AN 4 The Book of the Fours – Catukkanipāta > AN 4.8 Self-assured

Numbered Discourses 4.8 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.8

1. At Bhaṇḍa Village – 1. Bhaṇḍagāmavagga

AN 4.8 Self-assured – Vesārajjasutta

1.1

“Bhikkhū, a Realized One has four kinds of self-assurance. With these he claims the bull’s place, roars his lion’s roar in the assemblies, and turns the holy wheel.

“Cattārimāni, bhikkhave, tathāgatassa vesārajjāni, yehi vesārajjehi samannāgato tathāgato āsabhaṁ ṭhānaṁ paṭijānāti, parisāsu sīhanādaṁ nadati, brahmacakkaṁ pavatteti.

1.2

What four?

Katamāni cattāri?

1.3

I see no reason for anyone—whether ascetic, brahmin, god, Māra, or Brahmā, or anyone else in the world—to legitimately scold me, saying: ‘You claim to be fully awakened, but you don’t understand these things.’

‘“Sammāsambuddhassa te paṭijānato ime dhammā anabhisambuddhā”ti tatra vata maṁ samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā devo vā māro vā brahmā vā koci vā lokasmiṁ sahadhammena paṭicodessatī’ti nimittametaṁ, bhikkhave, na samanupassāmi.

1.4

Since I see no such reason, I live secure, fearless, and assured.

Etamahaṁ, bhikkhave, nimittaṁ asamanupassanto khemappatto abhayappatto vesārajjappatto viharāmi.

2.1

I see no reason for anyone—whether ascetic, brahmin, god, Māra, or Brahmā, or anyone else in the world—to legitimately scold me, saying: ‘You claim to have ended all defilements, but these defilements have not ended.’

‘“Khīṇāsavassa te paṭijānato ime āsavā aparikkhīṇā”ti tatra vata maṁ samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā devo vā māro vā brahmā vā koci vā lokasmiṁ sahadhammena paṭicodessatī’ti nimittametaṁ, bhikkhave, na samanupassāmi.

2.2

Since I see no such reason, I live secure, fearless, and assured.

Etamahaṁ, bhikkhave, nimittaṁ asamanupassanto khemappatto abhayappatto vesārajjappatto viharāmi.

3.1

I see no reason for anyone—whether ascetic, brahmin, god, Māra, or Brahmā, or anyone else in the world—to legitimately scold me, saying: ‘The acts that you say are obstructions are not really obstructions for the one who performs them.’

‘“Ye kho pana te antarāyikā dhammā vuttā te paṭisevato nālaṁ antarāyāyā”ti tatra vata maṁ samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā devo vā māro vā brahmā vā koci vā lokasmiṁ sahadhammena paṭicodessatī’ti nimittametaṁ, bhikkhave, na samanupassāmi.

3.2

Since I see no such reason, I live secure, fearless, and assured.

Etamahaṁ, bhikkhave, nimittaṁ asamanupassanto khemappatto abhayappatto vesārajjappatto viharāmi.

4.1

I see no reason for anyone—whether ascetic, brahmin, god, Māra, or Brahmā, or anyone else in the world—to legitimately scold me, saying: ‘Though you teach that this teaching leads to the goal of the complete ending of suffering, it doesn’t lead there for one who practices it.’

‘“Yassa kho pana te atthāya dhammo desito so na niyyāti takkarassa sammā dukkhakkhayāyā”ti tatra vata maṁ samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā devo vā māro vā brahmā vā koci vā lokasmiṁ sahadhammena paṭicodessatī’ti nimittametaṁ, bhikkhave, na samanupassāmi.

4.2

Since I see no such reason, I live secure, fearless, and assured.

Etamahaṁ, bhikkhave, nimittaṁ asamanupassanto khemappatto abhayappatto vesārajjappatto viharāmi.

4.3

A Realized One has these four kinds of self-assurance. With these he claims the bull’s place, roars his lion’s roar in the assemblies, and turns the holy wheel.

Imāni kho, bhikkhave, cattāri tathāgatassa vesārajjāni, yehi vesārajjehi samannāgato tathāgato āsabhaṁ ṭhānaṁ paṭijānāti, parisāsu sīhanādaṁ nadati, brahmacakkaṁ pavattetīti.

5.1

The various grounds for criticism

Ye kecime vādapathā puthussitā,

5.2

that ascetics and brahmins rely on

Yaṁnissitā samaṇabrāhmaṇā ca;

5.3

vanish on reaching a Realized One,

Tathāgataṁ patvā na te bhavanti,

5.4

assured, gone beyond grounds for criticism.

Visāradaṁ vādapathātivattaṁ.

6.1

He rolls forth the Wheel of Dhamma as a consummate one,

Yo dhammacakkaṁ abhibhuyya kevalī,

6.2

complete, compassionate for all living creatures.

Pavattayī sabbabhūtānukampī;

6.3

Sentient beings revere him, first among gods and humans,

Taṁ tādisaṁ devamanussaseṭṭhaṁ,

6.4

who has gone beyond rebirth.”

Sattā namassanti bhavassa pāragun”ti.

6.5

Aṭṭhamaṁ.