Nhö vaäy toâi nghe: Moät thôøi, Toân giaû Mahaøcunda truù ôû Cetì, taïi Sayamjaøti. Taïi ñaáy, Toân giaû Mahaøcunda goïi caùc Tyû-kheo: 

- Naøy caùc Hieàn giaû Tyû-kheo! 

- Thöa Hieàn giaû! 

Caùc Tyû-kheo aáy vaâng ñaùp Toân giaû Mahaøcunda. Toân giaû Mahaøcunda noùi nhö sau: 

- ÔÛ ñaây, naøy chö Hieàn, moät soá Tyû-kheo chuyeân taâm veà Phaùp khoâng öa thích caùc Tyû-kheo tu Thieàn, noùi nhö sau: "Caùc ngöôøi naøy noùi: 'Chuùng toâi tu Thieàn, chuùng toâi tu Thieàn'. Hoï tu Thieàn, hoï haønh Thieàn. Nhöõng ngöôøi naøy thieàn caùi gì? Nhöõng ngöôøi naøy thieàn coù lôïi ích gì? Nhöõng ngöôøi naøy thieàn nhö theá naøo? '". ÔÛ ñaây, caùc Tyû-kheo chuyeân taâm veà Phaùp khoâng hoan hyû, vaø caùc Tyû-kheo tu Thieàn cuõng khoâng hoan hyû; haønh ñoäng nhö vaäy khoâng ñöa laïi haïnh phuùc cho nhieàu ngöôøi, an laïc cho nhieàu ngöôøi, khoâng ñöa laïi lôïi ích, haïnh phuùc, an laïc cho chö Thieân vaø loaøi Ngöôøi. 

ÔÛ ñaây, naøy chö Hieàn, moät soá Tyû-kheo tu Thieàn khoâng öa thích caùc Tyû-kheo chuyeân taâm veà Phaùp, noùi nhö sau: "Caùc ngöôøi naøy noùi: 'Chuùng toâi chuyeân taâm veà Phaùp, chuùng toâi chuyeân taâm veà Phaùp". Hoï thaùo ñoäng, kieâu caêng, dao ñoäng, laém moàm, laém mieäng, laém lôøi, thaát nieäm, khoâng tænh giaùc, khoâng ñònh tónh, taâm taùn loaïn, caùc caên thaû loûng. Nhöõng ngöôøi naøy chuyeân taâm veà Phaùp caùi gì? Nhöõng ngöôøi naøy chuyeân taâm veà Phaùp coù lôïi ích gì? Nhöõng ngöôøi naøy chuyeân taâm veà Phaùp nhö theá naøo? '". ÔÛ ñaây, naøy caùc Tyû-kheo tu Thieàn khoâng coù hoan hyû, vaø caùc Tyû-kheo, chuyeân tu veà Phaùp cuõng khoâng hoan hyû; haønh ñoäng nhö vaäy khoâng ñöa laïi haïnh phuùc cho nhieàu ngöôøi, an laïc cho nhieàu ngöôøi, khoâng ñöa laïi lôïi ích, haïnh phuùc, an laïc cho chö Thieân vaø loaøi Ngöôøi. 

Nhöng ôû ñaây, naøy chö Hieàn, coù nhöõng Tyû-kheo chuyeân taâm veà Phaùp, chæ taùn thaùn caùc Tyû-kheo chuyeân taâm veà Phaùp, khoâng taùn thaùn caùc Tyû-kheo tu Thieàn. Vaø ôû ñaây, caùc Tyû-kheo chuyeân taâm veà Phaùp khoâng ñöôïc hoan hyû; caùc Tyû-kheo tu Thieàn khoâng ñöôïc hoan hyû. Haønh ñoâng nhö vaäy khoâng ñöa laïi haïnh phuùc cho nhieàu ngöôøi, an laïc cho nhieàu ngöôøi, khoâng ñöa laïi lôïi ích, haïnh phuùc, an laïc cho chö Thieân vaø loaøi Ngöôøi. 

Nhöng ôû ñaây, naøy chö Hieàn, coù nhöõng Tyû-kheo tu Thieàn chæ taùn thaùn caùc Tyû-kheo tu Thieàn, khoâng taùn thaùn caùc Tyû-kheo chuyeân taâm veà Phaùp. Vaø ôû ñaây, caùc Tyû-kheo tu Thieàn khoâng ñöôïc hoan hyû; caùc Tyû-kheo chuyeân taâm veà Phaùp khoâng ñöôïc hoan hyû. Sôû haønh nhö vaäy khoâng ñöa laïi haïnh phuùc cho nhieàu nguôøi, an laïc cho nhieàu ngöôøi, khoâng ñöa laïi lôïi ích, haïnh phuùc, an laïc cho chö Thieân vaø loaøi ngöôøi. 

