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Translated
from the Pali by Ñanamoli Thera
edited and revised by Bhikkhu Bodhi.
For free distribution only.
From The Lion's Roar: Two Discourses of the Buddha
(WH 390/391), edited and revised by Bhikkhu Bodhi, (Kandy: Buddhist
Publication Society, 1993). Copyright ©1993 Buddhist Publication Society. Used
with permission.
1.
Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was living at Vesali in the grove outside the city to the west.
2.
Now on that occasion Sunakkhatta, son of the Licchavis, had recently left this Dhamma and
Discipline.1 He was making this statement before the Vesali assembly:
"The recluse Gotama does not have any superhuman states, any distinction
in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones.2 The recluse Gotama
teaches a Dhamma (merely) hammered out by reasoning, following his own line of
inquiry as it occurs to him, and when he teaches the Dhamma to anyone, it leads
him when he practices it to the complete destruction of
suffering."3
3.
Then, when it was morning, the Venerable Sariputta dressed, and taking his bowl
and outer robe, went into Vesali for alms. Then he heard Sunakkhatta, son of
the Licchavis, making this statement before the Vesali assembly. When he had
wandered for alms in Vesali and had returned from his almsround, after his meal
he went to the Blessed One, and after paying homage to him, he sat down at one
side and told the Blessed One what Sunakkhatta was saying.
4.
(The Blessed One said:) "Sariputta, the misguided man Sunakkhatta is
angry, and his words are spoken out of anger. Thinking to discredit the
Tathagata, he actually praises him;[*p.69] for it is a praise of the Tathagata
to say of him: 'When he teaches the Dhamma to anyone, it leads him when he
practices it to the complete destruction of suffering.'
5.
"Sariputta, this misguided man Sunakkhatta will never infer of me
according to Dhamma: 'That Blessed One is accomplished, fully enlightened,
perfect in true knowledge and conduct, sublime, knower of worlds, incomparable
leader of persons to be tamed, teacher of gods and humans, enlightened,
blessed.'4
6.
"And he will never infer of me according to Dhamma: 'That Blessed One
enjoys the various kinds of supernormal power: having been one, he becomes
many; having been many, he becomes one; he appears and vanishes; he goes
unhindered through a wall, through an enclosure, through a mountain, as though
through space; he dives in and out of the earth as though it were water; he
walks on water without sinking as though it were earth; seated cross-legged, he
travels in space like a bird; with his hand he touches and strokes the moon and
sun so powerful and mighty; he wields bodily mastery even as far as the
Brahma-world.'
7.
"And he will never infer of me according to Dhamma: 'With the divine ear
element, which is purified and surpasses the human, that Blessed One hears both
kinds of sounds, the heavenly and the human, those that are far as well as
near.'
8.
"And he will never infer of me according to Dhamma: 'That Blessed One
encompasses with his own mind the minds of other beings, other persons. He
understands a mind affected by lust as affected by lust and a mind unaffected
by lust as unaffected by lust; he understands a mind affected by hate as
affected by hate and a mind unaffected by hate as unaffected by hate; he
understands a mind affected by delusion as affected by delusion and a mind
unaffected by delusion as unaffected by delusion; he understands a contracted
mind as contracted and a distracted mind as distracted; he understands an
exalted mind as exalted and an unexalted mind as unexalted; he understands a
surpassed mind as surpassed and an unsurpassed mind as unsurpassed; he
understands a concentrated mind as concentrated and an unconcentrated mind as
unconcentrated; he understands a liberated mind as liberated and an unliberated
mind as unliberated.'
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