensible people, sir.”

“When undertaken, do they lead to welfare and happiness or not? Or how is it?”

“When undertaken, they lead to welfare and happiness. That’s how it is.”

“So, Bhaddiya, when it was said, ‘Please, Bhaddiya, do not go by oral transmission... when undertaken, they lead to welfare and happiness” then they should be acquired and kept.’ That’s what I said, and this is why I said it.

“Good people in the world encourage their disciples, ‘Please, disciple, live free of greed. Then you won’t act [accrue karma] out of greed by way of body, speech, or mind. Live free of hate… delusion… aggression. Then you won’t act out of hate… delusion… aggression by way of body, speech, or mind.”

Reaction

When the Buddha said this, Bhaddiya the Licchavi said, “Excellent, sir, excellent! …From this day forward, may the Buddha remember me as a lay follower who has gone for guidance [to the Enlightened One (the Buddha), the Enlightened Teaching (Dharma), and the Enlightened-Sangha] for life.”

"Conversion magic" would be so Disney.

“Well, Bhaddiya, did I say, ‘Please, Bhaddiya, be my disciple, and I will be your teacher’?”

“No, sir.”

“Though I speak and explain like this, certain wandering ascetics and Brahmins misrepresent me with the false, hollow, lying, untruthful claim, ‘The wandering ascetic Gautama is a magician. He knows a conversion magic and uses it to convert the disciples of those who follow other paths.’”

“Sir, this ‘conversion magic’ is excellent. This conversion magic is lovely! If my loved ones — my kith and kin — were to be ‘converted’ by this, it would be for their lasting welfare and happiness. If all the nobles, Brahmins, merchants, and workers were to be converted by this, it would be for their lasting welfare and happiness.”

“So it is, Bhaddiya! So it is, Bhaddiya! If all the nobles, Brahmins, merchants, and workers were to be converted by this, it would be for their lasting welfare and happiness. If the whole world — with its devas, māras, and brahmās, this generation with its wandering ascetics and Brahmins, devas and humans — were to be converted by this, for the giving up unskillful things and embracing skillful things, it would be for their lasting welfare and happiness.

“If these great sal trees were to be converted by this, for the giving up of unskillful things and embracing skillful things, it would be for their lasting welfare and happiness — if they were sentient beings. How much more if a human being were to do so!”

—

The Commentary (AA.ii.558) adds that at the conclusion of this discourse, Bhaddiya became a stream enterer, reaching the first stage of enlightenment (palikanon.com).