SN2:29 Susīma
- fdg sc © Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi. (More copyright information)
1At Sāvatthī. Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, and sat down to one side. The Blessed One then said to him: "Do you too, Ānanda, approve of Sāriputta?"[n.183] Spk: The Buddha asked this question because he wanted to speak praise of the Elder Sāriputta. He chose to address Ānanda because the two monks were close friends and had deep admiration for each other's virtues, and he knew Ānanda would answer in an appropriate way. |
2"Indeed, venerable sir, who would not approve of the Venerable Sāriputta, unless he were foolish, full of hatred, deluded, or mentally deranged? The Venerable Sāriputta, venerable sir, is wise, one of great wisdom, of wide wisdom, of joyous wisdom, of swift wisdom, of sharp wisdom, of penetrative wisdom.[n.184] These words of praise are spoken by the Buddha himself of Sāriputta at MN111. Spk explains: Wise (paṇḍita) designates one who possesses the four kinds of skilfulness (kosalla)—in the elements, in the sense bases, in dependent origination, and in what is possible and impossible. The next series of definitions, which continues for several pages, is drawn from Paṭis II 190–202. Here I give only extracts: One is of great wisdom (mahapañña) when one has great virtue, concentration, wisdom, liberation, etc., great dwellings and meditative attainments, great development of the thirty-seven aids to enlightenment, great paths and fruits, great direct knowledges, and attainment of Nibbāna, the great ultimate goal. One is of wide wisdom (puthupañña) when one's knowledge occurs regarding the diverse aggregates, elements, sense bases, etc. (Apparently Paṭis takes Pali puthu to be from Vedic pṛthak, "distinct," but pṛthu, "wide," is more likely the original sense.) One is of joyous wisdom (hasapañña) when one fulfils all the steps of training full of joy, inspiration, delight, and gladness. One is of swift wisdom (javanapañña) when one swiftly understands all the five aggregates as impermanent, suffering, and nonself. One is of sharp wisdom (tikkhapañña) when one quickly cuts off all defilements and realizes the four paths and fruits in one sitting. One is of penetrative wisdom (nibbedhikapañña) when, full of disgust and revulsion towards all formations, one penetrates and splits apart the mass of greed, hatred, and delusion that had not been penetrated earlier. These terms, and other types of wisdom, are enumerated at SN55.62–74. The Venerable Sāriputta, venerable sir, has few wishes; he is content, secluded, aloof, energetic. The Venerable Sāriputta, venerable sir, is one who gives advice, one who accepts advice, a reprover, one who censures evil. Indeed, venerable sir, who would not approve of the Venerable Sāriputta, unless he were foolish, full of hatred, deluded, or mentally deranged?" sn.i.64 |
3"So it is, Ānanda, so it is! Indeed, Ānanda, who would not approve of Sāriputta, unless he were foolish, full of hatred, deluded, or mentally deranged? Sāriputta, Ānanda, is wise … as above … unless he were mentally deranged?" |
4Then, while this praise of the Venerable Sāriputta was being spoken, the young deva Susīma, accompanied by a great assembly of young devas, approached the Blessed One.[n.185] Spk: When the Tathāgata and the Elder Ānanda had praised the Elder Sāriputta thus, the devas in 10,000 world systems rose up and praised him with the same sixteen terms. Then the young deva Susīma, who had formerly (as a human being) been a pupil of Sāriputta, decided to approach the Blessed One with his own retinue and recite the same praise of his preceptor. Spk does not say whether this Susīma is identical with the protagonist of SN12.70. A young deva of this name is also mentioned at SN11.2 as a subordinate of Sakka. Having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One, stood to one side, and said to him: |
5"So it is, Blessed One! So it is, Fortunate One! Indeed, venerable sir, who would not approve of the Venerable Sāriputta … all as above … unless he were mentally deranged? |
6In my case too, venerable sir, no matter what assembly of young devas I have approached, I have often heard this same report: ‘The Venerable Sāriputta is wise … one who censures evil. Indeed, who would not approve of the Venerable Sāriputta, unless he were foolish, full of hatred, deluded, or mentally deranged?’" |
7Then, while this praise of the Venerable Sāriputta was being spoken, the young devas in Susīma's assembly—elated, gladdened, full of rapture and joy—displayed diverse lustrous colours.[n.186] Spk: Elsewhere uccavaca means: ucca = excellent (paṇita) + avaca = inferior (hina). But here it means diverse (nanavidha), in apposition to vaṇṇanibha. For the blue young devas in the assembly became exceptionally blue, and so too the yellow, red, and white young devas became exceptionally yellow, red, and white. To illustrate this the four similes are given. |
8Just as a beryl gem—beautiful, of fine quality, eight-faceted, of excellent workmanship—when placed on a brocade cloth, shines and beams and radiates, so too the young devas in Susīma's assembly sn.i.65 … displayed diverse lustrous colours. |
9And just as an ornament of finest gold—very skilfully burnished in a furnace by an adroit goldsmith—when placed on a brocade cloth, shines and beams and radiates, so too the young devas in Susīma's assembly … displayed diverse lustrous colours. |
10And just as, when the night is fading, the morning star shines and beams and radiates, so too the young devas in Susīma's assembly … displayed diverse lustrous colours.[n.187] Be and Ee2 include here the phrase saradasamaye viddhe vigatavalahake deve, but as this seems to be an interpolation based on the following paragraph, I have followed Se and Ee1 which omit it. |
11And just as in the autumn, when the sky is clear and cloudless, the sun, ascending in the sky, dispels all darkness from space as it shines and beams and radiates,[n.188] The simile recurs at SN22.102 and SN45.147. Spk glosses nabhaṁ abbhussakkamano (as in Be) with akasaṁ abhilanghanto and says this shows the "tender time of the sun" (Spk-pṭ: the time when it is neither too low nor too high). The verb abbhussakkati comes from the root sakk, and has no relation to the adjective sukka as Geiger supposes. so too the young devas in Susīma's assembly—elated, gladdened, full of rapture and joy—displayed diverse lustrous colours. |
12Then, with reference to the Venerable Sāriputta, the young deva Susīma recited this verse in the presence of the Blessed One: |
13v.363 "He is widely known to be a wise man,
|
14Then the Blessed One, with reference to the Venerable Sāriputta, replied to the young deva Susīma in verse: |
15v.364 "He is widely known to be a wise man,
|