• Linked Discourses 21.11 Saṁyutta Nikāya 21.11
  • 1. Monks 1. Bhikkhuvagga

With Mahākappina Mahākappinasutta

At Sāvatthī. Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

Then Venerable Mahākappina went to see the Buddha. Atha kho āyasmā mahākappino yena bhagavā tenupasaį¹…kami.

The Buddha saw him coming off in the distance, Addasā kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ mahākappinaṁ dÅ«ratova āgacchantaṁ. and addressed the mendicants: Disvāna bhikkhÅ« āmantesi: ā€œMendicants, do you see that monk coming—white, thin, with a pointy nose?ā€ ā€œpassatha no tumhe, bhikkhave, etaṁ bhikkhuṁ āgacchantaṁ odātakaṁ tanukaṁ tuį¹…ganāsikanā€ti?

ā€œYes, sir.ā€ ā€œEvaṁ, bhanteā€.

ā€œThat mendicant is very mighty and powerful. ā€œEso kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu mahiddhiko mahānubhāvo. It’s not easy to find an attainment that he has not already attained. Na ca sā samāpatti sulabharÅ«pā yā tena bhikkhunā asamāpannapubbā. And he has realized the supreme end of the spiritual path in this very life. He lives having achieved with his own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness.ā€ Yassa catthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti tadanuttaraṁ brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diį¹­į¹­heva dhamme sayaṁ abhiƱƱā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharatÄ«ā€ti.

That is what the Buddha said. Idamavoca bhagavā. Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say: Idaṁ vatvāna sugato athāparaṁ etadavoca satthā:

ā€œThe aristocrat is best among people ā€œKhattiyo seį¹­į¹­ho janetasmiṁ, who take clan as the standard. ye gottapaį¹­isārino; But one accomplished in knowledge and conduct Vijjācaraṇasampanno, is best among gods and humans. so seį¹­į¹­ho devamānuse.

The sun blazes by day, Divā tapati ādicco, the moon radiates at night, rattimābhāti candimā; the aristocrat shines in armor, Sannaddho khattiyo tapati, and the brahmin shines in absorption. jhāyÄ« tapati brāhmaṇo; But all day and all night, Atha sabbamahorattiṁ, the Buddha blazes with glory.ā€ buddho tapati tejasÄā€ti.

Ekādasamaṁ.