dn.28 Dīgha Nikāya (Long Discourses)

Pāṭika Chapter

The Faith That Satisfied

Thus have I heard. At one time the Exalted One was staying near Nāḷandā in the Pāvārika Mango Wood

Now the venerable Sāriputta came to the place where the Exalted One was, and having saluted him, took his seat respectfully at his side and said: “Lord! such faith have I in the Exalted One, that methinks there never has been, nor will there be, nor is there now any other, whether recluse or Brahman, who is greater and wiser than the Exalted One, that is to say, as regards the higher wisdom.”

“Grand and bold are the words of thy mouth, Sāriputta!

Thou hast roared a veritable lion’s roar in this that thou hast said.

Of course then thou hast known all the Exalted Ones who in the long ages of the past have been Arahants, Awakened Ones, comprehending their minds with thy mind, and aware what was their conduct, what their doctrines, what their wisdom, what their mode of life, and the liberty to which they attained?”

“Not so, lord.”

“Of course then thou hast perceived all the Exalted Ones who in the long ages of the future will be Arahants, Awakened Ones, comprehending their minds with thy mind, and aware what will be their conduct, what their doctrines, what their wisdom, what their mode of life, and the liberty to which they attain?”

“Not so, lord.”

But at least then, Sāriputta, thou knowest that I now am Arahant, an Awakened One, comprehending my mind with thy mind, and aware that thus is the Exalted One’s conduct, such is his wisdom, such his doctrine, such his mode of life, and such the liberty to which he has attained?”

“Not so, lord.”

“Lo, here, Sāriputta, no knowledge hast thou concerning Arahants, Awakened Ones, past, future or present!

Why then forsooth are thy words so grand and bold?

Why hast thou roared this all-comprehensive lion’s roar?”

“Lord, no knowledge have I concerning the minds of past, future and present Arahants, Awakened Ones!

I only know, lord, the lineage of the Norm.

Just as a king, lord, might have a border-city, strong in its foundations, strong in its ramparts and towers, and with only one gate.

And there might be a warden of the gate, discreet and clever and wise, to stop all strangers and admit only them that were known.

And he, on patrolling in his sentry-walks over the approaches all around the city, might not so observe all the joints and crevices in the ramparts of that city as to know where anything as small as a cat could get past.

He would think: Whatever bulkier creatures either enter or leave this city, they all pass only by this gate.

Only thus is it, lord, that I know the lineage of the Norm.

They who in the long ages of the past were Arahants, Supremely Awakened Ones, putting away the five Hindrances, suppressing the corruptions of the mind by wisdom, with hearts well established in the four exercises for setting up mindfulness, thoroughly exercising themselves in the seven branches of enlightenment, have wholly awaked to the uttermost awakening.

They who in the long ages of the future will be Arahants, Supremely Awakened Ones, will do likewise.

And the Exalted One too, who now, lord, is Arahant Supremely Awakened, he too hath done likewise.

It happened one day, lord, that I had come to the Exalted One to listen to the exposition of the Norm.

And the Exalted One taught me doctrine, each point ever more excellent than the last, with comparison of the things of light and the things of darkness.

Now while the Exalted One was teaching me the Norm, after this sort, even so I, understanding that Norm, perfected among doctrines one certain doctrine, namely, faith in the Master.

And I confessed in my heart: The Exalted One is supremely awakened; well taught by him is the Norm; blessed is the Order.

Moreover, lord, this too is unsurpassed: the way namely in which the Exalted One teaches the Norm concerning righteous doctrines; I mean the Four Exercises in setting up Mindfulness, the Four Supreme Efforts, the Four Roads to Saintship, the Five Moral Powers, the Five Forces, the Seven Branches of Enlightenment, the Aryan Eightfold Path [showing how] a bhikkhu by destruction of the intoxicants may know and realize for himself, even in this life, sane and immune emancipation of intellect and intuition, and so attaining may therein abide.

Unsurpassed, lord, is this concerning righteous doctrines.

All this the Exalted One understands, and beyond what he understands there is nothing left to understand.

Nor is there any other, whether he be recluse or brahmin, who is greater and wiser than the Exalted One, that is to say, as regards righteous doctrines.

Moreover, lord, this too is unsurpassable, the way namely in which the Exalted One teaches the Norm concerning our sense-experience,—how the six fields of sense are subjective and objective: sight and visible things, hearing and sounds, smell and odours, taste and sapid things, touch and tangible things, mind and mental objects.

Unsurpassable, lord, is this concerning our sense-experience.

All this the Exalted One understands, and beyond what he understands there is nothing left to understand.

Nor is there any other, whether he be recluse or brahmin, who is greater and wiser than the Exalted One, that is to say, as regards our sense-experience.

Moreover, lord, this too is unsurpassable: the way namely in which the Exalted One teaches the Norm concerning descensions at rebirth:—

That there are four modes in descension, thus:—

One descends into the mother’s womb unknowing, abides there unknowing, departs thence unknowing.

This is the first mode.

Next, one descends into the mother’s womb knowingly, but persists there unknowing and departs thence unknowing.

This is the second mode.

Again, one descends and persists knowing, but departs unknowing.

This is the third mode.

Again, one descends into the mother’s womb, knowing, persists there knowing and departs thence knowing.

This is the fourth mode of descension.

Unsurpassable, lord, is this concerning descensions at rebirth.

All this the Exalted One understands, and beyond what he understands there is nothing left to understand.

Nor is there any other, whether he be recluse or brahmin, who is greater and wiser than the Exalted One, that is to say, as regards descensions at rebirth.

Moreover, lord, this too is unsurpassable, the way namely in which the Exalted One teaches the Norm concerning the modes of revealing [the mind of another]:—that there are four modes, thus:—

One reveals by a visible sign, saying Thou art thinking thus, thou hast so and so in thy mind, thy thought is thus.

