Mahaparinibbanasutta 1.17

1.17.1

“Na kho me, bhante, atītānāgatapaccuppannesu arahantesu sammāsambuddhesu cetopariyañāṇaṃ atthi,

“Sir, though I don’t encompass the minds of Buddhas past, future, and present,

1.17.2

api ca me dhammanvayo vidito.

still I understand this by inference from the teaching.

1.17.3

Seyyathāpi, bhante, rañño paccantimaṃ nagaraṃ daḷhuddhāpaṃ daḷhapākāratoraṇaṃ ekadvāraṃ,

Suppose there was a king’s frontier citadel with fortified embankments, ramparts, and arches, and a single gate.

1.17.4

tatrassa dovāriko paṇḍito viyatto medhāvī aññātānaṃ nivāretā ñātānaṃ pavesetā.

And it has a gatekeeper who is astute, competent, and intelligent. He keeps strangers out and lets known people in.

1.17.5

So tassa nagarassa samantā anupariyāyapathaṃ anukkamamāno na passeyya pākārasandhiṃ vā pākāravivaraṃ vā, antamaso biḷāranikkhamanamattampi.

As he walks around the patrol path, he doesn’t see a hole or cleft in the wall, not even one big enough for a cat to slip out.

1.17.6

Tassa evamassa:

He thinks,

1.17.7

‘ye kho keci oḷārikā pāṇā imaṃ nagaraṃ pavisanti vā nikkhamanti vā, sabbe te imināva dvārena pavisanti vā nikkhamanti vā’ti.

‘Whatever sizable creatures enter or leave the citadel, all of them do so via this gate.’

1.17.8

Evameva kho me, bhante, dhammanvayo vidito:

In the same way, I understand this by inference from the teaching:

1.17.9

‘ye te, bhante, ahesuṃ atītamaddhānaṃ arahanto sammāsambuddhā, sabbe te bhagavanto pañca nīvaraṇe pahāya cetaso upakkilese paññāya dubbalīkaraṇe catūsu satipaṭṭhānesu supatiṭṭhitacittā sattabojjhaṅge yathābhūtaṃ bhāvetvā anuttaraṃ sammāsambodhiṃ abhisambujjhiṃsu.

‘All the perfected ones, fully awakened Buddhas—whether past, future, or present—give up the five hindrances, corruptions of the heart that weaken wisdom. Their mind is firmly established in the four kinds of mindfulness meditation. They correctly develop the seven awakening factors. And they awaken to the supreme perfect awakening.’”

1.17.10

Yepi te, bhante, bhavissanti anāgatamaddhānaṃ arahanto sammāsambuddhā, sabbe te bhagavanto pañca nīvaraṇe pahāya cetaso upakkilese paññāya dubbalīkaraṇe catūsu satipaṭṭhānesu supatiṭṭhitacittā satta bojjhaṅge yathābhūtaṃ bhāvetvā anuttaraṃ sammāsambodhiṃ abhisambujjhissanti.

1.17.11

Bhagavāpi, bhante, etarahi arahaṃ sammāsambuddho pañca nīvaraṇe pahāya cetaso upakkilese paññāya dubbalīkaraṇe catūsu satipaṭṭhānesu supatiṭṭhitacitto satta bojjhaṅge yathābhūtaṃ bhāvetvā anuttaraṃ sammāsambodhiṃ abhisambuddho’”ti.