---
title: "Long Discourses · Dīgha Nikāya"
author: "The Buddha"
translator: "Bhikkhu Sujato"
languages: [pi, en]
shelf: "Pali Canon"
section: 57 of 70
url: https://scriptura.si/works/pali-digha-nikaya/57/
cite: "The Buddha, tr. Bhikkhu Sujato, Long Discourses · Dīgha Nikāya, section 57. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/pali-digha-nikaya/57/"
---

# Long Discourses · Dīgha Nikāya

*The Buddha, tr. Bhikkhu Sujato*

The thirty-four long discourses of the Buddha: the Divine Net of views, the fruits of the ascetic life, the Great Discourse on Mindfulness, and the last days and passing of the Buddha.

> Pali: the Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka (Buddha Jayanti edition, 2500), from SuttaCentral’s bilara-data, dedicated to the public domain (CC0).

> English: Bhikkhu Sujato, from SuttaCentral’s bilara-data, dedicated to the public domain (CC0). Notes are not included.

> Rows follow the segment numbers the two texts share, gathered into paragraphs; verse keeps its lines.

## 57. DN 28 · Inspiring Confidence · part 2

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/pali-digha-nikaya/57/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/pali-digha-nikaya/57/#p-N

[¶0] This is unsurpassable when it comes to the different degrees of responsiveness to instruction.

> Pali: Etadānuttariyaṁ, bhante, anusāsanavidhāsu.

[¶1] 1.11. The Knowledge and Freedom of Others

> Pali: 1.11. Parapuggalavimuttiñāṇadesanā

[¶2] And moreover, sir, how the Buddha teaches the knowledge and freedom of other individuals is unsurpassable. The Buddha knows by investigating inside another individual: ‘With the ending of three fetters this individual will become a stream-enterer, not liable to be reborn in the underworld, assured, destined for awakening.’ The Buddha knows by investigating inside another individual: ‘With the ending of three fetters, and the weakening of greed, hate, and delusion, this individual will become a once-returner. They will come back to this world once only, then make an end of suffering.’ The Buddha knows by investigating inside another individual: ‘With the ending of the five lower fetters, this individual will be reborn spontaneously. They will be extinguished there, and are not liable to return from that world.’ The Buddha knows by investigating inside another individual: ‘This individual will realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom, and live having realized it with their own insight in this very life due to the ending of defilements.’ This is unsurpassable when it comes to the knowledge and freedom of other individuals.

> Pali: Aparaṁ pana, bhante, etadānuttariyaṁ, yathā bhagavā dhammaṁ deseti parapuggalavimuttiñāṇe. Jānāti, bhante, bhagavā paraṁ puggalaṁ paccattaṁ yonisomanasikārā: ‘ayaṁ puggalo tiṇṇaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā sotāpanno bhavissati avinipātadhammo niyato sambodhiparāyaṇo’ti. Jānāti, bhante, bhagavā paraṁ puggalaṁ paccattaṁ yonisomanasikārā: ‘ayaṁ puggalo tiṇṇaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā rāgadosamohānaṁ tanuttā sakadāgāmī bhavissati, sakideva imaṁ lokaṁ āgantvā dukkhassantaṁ karissatī’ti. Jānāti, bhante, bhagavā paraṁ puggalaṁ paccattaṁ yonisomanasikārā: ‘ayaṁ puggalo pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā opapātiko bhavissati tattha parinibbāyī anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā’ti. Jānāti, bhante, bhagavā paraṁ puggalaṁ paccattaṁ yonisomanasikārā: ‘ayaṁ puggalo āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharissatī’ti. Etadānuttariyaṁ, bhante, parapuggalavimuttiñāṇe.

[¶3] 1.12. Eternalism

> Pali: 1.12. Sassatavādadesanā

[¶4] And moreover, sir, how the Buddha teaches eternalist doctrines is unsurpassable. There are these three eternalist doctrines.