However much one reveals, that is so and not otherwise.

This is the first mode of revealing [the mind of another].

Again, one reveals thoughts not by a visible sign, but through hearing a sound uttered by humans or non-humans [Yakkhas, Pisācas], or devas, —and one says:—

Thou art thinking thus, thou hast so and so in thy mind, thy thought is thus.

However much one reveals, that is so and not otherwise.

This is the second mode.

Again, one reveals thoughts neither by a visible sign, nor through hearing a sound made by humans or non-humans or devas, but through hearing a rational sound made intelligently and deliberately.

And one says: Thou art thinking thus, thou hast so and so in thy mind, thy thought is thus.

However much one reveals, that is so and not otherwise.

This is the third mode of revealing.

Again one reveals thoughts neither by a visible sign, nor through hearing a sound made by humans or non-humans or devas, nor through hearing a rational sound made intelligently and deliberately, but when achieving concentration, without attention applied on occasion of sense, one then knows intuitively the thoughts of another.

And one says: Just according to the aim of the mental activity of this good person even on such and such a thought will he next be directing his mind.

And however much one reveals that is so and not otherwise.

This is the fourth mode.

Unsurpassable, lord, is this concerning the modes of revealing [the mind of another].

All this the Exalted One understands, and beyond what he understands there is nothing left to understand.

Nor is there any other, whether he be recluse or brahmin, who is greater and wiser than the Exalted One, that is to say, as regards the modes of revealing [the mind of another].

Moreover, lord, unsurpassable is the way in which the Exalted One teaches the Norm concerning decrees of discernment: —that there are four such degrees, namely: Some recluse or brahmin by means of ardour, of effort, of application, of strenuous earnestness, of careful concentration, reaches up to such rapture of thought that with rapt mind he meditates introspectively on just this bodily organism from the sole of the foot to the crown of the head, as a hide-bound mass of manifold uncleanness, thus:—

This is the first degree of discernment.

Again, lord, such a recluse or brahmin by means of ardour, of effort, of application, of strenuous earnestness, of careful concentration, reaches up to such rapture of thought that with rapt mind he meditates introspectively on just this bodily organism from the sole of the foot to the crown of the head, as a hide-bound mass of manifold uncleanness, thus:—

This is the second degree of discernment.

In this body are hairs, down, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bone, marrow, kidney, heart, liver, membrane, spleen, lungs, bowels, mesentery, stomach, faeces, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, saliva, snot, synovial fluid, urine, and goes on to meditate after that on the human skeleton [as covered by] skin, flesh and blood; and he goes on after that to discern the unbroken flux of human consciousness established both in this world and in another world.

This is the third degree of discernment.

This is the fourth degree of discernment.

Unsurpassable is this, lord, concerning degrees of discernment.

All this the Exalted One understands, and beyond what he understands there is nothing left to understand.

Nor is there any other, whether he be recluse or brahmin, who is greater and wiser than the Exalted One, that is to say, as regards degrees of discernment.

Moreover, lord, unsurpassable is the way in which the Exalted One teaches the Norm concerning the classification of individuals: that there are seven classes, to wit:—freed-both-ways, freed by insight, having bodily testimony, having gained the view, freed by confidence, follower of wisdom, follower of confidence.

Unsurpassable, lord, are these terms for classes of individuals.

All this the Exalted One understands, and beyond what he understands there is nothing left to understand.

Nor is there any other, whether he be recluse or brahmin, who is greater and wiser than the Exalted One, that is to say, as regards terms for classes of individuals.

Moreover, lord, unsurpassable is the way in which the Exalted One teaches the Norm concerning endeavour:—that there are these seven factors of enlightenment, to wit:—the factor of mindfulness, the factor of examination of doctrine, the factor of energy, the factor of zest, the factor of serenity, the factor of concentration the factor of equanimity.

Unsurpassable, lord, is this concerning endeavour.

All this the Exalted One understands, and beyond what he understands there is nothing left to understand.

Nor is there any other, whether he be recluse or brahmin, who is greater and wiser than the Exalted One, that is to say, as regards endeavour.

Moreover, lord, unsurpassable is the way in which the Exalted One teaches the norm concerning rates of progress:—that there are four such rates of progress, to wit:—when progress is difficult and intuition slow, when progress is difficult but intuition comes swiftly, when progress is easy but intuition is slow, when progress is easy and intuition comes swiftly.

In the first case, progress is reckoned as bad both from difficulty and slowness.

In the second case, progress is reckoned as bad from its difficulty.

In the third case, progress is reckoned as bad from slowness.

In the fourth case, progress is reckoned as excellent because of both ease and swiftness.

Unsurpassable, lord, is this concerning rates of progress.

All this the Exalted One understands, and beyond what he understands there is nothing left to understand.

Nor is there any other, whether he be recluse or brahmin, who is greater and wiser than the Exalted One, that is to say, as regards rates of progress.

Moreover, lord, unsurpassable is the way in which the Exalted One teaches the Norm concerning conduct in speech to wit:—how one should not only use no speech associated with lying, but should also, in seeking to win his case, avoid calumnious, abusive and contentious speech, speaking ever gently words of wisdom, worth treasuring up, and uttered in due season.

Unsurpassable, lord, is this concerning conduct in speech.

All this the Exalted One understands, and beyond what he understands there is nothing left to understand.

Nor is there any other, whether he be recluse or brahmin, who is greater and wiser than the Exalted One, that is to say, as regards conduct in speech.

