MĀ 16 kālāmasūtraṃ
[Translated originally from the Sanskrit Sarvāstivāda Madhyamāgama to Classical Chinese by a team led by Sarvāstivāda scholar Gautama Saṃghadeva of Kāśmīra in 398CE.
Translated from the Chinese Taisho Tripiṭaka back to Sanskrit by Ramakrishnan Suryanarayanan in 2024-26.]
madhyamāgame karmasaṃyuktavarge dvitīye kālāmasūtraṃ ṣaṣṭham.
evaṃ mayā śrutam. ekasminsamaye bhagavānkālāmeṣu cārikāṃ caranmahatā bhikṣusaṅghena sārdhaṃ keśaputramanuprāptaḥ. keśaputre viharati sma keśaputranigamasyottarasyāṃ diśi śiṃśapāvane.
tena khalu samayena keśaputrakāḥ kālāmā aśrauṣuḥ—śramaṇaḥ khalu gautamaḥ śākyaputraḥ śākyakulātpravrajitaḥ kālāmeṣu cārikāṃ caranmahatā bhikṣusaṅghena sārdhaṃ keśaputramanuprāpto viharati sma keśaputre nigame śiṃśapāvane uttarasyāṃ diśīti. taṃ khalu punarbhagavantaṃ gautamamevaṃ kalyāṇaḥ kīrtiśabdo'bhyudgataḥ. iti hi śramaṇo gautamastathāgato'rhansamyaksambuddho vidyācaraṇasampannaḥ sugato lokavidanuttaraḥ puruṣadamyasārathiḥ śāstā devānāṃ ca manuṣyāṇāṃ ca buddho bhagavāniti. sa imaṃ lokaṃ sadevakaṃ samārakaṃ sabrahmakaṃ saśramaṇabrāhmaṇīṃ prajāṃ sadevamanuṣyāṃ svayamabhijñāya sākṣātkṛtyopasampadya viharati. sa dharmaṃ deśayatyādau kalyāṇaṃ madhye kalyāṇaṃ paryavasāne kalyāṇaṃ sārthaṃ savyañjanaṃ kevalaparipūrṇaṃ pariśuddhaṃ brahmacaryaṃ samprakāśayati. sādhu khalu punarevaṃrūpāṇāṃ tathāgatānāmarhatāṃ samyaksambuddhānāṃ darśanaṃ bhavati satkāro vandanaṃ pūjanamupāsanaṃ ca. te vayaṃ śramaṇaṃ gautamaṃ darśanāya vandanāya pūjanāyopāsanāyopasaṅkrāmemeti.
atha te keśaputrakāḥ kālāmāḥ śrutvā svasvaparivāraiḥ sārdhaṃ keśaputrānnirgatyottarāṃ diśaṃ śiṃśapāvanaṃ gatvā yena bhagavāṃstenopajagmur bhagavantaṃ darśanāya vandanāya pūjanāyopāsanāya ca. upetya kecitkālāmā bhagavataḥ pādau śirasā vanditvaikānte nyaṣīdan. kecidbhagavatā sārdhaṃ sammukhaṃ sammodanīṃ saṃrañjanīṃ vividhāṃ kathāṃ vyatisāryaikānte nyaṣīdan. kecidyena bhagavāṃstenāñjaliṃ praṇāmyaikānte nyaṣīdan. keciddūrata eva bhagavantaṃ dṛṣṭvā tūṣṇīmekānte nyaṣīdan. teṣu kālāmeṣvevamekāntaniṣaṇṇeṣu bhagavāndharmyayā kathayā sandarśayati samādāpayati samuttejayati sampraharṣayati. anekaparyāyeṇa dharmyayā kathayā sandarśya samādāpya samuttejya sampraharṣya tūṣṇīmabhūt.
atha te kālāmā bhagavatā dharmyayā kathayā sandarśitāḥ samādāpitāḥ samuttejitāḥ sampraharṣitā utthāyāsanādekāṃsamuttarāsaṅgaṃ kṛtvā yena bhagavāṃstenāñjaliṃ praṇāmya bhagavantametadavocan—iha, bho gautama, eke śramaṇabrāhmaṇāḥ kālāmānupasaṅkrāmanti. te svakaṃ jñānadarśanameva praśaṃsanti, parajñānadarśanaṃ punaravajānanti paribhavanti. apare'pi, bho gautama, śramaṇabrāhmaṇāḥ kālāmānupasaṅkrāmanti. te'pi svakameva vādaṃ dīpayanti dyotayanti, paravādaṃ punaravajānanti paribhavanti. teṣāṃ no, bho gautama, śṛṇvatāmevamutpadyate kāṅkṣotpadyate vicikitsā—ko nveṣāṃ bhavatāṃ śramaṇabrāhmaṇānāṃ satyamāha, ko nveṣāṃ mṛṣāmāheti.
