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SN 22.58PTS SN 3.651 min read

The Fully Awakened Buddha

Sammāsambuddhasutta

The Buddha declares that a mendicant is freed by wisdom by non-attachment to the aggregates, in just the same way as he himself. He then explains that the difference between himself and another awakened mendicant is simply that he was the first to discover the path and teach it to others.

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

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 22.58Linked Discourses 22.58
  • 0.26. Upayavagga6. Involvement

0.3SammāsambuddhasuttaThe Fully Awakened Buddha

1.1Sāvatthinidānaṁ.At Sāvatthī.

1.2“Tathāgato, bhikkhave, arahaṁ sammāsambuddho rūpassa nibbidā virāgā nirodhā anupādā vimutto sammāsambuddhoti vuccati.“Mendicants, a Realized One, a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha is freed by not grasping, due to disillusionment, dispassion, and cessation regarding form. They’re called a fully awakened Buddha.1.3Bhikkhupi, bhikkhave, paññāvimutto rūpassa nibbidā virāgā nirodhā anupādā vimutto paññāvimuttoti vuccati.A mendicant freed by wisdom is also freed by not grasping, due to disillusionment, dispassion, and cessation regarding form. They’re called a mendicant freed by wisdom.1

2.1Tathāgato, bhikkhave, arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vedanāya nibbidā virāgā nirodhā anupādā vimutto sammāsambuddhoti vuccati.A Realized One, a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha is freed by not grasping, due to disillusionment, dispassion, and cessation regarding feeling …2.2Bhikkhupi, bhikkhave, paññāvimutto vedanāya nibbidā …pe… paññāvimuttoti vuccati.

3.1PTS 3.66Tathāgato, bhikkhave, arahaṁ sammāsambuddho saññāya …perception …

3.2saṅkhārānaṁ …choices …

3.3viññāṇassa nibbidā virāgā nirodhā anupādā vimutto sammāsambuddhoti vuccati.consciousness. They’re called a fully awakened Buddha.3.4Bhikkhupi, bhikkhave, paññāvimutto viññāṇassa nibbidā virāgā nirodhā anupādā vimutto paññāvimuttoti vuccati.A mendicant freed by wisdom is also freed by not grasping, due to disillusionment, dispassion, and cessation regarding consciousness. They’re called a mendicant freed by wisdom.

4.1Tatra kho, bhikkhave, ko viseso, ko adhippayāso, kiṁ nānākaraṇaṁ, tathāgatassa arahato sammāsambuddhassa paññāvimuttena bhikkhunā”ti?What, then, is the difference between a Realized One, a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha, and a mendicant freed by wisdom?”

4.2“Bhagavaṁmūlakā no, bhante, dhammā bhagavaṁnettikā bhagavaṁpaṭisaraṇā. Sādhu vata, bhante, bhagavantaññeva paṭibhātu etassa bhāsitassa attho. Bhagavato sutvā bhikkhū dhāressantī”ti.“Our teachings are rooted in the Buddha. He is our guide and our refuge. Sir, may the Buddha himself please clarify the meaning of this. The mendicants will listen and remember it.”

4.3“Tena hi, bhikkhave, suṇātha, sādhukaṁ manasi karotha, bhāsissāmī”ti.“Well then, mendicants, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”

4.4“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ.“Yes, sir,” they replied.4.5Bhagavā etadavoca:The Buddha said this:

5.1“Tathāgato, bhikkhave, arahaṁ sammāsambuddho anuppannassa maggassa uppādetā, asañjātassa maggassa sañjanetā, anakkhātassa maggassa akkhātā maggaññū, maggavidū, maggakovido;“The Realized One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha gave rise to the unarisen path, gave birth to the unborn path, and explained the unexplained path. He is the knower of the path, the discoverer of the path, the expert on the path.5.2maggānugā ca, bhikkhave, etarahi sāvakā viharanti pacchā samannāgatā.And now the disciples live following the path; they acquire it later.

5.3Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhave, viseso, ayaṁ adhippayāso, idaṁ nānākaraṇaṁ tathāgatassa arahato sammāsambuddhassa paññāvimuttena bhikkhunā”ti.This is the difference between a Realized One, a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha, and a mendicant freed by wisdom.”

5.4Chaṭṭhaṁ.

Translator’s notes

  1. The mendicant “freed by wisdom” is an arahant. Here it means any arahant, but sometimes it distinguishes one who has prioritized wisdom in their development (eg. MN 70:16.2).

    ↩ sn22.58:1.3