Do vaäy, naøy chö Hieàn, caàn phaûi hoïc taäp nhö sau: 

"Chuùng ta laø nhöõng ngöôøi chuyeân taâm veà Phaùp, chuùng ta seõ taùn thaùn caùc Tyû-kheo tu Thieàn". Naøy chö Hieàn, chö Hieàn caàn phaûi hoïc taäp nhö vaäy. Vì côù sao? Thaät vaäy, naøy chö Hieàn, caùc ngöôøi vi dieäu aáy khoù tìm ñöôïc ôû ñôøi, nhöõng ngöôøi caûm giaùc baát töû giôùi vôùi thaân vaø an truù. 

Do vaäy, naøy chö Hieàn, caàn phaûi hoïc taäp nhö sau: 

"Chuùng ta laø nhöõng ngöôøi tu Thieàn, chuùng ta seõ taùn thaùn caùc Tyû-kheo chuyeân taâm veà Phaùp". Naøy chö Hieàn, chö Hieàn caàn phaûi hoïc taäp nhö vaäy. Vì côù sao? Thaät vaäy, naøy chö Hieàn, caùc ngöôøi vi dieäu aáy khoù tìm ñöôïc ôû ñôøi, nhöõng ngöôøi vôùi trí tueä theå nhaäp vaø thaáy con ñöôøng thaâm saâu höôùng daãn ñeán ñích. 

Thus I have heard -- On one occasion the Venerable Mahacunda was living in Ceti at Sayamjati. At that time, the Venerable Mahacunda añressed the monks: "Monks!" 

"Yes, friend." 

"Here, friends, there are monks who are dedicated to the Dhamma that harass and disparage the meditation monks [1] by saying: 'Those meditators, they meditate, premeditate, out-meditate, and mismeditate [2]. Of what do they meditate upon? On account of what do they meditate? What is their motivation?' Here, neither the monks who are dedicated to the Dhamma, nor the meditation monks find contentment. Moreover, they do not practice for the good and well-being of the multitude, nor for the welfare, the good, and the well-being of gods and men. 

"Likewise, friends, there are meditation monks that harass and disparage the monks who are dedicated to the Dhamma by saying: 'Those monks who are dedicated to the Dhamma are conceited, arrogant, and unsteady, talkative and scattered in speech, absent-minded and unmindful, with minds wandering and faculties unrestrained. Of what are they dedicated to the Dhamma for? On account of what are they dedicated to the Dhamma? What is their motivation?' Here, neither the meditation monks, nor the monks who are dedicated to the Dhamma find contentment. Moreover, they do not practice for the good and well-being of the multitude, nor for the welfare, the good, and the well-being of gods and men. 

"In añition, friends, the monks dedicated to the Dhamma speak delightful only to other monks dedicated to the Dhamma, and do not speak delightful to the meditation monks. Here, neither the meditation monks, nor the monks who are dedicated to the Dhamma find contentment. Moreover, they do not practice for the good and well-being of the multitude, nor for the welfare, the good, and the well-being of gods and men. 

"Likewise, friends, the meditation monks speak delightful only to other meditation monks, and do not speak delightful to the monks dedicated to the Dhamma. Here, neither the monks who are dedicated to the Dhamma, nor the meditation monks find contentment. Moreover, they do not practice for the good and well-being of the multitude, nor for the welfare, the good, and the well-being of gods and men. 

"Therefore, friends, the monks dedicated to the Dhamma should train themselves thus: 'We will speak in a delightful manner to the meditation monks.' Thus you should train yourself. For what reason? Friends, it is rare that one finds an extraordinary person who dwells having personally attained the deathless element [3]. Similarly, friends, the meditation monks should train themselves thus: 'We will speak in a delightful manner to the monks dedicated to the Dhamma' Thus you should train yourself. For what reason? Friends, it is rare that one finds an extraordinary person who has come to know and pierced the profound and beneficial sayings and truly sees." 

Notes by Sean Whittle: 

[1]. The commentary explains that monks dedicated to the Dhamma are called this because they expound the teachings, and the monks who are meditators are called this simply because they meditate (or dwell in mental absorption). 

[2]. jhayanti pajjhayanti nijjhayanti avajjhayanti: This is a passage which is meant to be a disparaging description of oneùs meditation practice. It appears in the Majjhima Nikaya in Sutta 50 as a remark to cause virtuous monks to become disparaged so Mara could find an opportunity, and in Sutta 108 as a description of oneùs mental absorption while being obsessed by the five hindrances. Though the precise meaning is unknown to me, I have followed Bhikkhu Bodhi (from his MN translation) in rendering these with their literal meanings. 

[3]. Nibbana