bhagavānavocat—alaṃ vaḥ kālāmāḥ kāṅkṣitum, alaṃ vicikitsitum. tatkasya hetoḥ? kāṅkṣāmupādāya vicikitsotpadyate. kāṅkṣaṇīya eva vaḥ sthāne vicikitsotpannā. kālāmā yūyamapariśuddhajñānāḥ—asti vā paraloko nāsti vā paraloka iti. kālāmā yūyamapariśuddhajñānāḥ—kṛtaṃ karma sāvadyaṃ vāstyanavadyaṃ veti. tasmāttarhi kālāmāḥ, jānīdhvaṃ karmāṇāṃ trīṇi nidānāni trayaḥ samudayā bhavanti. katamāni trīṇi? kālāmā lobhaḥ karmāṇāṃ nidānaṃ heturmūlaṃ bhavati. kālāmā dveṣaḥ karmāṇāṃ nidānaṃ heturmūlaṃ bhavati. kālāmā mohaḥ karmāṇāṃ nidānaṃ heturmūlaṃ bhavati.
kālāmā yo hi lubdho lobhābhibhūtaḥ paryāttacitto'tṛpto bhavati, sa prāṇinamapi hanti, adattamapi datte, kāmeṣvapi mithyā carati, samprajānanmṛṣāvādamapi bhāṣate, madyamapi pibati. kālāmā yo hi dviṣṭo dveṣābhibhūtaḥ paryādattacitto'tṛpto bhavati, sa prāṇinamapi hanti, adattamapi datte, kāmeṣvapi mithyā carati, samprajānanmṛṣāvādamapi bhāṣate, madyamapi pibati. kālāmā yo hi mūḍho mohābhibhūtaḥ paryāttacitto'tṛpto bhavati, sa prāṇinamapi hanti, adattamapi datte, kāmeṣvapi mithyā carati, samprajānanmṛṣāvādamapi bhāṣate, madyamapi pibati.
kālāmāḥ, sa śrutavānāryaśrāvakaḥ prāṇātipātaṃ prahāya prāṇātipātātprativirato bhavati, nihitadaṇḍo nihitaśastro lajjī dayāpannaḥ sarvaprāṇabhūtebhyo yāvatkunthapipīlikebhyo hitānukampī viharati. sa prāṇātipātāccittaṃ pariśodhayati. kālāmāḥ, sa śrutavānāryaśrāvako'dattādānaṃ prahāyādattādānātprativirato bhavati, dattamādatte dattādānārāmo nityadānapriyo muditahṛdayo'matsarī, na ca vipākaṃ pratikāṅkṣate. so'smādadattādānāccittaṃ pariśodhayati. kālāmāḥ, sa śrutavānāryaśrāvako'brahmacaryaṃ prahāyābrahmacaryātprativirato bhavati, brahmacārī bhavatyārācārī viśuddho'nāvilaśchinno grāmyadharmānmaithunāt. so'smādabrahmacaryāccittaṃ pariśodhayati. kālāmāḥ, sa śrutavānāryaśrāvako mṛṣāvādaṃ prahāya mṛṣāvādātprativirato bhavati, satyavādī bhavati satyasandhaḥ satyārāmaḥ sthitavākstheyapauruṣo'visaṃvādako lokasya. so'smānmṛṣāvādāccittaṃ pariśodhayati.
kālāmāḥ, sa śrutavānāryaśrāvakaḥ paiśunyaṃ prahāya paiśunyātprativirato bhavati, itaḥ śrutvā nāmutrākhyātā eṣāṃ bhedāya, amutra śrutvā nehākhyātā eṣāṃ bhedāya, iti bhinnānāṃ vā sandhātā sahitānāṃ vānupradātā samagrārāmaḥ samagrarataḥ samagranandī samagrakaraṇīṃ vācaṃ bhāṣate. so'smātpaiśunyāccittaṃ pariśodhayati. kālāmāḥ, sa śrutavānāryaśrāvakaḥ pāruṣyaṃ prahāya pāruṣyātprativirato bhavati. yā sā vākkaṭukā karkaśā rūkṣā parābhiṣaṅgiṇī paratāpanī amanojñā akāntā krodhasāmantāsamādhisaṃvartanikā, tathārūpāṃ vācaṃ prahāya, yā sā vāgakarkaśā ślakṣṇā mṛdvī śravaṇīyā karṇasukhā premanīyā hṛdayaṅgamā paurī bahujanakāntā bahujanamanāpā parāśvāsakarī samādhisaṃvartanikā, tathārūpāṃ vācaṃ bhāṣate. so'smātpāruṣyāccittaṃ pariśodhayati. kālāmāḥ, sa śrutavānāryaśrāvakaḥ sambhinnapralāpaṃ prahāya sambhinnapralāpātprativirato bhavati. kālavādī bhūtavādī dharmavādī arthavādī upaśamavādī, upaśamārāmaḥ, kālena sānidarśanāṃ sānupūrvyāṃ saparyantāmarthopasaṃhitāṃ vācaṃ bhāṣate, suśikṣakaḥ sugarhakaśca bhavati. so'smātsambhinnapralāpāccittaṃ pariśodhayati. kālāmāḥ, sa śrutavānāryaśrāvako'bhidhyāṃ prahāyābhidhyāyāḥ prativirato bhavati, avivadamānacitto yatparavittopakaraṇaṃ jīvitopaskaraṃ ca, taddṛṣṭvā na spṛhayati—aho vata yatparasya tanmama syāditi. so'syā abhidhyāyāścittaṃ pariśodhayati.
