1.1Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground.1.2Atha kho vassakāro brāhmaṇo magadhamahāmatto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi.Then Vassakāra the brahmin, a chief minister of Magadha, went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him.1.3Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho vassakāro brāhmaṇo magadhamahāmatto bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to the Buddha:

2.1“Catūhi kho mayaṁ, bho gotama, dhammehi samannāgataṁ mahāpaññaṁ mahāpurisaṁ paññāpema.“Worthy Gotama, when someone has four qualities we describe him as a great man with great wisdom.2.2Katamehi catūhi?What four?

2.3Idha, bho gotama, bahussuto hoti tassa tasseva sutajātassaThey are very learned in diverse fields of learning.

2.4tassa tasseva kho pana bhāsitassa atthaṁ jānāti: ‘ayaṁ imassa bhāsitassa attho, ayaṁ imassa bhāsitassa attho’ti.They understand the meaning of diverse statements, saying: ‘This is what that statement means; that is what this statement means.’

2.5Satimā kho pana hoti cirakatampi cirabhāsitampi saritā anussaritāThey are mindful, able to remember and recollect what was said and done long ago.

2.6yāni kho pana tāni gahaṭṭhakāni kiṅkaraṇīyāni, tattha dakkho hoti analaso, tatrupāyāya vīmaṁsāya samannāgato alaṁ kātuṁ alaṁ saṁvidhātuṁ.They are deft and tireless in household duties, understanding how to go about things in order to complete and organize the work.

2.7Imehi kho mayaṁ, bho gotama, catūhi dhammehi samannāgataṁ mahāpaññaṁ mahāpurisaṁ paññāpema.When someone possesses these four qualities we describe him as a great man with great wisdom.2.8Sace me, bho gotama, anumoditabbaṁ anumodatu me bhavaṁ gotamo;If the worthy Gotama agrees with me, please say so.2.9sace pana me, bho gotama, paṭikkositabbaṁ paṭikkosatu me bhavaṁ gotamo”ti.If he disagrees, please say so.”

3.1PTS 2.36“Neva kho tyāhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, anumodāmi na paṭikkosāmi.“Brahmin, I neither agree nor disagree with you,3.2Catūhi kho ahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, dhammehi samannāgataṁ mahāpaññaṁ mahāpurisaṁ paññāpemi.but when someone has four qualities I describe him as a great man with great wisdom.3.3Katamehi catūhi?What four?

3.4Idha, brāhmaṇa, bahujanahitāya paṭipanno hoti bahujanasukhāya;It’s when someone practices for the welfare and happiness of the people.3.5bahu’ssa janatā ariye ñāye patiṭṭhāpitā, yadidaṁ kalyāṇadhammatā kusaladhammatā.They’ve established many people in the noble system, that is, the principles of goodness and skillfulness.

3.6So yaṁ vitakkaṁ ākaṅkhati vitakketuṁ taṁ vitakkaṁ vitakketi, yaṁ vitakkaṁ nākaṅkhati vitakketuṁ na taṁ vitakkaṁ vitakketi;They think what they want to think, and don’t think what they don’t want to think.3.7yaṁ saṅkappaṁ ākaṅkhati saṅkappetuṁ taṁ saṅkappaṁ saṅkappeti, yaṁ saṅkappaṁ nākaṅkhati saṅkappetuṁ na taṁ saṅkappaṁ saṅkappeti.They consider what they want to consider, and don’t consider what they don’t want to consider.3.8Iti cetovasippatto hoti vitakkapathe.Thus they have achieved mental mastery of the paths of thought.

3.9Catunnaṁ jhānānaṁ ābhicetasikānaṁ diṭṭhadhammasukhavihārānaṁ nikāmalābhī hoti akicchalābhī akasiralābhī.They get the four absorptions—blissful meditations in this life that belong to the higher mind—when they want, without trouble or difficulty.

3.10Āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati.They realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom. And they live having realized it with their own insight in this very life due to the ending of defilements.

3.11Neva kho tyāhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, anumodāmi na pana paṭikkosāmi.Brahmin, I neither agree nor disagree with you,3.12Imehi kho ahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, catūhi dhammehi samannāgataṁ mahāpaññaṁ mahāpurisaṁ paññāpemī”ti.but when someone possesses these four qualities I describe him as a great man with great wisdom.”