Moreover, lord, unsurpassable is the way in which the Exalted One teaches the Norm concerning the ethical conduct of man to wit:—how such a man should be true and believing, no trickster, no droner out [of holy words for pay], no diviner, no exorcist, nor hungering to add gain to gain, guarded as to the doors of his senses, abstemious in diet, a peacemaker, devoted to keeping vigil, unfaltering, apt to apply effort, contemplative, mindful, of seemly conversation, valiant to go, to endure and to think, not greedy, besides, for worldly pleasures, but heedful and sagacious.

Unsurpassable, lord, is this concerning a man’s ethical conduct.

All this the Exalted One understands, and beyond what he understands there is nothing left to understand.

Nor is there any other, whether he be recluse or brahmin, who is greater and wiser than the Exalted One, that is to say, as regards a man’s ethical conduct.

Moreover, lord, unsurpassable is the way in which the Exalted One teaches the Norm concerning modes of [receiving] instruction, namely, that there are four such modes to wit:—

(1) The Exalted One knows through his own [method of] systematic thought, that a given individual, when carrying out what he has been taught, by the complete destruction of Three Fetters, will become a Stream-winner, saved from disaster hereafter, certain to attain enlightenment;

(2) by the complete destruction of Three Fetters, will have so diminished passion and hate and illusion that he will become a Once-Returner, and returning but once to this world will make an end of ill;

(3) by the complete destruction of the Five ulterior Fetters, will be reborn in a deva-world, there to pass utterly away, thence never to return;

(4) by the destruction of the Intoxicants will come to know and realize for himself, even in this life emancipation of intellect and emancipation of insight, and will therein abide.

Unsurpassable, lord, is this concerning modes of receiving instruction.

All this the Exalted One understands, and beyond what he understands there is nothing left to understand.

Nor is there any other, whether he be recluse or brahmin, who is greater and wiser than the Exalted One, that is to say, as regards modes of receiving instruction.

Moreover, lord, unsurpassable is the way in which the Exalted One teaches the Norm concerning the knowledge of the [degree of] emancipation to which any given individual will attain namely, that: —

(3) by the complete destruction of the Five ulterior Fetters, will be reborn in a deva-world, there to pass utterly away, thence never to return;

(4) by the destruction of the Intoxicants will come to know and realize for himself, even in this life emancipation of intellect and emancipation of insight, and will therein abide.

Unsurpassable, lord, is this concerning knowledge of the degree of emancipation to be attained by a given individual.

All this the Exalted One understands, and beyond what he understands there is nothing left to understand.

Nor is there any other, whether he be recluse or brahmin, who is greater and wiser than the Exalted One, that is to say, as regards knowledge of the degree of emancipation to be attained by a given individual.

Moreover, lord, unsurpassable is the way in which the Exalted One teaches the Norm concerning the doctrines of Eternalism, namely, that there are these three doctrines:

(1) Some recluse or brahmin by means of ardour, of exertion, of application, of earnestness, of careful thought, reaches up to such rapture of thought that, rapt in heart, he calls to mind his various dwelling-places (or births) in times gone by—in one birth, or in two, or three, or four, or five, or ten, or twenty, or thirty, or forty, or fifty, or a hundred, or a thousand, or a hundred thousand, or in several hundred, or several thousand, or several hundred thousand births, to the effect that ‘There I had such and such a name, was of such and such a lineage and class, lived on such and such food, experienced such and such pains and pleasures, had such and such a span of years. And when I fell from thence I was reborn here’:—thus does he recollect, both as to the manner thereof and in detail, his various dwelling-places in times gone by.

And he says to himself: ‘The time that is gone by I know, whether the world was in process of evolution or of dissolution.

But I know not the time for to come, whether the world will evolve or dissolve.

Eternal is both soul and world, giving birth to nothing new, steadfast as a mountain-peak, as a pillar firmly fixed; and though these living creatures transmigrate and pass away, fall from one state of existence and spring up in another, yet there is only that which is for ever and ever.’

This is the first Eternalist doctrine.

(2) Again, lord, some recluse or brahmin, by means of ardour, of exertion, of application, of earnestness, of careful thought, reaches up to such rapture of thought that, rapt in heart, he calls to mind his various dwelling-places in the past for even greater periods, such as one, two, three, four, five, ten, or twenty pairs of world-evolution and dissolution to the effect that ‘There I had such and such a name, was of such and such a lineage and class, lived on such and such food, experienced such and such pains and pleasures, had such and such a span of years. And when I fell from thence I was reborn here’:—thus does he recollect, both as to the manner thereof and in detail, his various dwelling-places in times gone by.

And he too reflects: ‘The time that is gone by I know, both of the evolution and dissolution of the world, but I know not the time for to come, whether the world will evolve or dissolve.

Eternal is both soul and world, giving birth to nothing new, steadfast as a mountain peak, as a pillar firmly fixed; and though these living creatures transmigrate and pass away, fall from one state of existence and spring up in another, yet there is only that which is for ever and ever.’

This is the second Eternalist doctrine.

(3) Again, lord, some recluse or brahmin, by means of ardour, of exertion, of application, of earnestness, of careful thought, reaches up to such rapture of thought that, rapt in heart, calls to mind his dwelling-places in the past for even greater periods still, even up to forty world-systems evolving and dissolving to the effect that ‘There I had such and such a name, was of such and such a lineage and class, lived on such and such food, experienced such and such pains and pleasures, had such and such a span of years. And when I fell from thence I was reborn here’:—thus does he recollect, both as to the manner thereof and in detail, his various dwelling-places in times gone by.

And he too reflects: ‘The time that is gone by I know, both of the evolution and dissolution of the world, but I know not the time for to come, whether the world will evolve or dissolve.

Unsurpassable, lord, is this concerning Eternalist doctrines.

All this the Exalted One understands, and beyond what he understands there is nothing left to understand.

