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Below are suttas that have been sent in the past, starting with the most recent. To see the suttas published in a specific month, try using the Archive page.

SN 3.1 Daharasutta: Young

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

Then King Pasenadi of Kosala went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to the Buddha, “Does Master Gotama claim to have awakened to the supreme perfect awakening?”

“If anyone should rightly be said to have awakened to the supreme perfect awakening, it’s me. For, great king, I have awakened to the supreme perfect awakening.”

“Well, there are those ascetics and brahmins who lead an order and a community, and teach a community. They’re well-known and famous religious founders, deemed holy by many people. That is, Pūraṇa Kassapa, the bamboo-staffed ascetic Gosāla, the Jain ascetic of the Ñātika clan, Sañjaya Belaṭṭhiputta, Pakudha Kaccāyana, and Ajita of the hair blanket. I also asked them whether they claimed to have awakened to the supreme perfect awakening, but they made no such claim. So why do you, given that you’re so young in age and newly gone forth?”

“Great king, these four things should not be looked down upon or disparaged because they are young. What four? An aristocrat, a serpent, a fire, and a mendicant. These four things should not be looked down upon or disparaged because they are young.”

That is what the Buddha said. Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:

“A man should not despise
an aristocrat of impeccable lineage,
high-born and famous,
just because they’re young.

For it’s possible that that lord of men,
as aristocrat, will gain the throne.
And in his anger he’ll execute a royal punishment,
and have you violently beaten.
Hence you should avoid him
for the sake of your own life.

Whether in village or wilderness,
wherever a serpent is seen,
a man should not look down on it
or despise it for its youth.

With its rainbow of colors,
the serpent of fiery breath glides along.
It lashes out and bites the fool,
both men and women alike.
Hence you should avoid it
for the sake of your own life.

A fire devours a huge amount,
a conflagration with a blackened trail.
A man should not look down on it
just because it’s young.

For once it gets fuel
it’ll become a huge conflagration.
It’ll lash out and burn the fool,
both men and women alike.
Hence you should avoid it
for the sake of your own life.

When a forest is burned by fire,
a conflagration with a blackened trail,
the shoots will spring up there again,
with the passing of the days and nights.

But if a mendicant endowed with ethics
burns you with their power,
you’ll have no sons or cattle,
nor will your heirs find wealth.
Childless and heirless you become,
like a palm-tree stump.

That’s why an astute person,
seeing what’s good for themselves,
would always treat these properly:
a snake, a conflagration,
a famous aristocrat,
and a mendicant endowed with ethics.”

When this was said, King Pasenadi of Kosala said to the Buddha, “Excellent, sir! Excellent! As if he were righting the overturned, or revealing the hidden, or pointing out the path to the lost, or lighting a lamp in the dark so people with good eyes can see what’s there, the Buddha has made the teaching clear in many ways. I go for refuge to the Buddha, to the teaching, and to the mendicant Saṅgha. From this day forth, may the Buddha remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”


Read this translation of Saṁyutta Nikāya 3.1 Daharasutta: Young by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net, SuttaFriends.org or DhammaTalks.org. Or listen on PaliAudio.com or Voice.SuttaCentral.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

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Iti 38 Vitakkasutta: Often Occurring Thoughts

This was said by the Lord…

“Bhikkhus, two thoughts often occur to the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Fully Enlightened One: the thought of security (for beings) and the thought of solitude.

“The Tathāgata, bhikkhus, is one who delights in and enjoys non-ill will. As the Tathāgata delights in and enjoys non-ill will, this thought often occurs to him: ‘By this behaviour I do not oppress anyone either frail or firm.’The Tathāgata, bhikkhus, is one who delights in and enjoys solitude. As the Tathāgata delights in and enjoys solitude, this thought often occurs to him: ‘What is unwholesome has been abandoned.’

“Therefore, bhikkhus, I say, you too must live delighting in and enjoying non-ill will. As you so live this thought will often occur to you: ‘By this behaviour we do not oppress anyone either frail or firm.’

“Bhikkhus, you too must live delighting in and enjoying solitude. As you so live this thought will often occur to you: ‘What is unwholesome? What has not been abandoned? What have we abandoned?’”

