1On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrel sanctuary. Then the brahmin Vassakāra, the chief minister of Magadha, approached the Blessed One and exchanged greetings with him. When they had concluded their greetings and cordial talk, he sat down to one side and said to the Blessed One:

2"Master Gotama, we describe someone who possesses four qualities as a great man with great wisdom. What four? (1) Here, someone is highly learned in the various fields of learning. (2) He understands the meaning of various statements, so that he can say: ‘This is the meaning of this statement; this is the meaning of that one.’ (3) He has a good memory; he remembers and recollects what was done and said long ago. (4) He is skillful and diligent in attending to the diverse chores of a householder; he possesses sound judgment about them in order to carry out and arrange them properly. We describe someone who possesses these four qualities as a great man with great wisdom. If Master Gotama thinks what I say should be approved, let him approve it. If he thinks what I say should be rejected, let him reject it."

3"I neither approve of your statement, brahmin, nor do I reject it. Rather, I describe one who possesses four other qualities as a great man with great wisdom. What four? (1) Here, he is practicing for the welfare and happiness of many people; he is one who has established many people in the noble method, that is, in the goodness of the Dhamma, in the wholesomeness of the Dhamma. [n.693] Mp says that the noble method (ariyañāya) is the path together with insight, and the "goodness of the Dhamma" (kalyāṇadhammatā) and "the wholesomeness of the Dhamma" (kusaladhammatā) are names for it. (2) He thinks whatever he wants to think and does not think what he does not want to think; he intends whatever he wants to intend and does not intend what he does not want to intend; thus he has attained to mental mastery over the ways of thought. (3) He gains at will, without trouble or difficulty, the four jhānas that constitute the higher mind and are pleasant dwellings in this very life. (4) With the destruction of the taints, he has realized for himself with direct knowledge, in this very life, the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, and having entered upon it, he dwells in it.

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"I neither approve of your statement, brahmin, nor do I reject it. But I describe someone who possesses these four qualities as a great man with great wisdom."

4"It is astounding and amazing, Master Gotama, how well this has been stated by Master Gotama. And we consider Master Gotama as one who possesses these four qualities. (1) For he is practicing for the welfare and happiness of many people; he is one who has established many people in the noble method, that is, in the goodness of the Dhamma, in the wholesomeness of the Dhamma. (2) He thinks whatever he wants to think and does not think what he does not want to think; he intends whatever he wants to intend and does not intend what he does not want to intend; thus he has attained to mental mastery over the ways of thought. (3) He gains at will, without trouble or difficulty, the four jhānas that constitute the higher mind and are pleasant dwellings in this very life. (4) With the destruction of the taints, he has realized for himself with direct knowledge, in this very life, the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, and having entered upon it, he dwells in it."

5"Surely, brahmin, your words are prying and intrusive. [n.694] See AN3.69, n. 428. Nevertheless, I will answer you. (1) Indeed, I am practicing for the welfare and happiness of many people; I have established many people in the noble method, that is, in the goodness of the Dhamma, in the wholesomeness of the Dhamma. (2) I think what I want to think and do not think what I do not want to think; I intend what I want to intend and do not intend what I do not want to intend; thus I have attained to mental mastery over the ways of thought. (3) I gain at will, without trouble or difficulty, the four jhānas that constitute the higher mind and are pleasant dwellings in this very life. (4) With the destruction of the taints, I have realized for myself with direct knowledge, in this very life, the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, and having entered upon it, I dwell in it."

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6He who found for the sake of all beings
release from the snare of death;
who revealed the Dhamma, the method,
for the benefit of devas and humans;
he in whom many people gain confidence
when they see and listen to him;

7the one skilled in the path and what is not the path,
the taintless one who accomplished his task;
the Enlightened One bearing his final body
is called "a great man of great wisdom."

1Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe. Atha kho vassakāro brāhmaṇo magadhamahāmatto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho vassakāro brāhmaṇo magadhamahāmatto bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

2"Catūhi kho mayaṁ, bho gotama, dhammehi samannāgataṁ mahāpaññaṁ mahāpurisaṁ paññāpema. Katamehi catūhi? Idha, bho gotama, bahussuto hoti tassa tasseva sutajātassa tassa tasseva kho pana bhāsitassa atthaṁ jānāti: ‘Ayaṁ imassa bhāsitassa attho, ayaṁ imassa bhāsitassa attho’ti. Satimā kho pana hoti cirakatampi cirabhāsitampi saritā anussaritā yāni kho pana tāni gahaṭṭhakāni kiṅkaraṇīyāni, tattha dakkho hoti analaso, tatrupāyāya vīmaṁsāya samannāgato alaṁ kātuṁ alaṁ saṁvidhātuṁ. Imehi kho mayaṁ, bho gotama, catūhi dhammehi samannāgataṁ mahāpaññaṁ mahāpurisaṁ paññāpema. Sace me, bho gotama, anumoditabbaṁ anumodatu me bhavaṁ gotamo; sace pana me, bho gotama, paṭikkositabbaṁ paṭikkosatu me bhavaṁ gotamo"ti.

