Saṁyutta Nikāya 47.12 2.

Nālanda Sutta

Nālandavagga Nālandasutta Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā nālandāyaṁ viharati pāvārikambavane.

At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at Nālandā in Pāvārika's mango grove.

Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.

Then, the Venerable Sāriputta approached the Blessed One, and having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side.

Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā sāriputto bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “evaṁpasanno ahaṁ, bhante, bhagavati. Na cāhu, na ca bhavissati, na cetarahi vijjati añño samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā bhagavatā bhiyyobhiññataro, yadidaṁ—sambodhiyan”ti.

While seated to one side, the Venerable Sāriputta said to the Blessed One: Revered Sir, I have such confidence in the Blessed One that I believe there has never been, nor will there be, nor is there now another ascetic or brahmin more enlightened than the Blessed One with respect to perfect enlightenment.

“Uḷārā kho tyāyaṁ, sāriputta, āsabhī vācā bhāsitā, ekaṁso gahito, sīhanādo nadito: ‘evaṁpasanno ahaṁ, bhante, bhagavati. Na cāhu, na ca bhavissati na cetarahi vijjati añño samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā bhagavatā bhiyyobhiññataro, yadidaṁ—sambodhiyan’ti.

The Blessed One's words are indeed bold and confident, a lion's roar, declaring that you have such confidence in the Blessed One that there has never been, nor will there be, nor is there now another ascetic or brahmin more enlightened than the Blessed One with respect to perfect enlightenment.

Kiṁ nu te, sāriputta, ye te ahesuṁ atītamaddhānaṁ arahanto sammāsambuddhā, sabbe te bhagavanto cetasā ceto paricca viditā: ‘evaṁsīlā te bhagavanto ahesuṁ’ iti vā, ‘evaṁdhammā te bhagavanto ahesuṁ’ iti vā, ‘evaṁpaññā te bhagavanto ahesuṁ’ iti vā, ‘evaṁvihārino te bhagavanto ahesuṁ’ iti vā, ‘evaṁvimuttā te bhagavanto ahesuṁ’ iti vā”ti?

But, Sāriputta, have you known all the past Arahants, the perfectly enlightened Tathāgatas, by way of the mind, having known them with your mind, to declare: Such were the virtues of those Blessed Ones, or Such were the teachings of those Blessed Ones, or Such was the wisdom of those Blessed Ones, or Such were the dwellings of those Blessed Ones, or Such was the liberation of those Blessed Ones?

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

No, revered Sir.

“Kiṁ pana te, sāriputta, ye te bhavissanti anāgatamaddhānaṁ arahanto sammāsambuddhā, sabbe te bhagavanto cetasā ceto paricca viditā: ‘evaṁsīlā te bhagavanto bhavissanti’ iti vā, ‘evaṁdhammā te bhagavanto bhavissanti’ iti vā, ‘evaṁpaññā te bhagavanto bhavissanti’ iti vā, ‘evaṁvihārino te bhagavanto bhavissanti’ iti vā, ‘evaṁvimuttā te bhagavanto bhavissanti’ iti vā”ti?

Then, Sāriputta, have you known all the future Arahants, the perfectly enlightened Tathāgatas, by way of the mind, having known them with your mind, to declare: Such will be the virtues of those Blessed Ones, or Such will be the teachings of those Blessed Ones, or Such will be the wisdom of those Blessed Ones, or Such will be the dwellings of those Blessed Ones, or Such will be the liberation of those Blessed Ones?

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

No, revered Sir.

“Kiṁ pana tyāhaṁ, sāriputta, etarahi, arahaṁ sammāsambuddho cetasā ceto paricca vidito: ‘evaṁsīlo bhagavā’ iti vā, ‘evaṁdhammo bhagavā’ iti vā, ‘evaṁpañño bhagavā’ iti vā, ‘evaṁvihārī bhagavā’ iti vā, ‘evaṁvimutto bhagavā’ iti vā”ti?

Then, Sāriputta, have you known me, the present Arahant, the perfectly enlightened Tathāgata, by way of the mind, having known me with your mind, to declare: Such is the virtue of the Blessed One, or Such is the teaching of the Blessed One, or Such is the wisdom of the Blessed One, or Such is the dwelling of the Blessed One, or Such is the liberation of the Blessed One?

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

No, revered Sir.

“Ettha ca te, sāriputta, atītānāgatapaccuppannesu arahantesu sammāsambuddhesu cetopariyañāṇaṁ natthi.

In that case, Sāriputta, you do not have the knowing of the minds of the Arahants, the perfectly enlightened Tathāgatas of the past, future, and present.

Atha kiñcarahi tyāyaṁ, sāriputta, uḷārā āsabhī vācā bhāsitā, ekaṁso gahito, sīhanādo nadito: ‘evaṁpasanno ahaṁ, bhante, bhagavati. Na cāhu, na ca bhavissati, na cetarahi vijjati añño samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā bhagavatā’ bhiyyobhiññataro, yadidaṁ—sambodhiyan”ti?

