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AN 4.23PTS AN 2.232 min read

The World

Lokasutta

Why the Buddha is called the Realized One.

Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

  • 0.1Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.23Numbered Discourses 4.23
  • 0.23. Uruvelavagga3. At Uruvelā

0.3LokasuttaThe World

1.1“Loko, bhikkhave, tathāgatena abhisambuddho.“Mendicants, the world has been understood by the Realized One;1.2Lokasmā tathāgato visaṁyutto.and he is detached from the world.1.3Lokasamudayo, bhikkhave, tathāgatena abhisambuddho.The origin of the world has been understood by the Realized One;1.4Lokasamudayo tathāgatassa pahīno.and he has given up the origin of the world.1.5Lokanirodho, bhikkhave, tathāgatena abhisambuddho.The cessation of the world has been understood by the Realized One;1.6Lokanirodho tathāgatassa sacchikato.and he has realized the cessation of the world.1.7Lokanirodhagāminī paṭipadā, bhikkhave, tathāgatena abhisambuddhā.The practice that leads to the cessation of the world has been understood by the Realized One;1.8Lokanirodhagāminī paṭipadā tathāgatassa bhāvitā.and he has developed the practice that leads to the cessation of the world.

2.1PTS 2.24Yaṁ, bhikkhave, sadevakassa lokassa samārakassa sabrahmakassa sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya diṭṭhaṁ sutaṁ mutaṁ viññātaṁ pattaṁ pariyesitaṁ anuvicaritaṁ manasā, sabbaṁ taṁ tathāgatena abhisambuddhaṁ.In this world—with its gods, Māras, and divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans—whatever is seen, heard, thought, known, attained, sought, and explored by the mind, all that has been understood by the Realized One.2.2Tasmā ‘tathāgato’ti vuccati.That’s why he’s called the ‘Realized One’.

3.1Yañca, bhikkhave, rattiṁ tathāgato anuttaraṁ sammāsambodhiṁ abhisambujjhati yañca rattiṁ anupādisesāya nibbānadhātuyā parinibbāyati, yaṁ etasmiṁ antare bhāsati lapati niddisati sabbaṁ taṁ tatheva hoti, no aññathā.From the night when the Realized One awakens to the supreme perfect awakening until the night he becomes fully extinguished—in the element of extinguishment with no residue—everything he speaks, says, and expresses is real, not otherwise.3.2Tasmā ‘tathāgato’ti vuccati.That’s why he’s called the ‘Realized One’.

4.1Yathāvādī, bhikkhave, tathāgato tathākārī, yathākārī tathāvādī.The Realized One does as he says, and says as he does.4.2Iti yathāvādī tathākārī, yathākārī tathāvādī.Since this is so,4.3Tasmā ‘tathāgato’ti vuccati.that’s why he’s called the ‘Realized One’.

5.1Sadevake, bhikkhave, loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya tathāgato abhibhū anabhibhūto aññadatthu daso vasavattī.In this world—with its gods, Māras, and divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, gods and humans—the Realized One is the vanquisher, the unvanquished, the universal seer, the wielder of power.5.2Tasmā ‘tathāgato’ti vuccati.That’s why he’s called the ‘Realized One’.

6.1Sabbaṁ lokaṁ abhiññāya,Directly knowing the whole world as it is,6.2sabbaṁ loke yathātathaṁ;and everything in it,6.3Sabbaṁ lokaṁ visaṁyutto,he is detached from the whole world,6.4sabbaloke anūpayo.uninvolved with the whole world.

7.1Sa ve sabbābhibhū dhīro,That attentive one is the vanquisher of all7.2sabbaganthappamocano;who is released from all ties.7.3Phuṭṭha’ssa paramā santi,He has reached ultimate peace:7.4nibbānaṁ akutobhayaṁ.extinguishment, fearing nothing from any quarter.

8.1Esa khīṇāsavo buddho,He is the Buddha, with defilements ended,8.2anīgho chinnasaṁsayo;untroubled, with doubts cut off.8.3Sabbakammakkhayaṁ patto,He has attained the end of all deeds,8.4vimutto upadhisaṅkhaye.freed with the ending of attachments.

9.1Esa so bhagavā buddho,That Blessed One is the Buddha,9.2esa sīho anuttaro;he is the supreme lion,9.3Sadevakassa lokassa,in all the world with its gods,9.4brahmacakkaṁ pavattayī.he turns the divine wheel.

10.1Iti devā manussā ca,And so those gods and humans,10.2ye buddhaṁ saraṇaṁ gatā;who have gone to the Buddha for refuge,10.3Saṅgamma taṁ namassanti,come together and revere him,10.4mahantaṁ vītasāradaṁ.great of heart and intrepid:

11.1Danto damayataṁ seṭṭho,‘Tamed, he is the best of tamers,11.2santo samayataṁ isi;peaceful, he is the seer among the peaceful,11.3Mutto mocayataṁ aggo,liberated, he is the foremost of liberators,11.4tiṇṇo tārayataṁ varo.crossed over, he is the most excellent of guides across.’

12.1Iti hetaṁ namassanti,And so they revere him,12.2mahantaṁ vītasāradaṁ;great of heart and intrepid.12.3Sadevakasmiṁ lokasmiṁ,In the world with its gods,12.4natthi me paṭipuggalo”ti.he has no rival.”

12.5Tatiyaṁ.