Nor is there any other, whether he be recluse or brahmin, who is greater and wiser than the Exalted One, that is to say, as regards Eternalist doctrines.

Moreover, lord, unsurpassable is the way in which the Exalted One teaches the Norm concerning knowledge of former dwelling-places, how some recluse or brahmin, by means of ardour, of exertion, of application, of earnestness, of careful thought, reaches up to such rapture of mind, that rapt in thought he calls to mind his various dwelling-places in times gone by, to wit: in one birth, or in two, or three, or four, or five, or ten, or twenty, or thirty, or forty, or fifty, or a hundred, or a thousand, or a hundred thousand, or in several hundred, or several thousand, or several hundred thousand births, up to even several myriads of world-evolutions and dissolutions:—

‘There I had such and such a name, was of such and such a lineage and class, lived on such and such food, experienced such and such pains and pleasures, had such and such a span of years.’

Deceasing thence I was reborn in such another place, where I was of such and such a lineage and class, lived on such and such food, experienced such and such pains and pleasures, had such and such a span of years.’

And when I fell from thence I was reborn here’

Thus does he recollect, both as to the manner thereof and in detail, his various dwelling-places in times gone by.

There are devas, lord, whose span of life is not to be reckoned either by counting or by computation, and yet with whatever individuality they have previously existed, whether as corporeal or incorporeal, whether as percipient, non-percipient, or neither, there is reminiscence of former dwelling-place both as to the manner thereof and in detail.

Unsurpassable, lord, is this concerning knowledge as to such reminiscences.

All this the Exalted One understands, and beyond what he understands there is nothing left to understand.

Nor is there any other, whether he be recluse or brahmin, who is greater and wiser than the Exalted One, that is to say, as regards knowledge as to such reminiscences.

Moreover, lord, unsurpassable is the way in which the Exalted One teaches the Norm concerning knowledge of the decease and rebirth of creatures.

Thus some recluse or brahmin, by means of ardour, of exertion, of application, of earnestness, of careful thought, reaches up to such rapture of mind, that rapt in thought he sees with pure deva-eye, surpassing the sight of men, beings as they decease and are reborn; he recognizes beings as mean or noble, as ill-favoured or well-favoured, as blest or wretched, passing on according to their deeds: Such and such worthy folk, ill-doers in act, word and thought, revilers of the noble ones, holding wrong views, acquiring karma resulting from wrong views, are reborn after death, at the dissolution of the body, in some unhappy state of suffering or woe.

But such and such worthy folk, well-doers in act and word and thought, not revilers of the noble ones, holding right views, acquiring karma resulting from right views, are reborn after death, at the dissolution of the body, in some happy state in heaven.

Thus with the pure deva-eye, surpassing the sight of men, does he see beings deceasing and being reborn.

Unsurpassable, lord, is this concerning knowledge of decease and rebirth.

All this the Exalted One understands, and beyond what he understands there is nothing left to understand.

Nor is there any other, whether he be recluse or brahmin, who is greater and wiser than the Exalted One, that is to say, as regards knowledge of decease and rebirth.

Moreover, lord, unsurpassable is the way in which the Exalted One teaches the Norm concerning modes of supernormal power, that there are two modes, to wit:—

(1) Supernormal power which is concomitant with the mental intoxicants and with worldly aims.

This is called ignoble [power].

(2) Supernormal power which is not concomitant with the mental intoxicants and with worldly aims.

This is called noble [power].

And what, lord, is Supernormal power which is concomitant with the mental intoxicants and with worldly aims the ignoble supernormal power?

When, lord, some recluse or brahmin, by means of ardour, of exertion, of application, of earnestness, of careful thought, reaches up to such rapture of mind, that rapt in thought he becomes able to enjoy divers modes of supernormal power: —

From being one he becomes multiform, from being multiform, he becomes one; from being visible he becomes invisible; he passes without hindrance to the further side of a wall, or a battlement, or a mountain, as if through air; he penetrates up and down through solid ground as if through water; he walks on water without dividing it as if on solid ground; he travels cross-legged through the sky, like a bird on the wing; he touches and feels with the hand even the moon and the sun, of mystic power and potency though they be; he reaches even in the body up to the heaven of Brahma.

This, lord, is the supernormal power, concomitant with the mental Intoxicants and with worldly aims, that is called ignoble.

And what, lord, is the Supernormal power which is not concomitant with the mental intoxicants and with worldly aims that is called noble?

This is when a bhikkhu can, if he so desire, remain unconscious of disgust amid what is disgusting; or conscious of disgust amid what is not disgusting; or unconscious of disgust amid what is both disgusting and what is not disgusting; or conscious of disgust amid what is both disgusting and what is not disgusting; or, avoiding both that which is disgusting and what is not disgusting, should remain indifferent to them as such, mindful and understanding.

This, lord, is the supernormal power, incompatible with mental intoxicants or with worldly aims, which is called noble.

Unsurpassable, lord, is this concerning modes of supernormal power.

These things the Exalted One understands from beginning to end.

And beyond what he understands there is nothing left to understand.

Nor is there any other, whether he be recluse or brahmin, who is greater and wiser than the Exalted One, that is to say, as regards modes of supernormal power.

Whatsoever, lord, may be achieved by a clansman who has faith, summons up energy and is steadfast,—by human steadfastness, energy, progress, and patience,—that has been achieved by the Exalted One.

For, lord, the Exalted One neither follows the habitual practice of those things which attract through worldly desires, especially sensuality—a low and pagan way, unworthy, unprofitable, belonging to the worldly majority;—nor does he follow the habitual practice of self-mortification, which is painful, unworthy, unprofitable.