> Pali: Aparaṁ pana, bhante, etadānuttariyaṁ, yathā bhagavā dhammaṁ deseti sassatavādesu. Tayome, bhante, sassatavādā.

[¶5] Firstly, some ascetic or brahmin—by dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right application of mind—experiences an immersion of the heart of such a kind that they recollect many hundreds of thousands of past lives, with features and details. They say, ‘I know that in the past the cosmos expanded or contracted. I don’t know whether in the future the cosmos will expand or contract. The self and the cosmos are eternal, barren, steady as a mountain peak, standing firm like a pillar. They remain the same for all eternity, while these sentient beings wander and transmigrate and pass away and rearise.’ This is the first eternalist doctrine.

> Pali: Idha, bhante, ekacco samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā ātappamanvāya …pe… tathārūpaṁ cetosamādhiṁ phusati, yathāsamāhite citte anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarati. Seyyathidaṁ—ekampi jātiṁ dvepi jātiyo tissopi jātiyo catassopi jātiyo pañcapi jātiyo dasapi jātiyo vīsampi jātiyo tiṁsampi jātiyo cattālīsampi jātiyo paññāsampi jātiyo jātisatampi jātisahassampi jātisatasahassampi anekānipi jātisatāni anekānipi jātisahassāni anekānipi jātisatasahassāni, ‘amutrāsiṁ evaṁnāmo evaṅgotto evaṁvaṇṇo evamāhāro evaṁsukhadukkhappaṭisaṁvedī evamāyupariyanto, so tato cuto amutra udapādiṁ; tatrāpāsiṁ evaṁnāmo evaṅgotto evaṁvaṇṇo evamāhāro evaṁsukhadukkhappaṭisaṁvedī evamāyupariyanto, so tato cuto idhūpapanno’ti. Iti sākāraṁ sauddesaṁ anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarati. So evamāha: ‘atītampāhaṁ addhānaṁ jānāmi—saṁvaṭṭi vā loko vivaṭṭi vāti. Anāgataṁpāhaṁ addhānaṁ jānāmi—saṁvaṭṭissati vā loko vivaṭṭissati vāti. Sassato attā ca loko ca vañjho kūṭaṭṭho esikaṭṭhāyiṭṭhito. Te ca sattā sandhāvanti saṁsaranti cavanti upapajjanti, atthi tveva sassatisaman’ti. Ayaṁ paṭhamo sassatavādo.

[¶6] Furthermore, some ascetic or brahmin—by dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right application of mind—experiences an immersion of the heart of such a kind that they recollect their past lives for as many as ten eons of the expansion and contraction of the cosmos, with features and details. They say, ‘I know that in the past the cosmos expanded or contracted. I don’t know whether in the future the cosmos will expand or contract. The self and the cosmos are eternal, barren, steady as a mountain peak, standing firm like a pillar. They remain the same for all eternity, while these sentient beings wander and transmigrate and pass away and rearise.’ This is the second eternalist doctrine.

> Pali: Puna caparaṁ, bhante, idhekacco samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā ātappamanvāya …pe… tathārūpaṁ cetosamādhiṁ phusati, yathāsamāhite citte anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarati. Seyyathidaṁ—ekampi saṁvaṭṭavivaṭṭaṁ dvepi saṁvaṭṭavivaṭṭāni tīṇipi saṁvaṭṭavivaṭṭāni cattāripi saṁvaṭṭavivaṭṭāni pañcapi saṁvaṭṭavivaṭṭāni dasapi saṁvaṭṭavivaṭṭāni, ‘amutrāsiṁ evaṁnāmo evaṅgotto evaṁvaṇṇo evamāhāro evaṁsukhadukkhappaṭisaṁvedī evamāyupariyanto, so tato cuto amutra udapādiṁ; tatrāpāsiṁ evaṁnāmo evaṅgotto evaṁvaṇṇo evamāhāro evaṁsukhadukkhappaṭisaṁvedī evamāyupariyanto, so tato cuto idhūpapanno’ti. Iti sākāraṁ sauddesaṁ anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarati. So evamāha: ‘atītampāhaṁ addhānaṁ jānāmi saṁvaṭṭi vā loko vivaṭṭi vāti. Anāgataṁpāhaṁ addhānaṁ jānāmi saṁvaṭṭissati vā loko vivaṭṭissati vāti. Sassato attā ca loko ca vañjho kūṭaṭṭho esikaṭṭhāyiṭṭhito. Te ca sattā sandhāvanti saṁsaranti cavanti upapajjanti, atthi tveva sassatisaman’ti. Ayaṁ dutiyo sassatavādo.

