Mahākappinasutta

Saṁyutta Nikāya 21.11

Linked Discourses 21.11

1. Bhikkhuvagga

1. Monks

Mahākappinasutta

With Mahākappina

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

At Sāvatthī.

Atha kho āyasmā mahākappino yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami.

Then Venerable Mahākappina went to the Buddha.

Addasā kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ mahākappinaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ.

The Buddha saw him coming off in the distance,

Disvāna bhikkhū āmantesi:

and addressed the mendicants:

“passatha no tumhe, bhikkhave, etaṁ bhikkhuṁ āgacchantaṁ odātakaṁ tanukaṁ tuṅganāsikan”ti?

“Mendicants, do you see that monk coming—white, thin, with a pointy nose?”

“Evaṁ, bhante”.

“Yes, sir.”

“Eso kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu mahiddhiko mahānubhāvo.

“That mendicant is very mighty and powerful.

Na ca sā samāpatti sulabharūpā yā tena bhikkhunā asamāpannapubbā.

It’s not easy to find an attainment that he has not already attained.

Yassa catthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti tadanuttaraṁ brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharatī”ti.

And he has realized the supreme culmination of the spiritual path in this very life. He lives having achieved with his own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness.”

Idamavoca bhagavā.

That is what the Buddha said.

Idaṁ vatvāna sugato athāparaṁ etadavoca satthā:

Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:

“Khattiyo seṭṭho janetasmiṁ,

“The aristocrat is best among people

ye gottapaṭisārino;

who take clan as the standard.

Vijjācaraṇasampanno,

But one accomplished in knowledge and conduct

so seṭṭho devamānuse.

is best among gods and humans.

Divā tapati ādicco,

The sun blazes by day,

rattimābhāti candimā;

the moon radiates at night,

Sannaddho khattiyo tapati,

the aristocrat shines in armor,

jhāyī tapati brāhmaṇo;

and the brahmin shines in absorption.

Atha sabbamahorattiṁ,

But all day and all night,

buddho tapati tejasā”ti.

the Buddha blazes with glory.”

Ekādasamaṁ.