The Exalted One is able to obtain at will, with ease and in full measure, that earthly happiness of a loftier kind which the Four Stages of Ecstasy afford.

If, lord, anyone were to ask me: What then, friend Sāriputta, has there ever been in times gone by other recluses or brahmins greater and wiser as to enlightenment than the Exalted One?

I should say no.

What then, friend Sāriputta, will there come in future times other recluses or brahmins greater and wiser as to enlightenment than the Exalted One?

Thus asked, I should say no.

What then, friend Sāriputta, is there now any other recluse or brahmin greater and wiser as to enlightenment than the Exalted One?

Thus asked, I should say no.

Again, lord, if I were asked: What then, friend Sāriputta, have there been in times gone by other recluse or brahmin equal to the Exalted One in the matter of enlightenment?

Thus asked, I should say Yea.

Again, lord, if I were asked: What then, friend Sāriputta, will there be in future times other recluse or brahmin equal to the Exalted One in the matter of enlightenment?

Thus asked, I should say Yea.

But if I were asked: Is there now any recluse or brahmin equal to the Exalted One in the matter of Enlightenment?

Thus asked, I should say no.

Again, lord, if I were asked: Why does the venerable Sāriputta thus acknowledge the superiority of one teacher, and not that of another?

Thus asked, I should say: In the presence of the Exalted One have I heard him say and from him have received, that, whereas in times gone by and in future times there have been, and will be other Supreme Buddhas equal to himself in the matter of Enlightenment, yet that in one and the same world-system there should arise two Arahants Buddhas Supreme, the one neither before nor after the other:—that is impossible and unprecedented.

That cannot be.

Should I, lord, answering my questioners thus, be stating the doctrine of the Exalted One, and not misrepresenting him by what is not fact?

Should I be stating doctrine in conformity with the Norm, and would no orthodox disputant find occasion for blame herein?”

“Of a truth, Sāriputta, hadst thou been asked such questions and thus hadst answered, thou hadst stated my doctrine, and hadst not misrepresented me by what is not fact.

Thou hast stated doctrine in conformity with the Norm, and no orthodox disputant could have found occasion for blame therein.”

When they had thus spoken, the venerable Udayin said to the Exalted One: “Wonderful, lord, marvellous, lord, is it to behold how self-contained, serene, and resigned is the Tathagata, when he who is so mighty and powerful will not proclaim himself!

If any Wanderers of independent doctrines were to discern in themselves even one of such matters, they would flourish around a banner because of it.

Wonderful, marvellous is it to behold how self-contained, serene and resigned is the Tathagata, when he who is so mighty and powerful will not proclaim his own virtues!”

“Take note of this then, Udayin, that this is so; and that if Wanderers teaching independent doctrines were to discern in themselves even one such quality, they would flourish around a banner about it.

Take note of this.”

Then the Exalted One addressed the venerable Sāriputta:—

“Wherefore thou, Sāriputta, shouldst often discourse on this matter to both brethren and sisters, laymen and lay sisters.

Whatever foolish ones there be who will feel doubt and hesitation concerning the Tathagata, when they have heard such discourse, even they too will banish their hesitation and their doubt.

On this wise did the venerable Sāriputta make known his faith before the Exalted One.

Hence the title The Faith that Satisfied is another name for his confession.

Here ends the Fifth Suttanta: the Faith that Satisfied.

- Translator: T.W. & C.A.F. Rhys Davids

- Editor: Bhikkhu Sujato

Inspiring Confidence

1.5. Attainments of Vision
1.11. The Knowledge and Freedom of Others
1. Sāriputta’s Lion’s Roar
So I have heard.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Nālandā in Pāvārika’s mango grove.
Then Sāriputta went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:
“Sir, I have such confidence in the Buddha that 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.”
“That’s a grand and dramatic statement, Sāriputta. You’ve roared a definitive, categorical lion’s roar, saying:
‘I have such confidence in the Buddha that
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.’
What about all the perfected ones, the fully awakened Buddhas who lived in the past? Have you comprehended their minds to know that
those Buddhas had such ethics, or such qualities, or such wisdom, or such meditation, or such freedom?”
“No, sir.”
“And what about all the perfected ones, the fully awakened Buddhas who will live in the future? Have you comprehended their minds to know that
those Buddhas will have such ethics, or such qualities, or such wisdom, or such meditation, or such freedom?”
“No, sir.”
“And what about me, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha at present? Have you comprehended my mind to know that
I have such ethics, or such qualities, or such wisdom, or such meditation, or such freedom?”
“No, sir.”
“Well then, Sāriputta, given that you don’t comprehend the minds of Buddhas past, future, or present,
what exactly are you doing, making such a grand and dramatic statement, roaring such a definitive, categorical lion’s roar?”

“Sir, though I don’t comprehend the minds of Buddhas past, future, and present,
still I understand this by inference from the teaching.
Suppose there were a king’s frontier citadel with fortified embankments, ramparts, and arches, and a single gate.
And it has a gatekeeper who is astute, competent, and clever. He keeps strangers out and lets known people in.
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.
They’d think,
‘Whatever sizable creatures enter or leave the citadel, all of them do so via this gate.’
In the same way, I understand this by inference from the teaching:
‘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 wake up to the supreme perfect awakening.’