[¶7] Furthermore, some ascetic or brahmin—by dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right application of mind—experiences an immersion of the heart of such a kind that they recollect their past lives for as many as forty eons of the expansion and contraction of the cosmos, with features and details. They say, ‘I know that in the past the cosmos expanded or contracted. I don’t know whether in the future the cosmos will expand or contract. The self and the cosmos are eternal, barren, steady as a mountain peak, standing firm like a pillar. They remain the same for all eternity, while these sentient beings wander and transmigrate and pass away and rearise.’ This is the third eternalist doctrine.

> Pali: Puna caparaṁ, bhante, idhekacco samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā ātappamanvāya …pe… tathārūpaṁ cetosamādhiṁ phusati, yathāsamāhite citte anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarati. Seyyathidaṁ—dasapi saṁvaṭṭavivaṭṭāni vīsampi saṁvaṭṭavivaṭṭāni tiṁsampi saṁvaṭṭavivaṭṭāni cattālīsampi saṁvaṭṭavivaṭṭāni, ‘amutrāsiṁ evaṁnāmo evaṅgotto evaṁvaṇṇo evamāhāro evaṁsukhadukkhappaṭisaṁvedī evamāyupariyanto, so tato cuto amutra udapādiṁ; tatrāpāsiṁ evaṁnāmo evaṅgotto evaṁvaṇṇo evamāhāro evaṁsukhadukkhappaṭisaṁvedī evamāyupariyanto, so tato cuto idhūpapanno’ti. Iti sākāraṁ sauddesaṁ anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarati. So evamāha: ‘atītampāhaṁ addhānaṁ jānāmi saṁvaṭṭipi loko vivaṭṭipīti; anāgataṁpāhaṁ addhānaṁ jānāmi saṁvaṭṭissatipi loko vivaṭṭissatipīti. Sassato attā ca loko ca vañjho kūṭaṭṭho esikaṭṭhāyiṭṭhito. Te ca sattā sandhāvanti saṁsaranti cavanti upapajjanti, atthi tveva sassatisaman’ti. Ayaṁ tatiyo sassatavādo,

[¶8] This is unsurpassable when it comes to eternalist doctrines.

> Pali: etadānuttariyaṁ, bhante, sassatavādesu.

[¶9] 1.13. Recollecting Past Lives

> Pali: 1.13. Pubbenivāsānussatiñāṇadesanā

[¶10] And moreover, sir, how the Buddha teaches the knowledge of recollecting past lives is unsurpassable. It’s when some ascetic or brahmin—by dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right application of mind—experiences an immersion of the heart of such a kind that they recollect their many kinds of past lives. That is: one, two, three, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, a hundred, a thousand, a hundred thousand rebirths; many eons of the world contracting, many eons of the world expanding, many eons of the world contracting and expanding. They remember: ‘There, I was named this, my clan was that, I looked like this, and that was my food. This was how I felt pleasure and pain, and that was how my life ended. When I passed away from that place I was reborn somewhere else. There, too, I was named this, my clan was that, I looked like this, and that was my food. This was how I felt pleasure and pain, and that was how my life ended. When I passed away from that place I was reborn here.’ And so they recollect their many kinds of past lives, with features and details. Sir, there are gods whose lifespan cannot be reckoned or calculated. Still, no matter what incarnation they have previously been reborn in—whether formed or formless or percipient or non-percipient or neither percipient nor non-percipient— they recollect their many kinds of past lives, with features and details. This is unsurpassable when it comes to the knowledge of recollecting past lives.