kālāmāḥ, sa śrutavānāryaśrāvako vyāpādaṃ prahāya vyāpādātprativirato bhavati, hrīmānapatrāpī dayāpannaḥ sarvaprāṇabhūtebhyo yāvatkunthapipīlikebhyo hitānukampī viharati. sa vyāpādāccittaṃ pariśodhayati. kālāmāḥ, sa śrutavānāryaśrāvako mithyādṛṣṭiṃ prahāya samyagdṛṣṭiko bhavatyaviparītadarśana evaṃdṛṣṭirevaṃvādī bhavati—asti dattam, astīṣṭam, asti hutam, asti sucaritaduṣcaritānāṃ karmaṇāṃ phalaṃ vipāko'styayaṃ loko'sti paraloko'sti mātāsti pitā, santi sattvā aupapādukāḥ, santi loke śramaṇabrāhmaṇāḥ samyaggatāḥ samyakpratipannā ye imaṃ ca lokaṃ paraṃ ca lokaṃ svayaṃ jñātvā sākṣātkṛtyopasampadya viharantīti. sa mithyādṛṣṭeścittaṃ pariśodhayati.
kālāmāḥ, evamāryaśrāvakaḥ sampannaśīlaḥ sampannapariśuddhakāyakarmā sampannapariśuddhavāṅmanaskarmā, vyāpādaṃ prahāya raṇaṃ prahāya styānamiddhamapahāyoddhatyakaukṛtyaṃ prahāya vicikitsāṃ chittvā mānamatītya smṛtimānsamprajānannamūḍho bhavati. sa maitrīsahagatena cetasaikāṃ diśamadhimucya viharati, tathā dvitīyāṃ tathā tṛtīyāṃ tathā caturthīm. iti tiryagūrdhvamadhaḥ samantaṃ sarvato maitrīsahagatena cetasāvaireṇāsapatnenāvyāpādenāraṇena vipulena mahadgatenāpramāṇena subhāvitenāśeṣaṃ lokaṃ spharitvādhimucya viharati. evaṃ karuṇāsahagatena cetasā, muditāsahagatena cetasā, upekṣāsahagatena cetasā, asaṃyojanenāvaireṇāvyāpādenāraṇena vipulena mahadgatenāpramāṇena subhāvitenāśeṣaṃ lokaṃ spharitvādhimucya viharati.
kālāmā evaṃ tasya śrutavata āryaśrāvakasyāgranthasyāvairasyāvyāpādasyāraṇasya cetasaścatvāra āśvāsavihārā adhigatā bhavanti. katame catvāraḥ? yadyasti paraloko'sti sucaritaduṣcaritānāṃ karmaṇāṃ phalaṃ vipākaḥ, tato mayā yadidaṃ samyagdṛṣṭisaṃyuktaṃ karma samādattam, tasyā hetorahaṃ kāyasya bhedātparaṃ maraṇātsugatiṃ svargaṃ lokamupapatsya iti. kālāmā evaṃ tasya śrutavata āryaśrāvakasyāgranthasyāvairasyāvyāpādasyāraṇasya cetaso'yaṃ prathama āśvāso'dhigato bhavati. yadi ca nāsti paraloko nāsti sucaritaduṣcaritānāṃ karmaṇāṃ phalaṃ vipākaḥ, tathāpyahaṃ dṛṣṭa eva dharme naitaddhetoḥ pareṣāṃ nindyo bhavāmi, api tu samyagjñānibhiḥ paṇḍitairārabdhavīryaḥ samyagdṛṣṭika ityahaṃ praśasyo bhavāmīti. kālāmā evaṃ tasya śrutavata āryaśrāvakasyāgranthasyāvairasyāvyāpādasyāraṇasya cetaso'yaṃ dvitīya āśvāso'dhigato bhavati. yadi ca yatkiñcitkurvataḥ pāpaṃ bhavati, tathāpyahaṃ na kasyacitpāpaṃ cintayāmi, svayamanācarataḥ pāpaṃ kuto me duḥkhaṃ samutpatsyata iti. kālāmā evaṃ tasya śrutavata āryaśrāvakasyāgranthasyāvairasyāvyāpādasyāraṇasya cetaso'yaṃ tṛtīya āśvāso'dhigato bhavati. yadi ca yatkiñcitkurvataḥ pāpaṃ na bhavati, tathāpyahamapāpakārī loke bhītebhyo'bhītebhyaśca nāparādhyāmi, sarvasamantaṃ lokaṃ nityamanukampāmi, na ca me cittaṃ sattvaiḥ sārdhaṃ raṇati, anāvilaṃ pramuditaṃ ca tiṣṭhatīti. kālāmā evaṃ tasya śrutavata āryaśrāvakasyāgranthasyāvairasyāvyāpādasyāraṇasya cetaso'yaṃ caturtha āśvāso'dhigato bhavati. kālāmā evaṃ tasya śrutavata āryaśrāvakasyāgranthasyāvairasyāvyāpādasyāraṇasya cetasa ime catvāra āśvāsā adhigatā bhavanti.
