Brief Advice to Gotamī

At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof.

Then Mahāpajāpati Gotamī went up to the Buddha, bowed, stood to one side, and said to him:

“Sir, may the Buddha please teach me Dhamma in brief. When I’ve heard it, I’ll live alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute.”

“Gotamī, you might know that certain things

lead to passion, not dispassion;

to yoking, not to unyoking;

to accumulation, not dispersal;

to more desires, not fewer;

to lack of contentment, not contentment;

to crowding, not seclusion;

to laziness, not energy;

to being burdensome, not being unburdensome.

Categorically, you should remember these things as

not the teaching, not the training, and not the Teacher’s instructions.

You might know that certain things

lead to dispassion, not passion;

to unyoking, not to yoking;

to dispersal, not accumulation;

to fewer desires, not more;

to contentment, not lack of contentment;

to seclusion, not crowding;

to energy, not laziness;

to being unburdensome, not being burdensome.

Categorically, you should remember these things as

the teaching, the training, and the Teacher’s instructions.”