The Gotami Sutta

The Buddha’s teachings to Mahapajapati Gotami

I have heard that at one time the Fortunate One was staying at Vesali, in the Peaked Roof Hall in the Great Forest.

Then Mahapajapati Gotami went to the Fortunate One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, stood to one side and spoke: “It would be good, lord, if the Fortunate One would teach me the Dhamma in brief; then, having heard the Dhamma from the Fortunate One, I might dwell alone, secluded, mindful, ardent, & determined.”

“Gotami, consider qualities of which you know, ‘These qualities lead to passion, not to dispassion; to being fettered, not to being free; to accumulating, not to shedding; to pride, not to modesty; to discontent, not to contentment; to entanglement, not to seclusion; to laziness, not to energetic persistence; to being a burden to others, not to being self-sufficient’. Regarding those qualities, you may be certain, ‘This is not the Dhamma, this is not the Vinaya, this is not the Teacher’s instruction.’

“As for the qualities of which you know, ‘These qualities lead to dispassion, not to passion; to being free, not to being fettered; to shedding, not to accumulating; to modesty, not to pride; to contentment, not to discontent; to seclusion, not to entanglement; to energetic persistence, not to laziness; to being self-sufficient, not to being a burden to others’: of those qualities, you may be certain, ‘This is the Dhamma, this is the Vinaya, this is the Teacher’s instruction.’”

That is what the Fortunate One said. Gratified, Mahapajapati Gotami delighted at his words.