So, on what basis do you make such bold and confident statements, a lion's roar, declaring that you have such confidence in the Blessed One that there has never been, nor will there be, nor is there now another ascetic or brahmin more enlightened than the Blessed One with respect to perfect enlightenment?

“Na kho me, bhante, atītānāgatapaccuppannesu arahantesu sammāsambuddhesu cetopariyañāṇaṁ atthi, api ca me dhammanvayo vidito.

Venerable Sir, I do not possess the knowing of the minds of the Arahants and Perfectly Enlightened Tathāgatas of the past, future, and present.

Seyyathāpi, bhante, rañño paccantimaṁ nagaraṁ daḷhuddhāpaṁ daḷhapākāratoraṇaṁ ekadvāraṁ. Tatrassa dovāriko paṇḍito byatto medhāvī aññātānaṁ nivāretā ñātānaṁ pavesetā. So tassa nagarassa samantā anupariyāyapathaṁ anukkamamāno na passeyya pākārasandhiṁ vā pākāravivaraṁ vā, antamaso biḷāranikkhamanamattampi. Tassa evamassa: ‘ye kho keci oḷārikā pāṇā imaṁ nagaraṁ pavisanti vā nikkhamanti vā, sabbe te imināva dvārena pavisanti vā nikkhamanti vā’ti.

However, I have known the principle of the Dhamma.

Just as, Venerable Sir, a frontier city with strong foundations, a strong wall, and a single gate, has a wise, skilled, and intelligent gatekeeper who prevents the entry of strangers and allows the entry of known persons. As he surveys the path around the city, he does not see a gap in the wall or a breach, not even a hole large enough for a cat to pass through. He would conclude, Whatever gross beings enter or leave this city, they all do so through this gate alone.

Evameva kho me, bhante, dhammanvayo vidito: ‘yepi te, bhante, ahesuṁ atītamaddhānaṁ arahanto sammāsambuddhā, sabbe te bhagavanto pañca nīvaraṇe pahāya, cetaso upakkilese paññāya dubbalīkaraṇe, catūsu satipaṭṭhānesu suppatiṭṭhitacittā, satta bojjhaṅge yathābhūtaṁ bhāvetvā, anuttaraṁ sammāsambodhiṁ abhisambujjhiṁsu.

In the same way, Venerable Sir, I have known the principle of the Dhamma: All those Arahants and Perfectly Enlightened Tathāgatas of the past, having abandoned the five hindrances, the defilements of the mind that weaken wisdom, having well-established their minds in the four dwellings of mindfulness, and having developed the seven factors of enlightenment as they truly are, attained the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.

Yepi te, bhante, bhavissanti anāgatamaddhānaṁ arahanto sammāsambuddhā, sabbe te bhagavanto pañca nīvaraṇe pahāya, cetaso upakkilese paññāya dubbalīkaraṇe, catūsu satipaṭṭhānesu suppatiṭṭhitacittā, satta bojjhaṅge yathābhūtaṁ bhāvetvā, anuttaraṁ sammāsambodhiṁ abhisambujjhissanti.

All those Arahants and Perfectly Enlightened Tathāgatas of the future will, having abandoned the five hindrances, the defilements of the mind that weaken wisdom, having well-established their minds in the four dwellings of mindfulness, and having developed the seven factors of enlightenment as they truly are, attain the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.

Bhagavāpi, bhante, etarahi arahaṁ sammāsambuddho pañca nīvaraṇe pahāya, cetaso upakkilese paññāya dubbalīkaraṇe, catūsu satipaṭṭhānesu suppatiṭṭhitacitto, satta bojjhaṅge yathābhūtaṁ bhāvetvā, anuttaraṁ sammāsambodhiṁ abhisambuddho’”ti.

The Blessed One, Venerable Sir, who is now an Arahant and Perfectly Enlightened Tathāgata, having abandoned the five hindrances, the defilements of the mind that weaken wisdom, having well-established his mind in the four dwellings of mindfulness, and having developed the seven factors of enlightenment as they truly are, has attained the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.

“Sādhu sādhu, sāriputta.

Excellent, excellent, Sāriputta.

Tasmātiha tvaṁ, sāriputta, imaṁ dhammapariyāyaṁ abhikkhaṇaṁ bhāseyyāsi bhikkhūnaṁ bhikkhunīnaṁ upāsakānaṁ upāsikānaṁ.

Therefore, Sāriputta, you should frequently teach this discourse on the Dhamma to the disciples, nuns, male lay followers, and female lay followers.

Yesampi hi, sāriputta, moghapurisānaṁ bhavissati tathāgate kaṅkhā vā vimati vā, tesampimaṁ dhammapariyāyaṁ sutvā yā tathāgate kaṅkhā vā vimati vā sā pahīyissatī”ti. Dutiyaṁ.

For, Sāriputta, if there are foolish individuals who have doubts or uncertainties about the Tathāgata, upon hearing this discourse on the Dhamma, their doubts or uncertainties about the Tathāgata will be dispelled.