kālāmā bhagavantametadavocan—evametad, bho gautama! evametat, sugata! tasya śrutavata āryaśrāvakasyāgranthasyāvairasyāvyāpādasyāraṇasya cetasaścatvāra āśvāsavihārā adhigatā bhavanti. katame catvāraḥ? yadyasti paraloko'sti sucaritaduṣcaritānāṃ karmaṇāṃ phalaṃ vipākaḥ, tato mayā yadidaṃ samyagdṛṣṭisaṃyuktaṃ karma samādattam, tasyā hetorahaṃ kāyasya bhedātparaṃ maraṇātsugatiṃ svargaṃ lokamupapatsya iti. bho gautama, evaṃ tasya śrutavata āryaśrāvakasyāgranthasyāvairasyāvyāpādasyāraṇasya cetaso'yaṃ prathama āśvāso'dhigato bhavati. yadi ca nāsti paraloko nāsti sucaritaduṣcaritānāṃ karmaṇāṃ phalaṃ vipākaḥ, tathāpyahaṃ dṛṣṭa eva dharme naitaddhetoḥ pareṣāṃ nindyo bhavāmi, api tu samyagjñānibhiḥ paṇḍitairārabdhavīryaḥ samyagdṛṣṭika ityahaṃ praśasyo bhavāmīti. bho gautama, evaṃ tasya śrutavata āryaśrāvakasyāgranthasyāvairasyāvyāpādasyāraṇasya cetaso'yaṃ dvitīya āśvāso'dhigato bhavati. yadi ca yatkiñcitkurvataḥ pāpaṃ bhavati, tathāpyahaṃ na kasyacitpāpaṃ cintayāmi, svayamanācarataḥ pāpaṃ kuto me duḥkhaṃ samutpatsyata iti. bho gautama, evaṃ tasya śrutavata āryaśrāvakasyāgranthasyāvairasyāvyāpādasyāraṇasya cetaso'yaṃ tṛtīya āśvāso'dhigato bhavati. yadi ca yatkiñcitkurvataḥ pāpaṃ na bhavati, tathāpyahamapāpakārī loke bhītebhyo'bhītebhyaśca nāparādhyāmi, sarvasamantaṃ lokaṃ nityamanukampāmi, na ca me cittaṃ sattvaiḥ sārdhaṃ raṇati, anāvilaṃ pramuditaṃ ca tiṣṭhatīti. bho gautama, evaṃ tasya śrutavata āryaśrāvakasyāgranthasyāvairasyāvyāpādasyāraṇasya cetaso'yaṃ caturtha āśvāso'dhigato bhavati. bho gautama, evaṃ tasya śrutavata āryaśrāvakasyāgranthasyāvairasyāvyāpādasyāraṇasya cetasa ime catvāra āśvāsā adhigatā bhavanti. ājñātaṃ, bho gautama, ājñātaṃ, sugata! bhagavan, te vayaṃ buddhaṃ śaraṇaṃ gacchāmo dharmaṃ ca bhikṣusaṅghaṃ ca. upāsakānasmānbhagavāndhārayatvadyāgreṇa yāvajjīvaṃ prāṇopetāñcharaṇagatānprasannāniti.
idamavocadbhagavān. āttamanasaḥ sarve kālāmāste ca bhikṣavo bhagavato bhāṣitamabhyanandiṣuḥ.
kālāmasūtraṃ ṣaṣṭhaṃ samāptam.
