19.2 The Story about the Group of Six
Chabbaggiyavatthu

Dhp 258

Burlingame: Not Therefore is a Man called Wise for His Much Speaking

The group of six bhikkhus, who were notorious for their bad behaviour, went around the monasteries creating havoc and boasting about themselves in the refectories; when this matter was reported to the Buddha he gave a teaching in a verse.

Keywords: Discipline

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“One is not a wise person,” this Dhamma teaching was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to the bhikkhus of the Group of Six. [30.141]

It seems that the bhikkhus of the Group of Six used to go about from monastery to monastery and from village to village, creating disorder in the refectories. {3.383} One day some young bhikkhus and novices, after eating breakfast in the village, came to the monastery. The bhikkhus asked them: “Friends, how did you like the refectory?” The visitors replied: “Friends, do not ask us. The bhikkhus of the Group of Six say to themselves: ‘We alone are intelligent, we alone are wise. We will smite these bhikkhus and pour sweepings on their heads and thus drive them out.’ So saying, they grab us from behind and pour sweepings on our heads; thus have they thrown the refectory into disorder.” The bhikkhus went to the Teacher and reported the matter to him.

The Teacher said: “Bhikkhus, I do not call him a wise man who speaks much and annoys others. Him alone I call a wise man who is patient and free from hatred and free from fear.” So saying, he pronounced the following verse:

258. Na tena paṇḍito hoti yāvatā bahu bhāsati;
khemī averī abhayo, paṇḍito ti pavuccati.

One is not a wise person
merely because of speaking much;
being safe, hatred-free, fearless,
one is called a wise one.

At the end of the teaching many reached the fruition of Stream-entry and so on.

 

last updated: August 2024