10.
The Discourse on the Great References
180.
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Bhoganagara in the Ānanda shrine.
There the Blessed One addressed the monks thus:
"Monks."
"Venerable sir," those monks assented to the Blessed One.
The Blessed One said this:
"I will teach you, monks, these four great references. Listen to that, pay close attention;
I will speak."
"Yes, venerable sir," those monks assented to the Blessed One.
The Blessed One said this:
"What, monks, are the four great references? Here, monks, a monk might say thus: 'Face to face with the Blessed One I heard this, friend, face to face I received it - this is the Teaching, this is the monastic discipline, this is the Teacher's instruction.' That monk's words, monks, should neither be delighted in nor protested against. Without delighting in and without protesting against, having thoroughly learnt those terms and phrases, they should be traced back to the discourses and compared with the monastic discipline. If, when being traced back to the discourses and compared with the monastic discipline, they do not fit into the discourses and do not agree with the monastic discipline, the conclusion should be reached here: 'Certainly, this is not the word of that Blessed One, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One; and it has been misapprehended by this monk.' Thus, monks, you should reject it.
"Here again, monks, a monk might say thus: 'Face to face with the Blessed One I heard this, friend, face to face I received it - this is the Teaching, this is the monastic discipline, this is the Teacher's instruction.' That monk's words, monks, should neither be delighted in nor protested against. Without delighting in and without protesting against, having thoroughly learnt those terms and phrases, they should be traced back to the discourses and compared with the monastic discipline. If, when being traced back to the discourses and compared with the monastic discipline, they do fit into the discourses and agree with the monastic discipline, the conclusion should be reached here: 'Certainly, this is the word of that Blessed One, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One; and it has been rightly taken by this monk.' This, monks, you should remember as the first great reference.
"Here again, monks, a monk might say thus: 'In such and such a residence a monastic community dwells with elders and leaders. Face to face with that monastic community I heard this, face to face I received it - this is the Teaching, this is the monastic discipline, this is the Teacher's instruction.' That monk's words, monks, should neither be delighted in nor protested against. Without delighting in and without protesting against, having thoroughly learnt those terms and phrases, they should be traced back to the discourses and compared with the monastic discipline. If, when being traced back to the discourses and compared with the monastic discipline, they do not fit into the discourses and do not agree with the monastic discipline, the conclusion should be reached here: 'Certainly, this is not the word of that Blessed One, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One; and it has been misapprehended by that monastic community.' Thus, monks, you should reject it.
"Here again, monks, a monk might say thus: 'In such and such a residence a monastic community dwells with elders and leaders. Face to face with that monastic community I heard this, face to face I received it - this is the Teaching, this is the monastic discipline, this is the Teacher's instruction.' That monk's words, monks, should neither be delighted in nor protested against. Without delighting in and without protesting against, having thoroughly learnt those terms and phrases, they should be traced back to the discourses and compared with the monastic discipline. If, when being traced back to the discourses and compared with the monastic discipline, they do fit into the discourses and agree with the monastic discipline, the conclusion should be reached here: 'Certainly, this is the word of that Blessed One, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One; and it has been rightly taken by that monastic community.' This, monks, you should remember as the second great reference.
"Here again, monks, a monk might say thus: 'In such and such a residence several elder monks dwell who are very learned, who have learnt the collections, who are bearers of the Teaching, bearers of the monastic discipline, bearers of the matrices. Face to face with those elders I heard this, face to face I received it: this is the Teaching, this is the monastic discipline, this is the Teacher's instruction.' That monk's words, monks, should neither be delighted in nor protested against. Without delighting in and without protesting against, having thoroughly learnt those terms and phrases, they should be traced back to the discourses and compared with the monastic discipline. If, when being traced back to the discourses and compared with the monastic discipline, they do not fit into the discourses and do not agree with the monastic discipline, the conclusion should be reached here: 'Certainly, this is not the word of that Blessed One, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One; and it has been misapprehended by those elders.' Thus, monks, you should reject it.
"Here again, monks, a monk might say thus: 'In such and such a residence several elder monks dwell who are very learned, who have learnt the collections, who are bearers of the Teaching, bearers of the monastic discipline, bearers of the matrices. Face to face with those elders I heard this, face to face I received it: this is the Teaching, this is the monastic discipline, this is the Teacher's instruction.' That monk's words, monks, should neither be delighted in nor protested against. Without delighting in and without protesting against, having thoroughly learnt those terms and phrases, they should be traced back to the discourses and compared with the monastic discipline. If, when being traced back to the discourses and compared with the monastic discipline, they do fit into the discourses and agree with the monastic discipline, the conclusion should be reached here: 'Certainly, this is the word of that Blessed One, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One; and it has been rightly taken by those elders.' This, monks, you should remember as the third great reference.
"Here again, monks, a monk might say thus: 'In such and such a residence there dwells a single elder monk who is very learned, who has learnt the collections, a bearer of the Teaching, a bearer of the monastic discipline, a bearer of the matrices. Face to face with that elder I heard this, face to face I received it: this is the Teaching, this is the monastic discipline, this is the Teacher's instruction.' That monk's words, monks, should neither be delighted in nor protested against. Without delighting in and without protesting against, having thoroughly learnt those terms and phrases, they should be traced back to the discourses and compared with the monastic discipline. If, when being traced back to the discourses and compared with the monastic discipline, they do not fit into the discourses and do not agree with the monastic discipline, the conclusion should be reached here: 'Certainly, this is not the word of that Blessed One, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One; and it has been misapprehended by that elder.' Thus, monks, you should reject it.
"Here again, monks, a monk might say thus: 'In such and such a residence there dwells a single elder monk who is very learned, who has learnt the collections, a bearer of the Teaching, a bearer of the monastic discipline, a bearer of the matrices. Face to face with that elder I heard this, face to face I received it: this is the Teaching, this is the monastic discipline, this is the Teacher's instruction.' That monk's words, monks, should neither be delighted in nor protested against. Without delighting in and without protesting against, having thoroughly learnt those terms and phrases, they should be traced back to the discourses and compared with the monastic discipline. If, when being traced back to the discourses and compared with the monastic discipline, they do fit into the discourses and agree with the monastic discipline, the conclusion should be reached here: 'Certainly, this is the word of that Blessed One, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One; and it has been rightly taken by that elder.' This, monks, is the fourth great reference that you should keep. These, monks, are the four great references." The tenth.