1.1Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati isigilipasse kāḷasilāyaṁ mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ pañcamattehi bhikkhusatehi sabbeheva arahantehi.At one time the Buddha was staying on the slopes of Isigili at the Black Rock, together with a large Saṅgha of five hundred mendicants, all of whom were perfected ones.1.2Tesaṁ sudaṁ āyasmā mahāmoggallāno cetasā cittaṁ samannesati vippamuttaṁ nirupadhiṁ.Thereupon, with his mind, Venerable Mahāmoggallāna scrutinized whose mind was liberated and free of attachments.

1.3Atha kho āyasmato vaṅgīsassa etadahosi:Then Venerable Vaṅgīsa thought,1.4“ayaṁ kho bhagavā rājagahe viharati isigilipasse kāḷasilāyaṁ mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ pañcamattehi bhikkhusatehi sabbeheva arahantehi.“The Buddha is staying on the slopes of Isigili … with five hundred perfected ones.1.5Tesaṁ sudaṁ āyasmā mahāmoggallāno cetasā cittaṁ samannesati vippamuttaṁ nirupadhiṁ.Mahāmoggallāna is scrutinizing whose mind is liberated and free of attachments.1.6Yannūnāhaṁ āyasmantaṁ mahāmoggallānaṁ bhagavato sammukhā sāruppāhi gāthāhi abhitthaveyyan”ti.Why don’t I extoll him in the Buddha’s presence with fitting verses?”

2.1Atha kho āyasmā vaṅgīso uṭṭhāyāsanā ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā yena bhagavā tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:Then Venerable Vaṅgīsa rose from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, raised his cupped palms toward the Buddha, and said,2.2“paṭibhāti maṁ, bhagavā, paṭibhāti maṁ, sugatā”ti.“I feel inspired to speak, Blessed One! I feel inspired to speak, Holy One!”

2.3“Paṭibhātu taṁ, vaṅgīsā”ti bhagavā avoca.“Then speak as you feel inspired,” said the Buddha.

2.4Atha kho āyasmā vaṅgīso āyasmantaṁ mahāmoggallānaṁ bhagavato sammukhā sāruppāhi gāthāhi abhitthavi:Then Vaṅgīsa extolled Mahāmoggallāna in his presence with fitting verses:

3.1“Nagassa passe āsīnaṁ,∥“As the sage, who has gone beyond suffering,3.2muniṁ dukkhassa pāraguṁ;sits upon the mountain slope,3.3Sāvakā payirupāsanti,he is revered by disciples with the three knowledges,3.4tevijjā maccuhāyino.conquerors of death.

4.1Te cetasā anupariyeti,Moggallāna, of great psychic power,4.2Moggallāno mahiddhiko;encompasses with his mind,4.3Cittaṁ nesaṁ samannesaṁ,scrutinizing their minds,4.4Vippamuttaṁ nirūpadhiṁ.liberated, free of attachments.

5.1Evaṁ sabbaṅgasampannaṁ,That is how those endowed <j>with many fine qualities¹5.2Muniṁ dukkhassa pāraguṁ;revere Gotama,5.3Anekākārasampannaṁ,the sage gone beyond suffering,5.4Payirupāsanti gotaman”ti.perfect in every respect.”²