At Sāvatthī. Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

Then Venerable Ānanda went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him, Atha kho āyasmā ānando yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ bhagavā etadavoca: “Ānanda, do you endorse Sāriputta?” “tuyhampi no, ānanda, sāriputto ruccatī”ti?

“Sir, who on earth would not endorse Venerable Sāriputta unless they’re a fool, a hater, delusional, or mentally deranged? “Kassa hi nāma, bhante, abālassa aduṭṭhassa amūḷhassa avipallatthacittassa āyasmā sāriputto na rucceyya? Venerable Sāriputta is astute, Paṇḍito, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto. he has great wisdom, Mahāpañño, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto. widespread wisdom, Puthupañño, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto. laughing wisdom, Hāsapañño, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto. swift wisdom, Javanapañño, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto. sharp wisdom, Tikkhapañño, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto. and penetrating wisdom. Nibbedhikapañño, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto. He has few wishes, Appiccho, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto. he’s content, Santuṭṭho, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto. secluded, Pavivitto, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto. aloof, Asaṁsaṭṭho, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto. and energetic. Āraddhavīriyo, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto. He gives advice Vattā, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto. and accepts advice; Vacanakkhamo, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto. he accuses Codako, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto. and criticizes wickedness. Pāpagarahī, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto. Who on earth would not endorse Venerable Sāriputta unless they’re a fool, a hater, delusional, or mentally deranged?” Kassa hi nāma, bhante, abālassa aduṭṭhassa amūḷhassa avipallatthacittassa āyasmā sāriputto na rucceyyā”ti?

“That’s so true, Ānanda! That’s so true! “Evametaṁ, ānanda, evametaṁ, ānanda. Who on earth would not endorse Venerable Sāriputta unless they’re a fool, a hater, delusional, or mentally deranged?” Kassa hi nāma, ānanda, abālassa aduṭṭhassa amūḷhassa avipallatthacittassa sāriputto na rucceyya? And the Buddha repeated all of Ānanda’s terms of praise. Paṇḍito, ānanda, sāriputto. Mahāpañño, ānanda, sāriputto. Puthupañño, ānanda, sāriputto. Hāsapañño, ānanda, sāriputto. Javanapañño, ānanda, sāriputto. Tikkhapañño, ānanda, sāriputto. Nibbedhikapañño, ānanda, sāriputto. Appiccho, ānanda, sāriputto. Santuṭṭho, ānanda, sāriputto. Pavivitto, ānanda, sāriputto. Asaṁsaṭṭho, ānanda, sāriputto. Āraddhavīriyo, ānanda, sāriputto. Vattā, ānanda, sāriputto. Vacanakkhamo, ānanda, sāriputto. Codako, ānanda, sāriputto. Pāpagarahī, ānanda, sāriputto. Kassa hi nāma, ānanda, abālassa aduṭṭhassa amūḷhassa avipallatthacittassa sāriputto na rucceyyā”ti?

While this praise of Sāriputta was being spoken, the godling Susīma approached the Buddha, escorted by a large assembly of godlings. He bowed, stood to one side, and said to him: Atha kho susimo devaputto āyasmato sāriputtassa vaṇṇe bhaññamāne mahatiyā devaputtaparisāya parivuto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhito kho susimo devaputto bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“That’s so true, Blessed One! That’s so true, Holy One! “Evametaṁ, bhagavā, evametaṁ, sugata. Who on earth would not endorse Venerable Sāriputta unless they’re a fool, a hater, delusional, or mentally deranged?” Kassa hi nāma, bhante, abālassa aduṭṭhassa amūḷhassa avipallatthacittassa āyasmā sāriputto na rucceyya? And he too repeated all the terms of praise of Sāriputta, adding, Paṇḍito, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto. Mahāpañño, bhante, puthupañño, bhante, hāsapañño, bhante, javanapañño, bhante, tikkhapañño, bhante, nibbedhikapañño, bhante, appiccho, bhante, santuṭṭho, bhante, pavivitto, bhante, asaṁsaṭṭho, bhante, āraddhavīriyo, bhante, vattā, bhante, vacanakkhamo, bhante, codako, bhante, pāpagarahī, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto. Kassa hi nāma, bhante, abālassa aduṭṭhassa amūḷhassa avipallatthacittassa āyasmā sāriputto na rucceyya? “For I too, sir, whenever I go to an assembly of godlings, frequently hear the same terms of praise.” Ahampi hi, bhante, yaññadeva devaputtaparisaṁ upasaṅkamiṁ, etadeva bahulaṁ saddaṁ suṇāmi: ‘paṇḍito āyasmā sāriputto; mahāpañño āyasmā, puthupañño āyasmā, hāsapañño āyasmā, javanapañño āyasmā, tikkhapañño āyasmā, nibbedhikapañño āyasmā, appiccho āyasmā, santuṭṭho āyasmā, pavivitto āyasmā, asaṁsaṭṭho āyasmā, āraddhavīriyo āyasmā, vattā āyasmā, vacanakkhamo āyasmā, codako āyasmā, pāpagarahī āyasmā sāriputto’ti. Kassa hi nāma, bhante, abālassa aduṭṭhassa amūḷhassa avipallatthacittassa āyasmā sāriputto na rucceyyā”ti?

