SO I HAVE HEARD. At one time the Buddha was traveling along the road between Rājagaha and Nālanda together with a large Saṅgha of around five hundred mendicants. The wanderer Suppiya was also traveling along the same road, together with his pupil, the brahmin student Brahmadatta. Meanwhile, Suppiya criticized the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha in many ways, but his pupil Brahmadatta praised them in many ways. And so both teacher and pupil followed behind the Buddha and the Saṅgha of mendicants directly contradicting each other.

Then the Buddha took up residence for the night in the royal rest-house in Ambalaṭṭhikā together with the Saṅgha of mendicants. And Suppiya and Brahmadatta did likewise. There too, Suppiya criticized the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha in many ways, but his pupil Brahmadatta praised them in many ways. And so both teacher and pupil kept on directly contradicting each other.

Then several mendicants rose at the crack of dawn and sat together in the pavilion, where the topic of evaluation came up:

“It’s incredible, reverends, it’s amazing how the diverse attitudes of sentient beings have been clearly comprehended by the Blessed One, who knows and sees, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha. For this Suppiya criticizes the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha in many ways, while his pupil Brahmadatta praises them in many ways. And so both teacher and pupil followed behind the Buddha and the Saṅgha of mendicants directly contradicting each other.”

When the Buddha found out about this discussion on evaluation among the mendicants, he went to the pavilion, where he sat on the seat spread out and addressed the mendicants, “Mendicants, what were you sitting talking about just now? What conversation was left unfinished?”

The mendicants told him what had happened, adding, “This was our conversation that was unfinished when the Buddha arrived.”

“Mendicants, if others criticize me, the teaching, or the Saṅgha, don’t make yourselves resentful, bitter, and exasperated. You’ll get angry and upset, which would be an obstacle for you alone. If others were to criticize me, the teaching, or the Saṅgha, and you got angry and upset, would you be able to understand whether they spoke well or poorly?”

“No, sir.”

“If others criticize me, the teaching, or the Saṅgha, you should explain that what is untrue is in fact untrue: ‘This is why that’s untrue, this is why that’s false. There’s no such thing in us, it’s not found among us.’

If others praise me, the teaching, or the Saṅgha, don’t make yourselves thrilled, elated, and excited. You’ll get thrilled, elated, and excited, which would be an obstacle for you alone. If others praise me, the teaching, or the Saṅgha, you should acknowledge that what is true is in fact true: ‘This is why that’s true, this is why that’s correct. There is such a thing in us, it is found among us.’