The Charter of Religious Inquiry

Applying the Kalama Sutta to Daily Life

The Dhamma has a distinct quality: the quality of peace and love. Whatever the talk, whatever title you may give it, it must eventually lead to a sense of calm and a sense of peace. That is what the Dhamma is about. Anything that supports and upholds peace, happiness, and harmony—that is Dhamma.

Tonight, we will explore a unique charter of religious inquiry contained in the Kalama Sutta, and examine how to apply its teachings to our daily lives.

The Kalamas' Dilemma

This discourse was given by the Buddha to the Kalamas, a tribe in ancient India. Having listened to the Buddha, their faith was established, and many young men from the village were ordained as monks.

However, their village was frequently visited by other religious masters, teachers, and philosophers. One teacher would arrive, present his teachings as the absolute truth, and dismiss all others as false. A few months later, another master would arrive, make the exact same claim about his own teachings, and dismiss the rest.

Having heard the Buddha, and then having heard these contradictory claims from various masters, the young Kalamas were understandably confused. When the Buddha returned to their area, they approached him and asked: "What are we to believe? Every master claims theirs is the sole truth and all others are false. Please tell us what to believe and what not to believe."

The Ten Pillars of Inquiry

In response, the Buddha outlined a unique charter for seeking the truth. He advised them that they should not accept a teaching based merely on the following criteria:

• Reports, Hearsay, and Rumors: We all know how easily a message is distorted when passed from person to person. In today's high-tech world of instantaneous messaging, rumors spread like wildfire. A message sent in error cannot be easily retracted, and suddenly, false information is accepted as fact. Always pause, think, and verify. Be vigilant and responsible with the information you receive and share.
• Tradition: Simply because a belief has been passed from one generation to another does not make it the truth. Consider the cultural tradition that insists on having a son to maintain the family lineage—a belief that has caused immense suffering and anxiety for many. The Buddha himself was an only son, and when he returned to his kingdom as an enlightened being, begging for food, his father the King accused him of insulting the Sakyan lineage. The Buddha replied, "I no longer belong to that lineage. I belong to the lineage of the Buddhas." Worldly traditions are not universal truths.
• Scriptures: The Buddha noted that simply because something is written in holy texts, the truth may not necessarily be there.
• Reason and Logic: Something may sound perfectly logical and reasonable after a compelling Dhamma talk, but reason alone does not guarantee truth. There are realities beyond our immediate perception that cannot be neatly reasoned out.
• Inference and Speculation: We often infer meanings based on our own preconceived ideas, or we accept the speculations of others. We must be careful to seek the whole truth, unclouded by our own assumptions.
• The Authority of a Teacher: The Buddha advised the Kalamas not to accept a teaching simply because it comes from someone with seeming ability, or simply out of respect for their teacher. Remarkably, he was telling them not to accept his own words blindly. There is perhaps no other religious teaching that offers this level of freedom in the search for truth.

The True Criteria for Judgment

The Kalamas, now even more confused, asked the Buddha how they were to know what to practice. The Buddha offered a profoundly simple standard of judgment:

"Is greed good?" he asked. No. "Avoid it." "Is hatred and anger good?" No. "Avoid it." "Is delusion good—thinking the impermanent is permanent, or clinging to an empty self?" No. "Avoid it."

He then asked: "Is generosity good? Is loving-kindness good? Is wisdom good?" Yes. "Practice them."

This is the ultimate criteria for judgment. Truth is not measured by the supremacy of the self (believing something is right just because you think it is), nor is it measured by the supremacy of others (believing something is right just because the majority agrees).

To know if an action is right or wrong, you must investigate its conditions. Is the action, speech, or thought conditioned by greed, hatred, or delusion? If so, it is unwholesome and unskillful. Is it conditioned by generosity, loving-kindness, and wisdom? Does it benefit yourself, benefit others, and invite the praise of the wise? If so, it is a right action.

Equanimity and the Worldly Conditions

As long as we live in this world, we must navigate the eight worldly conditions: profit and loss, praise and blame, fame and ill fame, happiness and sorrow.

Many seek only happiness, but where there is worldly happiness, sorrow inevitably follows. We must instead seek peace of mind—a state that transcends both happiness and sorrow. We do this through mindfulness.

When you are falsely accused or blamed—an experience that often arises from the ripening of past karma triggered by someone else's jealousy—you must maintain a balanced mind. As my own teacher demonstrated when handed a letter of unfounded criticism: the best place for it is the wastepaper basket.

Do not mistake formal education for ultimate wisdom. In Buddhist terminology, a "fool" (bālo) is not someone who lacks schooling; it is someone who is cunning, scheming, envious, and stingy. A highly educated person can be a fool, while a grandmother who cannot read or write, yet resolves disputes and intuitively grasps complex natural truths, possesses deep wisdom. Associate with the wise, and avoid the fools.

Letting Go of Attachments

I will conclude with a vital teaching from the Dhammapada, essential for a time when we must be prepared to let go:

Puttā m'atthi dhanam m'atthi iti bālo vihaññati, attā hi attano natthi kuto puttā kuto dhanaṃ.

"I have sons, I have wealth," the fool suffers thinking thus. Even one's self is not one's own; how then sons, how then wealth?

It is natural to love your family, but remember that you cannot own them. You cannot mold a spouse or a child to be exactly as you wish without inviting disappointment. As you grow older, you must elevate the quality of your love. Move from superficial or selfish affection to Metta—a boundless, universal loving-kindness akin to a mother's protective love for her only child, extended even to your enemies.

Dedication of Merits

Let us conclude by bringing our attention within, observing the calm and quietness, and spreading loving-kindness to all around us. May all beings be well and happy.

We share the merits of this occasion with all Devas, guardian deities, and those who have guided and protected us. We dedicate these merits to the spiritual well-being of our departed relatives, teachers, and friends. May they grow in the Dhamma and be free from suffering.

May your own minds be purified from the tendencies of greed, hatred, and delusion. May you cultivate generosity, loving-kindness, and wisdom, finding the strength to overcome life's obstacles. May you fulfill your worldly duties, walk the noble path, and ultimately be liberated from the cycle of birth and death.