sn.21.11 Saṁyutta Nikāya (Linked Discourses)

Mahakappina

At Savatthi. Then the Venerable Mahakappina approached the Blessed One. The Blessed One saw him coming in the distance and addressed the bhikkhus thus: “Bhikkhus, do you see that bhikkhu coming, fair-skinned, thin, with a prominent nose?”

“Yes, venerable sir.”

“That bhikkhu is of great spiritual power and might. It is not easy to find an attainment which that bhikkhu has not already attained. And he is one who, by realizing it for himself with direct knowledge, in this very life enters and dwells in that unsurpassed goal of the holy life for the sake of which clansmen rightly go forth from the household life into homelessness.”

This is what the Blessed One said. Having said this, the Fortunate One, the Teacher, further said this:

“The khattiya is the best among people
For those whose standard is the clan,
But one accomplished in knowledge and conduct
Is best among devas and humans.

“The sun shines by day,
The moon glows at night,
The khattiya shines clad in armour,
The meditative brahmin shines.
But all the time, day and night,
The Buddha shines with glory.”

- Translator: Bhikkhu Bodhi

- Editor: Blake Walsh

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With Mahākappina

At Sāvatthī.
Then Venerable Mahākappina went to see the Buddha.
The Buddha saw him coming off in the distance,
and addressed the mendicants:
“Mendicants, do you see that monk coming—white, thin, with a pointy nose?”
“Yes, sir.”
“That mendicant is very mighty and powerful. It’s not easy to find an attainment that he has not already attained.

And he has realized the supreme end of the spiritual path in this very life. He lives having achieved with his own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness.”
That is what the Buddha said.
Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:
“The aristocrat is best of those people
who take clan as the standard.
But one accomplished in knowledge and conduct
is first among gods and humans.
The sun blazes by day,
the moon glows at night,
the aristocrat shines in armor,
and the brahmin shines in absorption.
But all day and all night,
the Buddha shines with glory.”