> Pali: Aparaṁ pana, bhante, etadānuttariyaṁ, yathā bhagavā dhammaṁ deseti pubbenivāsānussatiñāṇe. Idha, bhante, ekacco samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā ātappamanvāya …pe… tathārūpaṁ cetosamādhiṁ phusati, yathāsamāhite citte anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarati. Seyyathidaṁ—ekampi jātiṁ dvepi jātiyo tissopi jātiyo catassopi jātiyo pañcapi jātiyo dasapi jātiyo vīsampi jātiyo tiṁsampi jātiyo cattālīsampi jātiyo paññāsampi jātiyo jātisatampi jātisahassampi jātisatasahassampi anekepi saṁvaṭṭakappe anekepi vivaṭṭakappe anekepi saṁvaṭṭavivaṭṭakappe, ‘amutrāsiṁ evaṁnāmo evaṅgotto evaṁvaṇṇo evamāhāro evaṁsukhadukkhappaṭisaṁvedī evamāyupariyanto, so tato cuto amutra udapādiṁ; tatrāpāsiṁ evaṁnāmo evaṅgotto evaṁvaṇṇo evamāhāro evaṁsukhadukkhappaṭisaṁvedī evamāyupariyanto, so tato cuto idhūpapanno’ti. Iti sākāraṁ sauddesaṁ anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarati. Santi, bhante, devā, yesaṁ na sakkā gaṇanāya vā saṅkhānena vā āyu saṅkhātuṁ. Api ca yasmiṁ yasmiṁ attabhāve abhinivuṭṭhapubbo hoti yadi vā rūpīsu yadi vā arūpīsu yadi vā saññīsu yadi vā asaññīsu yadi vā nevasaññīnāsaññīsu. Iti sākāraṁ sauddesaṁ anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarati. Etadānuttariyaṁ, bhante, pubbenivāsānussatiñāṇe.

[¶11] 1.14. Death and Rebirth

> Pali: 1.14. Cutūpapātañāṇadesanā

[¶12] And moreover, sir, how the Buddha teaches the knowledge of the death and rebirth of sentient beings is unsurpassable. It’s when some ascetic or brahmin—by dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right application of mind—experiences an immersion of the heart of such a kind that with clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, they see sentient beings passing away and being reborn— inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in a good place or a bad place. They understand how sentient beings pass on according to their deeds: ‘These dear beings did bad things by way of body, speech, and mind. They denounced the noble ones; they had wrong view; and they chose to act out of that wrong view. When their body broke up, after death, they were reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell. These dear beings, however, did good things by way of body, speech, and mind. They never denounced the noble ones; they had right view; and they chose to act out of that right view. When their body broke up, after death, they were reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.’ And so, with clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, they see sentient beings passing away and being reborn—inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in a good place or a bad place. They understand how sentient beings pass on according to their deeds. This is unsurpassable when it comes to the knowledge of death and rebirth.

> Pali: Aparaṁ pana, bhante, etadānuttariyaṁ, yathā bhagavā dhammaṁ deseti sattānaṁ cutūpapātañāṇe. Idha, bhante, ekacco samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā ātappamanvāya …pe… tathārūpaṁ cetosamādhiṁ phusati, yathāsamāhite citte dibbena cakkhunā visuddhena atikkantamānusakena satte passati cavamāne upapajjamāne hīne paṇīte suvaṇṇe dubbaṇṇe sugate duggate yathākammūpage satte pajānāti: ‘ime vata bhonto sattā kāyaduccaritena samannāgatā vacīduccaritena samannāgatā manoduccaritena samannāgatā ariyānaṁ upavādakā micchādiṭṭhikā micchādiṭṭhikammasamādānā. Te kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapannā. Ime vā pana bhonto sattā kāyasucaritena samannāgatā vacīsucaritena samannāgatā manosucaritena samannāgatā ariyānaṁ anupavādakā sammādiṭṭhikā sammādiṭṭhikammasamādānā. Te kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapannā’ti. Iti dibbena cakkhunā visuddhena atikkantamānusakena satte passati cavamāne upapajjamāne hīne paṇīte suvaṇṇe dubbaṇṇe sugate duggate yathākammūpage satte pajānāti. Etadānuttariyaṁ, bhante, sattānaṁ cutūpapātañāṇe.

