Reading guide
The teaching in one sentence
The Buddha gives the same brief principle/result teaching already met in AN 10.113 and 10.114, then withdraws without elaborating; when the mendicants go to Ānanda instead of returning to the Buddha, Ānanda explains the content correctly, but first uses the heartwood simile to point out they should have asked the Buddha himself while he was still right in front of them.
A very short teaching, deliberately left unexplained
The Buddha's own behavior here is striking: he recites the brief summary and immediately enters his dwelling “without explaining the meaning in detail,” leaving the mendicants to work out on their own who, if anyone, should be asked to unpack it — the teaching moment is as much about that decision as about the content itself.
The heartwood simile: passing over the trunk for the branches
Ānanda's rebuke uses a precise agricultural image: someone genuinely searching for heartwood who walks past a great standing tree's own roots and trunk, imagining instead that heartwood should be sought among its branches and leaves, has made an absurd, backward mistake — exactly, Ānanda says, what the mendicants did by coming to him while the Buddha, “the one who knows and sees,” was still available.
A rebuke that still ends in full agreement
Ānanda's correction is not a refusal: having made his point about where they should have gone first, he still gives the complete explanation himself, and when the mendicants report back to the Buddha, the Buddha's response is unqualified endorsement — “Ānanda is astute, he has great wisdom. If you came to me and asked this question, I would answer it in exactly the same way as Ānanda” — closing the whole episode by confirming both the correction and the content it corrected around.
Key terms
The text
A brief teaching, left unexplained
§1“Mendicants, you should know bad principles and good principles. And you should know bad results and good results. Knowing these things, your practice should follow the good principles with good results.” That is what the Buddha said. When he had spoken, the Holy One got up from his seat and entered his dwelling. Soon after the Buddha left, those mendicants considered, “The Buddha gave this brief summary recital, then entered his dwelling without explaining the meaning in detail. Who can explain in detail the meaning of this brief summary recital given by the Buddha?” Then they considered, “This Venerable Ānanda is praised by the Buddha and esteemed by his sensible spiritual companions. He is capable of explaining in detail the meaning of this brief summary recital given by the Buddha. Let’s go to him, and ask him about this matter. As he answers, so we’ll remember it.” Then those mendicants went to Ānanda, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, they sat down to one side. They told him what had happened, and said,
The heartwood simile
§2“Reverends, suppose there was a person in need of heartwood. And while wandering in search of heartwood he’d come across a large tree standing with heartwood. But he’d pass over the roots and trunk, imagining that the heartwood should be sought in the branches and leaves. Such is the consequence for the venerables. Though you were face to face with the Buddha, you bypassed him, imagining that you should ask me about this matter. For he is the Buddha, the one who knows and sees. He is vision, he is knowledge, he is the manifestation of principle, he is the manifestation of divinity. He is the teacher, the proclaimer, the elucidator of meaning, the bestower of freedom from death, the lord of truth, the Realized One. That was the time to approach the Buddha and ask about this matter. You should have remembered it in line with the Buddha’s answer.” “Certainly he is the Buddha, the one who knows and sees. He is vision, he is knowledge, he is the manifestation of principle, he is the manifestation of divinity. He is the teacher, the proclaimer, the elucidator of meaning, the bestower of freedom from death, the lord of truth, the Realized One. That was the time to approach the Buddha and ask about this matter. We should have remembered it in line with the Buddha’s answer. Still, Venerable Ānanda is praised by the Buddha and esteemed by his sensible spiritual companions. You are capable of explaining in detail the meaning of this brief summary recital given by the Buddha. Please explain this, if it’s no trouble.”
Ānanda's explanation
§3“Then listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.” “Yes, reverend,” they replied. Ānanda said this: “Reverends, the Buddha gave this brief summary recital, then entered his dwelling without explaining the meaning in detail: ‘You should know bad principles and good principles. And you should know bad results and good results. Knowing these things, your practice should follow the good principles with good results.’ So what are bad principles? What are good principles? What are bad results? And what are good results? Wrong view is a bad principle. Right view is a good principle. And the many bad, unskillful qualities produced by wrong view are bad results. And the many skillful qualities fully developed because of right view are good results. Wrong purpose is a bad principle. Right purpose is a good principle. … Wrong speech is a bad principle. Right speech is a good principle. … Wrong action is a bad principle. Right action is a good principle. … Wrong livelihood is a bad principle. Right livelihood is a good principle. … Wrong effort is a bad principle. Right effort is a good principle. … Wrong mindfulness is a bad principle. Right mindfulness is a good principle. … Wrong immersion is a bad principle. Right immersion is a good principle. … Wrong knowledge is a bad principle. Right knowledge is a good principle. … Wrong freedom is a bad principle. Right freedom is a good principle. And the many bad, unskillful qualities produced by wrong freedom are bad results. And the many skillful qualities fully developed because of right freedom are good results. The Buddha gave this brief summary recital, then entered his dwelling without explaining the meaning in detail: ‘You should know bad principles and good principles … and practice accordingly.’ And this is how I understand the detailed meaning of this summary recital. If you wish, you may go to the Buddha and ask him about this. You should remember it in line with the Buddha’s answer.” “Yes, reverend,” said those mendicants, approving and agreeing with what Ānanda said. Then they rose from their seats and went to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what had happened. Then they said:
The Buddha's confirming praise
§4“Sir, we went to Ānanda and asked him about this matter. And Ānanda clearly explained the meaning to us in this manner, with these words and phrases.” “Good, good, mendicants! Ānanda is astute, he has great wisdom. If you came to me and asked this question, I would answer it in exactly the same way as Ānanda. That is what it means, and that’s how you should remember it.”
Self-check quiz
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