Sir, once I approached the Buddha to listen to the teaching.
He explained Dhamma with its higher and higher stages, with its better and better stages, with its dark and bright sides.
When I directly knew a certain principle of those teachings, in accordance with how I was taught, I came to a conclusion about the teachings. I had confidence in the Teacher:
‘The Blessed One is a fully awakened Buddha. The teaching is well explained. The Saṅgha is practicing well.’
1.1. Teaching Skillful Qualities
And moreover, sir, how the Buddha teaches skillful qualities is unsurpassable.
This consists of such skillful qualities as
the four kinds of mindfulness meditation, the four right efforts, the four bases of psychic power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven awakening factors, and the noble eightfold path.
By these a mendicant realizes the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life. And they live having realized it with their own insight due to the ending of defilements.
This is unsurpassable when it comes to skillful qualities.
The Buddha understands this without exception. There is nothing to be understood beyond this whereby another ascetic or brahmin might be superior in direct knowledge to the Buddha when it comes to skillful qualities.
1.2. Describing the Sense Fields
And moreover, sir, how the Buddha teaches the description of the sense fields is unsurpassable.
There are these six interior and exterior sense fields.
The eye and sights, the ear and sounds, the nose and smells, the tongue and tastes, the body and touches, and the mind and thoughts.
This is unsurpassable when it comes to describing the sense fields.
The Buddha understands this without exception. There is nothing to be understood beyond this whereby another ascetic or brahmin might be superior in direct knowledge to the Buddha when it comes to describing the sense fields.
1.3. The Conception of the Embryo
And moreover, sir, how the Buddha teaches the conception of the embryo is unsurpassable.
There are these four kinds of conception.
Firstly, someone is unaware when conceived in their mother’s womb, unaware as they remain there, and unaware as they emerge. This is the first kind of conception.
Furthermore, someone is aware when conceived in their mother’s womb, but unaware as they remain there, and unaware as they emerge. This is the second kind of conception.
Furthermore, someone is aware when conceived in their mother’s womb, aware as they remain there, but unaware as they emerge. This is the third kind of conception.
Furthermore, someone is aware when conceived in their mother’s womb, aware as they remain there, and aware as they emerge. This is the fourth kind of conception.
This is unsurpassable when it comes to the conception of the embryo.
1.4. Ways of Revealing
And moreover, sir, how the Buddha teaches the different ways of revealing is unsurpassable.
There are these four ways of revealing.
Firstly, someone reveals by means of a sign,
‘This is what you’re thinking, such is your thought, and thus is your state of mind.’
And even if they reveal this many times, it turns out exactly so, not otherwise.
This is the first way of revealing.
Furthermore, someone reveals after hearing it from humans or non-humans or deities,
‘This is what you’re thinking, such is your thought, and thus is your state of mind.’
And even if they reveal this many times, it turns out exactly so, not otherwise.
This is the second way of revealing.
Furthermore, someone reveals by hearing the sound of thought spreading as someone thinks and considers,
‘This is what you’re thinking, such is your thought, and thus is your state of mind.’
And even if they reveal this many times, it turns out exactly so, not otherwise.
This is the third way of revealing.
Furthermore, someone comprehends the mind of a person who has attained the immersion that’s free of placing the mind and keeping it connected. They understand,
‘Judging by the way this person’s intentions are directed, immediately after this mind state, they’ll think this thought.’
And even if they reveal this many times, it turns out exactly so, not otherwise.
This is the fourth way of revealing.
This is unsurpassable when it comes to the ways of revealing.
And moreover, sir, how the Buddha teaches the attainments of vision is unsurpassable.
There are these four attainments of vision.
Firstly, some ascetic or brahmin—by dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right focus—experiences an immersion of the heart of such a kind that they examine their own body up from the soles of the feet and down from the tips of the hairs, wrapped in skin and full of many kinds of filth.
‘In this body there is head hair, body hair, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, bone marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, diaphragm, spleen, lungs, intestines, mesentery, undigested food, feces, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, grease, saliva, snot, synovial fluid, urine.’
This is the first attainment of vision.
Furthermore, some ascetic or brahmin attains that and goes beyond it.

They examine a person’s bones with skin, flesh, and blood.
This is the second attainment of vision.
Furthermore, some ascetic or brahmin attains that and goes beyond it.

They understand a person’s stream of consciousness, unbroken on both sides, established in both this world and the next.
This is the third attainment of vision.
Furthermore, some ascetic or brahmin attains that and goes beyond it.