Two thoughts occur to him,
The Tathāgata, the Awakened One
Who endured what is beyond endurance:
Security (for beings) was the first thought spoken of,
Solitude was the second announced.

The dispeller of darkness, gone beyond,
The great sage who has reached attainment,
Become a master, freed from taints,
Who has crossed over entirely,
Released by the destruction of craving—
That sage bears his final body,
And having left behind Māra, I say,
He has gone beyond decay.

As one standing on a mountain peak
Might see all round the people down below,
So having ascended the Dhamma-palace,
The vastly wise one, all-seeing,
Views the people of the world.
The sorrowless one views below
Those still immersed in sorrow,
Overwhelmed by birth and decay.


Read this translation of Itivuttaka 38 Vitakkasutta: Often Occurring Thoughts by John D. Ireland on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net, SuttaFriends.org or DhammaTalks.org. Or listen on Voice.SuttaCentral.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

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AN 6.30 Anuttariyasutta: Unsurpassable

“Mendicants, these six things are unsurpassable. What six? The unsurpassable seeing, listening, acquisition, training, service, and recollection.

And what is the unsurpassable seeing? Some people go to see an elephant-treasure, a horse-treasure, a jewel-treasure, or a diverse spectrum of sights; or ascetics and brahmins of wrong view and wrong practice. There is such a seeing, I don’t deny it. That seeing is low, crude, ordinary, ignoble, and pointless. It doesn’t lead to disillusionment, dispassion, cessation, peace, insight, awakening, and extinguishment. The unsurpassable seeing is when someone with settled faith and love, sure and devoted, goes to see a Realized One or their disciple. This is in order to purify sentient beings, to get past sorrow and crying, to make an end of pain and sadness, to discover the system, and to realize extinguishment. This is called the unsurpassable seeing. Such is the unsurpassable seeing.

But what of the unsurpassable hearing? Some people go to hear the sound of drums, arched harps, singing, or a diverse spectrum of sounds; or ascetics and brahmins of wrong view and wrong practice. There is such a hearing, I don’t deny it. That hearing … doesn’t lead to extinguishment. The unsurpassable hearing is when someone with settled faith and love, sure and devoted, goes to hear the teaching of a Realized One or one of his disciples. … This is called the unsurpassable hearing. Such is the unsurpassable seeing and hearing.

But what of the unsurpassable acquisition? Some people acquire a child, a wife, wealth, or a diverse spectrum of things; or they acquire faith in an ascetic or brahmin of wrong view and wrong practice. There is such an acquisition, I don’t deny it. That acquisition … doesn’t lead to extinguishment. The unsurpassable acquisition is when someone with settled faith and love, sure and devoted, acquires faith in a Realized One or their disciple. … This is called the unsurpassable acquisition. Such is the unsurpassable seeing, hearing, and acquisition.

But what of the unsurpassable training? Some people train in elephant riding, horse riding, chariot driving, archery, swordsmanship, or a diverse spectrum of things; or they train under an ascetic or brahmin of wrong view and wrong practice. There is such a training, I don’t deny it. That training … doesn’t lead to extinguishment. The unsurpassable training is when someone with settled faith and love, sure and devoted, trains in the higher ethics, the higher mind, and the higher wisdom in the teaching and training proclaimed by a Realized One. … This is called the unsurpassable training. Such is the unsurpassable seeing, hearing, acquisition, and training.

But what of the unsurpassable service? Some people serve an aristocrat, a brahmin, a householder, or a diverse spectrum of people; or they serve ascetics and brahmins of wrong view and wrong practice. There is such service, I don’t deny it. That service … doesn’t lead to extinguishment. The unsurpassable service is when someone with settled faith and love, sure and devoted, serves a Realized One or their disciple. … This is called the unsurpassable service. Such is the unsurpassable seeing, listening, acquisition, training, and service.

But what of the unsurpassable recollection? Some people recollect a child, a wife, wealth, or a diverse spectrum of things; or they recollect an ascetic or brahmin of wrong view and wrong practice. There is such recollection, I don’t deny it. That recollection is low, crude, ordinary, ignoble, and pointless. It doesn’t lead to disillusionment, dispassion, cessation, peace, insight, awakening, and extinguishment. The unsurpassable recollection is when someone with settled faith and love, sure and devoted, recollects a Realized One or their disciple. … This is called the unsurpassable recollection.

