About Vajjiya Vajjiya Sutta (AN 10:94)

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('â', This is skillful.â He declares that ),

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('â', This is unskillful.â Declaring that ),

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('â', This is skillfulâ and ),

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('â', This is unskillful,â he is one who has declared (a teaching). He is not a nihilist, one who doesnât declare anything." When this was said, the wanderers fell silent, abashed, sitting with their shoulders drooping, their heads down, brooding, at a loss for words. Vajjiya Mṅhita the householder, perceiving that the wanderers were silent, abashedâ¦at a loss for words, got up & went to the Blessed One. On arrival, having bowed down to the Blessed One, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he told the Blessed One the entirety of his conversation with the wanderers. (The Blessed One said:) "Well done, householder. Well done. That is how you should periodically & righteously refute those foolish men. I donât say that all asceticism is to be pursued, nor do I say that all asceticism is not to be pursued. I donât say that all observances should be observed, nor do I say that all observances should not be observed. I donât say that all exertions are to be pursued, nor do I say that all exertions are not to be pursued. I donât say that all forfeiture should be forfeited, nor do I say that all forfeiture should not be forfeited. I donât say that all release is to be used for release, nor do I say that all release is not to be used for release. "If, when an asceticism is pursued, unskillful qualities grow and skillful qualities wane, then I tell you that that sort of asceticism is not to be pursued. But if, when an asceticism is pursued, unskillful qualities wane and skillful qualities grow, then I tell you that that sort of asceticism is to be pursued. "If, when an observance is observed, unskillful qualities grow and skillful qualities wane, then I tell you that that sort of observance is not to be observed. But if, when an observance is observed, unskillful qualities wane and skillful qualities grow, then I tell you that that sort of observance is to be observed. "If, when an exertion is pursued.⦠a forfeiture is forfeited⦠"If, when a release is used for release, unskillful qualities grow and skillful qualities wane, then I tell you that that sort of release is not to be used for release. But if, when a release is used for release, unskillful qualities wane and skillful qualities grow, then I tell you that that sort of release is to be used for release." When Vajjiya Mṅhita the householder had been instructed, urged, roused & encouraged by the Blessed One with a talk on Dhamma, he got up from his seat and, having bowed down to the Blessed One, left, keeping the Blessed One on his right side. Not long afterward, the Blessed One addressed the monks: "Monks, even a monk who has long penetrated the Dhamma in this Dhamma & Vinaya would do well, periodically & righteously, to refute the wanderers of other persuasions in just the way Vajjiya Mṅhita the householder has done." See also: DN 2; DN 16; MN 19; SN 42:8; AN 2:19; AN 3:62; AN 3:66; AN 3:73; AN 3:79; Ud 6:5–6 - --> - - - -