Mahaparinibbanasutta 1.16: 4. Sāriputtasīhanāda

1.16.1

Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṃ abhivādetvā ekamantaṃ nisīdi. Ekamantaṃ nisinno kho āyasmā sāriputto bhagavantaṃ etadavoca:

Then Sāriputta went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him,

1.16.2

“evaṃ pasanno ahaṃ, bhante, bhagavati;

“Sir, I have such confidence in the Buddha that

1.16.3

na cāhu na ca bhavissati na cetarahi vijjati añño samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā bhagavatā bhiyyobhiññataro yadidaṃ sambodhiyan”ti.

I believe there’s no other ascetic or brahmin—whether past, future, or present—whose direct knowledge is superior to the Buddha when it comes to awakening.”

1.16.4

“Uḷārā kho te ayaṃ, sāriputta, āsabhī vācā bhāsitā, ekaṃso gahito, sīhanādo nadito:

“That’s a grand and bold statement, Sāriputta. You’ve roared a definitive, categorical lion’s roar, saying:

1.16.5

‘evaṃpasanno ahaṃ, bhante, bhagavati;

‘I have such confidence in the Buddha that

1.16.6

na cāhu na ca bhavissati na cetarahi vijjati añño samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā bhagavatā bhiyyobhiññataro yadidaṃ sambodhiyan’ti.

I believe there’s no other ascetic or brahmin—whether past, future, or present—whose direct knowledge is superior to the Buddha when it comes to awakening.’

1.16.7

Kiṃ te, sāriputta, ye te ahesuṃ atītamaddhānaṃ arahanto sammāsambuddhā, sabbe te bhagavanto cetasā ceto paricca viditā:

What about all the perfected ones, the fully awakened Buddhas who lived in the past? Have you encompassed their minds to know that

1.16.8

‘evaṃsīlā te bhagavanto ahesuṃ itipi, evaṃdhammā evaṃpaññā evaṃvihārī evaṃvimuttā te bhagavanto ahesuṃ itipī’”ti?

those Buddhas had such ethics, or such qualities, or such wisdom, or such meditation, or such freedom?”

1.16.9

“No hetaṃ, bhante”.

“No, sir.”

1.16.10

“Kiṃ pana te, sāriputta, ye te bhavissanti anāgatamaddhānaṃ arahanto sammāsambuddhā, sabbe te bhagavanto cetasā ceto paricca viditā:

“And what about all the perfected ones, the fully awakened Buddhas who will live in the future? Have you encompassed their minds to know that

1.16.11

‘evaṃsīlā te bhagavanto bhavissanti itipi, evaṃdhammā evaṃpaññā evaṃvihārī evaṃvimuttā te bhagavanto bhavissanti itipī’”ti?

those Buddhas will have such ethics, or such qualities, or such wisdom, or such meditation, or such freedom?”

1.16.12

“No hetaṃ, bhante”.

“No, sir.”

1.16.13

“Kiṃ pana te, sāriputta, ahaṃ etarahi arahaṃ sammāsambuddho cetasā ceto paricca vidito:

“And what about me, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha at present? Have you encompassed my mind to know that

1.16.14

‘evaṃsīlo bhagavā itipi, evaṃdhammo evaṃpañño evaṃvihārī evaṃvimutto bhagavā itipī’”ti?

I have such ethics, or such qualities, or such wisdom, or such meditation, or such freedom?”

1.16.15

“No hetaṃ, bhante”.

“No, sir.”

1.16.16

“Ettha ca hi te, sāriputta, atītānāgatapaccuppannesu arahantesu sammāsambuddhesu cetopariyañāṇaṃ natthi.

“In that case, Sāriputta, given that you don’t encompass the minds of Buddhas past, future, or present,

1.16.17

Atha kiñcarahi te ayaṃ, sāriputta, uḷārā āsabhī vācā bhāsitā, ekaṃso gahito, sīhanādo nadito:

what then are you doing, making such a grand and bold statement, roaring such a definitive, categorical lion’s roar?”

1.16.18

‘evaṃpasanno ahaṃ, bhante, bhagavati; na cāhu na ca bhavissati na cetarahi vijjati añño samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā bhagavatā bhiyyobhiññataro yadidaṃ sambodhiyan’”ti?