1On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha on Mount Vulture Peak, in the Boar's Cave. There the Blessed One addressed the Venerable Sāriputta thus:

1Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe vihārati gijjhakūṭe pabbate sūkarakhatāyaṁ. Tatra kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ āmantesi:

"Considering what benefit, Sāriputta, does a bhikkhu whose taints are destroyed conduct himself in a way that shows supreme honour towards the Tathāgata and the Tathāgata's teaching?"[n.241] Tathāgate vā Tathāgatasāsane vā paramanipaccākāraṁ pavattamāno pavatteti. Spk offers no help, but the expression paramanipaccākāra occurs in SN7.15 (I 178,16); see I, n. 472. We find another example at MN II 120,6 foll., in relation to King Pasenadi's show of humble devotion towards the Buddha. It is puzzling that the text says a bhikkhu with taints destroyed, i.e., an arahant, should consider some benefit (atthavasaṁ sampassamano) when he honours the Tathāgata, and the text adds to our puzzlement when just below it explains that the bhikkhu develops (bhāveti) the five faculties, as though he still had work to do to attain the final goal. sn.v.234

"Kiṁ nu kho, sāriputta, atthavasaṁ sampassamāno khīṇāsavo bhikkhu tathāgate vā tathāgatāsāsane vā paramanipaccakāraṁ pavattamāno pavattatī"ti?

"It is, venerable sir, considering as benefit the unsurpassed security from bondage that a bhikkhu whose taints are destroyed conducts himself in a way that shows supreme honour towards the Tathāgata and the Tathāgata's teaching."

"Anuttarañhi, bhante, yogakkhemaṁ sampassamāno khīṇāsavo bhikkhu tathāgate vā tathāgatāsāsane vā paramanipaccakāraṁ pavattamāno pavattatī"ti.

"Good, good, Sāriputta! For, Sāriputta, it is considering as benefit the unsurpassed security from bondage that a bhikkhu whose taints are destroyed conducts himself in a way that shows supreme honour towards the Tathāgata and the Tathāgata's teaching.

"Sādhu sādhu, sāriputta. Anuttarañhi, sāriputta, yogakkhemaṁ sampassamāno khīṇāsavo bhikkhu tathāgate vā tathāgatāsāsane vā paramanipaccakāraṁ pavattamāno pavattati.

2"And what, Sāriputta, is the unsurpassed security from bondage that a bhikkhu whose taints are destroyed considers as the benefit when he conducts himself in a way that shows supreme honour towards the Tathāgata and the Tathāgata's teaching?"

2Katamo ca, sāriputta, anuttaro yogakkhemo yaṁ sampassamāno khīṇāsavo bhikkhu tathāgate vā tathāgatāsāsane vā paramanipaccakāraṁ pavattamāno pavattatī"ti?

"Here, venerable sir, a bhikkhu whose taints are destroyed develops the faculty of faith, which leads to peace, leads to enlightenment. He develops the faculty of energy … the faculty of mindfulness … the faculty of concentration … the faculty of wisdom, which leads to peace, leads to enlightenment. This, venerable sir, is the unsurpassed security from bondage that a bhikkhu whose taints are destroyed considers as the benefit when he conducts himself in a way that shows supreme honour towards the Tathāgata and the Tathāgata's teaching."

"Idha, bhante, khīṇāsavo bhikkhu saddhindriyaṁ bhāveti upasamagāmiṁ sambodhagāmiṁ, vīriyindriyaṁ bhāveti … pe … satindriyaṁ bhāveti … samādhindriyaṁ bhāveti … paññindriyaṁ bhāveti upasamagāmiṁ sambodhagāmiṁ. Ayaṁ kho, bhante, anuttaro yogakkhemo yaṁ sampassamāno khīṇāsavo bhikkhu tathāgate vā tathāgatāsāsane vā paramanipaccakāraṁ pavattamāno pavattatī"ti.

"Good, good, Sāriputta! For that, Sāriputta, is the unsurpassed security from bondage that a bhikkhu whose taints are destroyed considers as the benefit when he conducts himself in a way that shows supreme honour towards the Tathāgata and the Tathāgata's teaching.

3"And what, Sāriputta, is the supreme honour with which a bhikkhu whose taints are destroyed conducts himself towards the Tathāgata and the Tathāgata's teaching?"

"Sādhu sādhu, sāriputta. Eso hi, sāriputta, anuttaro yogakkhemo yaṁ sampassamāno khīṇāsavo bhikkhu tathāgate vā tathāgatāsāsane vā paramanipaccakāraṁ pavattamāno pavattatīti.

3Katamo ca, sāriputta, paramanipaccakāro yaṁ khīṇāsavo bhikkhu tathāgate vā tathāgatāsāsane vā paramanipaccakāraṁ pavattamāno pavattatī"ti?

"Here, venerable sir, a bhikkhu whose taints are destroyed dwells reverential and deferential towards the Teacher, the Dhamma, the Saṅgha, the training, and concentration.[n.242] At SN16.13 (II 225,8–12) these are said to be the five things that lead to the nondecay and nondisappearance of the true Dhamma. This, venerable sir, is that supreme honour with which a bhikkhu whose taints are destroyed conducts himself towards the Tathāgata and the Tathāgata's teaching." sn.v.235

"Idha, bhante, khīṇāsavo bhikkhu satthari sagāravo vihārati sappatisso, dhamme sagāravo vihārati sappatisso, saṅghe sagāravo vihārati sappatisso, sikkhāya sagāravo vihārati sappatisso, samādhismiṁ sagāravo vihārati sappatisso. Ayaṁ kho, bhante, paramanipaccakāro yaṁ khīṇāsavo bhikkhu tathāgate vā tathāgatāsāsane vā paramanipaccakāraṁ pavattamāno pavattatī"ti.

"Good, good, Sāriputta! For that, Sāriputta, is the supreme honour with which a bhikkhu whose taints are destroyed conducts himself towards the Tathāgata and the Tathāgata's teaching."

"Sādhu sādhu, sāriputta. Eso hi, sāriputta, paramanipaccakāro yaṁ khīṇāsavo bhikkhu tathāgate vā tathāgatāsāsane vā paramanipaccakāraṁ pavattamāno pavattatī"ti.

Aṭṭhamaṁ.