They understand a person’s stream of consciousness, unbroken on both sides, not established in either this world or the next.
This is the fourth attainment of vision.
This is unsurpassable when it comes to attainments of vision.
1.6. Descriptions of Individuals
And moreover, sir, how the Buddha teaches the description of individuals is unsurpassable.
There are these seven individuals.
One freed both ways, one freed by wisdom, a personal witness, one attained to view, one freed by faith, a follower of the teachings, a follower by faith.
This is unsurpassable when it comes to the description of individuals.
1.7. Kinds of Striving
And moreover, sir, how the Buddha teaches the kinds of striving is unsurpassable.
There are these seven awakening factors: the awakening factors of mindfulness, investigation of principles, energy, rapture, tranquility, immersion, and equanimity.
This is unsurpassable when it comes to the kinds of striving.
1.8. Ways of Practice
And moreover, sir, how the Buddha teaches the ways of practice is unsurpassable.
Painful practice with slow insight,
painful practice with swift insight,
pleasant practice with slow insight, and
pleasant practice with swift insight.
Of these, the painful practice with slow insight is said to be inferior both ways: because it’s painful and because it’s slow.
The painful practice with swift insight is said to be inferior because it’s painful.
The pleasant practice with slow insight is said to be inferior because it’s slow.
But the pleasant practice with swift insight is said to be superior both ways: because it’s pleasant and because it’s swift.
This is unsurpassable when it comes to the ways of practice.
1.9. Behavior in Speech
And moreover, sir, how the Buddha teaches behavior in speech is unsurpassable.
It’s when someone doesn’t use speech that’s connected with lying, or divisive, or backbiting, or aggressively trying to win.
They speak only wise counsel, valuable and timely.
This is unsurpassable when it comes to behavior in speech.
And moreover, sir, how the Buddha teaches a person’s ethical behavior is unsurpassable.
It’s when someone is honest and faithful. They don’t use deceit, flattery, hinting, or belittling, and they don’t use material possessions to chase after other material possessions. They guard the sense doors and eat in moderation. They’re fair, dedicated to wakefulness, tireless, energetic, and meditative. They have good memory, eloquence, range, retention, and thoughtfulness. They’re not greedy for sensual pleasures. They are mindful and alert.
This is unsurpassable when it comes to a person’s ethical behavior.
1.10. Responsiveness to Instruction
And moreover, sir, how the Buddha teaches the different degrees of responsiveness to instruction is unsurpassable.
There are these four degrees of responsiveness to instruction.
The Buddha knows by investigating inside another individual:
‘By practicing as instructed this individual will, with the ending of three fetters, become a stream-enterer, not liable to be reborn in the underworld, bound for awakening.’
The Buddha knows by investigating inside another individual:
‘By practicing as instructed this individual will, with the ending of three fetters, and the weakening of greed, hate, and delusion, become a once-returner. They will come back to this world once only, then make an end of suffering.’
The Buddha knows by investigating inside another individual:
‘By practicing as instructed this individual will, with the ending of the five lower fetters, be reborn spontaneously. They will be extinguished there, and are not liable to return from that world.’
The Buddha knows by investigating inside another individual:
‘By practicing as instructed this individual will realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life, and live having realized it with their own insight due to the ending of defilements.’
This is unsurpassable when it comes to the different degrees of responsiveness to instruction.
And moreover, sir, how the Buddha teaches the knowledge and freedom of other individuals is unsurpassable.
The Buddha knows by investigating inside another individual:
‘With the ending of three fetters this individual will become a stream-enterer, not liable to be reborn in the underworld, bound for awakening.’
The Buddha knows by investigating inside another individual:
‘With the ending of three fetters, and the weakening of greed, hate, and delusion, this individual will become a once-returner. They will come back to this world once only, then make an end of suffering.’
The Buddha knows by investigating inside another individual:
‘With the ending of the five lower fetters, this individual will be reborn spontaneously. They will be extinguished there, and are not liable to return from that world.’
The Buddha knows by investigating inside another individual:
‘This individual will realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life, and live having realized it with their own insight due to the ending of defilements.’
This is unsurpassable when it comes to the knowledge and freedom of other individuals.
1.12. Eternalism
And moreover, sir, how the Buddha teaches eternalist doctrines is unsurpassable.
There are these three eternalist doctrines.
Firstly, some ascetic or brahmin—by dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right focus—experiences an immersion of the heart of such a kind that they recollect many hundreds of thousands of past lives,
with features and details.
They say,
‘I know that in the past the cosmos expanded or contracted.
I don’t know whether in the future the cosmos will expand or contract.
The self and the cosmos are eternal, barren, steady as a mountain peak, standing firm like a pillar. They remain the same for all eternity, while these sentient beings wander and transmigrate and pass away and rearise.’
This is the first eternalist doctrine.
Furthermore, some ascetic or brahmin—by dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right focus—experiences an immersion of the heart of such a kind that they recollect their past lives for as many as ten eons of the expansion and contraction of the cosmos,
with features and details.
They say,
‘I know that in the past the cosmos expanded or contracted.
I don’t know whether in the future the cosmos will expand or contract.
The self and the cosmos are eternal, barren, steady as a mountain peak, standing firm like a pillar.
They remain the same for all eternity, while these sentient beings wander and transmigrate and pass away and rearise.’
This is the second eternalist doctrine.
Furthermore, some ascetic or brahmin—by dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right focus—experiences an immersion of the heart of such a kind that they recollect their past lives for as many as forty eons of the expansion and contraction of the cosmos,
with features and details.
They say,
‘I know that in the past the cosmos expanded or contracted.
I don’t know whether in the future the cosmos will expand or contract.
The self and the cosmos are eternal, barren, steady as a mountain peak, standing firm like a pillar.
They remain the same for all eternity, while these sentient beings wander and transmigrate and pass away and rearise.’
This is the third eternalist doctrine.
This is unsurpassable when it comes to eternalist doctrines.
1.13. Recollecting Past Lives
And moreover, sir, how the Buddha teaches the knowledge of recollecting past lives is unsurpassable.
It’s when some ascetic or brahmin—by dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right focus—experiences an immersion of the heart of such a kind that they recollect their many kinds of past lives.
That is: one, two, three, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, a hundred, a thousand, a hundred thousand rebirths; many eons of the world contracting, many eons of the world expanding, many eons of the world contracting and expanding. They remember:
‘There, I was named this, my clan was that, I looked like this, and that was my food. This was how I felt pleasure and pain, and that was how my life ended. When I passed away from that place I was reborn somewhere else. There, too, I was named this, my clan was that, I looked like this, and that was my food. This was how I felt pleasure and pain, and that was how my life ended. When I passed away from that place I was reborn here.’ And so they recollect their many kinds of past lives, with features and details.
Sir, there are gods whose life span cannot be reckoned or calculated.
Still, no matter what incarnation they have previously been reborn in—whether physical or formless or percipient or non-percipient or neither percipient nor non-percipient—
they recollect their many kinds of past lives, with features and details.
This is unsurpassable when it comes to the knowledge of recollecting past lives.
1.14. Death and Rebirth
And moreover, sir, how the Buddha teaches the knowledge of the death and rebirth of sentient beings is unsurpassable.
It’s when some ascetic or brahmin—by dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right focus—experiences an immersion of the heart of such a kind that with clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, they see sentient beings passing away and being reborn
If the wanderers following other paths were to see even a single one of these qualities in themselves they’d carry around a banner to that effect.
It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing! The Realized One has so few wishes, such contentment, such self-effacement!
—inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in a good place or a bad place. They understand how sentient beings are reborn according to their deeds: ‘These dear beings did bad things by way of body, speech, and mind. They spoke ill of the noble ones; they had wrong view; and they chose to act out of that wrong view. When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell. These dear beings, however, did good things by way of body, speech, and mind. They never spoke ill of the noble ones; they had right view; and they chose to act out of that right view. When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.’ And so, with clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, they see sentient beings passing away and being reborn—inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in a good place or a bad place. They understand how sentient beings are reborn according to their deeds.
This is unsurpassable when it comes to the knowledge of death and rebirth.
1.15. Psychic Powers
And moreover, sir, how the Buddha teaches psychic power is unsurpassable.
There are these two kinds of psychic power.
There are psychic powers that are accompanied by defilements and attachments, and are said to be ignoble.
And there are psychic powers that are free of defilements and attachments, and are said to be noble.
What are the psychic powers that are accompanied by defilements and attachments, and are said to be ignoble?
It’s when some ascetic or brahmin—by dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right focus—experiences an immersion of the heart of such a kind that they wield the many kinds of psychic power:
multiplying themselves and becoming one again; going unimpeded through a wall, a rampart, or a mountain as if through space; diving in and out of the earth as if it were water; walking on water as if it were earth; flying cross-legged through the sky like a bird; touching and stroking with the hand the sun and moon, so mighty and powerful; controlling the body as far as the Brahmā realm.
These are the psychic powers that are accompanied by defilements and attachments, and are said to be ignoble.
But what are the psychic powers that are free of defilements and attachments, and are said to be noble?
It’s when, if a mendicant wishes: ‘May I meditate perceiving the unrepulsive in the repulsive,’ that’s what they do.
If they wish: ‘May I meditate perceiving the repulsive in the unrepulsive,’ that’s what they do.
If they wish: ‘May I meditate perceiving the unrepulsive in the repulsive and the unrepulsive,’ that’s what they do.
If they wish: ‘May I meditate perceiving the repulsive in the unrepulsive and the repulsive,’ that’s what they do.
If they wish: ‘May I meditate staying equanimous, mindful and aware, rejecting both the repulsive and the unrepulsive,’ that’s what they do.
These are the psychic powers that are free of defilements and attachments, and are said to be noble.
This is unsurpassable when it comes to psychic powers.
The Buddha understands this without exception. There is nothing to be understood beyond this whereby another ascetic or brahmin might be superior in direct knowledge to the Buddha when it comes to psychic powers.
1.16. The Four Absorptions
The Buddha has achieved what should be achieved by a faithful gentleman by being energetic and strong, by human strength, energy, vigor, and exertion.
The Buddha doesn’t indulge in sensual pleasures, which are low, crude, ordinary, ignoble, and pointless. And he doesn’t indulge in self-mortification, which is painful, ignoble, and pointless.
He gets the four absorptions—blissful meditations in the present life that belong to the higher mind—when he wants, without trouble or difficulty.
1.17. On Being Questioned
Sir, if they were to ask me,
‘Reverend Sāriputta, is there any other ascetic or brahmin—whether past, future, or present—whose direct knowledge is superior to the Buddha when it comes to awakening?’ I would tell them ‘No.’

