Cūḷasīhanādasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 11

The Shorter Discourse on the Lion’s Roar · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.
Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:
“bhikkhavo”ti.
“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ.
Bhagavā etadavoca:

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:

“Idheva, bhikkhave, samaṇo, idha dutiyo samaṇo, idha tatiyo samaṇo, idha catuttho samaṇo;
suññā parappavādā samaṇebhi aññehīti.
Evametaṁ, bhikkhave, sammā sīhanādaṁ nadatha.

“‘Only here is there a true ascetic, here a second ascetic, here a third ascetic, and here a fourth ascetic. Other sects are empty of ascetics.’ This, mendicants, is how you should rightly roar your lion’s roar.

Ṭhānaṁ kho panetaṁ, bhikkhave, vijjati yaṁ aññatitthiyā paribbājakā evaṁ vadeyyuṁ:
‘ko panāyasmantānaṁ assāso, kiṁ balaṁ, yena tumhe āyasmanto evaṁ vadetha—
idheva samaṇo, idha dutiyo samaṇo, idha tatiyo samaṇo, idha catuttho samaṇo;
suññā parappavādā samaṇebhi aññehī’ti?
Evaṁvādino, bhikkhave, aññatitthiyā paribbājakā evamassu vacanīyā:
‘atthi kho no, āvuso, tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena cattāro dhammā akkhātā ye mayaṁ attani sampassamānā evaṁ vadema—
idheva samaṇo, idha dutiyo samaṇo, idha tatiyo samaṇo, idha catuttho samaṇo;
suññā parappavādā samaṇebhi aññehīti.
Katame cattāro?
Atthi kho no, āvuso, satthari pasādo, atthi dhamme pasādo, atthi sīlesu paripūrakāritā;
sahadhammikā kho pana piyā manāpā—
gahaṭṭhā ceva pabbajitā ca.
Ime kho no, āvuso, tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena cattāro dhammā akkhātā ye mayaṁ attani sampassamānā evaṁ vadema—
idheva samaṇo, idha dutiyo samaṇo, idha tatiyo samaṇo, idha catuttho samaṇo;
suññā parappavādā samaṇebhi aññehī’ti.

It’s possible that wanderers of other religions might say: ‘But what is the source of the venerables’ certainty and forcefulness that they say this?’ You should say to them: ‘There are four things explained by the Blessed One, who knows and sees, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha. Seeing these things in ourselves we say that: “Only here is there a true ascetic, here a second ascetic, here a third ascetic, and here a fourth ascetic. Other sects are empty of ascetics.” What four? We have confidence in the Teacher, we have confidence in the teaching, and we have fulfilled the precepts. And we have love and affection for those who share our path, both laypeople and renunciates. These are the four things.’

Ṭhānaṁ kho panetaṁ, bhikkhave, vijjati yaṁ aññatitthiyā paribbājakā evaṁ vadeyyuṁ:
‘amhākampi kho, āvuso, atthi satthari pasādo yo amhākaṁ satthā, amhākampi atthi dhamme pasādo yo amhākaṁ dhammo, mayampi sīlesu paripūrakārino yāni amhākaṁ sīlāni,
amhākampi sahadhammikā piyā manāpā—
gahaṭṭhā ceva pabbajitā ca.
Idha no, āvuso, ko viseso ko adhippayāso kiṁ nānākaraṇaṁ yadidaṁ tumhākañceva amhākañcā’ti?

It’s possible that wanderers of other religions might say: ‘We too have confidence in the Teacher—our Teacher; we have confidence in the teaching—our teaching; and we have fulfilled the precepts—our precepts. And we have love and affection for those who share our path, both laypeople and renunciates. What, then, is the difference between you and us?’

You should say to them: ‘Well, reverends, is the goal one or many?’ Answering rightly, the wanderers would say: ‘The goal is one, reverends, not many.’ ‘But is that goal for the greedy or for those free of greed?’ Answering rightly, the wanderers would say: ‘That goal is for those free of greed, not for the greedy.’ ‘Is it for the hateful or those free of hate?’ ‘It’s for those free of hate.’ ‘Is it for the delusional or those free of delusion?’ ‘It’s for those free of delusion.’ ‘Is it for those who crave or those rid of craving?’ ‘It’s for those rid of craving.’ ‘Is it for those who have fuel for grasping or those who do not?’ ‘It’s for those who do not have fuel for grasping.’ ‘Is it for the knowledgeable or the ignorant?’ ‘It’s for the knowledgeable.’ ‘Is it for those who favor and oppose or for those who don’t favor and oppose?’ ‘It’s for those who don’t favor and oppose.’ ‘But is that goal for those who enjoy proliferation or for those who enjoy non-proliferation?’ Answering rightly, the wanderers would say: ‘It’s for those who enjoy non-proliferation, not for those who enjoy proliferation.’

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