3"Neva kho tyāhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, anumodāmi na paṭikkosāmi. Catūhi kho ahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, dhammehi samannāgataṁ mahāpaññaṁ mahāpurisaṁ paññāpemi. Katamehi catūhi? Idha, brāhmaṇa, bahujanahitāya paṭipanno hoti bahujanasukhāya; bahu'ssa janatā ariye ñāye patiṭṭhāpitā, yadidaṁ kalyāṇadhammatā kusaladhammatā. So yaṁ vitakkaṁ ākaṅkhati vitakketuṁ taṁ vitakkaṁ vitakketi, yaṁ vitakkaṁ nākaṅkhati vitakketuṁ na taṁ vitakkaṁ vitakketi; yaṁ saṅkappaṁ ākaṅkhati saṅkappetuṁ taṁ saṅkappaṁ saṅkappeti, yaṁ saṅkappaṁ nākaṅkhati saṅkappetuṁ na taṁ saṅkappaṁ saṅkappeti. Iti cetovasippatto hoti vitakkapathe. Catunnaṁ jhānānaṁ ābhicetasikānaṁ diṭṭhadhammasukhavihārānaṁ nikāmalābhī hoti akicchalābhī akasiralābhī. Āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati.

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Neva kho tyāhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, anumodāmi na pana paṭikkosāmi. Imehi kho ahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, catūhi dhammehi samannāgataṁ mahāpaññaṁ mahāpurisaṁ paññāpemī"ti.

4"Acchariyaṁ, bho gotama, abbhutaṁ, bho gotama. Yāva subhāsitañcidaṁ bhotā gotamena. Imehi ca mayaṁ, bho gotama, catūhi dhammehi samannāgataṁ bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ dhārema; bhavañhi gotamo bahujanahitāya paṭipanno bahujanasukhāya; bahu te janatā ariye ñāye patiṭṭhāpitā, yadidaṁ kalyāṇadhammatā kusaladhammatā. Bhavañhi gotamo yaṁ vitakkaṁ ākaṅkhati vitakketuṁ taṁ vitakkaṁ vitakketi, yaṁ vitakkaṁ nākaṅkhati vitakketuṁ na taṁ vitakkaṁ vitakketi, yaṁ saṅkappaṁ ākaṅkhati saṅkappetuṁ taṁ saṅkappaṁ saṅkappeti, yaṁ saṅkappaṁ nākaṅkhati saṅkappetuṁ na taṁ saṅkappaṁ saṅkappeti. Bhavañhi gotamo cetovasippatto vitakkapathe. Bhavañhi gotamo catunnaṁ jhānānaṁ ābhicetasikānaṁ diṭṭhadhammasukhavihārānaṁ nikāmalābhī akicchalābhī akasiralābhī. Bhavañhi gotamo āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharatī"ti.

5"Addhā kho tyāhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, āsajja upanīya vācā bhāsitā. Api ca tyāhaṁ byākarissāmi: ‘ahañhi, brāhmaṇa, bahujanahitāya paṭipanno bahujanasukhāya; bahu me janatā ariye ñāye patiṭṭhāpitā, yadidaṁ kalyāṇadhammatā kusaladhammatā. Ahañhi, brāhmaṇa, yaṁ vitakkaṁ ākaṅkhāmi vitakketuṁ taṁ vitakkaṁ vitakkemi, yaṁ vitakkaṁ nākaṅkhāmi vitakketuṁ na taṁ vitakkaṁ vitakkemi, yaṁ saṅkappaṁ ākaṅkhāmi saṅkappetuṁ taṁ saṅkappaṁ saṅkappemi, yaṁ saṅkappaṁ nākaṅkhāmi saṅkappetuṁ na taṁ saṅkappaṁ saṅkappemi. Ahañhi, brāhmaṇa, cetovasippatto vitakkapathe. Ahañhi, brāhmaṇa, catunnaṁ jhānānaṁ ābhicetasikānaṁ diṭṭhadhammasukhavihārānaṁ nikāmalābhī akicchalābhī akasiralābhī. Ahañhi, brāhmaṇa, āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharāmī’ti.

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6Yo vedi sabbasattānaṁ,
maccupāsappamocanaṁ;
Hitaṁ devamanussānaṁ,
ñāyaṁ dhammaṁ pakāsayi;
Yaṁ ve disvā ca sutvā ca,
pasīdanti bahū janā.

7Maggāmaggassa kusalo,
Katakicco anāsavo;
Buddho antimasārīro,
Mahāpañño mahāpurisoti vuccatī"ti.

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Pañcamaṁ.