While this praise of Sāriputta was being spoken, the godlings of Susīma’s assembly—uplifted and overjoyed, full of rapture and happiness—displayed a rainbow of bright colors. Atha kho susimassa devaputtassa devaputtaparisā āyasmato sāriputtassa vaṇṇe bhaññamāne attamanā pamuditā pītisomanassajātā uccāvacā vaṇṇanibhā upadaṁseti.

Suppose there was a beryl gem that was naturally lustrous, eight-faceted, well-worked. When placed on a cream rug it would shine and glow and radiate. Seyyathāpi nāma maṇi veḷuriyo subho jātimā aṭṭhaṁso suparikammakato paṇḍukambale nikkhitto bhāsate ca tapate ca virocati ca; In the same way, the godlings of Susīma’s assembly displayed a rainbow of bright colors. evamevaṁ susimassa devaputtassa devaputtaparisā āyasmato sāriputtassa vaṇṇe bhaññamāne attamanā pamuditā pītisomanassajātā uccāvacā vaṇṇanibhā upadaṁseti.

Suppose there was a pendant of Black Plum River gold, fashioned by a deft smith, well wrought in the forge. When placed on a cream rug it would shine and glow and radiate. Seyyathāpi nāma nikkhaṁ jambonadaṁ dakkhakammāraputtaukkāmukhasukusalasampahaṭṭhaṁ paṇḍukambale nikkhittaṁ bhāsate ca tapate ca virocati ca; In the same way, the godlings of Susīma’s assembly displayed a rainbow of bright colors. evamevaṁ susimassa devaputtassa devaputtaparisā āyasmato sāriputtassa vaṇṇe bhaññamāne attamanā pamuditā pītisomanassajātā uccāvacā vaṇṇanibhā upadaṁseti.

Suppose that in the autumn the heavens were clear and cloudless. At the crack of dawn, the Morning Star shines and glows and radiates. Seyyathāpi nāma saradasamaye viddhe vigatavalāhake deve rattiyā paccūsasamayaṁ osadhitārakā bhāsate ca tapate ca virocati ca; In the same way, the godlings of Susīma’s assembly displayed a rainbow of bright colors. evamevaṁ susimassa devaputtassa devaputtaparisā āyasmato sāriputtassa vaṇṇe bhaññamāne attamanā pamuditā pītisomanassajātā uccāvacā vaṇṇanibhā upadaṁseti.

Suppose that in the autumn the heavens were clear and cloudless. As the sun is rising to the firmament, having dispelled all the darkness of space, shines and glows and radiates. Seyyathāpi nāma saradasamaye viddhe vigatavalāhake deve ādicco nabhaṁ abbhussakkamāno sabbaṁ ākāsagataṁ tamagataṁ abhivihacca bhāsate ca tapate ca virocati ca; In the same way, the godlings of Susīma’s assembly displayed a rainbow of bright colors. evamevaṁ susimassa devaputtassa devaputtaparisā āyasmato sāriputtassa vaṇṇe bhaññamāne attamanā pamuditā pītisomanassajātā uccāvacā vaṇṇanibhā upadaṁseti.

Then the godling Susīma spoke this verse about Venerable Sāriputta in the Buddha’s presence: Atha kho susimo devaputto āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ ārabbha bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:

“He’s considered astute, “Paṇḍitoti samaññāto, Sāriputta, free of anger. sāriputto akodhano; Few in wishes, gentle, tamed, Appiccho sorato danto, the seer shines in the Teacher’s praise!” satthuvaṇṇābhato isī”ti.

Then the Buddha replied to Susīma with this verse about Venerable Sāriputta: Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ ārabbha susimaṁ devaputtaṁ gāthāya paccabhāsi:

“He’s considered astute, “Paṇḍitoti samaññāto, Sāriputta, free of anger. sāriputto akodhano; Few in wishes, gentle, tamed; Appiccho sorato danto, developed and well-tamed, he awaits his time.” kālaṁ kaṅkhati sudanto”ti.