But if they were to ask me,
‘Reverend Sāriputta, is there any other ascetic or brahmin—whether past or future—whose direct knowledge is equal to the Buddha when it comes to awakening?’ I would tell them ‘Yes.’

But if they were to ask: ‘Reverend Sāriputta, is there any other ascetic or brahmin at present whose direct knowledge is equal to the Buddha when it comes to awakening?’ I would tell them ‘No.’
But if they were to ask me,
‘But why does Venerable Sāriputta grant this in respect of some but not others?’ I would answer them like this,
‘Reverends, I have heard and learned this in the presence of the Buddha:
“The perfected ones, fully awakened Buddhas of the past and the future are equal to myself when it comes to awakening.”

And I have also heard and learned this in the presence of the Buddha:
“It’s impossible for two perfected ones, fully awakened Buddhas to arise in the same solar system at the same time.”’
Answering this way, I trust that I repeated what the Buddha has said, and didn’t misrepresent him with an untruth. I trust my explanation was in line with the teaching, and that there are no legitimate grounds for rebuke or criticism.”
“Indeed, Sāriputta, in answering this way you repeat what I’ve said, and don’t misrepresent me with an untruth. Your explanation is in line with the teaching, and there are no legitimate grounds for rebuke or criticism.”
2. Incredible and Amazing
When he had spoken, Venerable Udāyī said to the Buddha,
“It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing! The Realized One has so few wishes, such contentment, such self-effacement!
For even though the Realized One has such power and might, he will not make a display of himself.
For even though the Realized One has such power and might, he will not make a display of himself.”
“See, Udāyī, how the Realized One has so few wishes, such contentment, such self-effacement.
For even though the Realized One has such power and might, he will not make a display of himself.
If the wanderers following other paths were to see even a single one of these qualities in themselves they’d carry around a banner to that effect.
See, Udāyī, how the Realized One has so few wishes, such contentment, such self-effacement.
For even though the Realized One has such power and might, he will not make a display of himself.”
Then the Buddha said to Venerable Sāriputta,
“So Sāriputta, you should frequently speak this exposition of the teaching to the monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen.
Though there will be some foolish people who have doubt or uncertainty regarding the Realized One, when they hear this exposition of the teaching they’ll give up that doubt or uncertainty.”
That’s how Venerable Sāriputta declared his confidence in the Buddha’s presence.
And that’s why the name of this discussion is “Inspiring Confidence”.