These are the six unsurpassable things.

They’ve gained the unsurpassed seeing,
the unsurpassed hearing,
and the unsurpassable acquisition.
They enjoy the unsurpassable training

and serve with care.
Then they develop recollection
connected with seclusion,
which is safe, and leads to the deathless.

They rejoice in diligence,
alert and ethically restrained.
And in time they arrive
at the place where suffering ceases.”


Read this translation of Aṅguttara Nikāya 6.30 Anuttariyasutta: Unsurpassable Anuttariyasutta by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or listen on Voice.SuttaCentral.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

Or read a translation in Deutsch, Bengali, Español, Indonesian, မြန်မာဘာသာ, ру́сский язы́к, සිංහල, ไทย, Tiếng Việt, or 汉语. Learn how to find your language.

SN 46.42 Cakkavattisutta: Wheel-Turning Monarch

“Bhikkhus, with the manifestation of a wheel-turning monarch comes the manifestation of seven gems. What seven? There comes the manifestation of the wheel-gem, the elephant-gem, the horse-gem, the jewel-gem, the woman-gem, the steward-gem, and the commander-gem.

“With the manifestation of a Tathagata, bhikkhus, an Arahant, a Perfectly Enlightened One, comes the manifestation of the seven gems of the factors of enlightenment. What seven? There comes the manifestation of

  • the gem of the enlightenment factor of mindfulness
  • the gem of the enlightenment factor of discrimination of states,
  • the gem of the enlightenment factor of energy,
  • the gem of the enlightenment factor of rapture,
  • the gem of the enlightenment factor of tranquillity,
  • the gem of the enlightenment factor of concentration
  • the gem of the enlightenment factor of equanimity.

With the manifestation of a Tathagata, an Arahant, a Perfectly Enlightened One, comes the manifestation of these seven gems of the factors of enlightenment.”


Note: You can learn about the nutriment for each of the enlightenment factors in SN 46.2 Kāya. You can learn about the seven gems of a wheel turning monarch in MN 129 Bālapaṇḍita.

Read this translation of Saṁyutta Nikāya 46.42 Cakkavattisutta: Wheel-Turning Monarch by Bhikkhu Bodhi on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net. Or listen on Voice.SuttaCentral.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

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Ud 7.9 Udapāna Sutta: The Well

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was wandering among the Mallans, together with a large community of monks, and came to a brahman village of the Mallans named Thūna. The brahman householders of Thūna heard that “Gotama the Sakyan contemplative, gone forth from the Sakyan clan, is wandering among the Mallans together with a large community of monks, and has arrived at Thūna.” So they filled the well all the way to the brim with grass & chaff, [thinking], “Don’t let these shaven-headed contemplatives draw drinking water.”

Then the Blessed One, going down from the road, went to a certain tree, and on arrival sat down on a seat laid out. Seated, he said to Ven. Ānanda: “Please, Ānanda, fetch me some drinking water from that well.”

When this was said, Ven. Ānanda replied, “Just now, lord, the brahman householders of Thūna filled that well all the way to the brim with grass & chaff, [thinking], ‘Don’t let these shaven-headed contemplatives draw drinking water.’”

A second time, the Blessed One said to Ven. Ānanda: “Please, Ānanda, fetch me some drinking water from that well.”

A second time, Ven. Ānanda replied, “Just now, lord, the brahman householders of Thūna filled that well all the way to the brim with grass & chaff, [thinking], ‘Don’t let these shaven-headed contemplatives draw drinking water.’”

A third time, the Blessed One said to Ven. Ānanda: “Please, Ānanda, fetch me some drinking water from that well.”

Responding, “As you say, lord,” to the Blessed One, Ven. Ānanda–taking a bowl–went to the well. As he was approaching the well, it expelled all the grass & chaff from its mouth and stood filled to the brim–streaming, as it were–with pristine water, undisturbed & clear. The thought occurred to him, “How amazing! How astounding!–the great power & great might of the Tathāgata!–in that, while I was approaching the well, it expelled all the grass & chaff from its mouth and stood filled to the brim–streaming, as it were–with pristine water, undisturbed & clear.”

