English
5. The Discourse on Inspiring Confidence Sāriputta's Lion's Roar 141. Thus have I heard: On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling in Nāḷandā, in Pāvārika's Mango Grove. Then the Venerable Sāriputta approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the Venerable Sāriputta said to the Blessed One: "Such is my confidence, venerable sir, in the Blessed One, that there has not been, there will not be, nor is there now any other ascetic or brahmin more fully enlightened than the Blessed One, that is, in regard to perfect enlightenment." 142. "This is indeed a grand and bold statement, Sāriputta, that you have uttered; a definite stand you have taken; a lion's roar you have roared: 'Such is my confidence, venerable sir, in the Blessed One; there has not been, there will not be, nor is there now any other ascetic or brahmin more fully enlightened than the Blessed One, that is, in regard to perfect enlightenment.' Have you, Sāriputta, known all those Blessed Ones, the Arahants, Perfectly Self-Enlightened Ones, who were in the past, by encompassing their minds with your mind, that 'Such were the virtues of those Blessed Ones, such were their teachings, such was their wisdom, such were their abidings, such were their liberations'?" "No, venerable sir." "Then, Sāriputta, have you known all those Blessed Ones, the Arahants, Perfectly Self-Enlightened Ones, who will be in the future, by encompassing their minds with your mind, that 'Such will be the virtues of those Blessed Ones, such will be their teachings... such will be their wisdom... such will be their abidings... such will be their liberations'?" "No, venerable sir." "Then, Sāriputta, have you known me, the Arahant, Perfectly Self-Enlightened One, now present, by encompassing my mind with your mind, that 'Such are the virtues of the Blessed One, such are his teachings... such is his wisdom... such is his abiding... such is his liberation'?" "Is it so?" "No, venerable sir." "And here, Sāriputta, you have no knowledge of the minds of the Arahants, the Fully Self-Awakened Ones, of the past, future, and present. Then why, Sāriputta, was this sublime, bull-like speech spoken by you, this categorical statement made, this lion's roar roared – 'So firm is my faith, venerable sir, in the Blessed One, that there has not been, nor will there be, nor is there now, any other recluse or brahmin more fully enlightened than the Blessed One in this matter of awakening'?" 143. "Indeed, venerable sir, I do not have knowledge of the minds of the Arahants, the Fully Self-Awakened Ones, of the past, future, and present. But, venerable sir, the sequence of the Dhamma is known to me. Just as, venerable sir, a king's border city, with strong foundations, strong walls and gates, and a single entrance. There would be a doorkeeper, wise, experienced, intelligent, who keeps out strangers, and lets in the known. He, walking around the city's perimeter, would not see any crack in the wall, or any opening in the wall, not even a cat's exit. He would think thus: 'Whatever large creatures enter or leave this city, all of them enter or leave through this very gate.' Even so, venerable sir, the sequence of the Dhamma is known to me. Those, venerable sir, who were Arahants, Fully Self-Awakened Ones, in the past, all those Blessed Ones, having abandoned the five hindrances, the defilements of the mind that weaken wisdom, with their minds well-established in the four foundations of mindfulness, having truly developed the seven factors of awakening, fully awakened to the unsurpassed perfect awakening. And those, venerable sir, who will be Arahants, Fully Self-Awakened Ones, in the future, all those Blessed Ones, having abandoned the five hindrances, the defilements of the mind that weaken wisdom, with their minds well-established in the four foundations of mindfulness, having truly developed the seven factors of awakening..." having developed what has come to be, they will fully awaken to unsurpassed perfect enlightenment. The Blessed One, too, venerable sir, is now an Arahant, a Perfectly Self-Awakened One, having abandoned the five hindrances, defilements of the mind that weaken wisdom, with his mind well-established in the four foundations of mindfulness, having truly developed the seven factors of enlightenment, he is fully awakened to unsurpassed perfect enlightenment. 