Gāravasutta

Saṁyutta Nikāya 6.2

Linked Discourses 6.2

1. Paṭhamavagga

1. The Appeal

Gāravasutta

Respect

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—

So I have heard.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā uruvelāyaṁ viharati najjā nerañjarāya tīre ajapālanigrodhamūle paṭhamābhisambuddho.

At one time, when he was first awakened, the Buddha was staying in Uruvelā at the root of the goatherd’s banyan tree on the bank of the Nerañjarā River.

Atha kho bhagavato rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi:

Then as he was in private retreat this thought came to his mind,

“dukkhaṁ kho agāravo viharati appatisso, kaṁ nu khvāhaṁ samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya vihareyyan”ti?

“One without respect and reverence lives in suffering. What ascetic or brahmin should I honor and respect and rely on?”

Atha kho bhagavato etadahosi:

Then it occurred to him:

“aparipuṇṇassa kho sīlakkhandhassa pāripūriyā aññaṁ samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya vihareyyaṁ.

“I’d honor and respect and rely on another ascetic or brahmin so as to complete the entire spectrum of ethics, if it were incomplete.

Na kho panāhaṁ passāmi sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya attanā sīlasampannataraṁ aññaṁ samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā, yamahaṁ sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya vihareyyaṁ.

But I don’t see any other ascetic or brahmin in this world—with its gods, Māras, and divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans—who is more accomplished than myself in ethics, who I should honor and respect and rely on.

Aparipuṇṇassa kho samādhikkhandhassa pāripūriyā aññaṁ samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya vihareyyaṁ.

I’d honor and respect and rely on another ascetic or brahmin so as to complete the entire spectrum of immersion, if it were incomplete.

Na kho panāhaṁ passāmi sadevake loke …pe… attanā samādhisampannataraṁ aññaṁ samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā, yamahaṁ sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya vihareyyaṁ.

But I don’t see any other ascetic or brahmin … who is more accomplished than myself in immersion …

Aparipuṇṇassa paññākkhandhassa pāripūriyā aññaṁ samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya vihareyyaṁ.

I’d honor and respect and rely on another ascetic or brahmin so as to complete the entire spectrum of wisdom, if it were incomplete.

Na kho panāhaṁ passāmi sadevake …pe… attanā paññāsampannataraṁ aññaṁ samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā, yamahaṁ sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya vihareyyaṁ.

But I don’t see any other ascetic or brahmin … who is more accomplished than myself in wisdom …

Aparipuṇṇassa kho vimuttikkhandhassa pāripūriyā aññaṁ samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya vihareyyaṁ.

I’d honor and respect and rely on another ascetic or brahmin so as to complete the entire spectrum of freedom, if it were incomplete.

Na kho panāhaṁ passāmi sadevake …pe… attanā vimuttisampannataraṁ aññaṁ samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā, yamahaṁ sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya vihareyyaṁ.

But I don’t see any other ascetic or brahmin … who is more accomplished than myself in freedom …

Aparipuṇṇassa kho vimuttiñāṇadassanakkhandhassa pāripūriyā aññaṁ samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya vihareyyaṁ.

I’d honor and respect and rely on another ascetic or brahmin so as to complete the entire spectrum of the knowledge and vision of freedom, if it were incomplete.

Na kho panāhaṁ passāmi sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya attanā vimuttiñāṇadassanasampannataraṁ aññaṁ samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā, yamahaṁ sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya vihareyyaṁ.

But I don’t see any other ascetic or brahmin in this world—with its gods, Māras, and divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans—who is more accomplished than myself in the knowledge and vision of freedom, who I should honor and respect and rely on.

Yannūnāhaṁ yvāyaṁ dhammo mayā abhisambuddho tameva dhammaṁ sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya vihareyyan”ti.

Why don’t I honor and respect and rely on the same Dhamma to which I was awakened?”

Atha kho brahmā sahampati bhagavato cetasā cetoparivitakkamaññāya—seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso samiñjitaṁ vā bāhaṁ pasāreyya pasāritaṁ vā bāhaṁ samiñjeyya; evameva—brahmaloke antarahito bhagavato purato pāturahosi.

Then the divinity Sahampati knew the Buddha’s train of thought. As easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, he vanished from the realm of divinity and reappeared in front of the Buddha.

Atha kho brahmā sahampati ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā yena bhagavā tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

He arranged his robe over one shoulder, raised his cupped palms toward the Buddha, and said:

“evametaṁ, bhagavā, evametaṁ, sugata.

“That’s so true, Blessed One! That’s so true, Holy One!

Yepi te, bhante, ahesuṁ atītamaddhānaṁ arahanto sammāsambuddhā, tepi bhagavanto dhammaññeva sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya vihariṁsu;

All the perfected ones, the fully awakened Buddhas who lived in the past honored and respected and relied on this same teaching.

yepi te, bhante, bhavissanti anāgatamaddhānaṁ arahanto sammāsambuddhā tepi bhagavanto dhammaññeva sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya viharissanti.

All the perfected ones, the fully awakened Buddhas who will live in the future will honor and respect and rely on this same teaching.

Bhagavāpi, bhante, etarahi arahaṁ sammāsambuddho dhammaññeva sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya viharatū”ti.

May the Blessed One, who is the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha at present, also honor and respect and rely on this same teaching.”

Idamavoca brahmā sahampati, idaṁ vatvā athāparaṁ etadavoca:

That is what the divinity Sahampati said. Then he went on to say:

“Ye ca atītā sambuddhā,

“All Buddhas in the past,

ye ca buddhā anāgatā;

the Buddhas of the future,

Yo cetarahi sambuddho,

and the Buddha at present—

bahūnaṁ sokanāsano.

destroyer of the sorrows of many—

Sabbe saddhammagaruno,

respecting the true teaching

vihaṁsu viharanti ca;

they did live, they do live,

Tathāpi viharissanti,

and they also will live.

esā buddhāna dhammatā.

This is the nature of the Buddhas.

Tasmā hi attakāmena,

Therefore someone who desires self-knowledge,

mahattamabhikaṅkhatā;

and aspires to greatness themselves,

Saddhammo garukātabbo,

should respect the true teaching,

saraṁ buddhāna sāsanan”ti.

remembering the instructions of the Buddhas.”