[¶13] 1.15. Psychic Powers

> Pali: 1.15. Iddhividhadesanā

[¶14] And moreover, sir, how the Buddha teaches psychic power is unsurpassable. There are these two kinds of psychic power. There are psychic powers that are accompanied by defilements and attachments, and are said to be ignoble. And there are psychic powers that are free of defilements and attachments, and are said to be noble. What are the psychic powers that are accompanied by defilements and attachments, and are said to be ignoble? It’s when some ascetic or brahmin—by dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right application of mind—experiences an immersion of the heart of such a kind that they wield the many kinds of psychic power: multiplying themselves and becoming one again; materializing and dematerializing; going unobstructed through a wall, a rampart, or a mountain as if through space; diving in and out of the earth as if it were water; walking on water as if it were earth; flying cross-legged through the sky like a bird; touching and stroking with the hand the sun and moon, so mighty and powerful; controlling the body as far as the realm of divinity. These are the psychic powers that are accompanied by defilements and attachments, and are said to be ignoble.

> Pali: Aparaṁ pana, bhante, etadānuttariyaṁ, yathā bhagavā dhammaṁ deseti iddhividhāsu. Dvemā, bhante, iddhividhāyo— atthi, bhante, iddhi sāsavā saupadhikā, ‘no ariyā’ti vuccati. Atthi, bhante, iddhi anāsavā anupadhikā ‘ariyā’ti vuccati. Katamā ca, bhante, iddhi sāsavā saupadhikā, ‘no ariyā’ti vuccati? idha, bhante, ekacco samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā ātappamanvāya …pe… tathārūpaṁ cetosamādhiṁ phusati, yathāsamāhite citte anekavihitaṁ iddhividhaṁ paccanubhoti— ekopi hutvā bahudhā hoti, bahudhāpi hutvā eko hoti; āvibhāvaṁ tirobhāvaṁ tirokuṭṭaṁ tiropākāraṁ tiropabbataṁ asajjamāno gacchati seyyathāpi ākāse; pathaviyāpi ummujjanimujjaṁ karoti seyyathāpi udake; udakepi abhijjamāne gacchati seyyathāpi pathaviyaṁ; ākāsepi pallaṅkena kamati seyyathāpi pakkhī sakuṇo; imepi candimasūriye evaṁmahiddhike evaṁmahānubhāve pāṇinā parāmasati parimajjati; yāva brahmalokāpi kāyena vasaṁ vatteti. Ayaṁ, bhante, iddhi sāsavā saupadhikā, ‘no ariyā’ti vuccati.

[¶15] But what are the psychic powers that are free of defilements and attachments, and are said to be noble? It’s when, if a mendicant wishes: ‘May I meditate perceiving the unrepulsive in the repulsive,’ that’s what they do. If they wish: ‘May I meditate perceiving the repulsive in the unrepulsive,’ that’s what they do. If they wish: ‘May I meditate perceiving the unrepulsive in the repulsive and the unrepulsive,’ that’s what they do. If they wish: ‘May I meditate perceiving the repulsive in the unrepulsive and the repulsive,’ that’s what they do. If they wish: ‘May I meditate staying equanimous, mindful and aware, shunning both the repulsive and the unrepulsive,’ that’s what they do. These are the psychic powers that are free of defilements and attachments, and are said to be noble. This is unsurpassable when it comes to psychic powers. The Buddha understands this without exception. There is nothing to be understood beyond this whereby another ascetic or brahmin might be superior in direct knowledge to the Buddha when it comes to psychic powers.