Taking drinking water in his bowl, he went to the Blessed One and on arrival said, “How amazing, lord! How astounding!–the great power & great might of the Tathāgata!–in that, while I was approaching the well, it expelled all the grass & chaff from its mouth and stood filled to the brim–streaming, as it were–with pristine water, undisturbed & clear. Drink the water, O Blessed One! Drink the water, O One-Well-Gone!”

Then, on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One on that occasion exclaimed:

What need for a well
if there were waters always?
Having cut craving
     by the root,
one would go about searching
     for what?


Read this translation of Udāna 7.9 Udapāna Sutta. The Well by Bhikkhu Ṭhanissaro on DhammaTalks.org.

AN 5.99 Sīhasutta: The Lion

“Mendicants, towards evening the lion, king of beasts, emerges from his den, yawns, looks all around the four quarters, and roars his lion’s roar three times. Then he sets out on the hunt. If he strikes an elephant, he does it carefully, not carelessly. If he strikes a buffalo … a cow … a leopard … or any smaller creatures—even a hare or a cat—he does it carefully, not carelessly. Why is that? Thinking: ‘May I not lose my way.’

‘Lion’ is a term for the Realized One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha. When the Realized One teaches Dhamma to an assembly, this is his lion’s roar. When the Realized One teaches the monks … nuns … laymen … laywomen … or ordinary people—even food-carriers and hunters—he teaches them carefully, not carelessly. Why is that? Because the Realized One has respect and reverence for the teaching.


See also AN 4.21 Paṭhamauruvelasutta: At Uruvelā (1st) from a few days ago.

Read this translation of Aṅguttara Nikāya 5.99 Sīhasutta: The Lion Sīhasutta by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on DhammaTalks.org. Or listen on Voice.SuttaCentral.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

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AN 4.76 Kusinārasutta: At Kusinārā

At one time the Buddha was staying between a pair of sal trees in the sal forest of the Mallas at Upavattana near Kusinārā at the time of his final extinguishment. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants, “Mendicants!”

“Venerable sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:

“Perhaps even a single mendicant has doubt or uncertainty regarding the Buddha, the teaching, the Saṅgha, the path, or the practice. So ask, mendicants! Don’t regret it later, thinking: ‘We were in the Teacher’s presence and we weren’t able to ask the Buddha a question.’” When this was said, the mendicants kept silent.

For a second time the Buddha addressed the mendicants: … For a second time, the mendicants kept silent.

For a third time the Buddha addressed the mendicants: … For a third time, the mendicants kept silent.

Then the Buddha said to the mendicants:

“Mendicants, perhaps you don’t ask out of respect for the Teacher. So let a friend tell a friend.” When this was said, the mendicants kept silent. Then Venerable Ānanda said to the Buddha:

“It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing! I am quite confident that there’s not even a single mendicant in this Saṅgha who has doubt or uncertainty regarding the Buddha, the teaching, the Saṅgha, the path, or the practice.”

“Ānanda, you speak from faith. But the Realized One knows that there’s not even a single mendicant in this Saṅgha who has doubt or uncertainty regarding the Buddha, the teaching, the Saṅgha, the path, or the practice. Even the last of these five hundred mendicants is a stream-enterer, not liable to be reborn in the underworld, bound for awakening.”


Read this translation of Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.76 Kusinārasutta: At Kusinārā Kusinārasutta by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or listen on PaliAudio.com or Voice.SuttaCentral.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

Or read a translation in Čeština, Deutsch, Bengali, Indonesian, မြန်မာဘာသာ, ру́сский язы́к, සිංහල, ไทย, Tiếng Việt, or 汉语. Learn how to find your language.

Ud 6.1 Āyusaṅkhārossajjanasutta: Surrendering the Life Force

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof. Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Vesālī for alms. Then, after the meal, on his return from almsround, he addressed Venerable Ānanda: “Ānanda, get your sitting cloth. Let’s go to the Cāpāla shrine for the day’s meditation.”