144. "Here, venerable sir, I approached the Blessed One to hear the Dhamma. To me, venerable sir, the Blessed One taught the Dhamma, progressively higher, progressively more refined, with a counterpart of black and white. As the Blessed One, venerable sir, taught me the Dhamma, progressively higher, progressively more refined, with a counterpart of black and white, so did I, having directly known that Dhamma, arrive at a conclusion regarding some aspect of the Dhamma; I gained confidence in the Teacher – 'The Blessed One is perfectly self-awakened, the Dhamma is well-proclaimed by the Blessed One, the Sangha of disciples is well-practiced.'" Teaching of Wholesome States 145. "Furthermore, venerable sir, this is the unsurpassed teaching, how the Blessed One teaches the Dhamma concerning wholesome states. These are those wholesome states, namely: the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right exertions, the four bases of psychic power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, the Noble Eightfold Path. Here, venerable sir, a monk, by the destruction of the taints, directly knows, realizes, and enters upon and dwells in the taintless liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom in this very life. This, venerable sir, is the unsurpassed teaching concerning wholesome states. The Blessed One knows this completely. For the Blessed One who knows this completely, there is nothing further to be known, by knowing which another ascetic or brahmin might be more directly knowing than the Blessed One, that is, concerning wholesome states. Teaching of the Designation of Sense Bases 146. "Furthermore, venerable sir, this is the unsurpassed teaching, how the Blessed One teaches the Dhamma concerning the designation of sense bases. These are the six, venerable sir, internal and external sense bases: the eye and forms, the ear and..." Ear and sounds, Nose and smells, Tongue and tastes, Body and tangibles, Mind and mental phenomena. This, venerable sir, is the unsurpassed in the designations of sense spheres. The Blessed One fully knows that, and for the Blessed One who fully knows that, there is nothing further to be known, by knowing which another ascetic or brahmin might be more fully knowing than the Blessed One regarding these designations of sense spheres. Teaching on Conception 147. Furthermore, venerable sir, this is the unsurpassed, how the Blessed One teaches the Dhamma regarding conceptions. There are these four conceptions, venerable sir. Here, venerable sir, some individual enters the mother's womb without full awareness; stays in the mother's womb without full awareness; emerges from the mother's womb without full awareness. This is the first conception. Again, venerable sir, some individual here enters the mother's womb with full awareness; stays in the mother's womb without full awareness; emerges from the mother's womb without full awareness. This is the second conception. Again, venerable sir, some individual here enters the mother's womb with full awareness; stays in the mother's womb with full awareness; emerges from the mother's womb without full awareness. This is the third conception. Again, venerable sir, some individual here enters the mother's womb with full awareness; stays in the mother's womb with full awareness; emerges from the mother's womb with full awareness. This is the fourth conception. This, venerable sir, is the unsurpassed regarding conceptions. Teaching on Modes of Prediction 148. Furthermore, venerable sir, this is the unsurpassed, how the Blessed One teaches the Dhamma regarding modes of prediction. There are these four modes of prediction, venerable sir. Here, venerable sir, some individual predicts by means of a sign – 'Such is your mind, such is your mind, such is your thought.' Even if he predicts much, it turns out just so, not otherwise. This is the first mode of prediction. Again, venerable sir, some individual here does not predict by means of a sign. But rather, of humans or non-humans or having heard the sound of devas, he declares: 'Thus is your mind, thus is your mind, thus is your thought.' Even if he declares much, it is just so, not otherwise. This is the second method of declaration. Furthermore, venerable sir, some person here does not declare by signs, nor having heard the sound of humans, or non-humans, or devas, does he declare. But having heard the sound of the thought-vibrations of one who is thinking and pondering, he declares: 'Thus is your mind, thus is your mind, thus is your thought.' Even if he declares much, it is just so, not otherwise. This is the third method of declaration. Furthermore, venerable sir, some person here does not declare by signs, nor having heard the sound of humans, or non-humans, or devas, does he declare, nor having heard the sound of the thought-vibrations of one who is thinking and pondering, does he declare. But having encompassed the mind with his own mind, he discerns of one who has attained a concentration free from thought and pondering: 'As the mental formations of this venerable one are directed, so immediately after this, his mind will think such and such a thought.' Even if he declares much, it is just so, not otherwise. This is the fourth method of declaration. This, venerable sir, is the unsurpassed among the methods of declaration. The teaching of the attainments of vision 149. Furthermore, venerable sir, this is the unsurpassed, how the Blessed One teaches the Dhamma concerning the attainments of vision.