> Pali: Katamā pana, bhante, iddhi anāsavā anupadhikā, ‘ariyā’ti vuccati? Idha, bhante, bhikkhu sace ākaṅkhati: ‘paṭikūle appaṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, appaṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati. Sace ākaṅkhati: ‘appaṭikūle paṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, paṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati. Sace ākaṅkhati: ‘paṭikūle ca appaṭikūle ca appaṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, appaṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati. Sace ākaṅkhati: ‘paṭikūle ca appaṭikūle ca paṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, paṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati. Sace ākaṅkhati: ‘paṭikūlañca appaṭikūlañca tadubhayaṁ abhinivajjetvā upekkhako vihareyyaṁ sato sampajāno’ti, upekkhako tattha viharati sato sampajāno. Ayaṁ, bhante, iddhi anāsavā anupadhikā ‘ariyā’ti vuccati. Etadānuttariyaṁ, bhante, iddhividhāsu. Taṁ bhagavā asesamabhijānāti, taṁ bhagavato asesamabhijānato uttari abhiññeyyaṁ natthi, yadabhijānaṁ añño samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā bhagavatā bhiyyobhiññataro assa yadidaṁ iddhividhāsu.

[¶16] 1.16. The Four Absorptions

> Pali: 1.16. Aññathāsatthuguṇadassana

[¶17] The Buddha has achieved what should be achieved by a faithful gentleman by being energetic and strong, by human strength, energy, vigor, and exertion. The Buddha doesn’t indulge in sensual pleasures, which are low, crude, ordinary, ignoble, and pointless. And he doesn’t indulge in self-mortification, which is painful, ignoble, and pointless. He gets the four absorptions—blissful meditations in this life that belong to the higher mind—when he wants, without trouble or difficulty.

> Pali: Yaṁ taṁ, bhante, saddhena kulaputtena pattabbaṁ āraddhavīriyena thāmavatā purisathāmena purisavīriyena purisaparakkamena purisadhorayhena, anuppattaṁ taṁ bhagavatā. Na ca, bhante, bhagavā kāmesu kāmasukhallikānuyogamanuyutto hīnaṁ gammaṁ pothujjanikaṁ anariyaṁ anatthasaṁhitaṁ, na ca attakilamathānuyogamanuyutto dukkhaṁ anariyaṁ anatthasaṁhitaṁ. Catunnañca bhagavā jhānānaṁ ābhicetasikānaṁ diṭṭhadhammasukhavihārānaṁ nikāmalābhī akicchalābhī akasiralābhī.

[¶18] 1.17. On Being Questioned

> Pali: 1.17. Anuyogadānappakāra

[¶19] Sir, if they were to ask me, ‘Reverend Sāriputta, is there any other ascetic or brahmin—whether past, future, or present—whose direct knowledge is superior to the Buddha when it comes to awakening?’ I would tell them ‘No.’

> Pali: Sace maṁ, bhante, evaṁ puccheyya: ‘kiṁ nu kho, āvuso sāriputta, ahesuṁ atītamaddhānaṁ aññe samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā bhagavatā bhiyyobhiññatarā sambodhiyan’ti, evaṁ puṭṭho ahaṁ, bhante, ‘no’ti vadeyyaṁ. ‘Kiṁ panāvuso sāriputta, bhavissanti anāgatamaddhānaṁ aññe samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā bhagavatā bhiyyobhiññatarā sambodhiyan’ti, evaṁ puṭṭho ahaṁ, bhante, ‘no’ti vadeyyaṁ. ‘Kiṁ panāvuso sāriputta, atthetarahi añño samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā bhagavatā bhiyyobhiññataro sambodhiyan’ti, evaṁ puṭṭho ahaṁ, bhante, ‘no’ti vadeyyaṁ.

