Dighanikaya 4.304_2

4.304_2

Mayameva arahāmāti evaṃ niyāmentovettha idaṃ dīpeti – ‘‘yadi guṇamahantatāya upasaṅkamitabbo nāma hoti. Yathā hi sineruṃ upanidhāya sāsapo, mahāsamuddaṃ upanidhāya gopadakaṃ, sattasu mahāsaresu udakaṃ upanidhāya ussāvabindu paritto lāmako. Evameva samaṇassa gotamassa jātisampattiādayopi guṇe upanidhāya amhākaṃ guṇā parittā lāmakā; tasmā mayameva arahāma taṃ bhavantaṃ gotamaṃ dassanāya upasaṅkamitu’’nti.

"We ourselves are the ones worthy": thus, while determining, he explains this point: "If one should be approached on account of greatness of virtues—for just as a mustard seed compared to Sineru, a puddle in a cow's footprint compared to the great ocean, a dewdrop compared to the water in the seven great lakes is tiny and inferior, even so, compared to the ascetic Gotama's virtues such as excellence of birth, our virtues are tiny and inferior; therefore, we ourselves are the ones worthy to approach the venerable Gotama for the sake of seeing him."