“Yes, sir,” replied Ānanda. Taking his sitting cloth he followed behind the Buddha. Then the Buddha went up to the Cāpāla shrine, where he sat on the seat spread out. When he was seated he said to Venerable Ānanda:

“Ānanda, Vesālī is lovely. And the Udena, Gotamaka, Seven Maidens, Many Sons, Sārandada, and Cāpāla Tree-shrines are all lovely. Whoever has developed and cultivated the four bases of psychic power—made them a vehicle and a basis, kept them up, consolidated them, and properly implemented them—may, if they wish, live for the proper lifespan or what’s left of it. The Realized One has developed and cultivated the four bases of psychic power, made them a vehicle and a basis, kept them up, consolidated them, and properly implemented them. If he wished, the Realized One could live for the proper lifespan or what’s left of it.”

But Ānanda didn’t get it, even though the Buddha dropped such an obvious hint, such a clear sign. He didn’t beg the Buddha, “Sir, may the Blessed One please remain for the eon! May the Holy One please remain for the eon! That would be for the welfare and happiness of the people, out of compassion for the world, for the benefit, welfare, and happiness of gods and humans.” For his mind was as if possessed by Māra. For a second time … and for a third time, the Buddha said to Ānanda:

“Ānanda, Vesālī is lovely. And the Udena, Gotamaka, Seven Maidens, Many Sons, Sārandada, and Cāpāla Tree-shrines are all lovely. Whoever has developed and cultivated the four bases of psychic power—made them a vehicle and a basis, kept them up, consolidated them, and properly implemented them—may, if they wish, live for the proper lifespan or what’s left of it. The Realized One has developed and cultivated the four bases of psychic power, made them a vehicle and a basis, kept them up, consolidated them, and properly implemented them. If he wished, the Realized One could live for the proper lifespan or what’s left of it.”

But Ānanda didn’t get it, even though the Buddha dropped such an obvious hint, such a clear sign. He didn’t beg the Buddha, “Sir, may the Blessed One please remain for the eon! May the Holy One please remain for the eon! That would be for the welfare and happiness of the people, out of compassion for the world, for the benefit, welfare, and happiness of gods and humans.” For his mind was as if possessed by Māra.

Then the Buddha said to Venerable Ānanda, “Go now, Ānanda, at your convenience.” “Yes, sir,” replied Ānanda. He rose from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before sitting at the root of a tree close by.

And then, not long after Ānanda had left, Māra the Wicked went up to the Buddha, stood to one side, and said to him:

“May the Blessed One now become fully extinguished! May the Holy One now become fully extinguished! Now is the time for the Buddha to become fully extinguished. Sir, you once made this statement: ‘Wicked One, I will not become fully extinguished until I have monk disciples who are competent, educated, assured, learned, have memorized the teachings, and practice in line with the teachings. Not until they practice properly, living in line with the teaching. Not until they’ve learned their own tradition, and explain, teach, assert, establish, disclose, analyze, and make it clear. Not until they can legitimately and completely refute the doctrines of others that come up, and teach with a demonstrable basis.’ Today you do have such monk disciples. May the Blessed One now become fully extinguished! May the Holy One now become fully extinguished! Now is the time for the Buddha to become fully extinguished.

Sir, you once made this statement: ‘Wicked One, I will not become fully extinguished until I have nun disciples who are competent, educated, assured, learned …’ … Today you do have such nun disciples.

‘Wicked One, I will not become fully extinguished until I have layman disciples who are competent, educated, assured, learned …’ Today you do have such layman disciples.

‘Wicked One, I will not become fully extinguished until I have laywoman disciples who are competent, educated, assured, learned …’ Today you do have such laywoman disciples. May the Blessed One now become fully extinguished! May the Holy One now become fully extinguished! Now is the time for the Buddha to become fully extinguished.

Sir, you once made this statement: ‘Not until my spiritual path is successful and prosperous, extensive, popular, widespread, and well proclaimed wherever there are gods and humans.’ Today your spiritual path is successful and prosperous, extensive, popular, widespread, and well proclaimed wherever there are gods and humans. May the Blessed One now become fully extinguished! May the Holy One now become fully extinguished! Now is the time for the Buddha to become fully extinguished.

When this was said, the Buddha said to Māra, “Relax, Wicked One. The final extinguishment of the Realized One will be soon. Three months from now the Realized One will finally be extinguished.”

So at the Cāpāla Tree-shrine the Buddha, mindful and aware, surrendered the life force. When he did so there was a great earthquake, awe-inspiring and hair-raising, and thunder cracked the sky.

Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

“Comparing the incomparable with the creation of prolonged life,
the sage surrendered the life force.
Happy inside, serene,
he shattered self-creation like a suit of armor.”



Read this translation of Udāna 6.1 Āyusaṅkhārossajjanasutta: Surrendering the Life Force by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on DhammaTalks.org or Ancient-Buddhist-Texts.net. Or listen on Voice.SuttaCentral.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

Or read a translation in Deutsch, Español, Indonesian, Italiano, 日本語, မြန်မာဘာသာ, Nederlands, Norsk, Português, ру́сский язы́к, සිංහල, or Srpski. Learn how to find your language.

AN 4.21 Paṭhamauruvelasutta: At Uruvelā (1st)

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants, “Mendicants!”

“Venerable sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:

“Mendicants, this one time, when I was first awakened, I was staying near Uruvelā at the goatherd’s banyan tree on the bank of the Nerañjarā River. As I was in private retreat this thought came to mind: ‘One without respect and reverence lives in suffering. What ascetic or brahmin should I honor and respect and rely on?’

Then it occurred to me: ‘I would honor and respect and rely on another ascetic or brahmin so as to complete the entire spectrum of ethics, if it were incomplete. But I don’t see any other ascetic or brahmin in this world—with its gods, Māras, and Brahmās, 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.

I would honor and respect and rely on another ascetic or brahmin so as to complete the entire spectrum of immersion, if it were incomplete. But I don’t see any other ascetic or brahmin … who is more accomplished than myself in immersion …

I would honor and respect and rely on another ascetic or brahmin so as to complete the entrie spectrum of wisdom, if it were incomplete. But I don’t see any other ascetic or brahmin in this world … who is more accomplished than myself in wisdom …

I would honor and respect and rely on another ascetic or brahmin so as to complete the entire spectrum of freedom, if it were incomplete. But I don’t see any other ascetic or brahmin in this world … who is more accomplished than myself in freedom …’

Then it occurred to me: ‘Why don’t I honor and respect and rely on the same teaching to which I was awakened?’

And then Brahmā Sahampati, knowing what I was thinking, vanished from the Brahmā realm and appeared in front of me, as easily as a strong man would extend or contract his arm. He arranged his robe over one shoulder, raised his joined palms toward me, and said: ‘That’s so true, Blessed One! That’s so true, Holy One! All the perfected ones, the fully awakened Buddhas who lived in the past honored and respected and relied on this same teaching. All the perfected ones, the fully awakened Buddhas who will live in the future will honor and respect and rely on this same teaching. 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.’

That’s what Brahmā Sahampati said. Then he went on to say:

‘All Buddhas, whether in the past,
the Buddhas of the future,
and the Buddha at present—
destroyer of the sorrows of many—

respecting the true teaching
they did live, they do live,
and they also will live.
This is the nature of the Buddhas.

Therefore someone who cares for their own welfare,
and wants to become the very best they can be,
should respect the true teaching,
remembering the instructions of the Buddhas.’

That’s what Brahmā Sahampati said. Then he bowed and respectfully circled me, keeping me on his right side, before vanishing right there. Then, knowing the request of Brahmā and what was suitable for myself, I honored and respected and relied on the same teaching to which I was awakened. And since the Saṅgha has also achieved greatness, I also respect the Saṅgha.”



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AN 4.118 Saṁvejanīyasutta: Inspiring

“Mendicants, a faithful gentleman should go to see these four inspiring places. What four?

Thinking: ‘Here the Realized One was born!’—that is an inspiring place.

Thinking: ‘Here the Realized One became awakened as a supreme fully awakened Buddha!’—that is an inspiring place.

Thinking: ‘Here the Realized One rolled forth the supreme Wheel of Dhamma!’—that is an inspiring place.

Thinking: ‘Here the Realized One became fully extinguished in the element of extinguishment, with nothing left over!’—that is an inspiring place.

These are the four inspiring places that a faithful gentleman should go to see.”


These four places are as follows:

  • Birthplace: Lumbini
  • Enlightenment: Bodh Gaya
  • First sermon: Isipatana
  • Passing away: Kusināra
Map of Ancient Buddhist India.

Read this translation of Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.118 Saṁvejanīyasutta: Inspiring by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net. Or listen on PaliAudio.com or Voice.SuttaCentral.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

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