[¶20] But if they were to ask me, ‘Reverend Sāriputta, is there any other ascetic or brahmin—whether past or future—whose direct knowledge is equal to the Buddha when it comes to awakening?’ I would tell them ‘Yes.’ But if they were to ask: ‘Reverend Sāriputta, is there any other ascetic or brahmin at present whose direct knowledge is equal to the Buddha when it comes to awakening?’ I would tell them ‘No.’

> Pali: Sace pana maṁ, bhante, evaṁ puccheyya: ‘kiṁ nu kho, āvuso sāriputta, ahesuṁ atītamaddhānaṁ aññe samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā bhagavatā samasamā sambodhiyan’ti, evaṁ puṭṭho ahaṁ, bhante, ‘evan’ti vadeyyaṁ. ‘Kiṁ panāvuso sāriputta, bhavissanti anāgatamaddhānaṁ aññe samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā bhagavatā samasamā sambodhiyan’ti, evaṁ puṭṭho ahaṁ, bhante, ‘evan’ti vadeyyaṁ. ‘Kiṁ panāvuso sāriputta, atthetarahi aññe samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā bhagavatā samasamā sambodhiyan’ti, evaṁ puṭṭho ahaṁ, bhante, ‘no’ti vadeyyaṁ.

[¶21] But if they were to ask me, ‘But why does Venerable Sāriputta grant this in respect of some but not others?’ I would answer them like this, ‘Reverends, I have heard and learned this in the presence of the Buddha: “The perfected ones, fully awakened Buddhas of the past were equal in awakening to myself.” And I have heard and learned this in the presence of the Buddha: “The perfected ones, fully awakened Buddhas of the future will be equal in awakening to myself.” And I have also heard and learned this in the presence of the Buddha: “It’s impossible for two perfected ones, fully awakened Buddhas to arise in the same solar system at the same time.”’

> Pali: Sace pana maṁ, bhante, evaṁ puccheyya: ‘kiṁ panāyasmā sāriputto ekaccaṁ abbhanujānāti, ekaccaṁ na abbhanujānātī’ti, evaṁ puṭṭho ahaṁ, bhante, evaṁ byākareyyaṁ: ‘sammukhā metaṁ, āvuso, bhagavato sutaṁ, sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ: “ahesuṁ atītamaddhānaṁ arahanto sammāsambuddhā mayā samasamā sambodhiyan”ti. Sammukhā metaṁ, āvuso, bhagavato sutaṁ, sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ: “bhavissanti anāgatamaddhānaṁ arahanto sammāsambuddhā mayā samasamā sambodhiyan”ti. Sammukhā metaṁ, āvuso, bhagavato sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ: “aṭṭhānametaṁ anavakāso yaṁ ekissā lokadhātuyā dve arahanto sammāsambuddhā apubbaṁ acarimaṁ uppajjeyyuṁ, netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjatī”’ti.

[¶22] Answering this way, I trust that I repeated what the Buddha has said, and didn’t misrepresent him with an untruth. I trust my explanation was in line with the teaching, and that there are no legitimate grounds for rebuttal or criticism.”

> Pali: Kaccāhaṁ, bhante, evaṁ puṭṭho evaṁ byākaramāno vuttavādī ceva bhagavato homi, na ca bhagavantaṁ abhūtena abbhācikkhāmi, dhammassa cānudhammaṁ byākaromi, na ca koci sahadhammiko vādānuvādo gārayhaṁ ṭhānaṁ āgacchatī”ti?

[¶23] “Indeed, Sāriputta, in answering this way you repeat what I’ve said, and don’t misrepresent me with an untruth. Your explanation is in line with the teaching, and there are no legitimate grounds for rebuttal or criticism.”