4.1“Acchariyaṁ, bho gotama, abbhutaṁ, bho gotama.“It’s incredible, worthy Gotama, it’s amazing!4.2Yāva subhāsitañcidaṁ bhotā gotamena.How well said this was by the worthy Gotama!4.3Imehi ca mayaṁ, bho gotama, catūhi dhammehi samannāgataṁ bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ dhārema;And we will remember the worthy Gotama as someone who possesses these four qualities.4.4bhavañhi gotamo bahujanahitāya paṭipanno bahujanasukhāya;For the worthy Gotama practices for the welfare and happiness of the people …4.5bahu te janatā ariye ñāye patiṭṭhāpitā, yadidaṁ kalyāṇadhammatā kusaladhammatā.4.6Bhavañhi gotamo yaṁ vitakkaṁ ākaṅkhati vitakketuṁ taṁ vitakkaṁ vitakketi, yaṁ vitakkaṁ nākaṅkhati vitakketuṁ na taṁ vitakkaṁ vitakketi, yaṁ saṅkappaṁ ākaṅkhati saṅkappetuṁ taṁ saṅkappaṁ saṅkappeti, yaṁ saṅkappaṁ nākaṅkhati saṅkappetuṁ na taṁ saṅkappaṁ saṅkappeti.4.7Bhavañhi gotamo cetovasippatto vitakkapathe.The worthy Gotama has achieved mental mastery of the paths of thought.4.8Bhavañhi gotamo catunnaṁ jhānānaṁ ābhicetasikānaṁ diṭṭhadhammasukhavihārānaṁ nikāmalābhī akicchalābhī akasiralābhī.The worthy Gotama gets the four absorptions … when he wants, without trouble or difficulty.4.9Bhavañhi gotamo āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharatī”ti.The worthy Gotama has realized the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom. He lives having realized it with his own insight in this very life due to the ending of defilements.”

5.1PTS 2.37“Addhā kho tyāhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, āsajja upanīya vācā bhāsitā.“Your words are clearly invasive and intrusive, brahmin.5.2Api ca tyāhaṁ byākarissāmi:Nevertheless, I will answer you.5.3‘ahañhi, brāhmaṇa, bahujanahitāya paṭipanno bahujanasukhāya;For I do practice for the welfare and happiness of the people …5.4bahu me janatā ariye ñāye patiṭṭhāpitā, yadidaṁ kalyāṇadhammatā kusaladhammatā.5.5Ahañhi, brāhmaṇa, yaṁ vitakkaṁ ākaṅkhāmi vitakketuṁ taṁ vitakkaṁ vitakkemi, yaṁ vitakkaṁ nākaṅkhāmi vitakketuṁ na taṁ vitakkaṁ vitakkemi, yaṁ saṅkappaṁ ākaṅkhāmi saṅkappetuṁ taṁ saṅkappaṁ saṅkappemi, yaṁ saṅkappaṁ nākaṅkhāmi saṅkappetuṁ na taṁ saṅkappaṁ saṅkappemi.5.6Ahañhi, brāhmaṇa, cetovasippatto vitakkapathe.I have achieved mental mastery of the paths of thought.5.7Ahañhi, brāhmaṇa, catunnaṁ jhānānaṁ ābhicetasikānaṁ diṭṭhadhammasukhavihārānaṁ nikāmalābhī akicchalābhī akasiralābhī.I do get the four absorptions … when I want, without trouble or difficulty.5.8Ahañhi, brāhmaṇa, āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharāmī’ti.I have realized the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom. I live having realized it with my own insight in this very life due to the ending of defilements.

6.1Yo vedi sabbasattānaṁ,He discovered release from the snare of death6.2maccupāsappamocanaṁ;for all beings,6.3Hitaṁ devamanussānaṁ,and explained the system of the teaching6.4ñāyaṁ dhammaṁ pakāsayi;for the welfare of gods and humans.6.5Yaṁ ve disvā ca sutvā ca,When they see him or hear him,6.6pasīdanti bahū janā.many people become confident.

7.1Maggāmaggassa kusalo,He is skilled in what is the path <j>and what is not the path,7.2Katakicco anāsavo;he has completed the task <j>and is free of defilements.7.3Buddho antimasārīro,The Buddha, bearing his final body,7.4Mahāpañño mahāpurisoti vuccatī”ti.is called ‘a great man, of great wisdom’.”

7.5Pañcamaṁ.