{"collection":"Anguttara Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_an4.183/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_an4.183","id":"suttacentral_an4.183","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/an4.183/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Anguttara Nikaya","Early Buddhist Texts"],"text":"At one time the Buddha was staying near R\u0101jagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels\u2019 feeding ground. Then Vassak\u0101ra the brahmin, a chief minister of Magadha, went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to the Buddha: \u201cWorthy Gotama, this is my doctrine and view: There\u2019s nothing wrong with talking about what you\u2019ve seen, saying: \u2018So I have seen.\u2019 There\u2019s nothing wrong with talking about what you\u2019ve heard, saying: \u2018So I have heard.\u2019 There\u2019s nothing wrong with talking about what you\u2019ve thought, saying: \u2018So I have thought.\u2019 There\u2019s nothing wrong with talking about what you\u2019ve known, saying: \u2018So I have known.\u2019\u201d \u201cBrahmin, I don\u2019t say you should talk about everything you see, hear, think, and know. But I also don\u2019t say you should talk about nothing you see, hear, think, and know. When talking about certain things you\u2019ve seen, heard, thought, or known, unskillful qualities grow while skillful qualities decline. I say that you shouldn\u2019t talk about those things. When talking about other things you\u2019ve seen, heard, thought, or known, unskillful qualities decline while skillful qualities grow. I say that you should talk about those things.\u201d Then Vassak\u0101ra the brahmin, having approved and agreed with what the Buddha said, rose from his seat and left.","title":"Vassak\u0101ra on What is Heard","tradition":"Anguttara Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":223}