> Pali: “Taggha tvaṁ, sāriputta, evaṁ puṭṭho evaṁ byākaramāno vuttavādī ceva me hosi, na ca maṁ abhūtena abbhācikkhasi, dhammassa cānudhammaṁ byākarosi, na ca koci sahadhammiko vādānuvādo gārayhaṁ ṭhānaṁ āgacchatī”ti.

[¶24] 2. Incredible and Amazing

> Pali: 2. Acchariyaabbhuta

[¶25] When he had spoken, Venerable Udāyī said to the Buddha, “It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing! The Realized One has so few wishes, such contentment, such self-effacement! For even though the Realized One has such power and might, he will not make a display of himself. If the wanderers following other religions were to see even a single one of these qualities in themselves they’d carry around a banner to that effect. It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing! The Realized One has so few wishes, such contentment, such self-effacement! For even though the Realized One has such power and might, he will not make a display of himself.”

> Pali: Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā udāyī bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ, bhante, tathāgatassa appicchatā santuṭṭhitā sallekhatā. Yatra hi nāma tathāgato evaṁmahiddhiko evaṁmahānubhāvo, atha ca pana nevattānaṁ pātukarissati. Ekamekañcepi ito, bhante, dhammaṁ aññatitthiyā paribbājakā attani samanupasseyyuṁ, te tāvatakeneva paṭākaṁ parihareyyuṁ. Acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ, bhante, tathāgatassa appicchatā santuṭṭhitā sallekhatā. Yatra hi nāma tathāgato evaṁmahiddhiko evaṁmahānubhāvo. Atha ca pana nevattānaṁ pātukarissatī”ti.

[¶26] “See, Udāyī, how the Realized One has so few wishes, such contentment, such self-effacement. For even though the Realized One has such power and might, he will not make a display of himself. If the wanderers following other religions were to see even a single one of these qualities in themselves they’d carry around a banner to that effect. See, Udāyī, how the Realized One has so few wishes, such contentment, such self-effacement. For even though the Realized One has such power and might, he will not make a display of himself.”

> Pali: “Passa kho tvaṁ, udāyi, ‘tathāgatassa appicchatā santuṭṭhitā sallekhatā. Yatra hi nāma tathāgato evaṁmahiddhiko evaṁmahānubhāvo, atha ca pana nevattānaṁ pātukarissati’. Ekamekañcepi ito, udāyi, dhammaṁ aññatitthiyā paribbājakā attani samanupasseyyuṁ, te tāvatakeneva paṭākaṁ parihareyyuṁ. Passa kho tvaṁ, udāyi, ‘tathāgatassa appicchatā santuṭṭhitā sallekhatā. Yatra hi nāma tathāgato evaṁmahiddhiko evaṁmahānubhāvo, atha ca pana nevattānaṁ pātukarissatī’”ti.

[¶27] Then the Buddha said to Venerable Sāriputta, “So Sāriputta, you should frequently speak this exposition of the teaching to the monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen. Though there will be some futile people who have doubt or uncertainty regarding the Realized One, when they hear this exposition of the teaching they’ll give up that doubt or uncertainty.”

> Pali: Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ āmantesi: “Tasmātiha tvaṁ, sāriputta, imaṁ dhammapariyāyaṁ abhikkhaṇaṁ bhāseyyāsi bhikkhūnaṁ bhikkhunīnaṁ upāsakānaṁ upāsikānaṁ. Yesampi hi, sāriputta, moghapurisānaṁ bhavissati tathāgate kaṅkhā vā vimati vā, tesamimaṁ dhammapariyāyaṁ sutvā tathāgate kaṅkhā vā vimati vā, sā pahīyissatī”ti.

[¶28] That’s how Venerable Sāriputta declared his confidence in the Buddha’s presence. And that’s why the name of this discussion is “Inspiring Confidence”.

> Pali: Iti hidaṁ āyasmā sāriputto bhagavato sammukhā sampasādaṁ pavedesi. Tasmā imassa veyyākaraṇassa sampasādanīyantveva adhivacananti.

[¶29] > Pali: Sampasādanīyasuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ pañcamaṁ.