Mahāsīhanādasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 12

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

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Puna caparaṁ, sāriputta, tathāgato āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati.
Yampi, sāriputta, tathāgato āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati, idampi, sāriputta, tathāgatassa tathāgatabalaṁ hoti yaṁ balaṁ āgamma tathāgato āsabhaṁ ṭhānaṁ paṭijānāti, parisāsu sīhanādaṁ nadati, brahmacakkaṁ pavatteti.

Furthermore, the Realized One has realized the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom, and lives having realized it with his own insight in this very life due to the ending of defilements. Since he truly understands this, this is a power of the Realized One. Relying on this he claims the bull’s place, roars his lion’s roar in the assemblies, and turns the divine wheel.

Imāni kho, sāriputta, dasa tathāgatassa tathāgatabalāni yehi balehi samannāgato tathāgato āsabhaṁ ṭhānaṁ paṭijānāti, parisāsu sīhanādaṁ nadati, brahmacakkaṁ pavatteti.

A Realized One possesses these ten powers of a Realized One. With these he claims the bull’s place, roars his lion’s roar in the assemblies, and turns the divine wheel.

Yo kho maṁ, sāriputta, evaṁ jānantaṁ evaṁ passantaṁ evaṁ vadeyya:
‘natthi samaṇassa gotamassa uttari manussadhammā alamariyañāṇadassanaviseso;
takkapariyāhataṁ samaṇo gotamo dhammaṁ deseti vīmaṁsānucaritaṁ sayampaṭibhānan’ti,
taṁ, sāriputta, vācaṁ appahāya taṁ cittaṁ appahāya taṁ diṭṭhiṁ appaṭinissajjitvā yathābhataṁ nikkhitto evaṁ niraye.
Seyyathāpi, sāriputta, bhikkhu sīlasampanno samādhisampanno paññāsampanno diṭṭheva dhamme aññaṁ ārādheyya, evaṁ sampadamidaṁ, sāriputta, vadāmi.
Taṁ vācaṁ appahāya, taṁ cittaṁ appahāya taṁ diṭṭhiṁ appaṭinissajjitvā yathābhataṁ nikkhitto evaṁ niraye.

When I know and see in this way, suppose someone were to say this: ‘The ascetic Gotama has no superhuman distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones. He teaches what he’s worked out by logic, following a line of inquiry, expressing his own perspective.’ Unless they give up that speech and that thought, and let go of that view, they will be placed in hell as if delivered there. Just as a mendicant accomplished in ethics, immersion, and wisdom would reach enlightenment in this very life, such is the consequence, I say. Unless they give up that speech and that thought, and let go of that view, they will be placed in hell as if delivered there.

Cattārimāni, sāriputta, tathāgatassa vesārajjāni yehi vesārajjehi samannāgato tathāgato āsabhaṁ ṭhānaṁ paṭijānāti, parisāsu sīhanādaṁ nadati, brahmacakkaṁ pavatteti.
Katamāni cattāri?

Sāriputta, 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 divine wheel. What four?

‘Sammāsambuddhassa te paṭijānato ime dhammā anabhisambuddhā’ti. Tatra vata maṁ samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā devo vā māro vā brahmā vā koci vā lokasmiṁ sahadhammena paṭicodessatīti nimittametaṁ, sāriputta, na samanupassāmi.
Etamahaṁ, sāriputta, nimittaṁ asamanupassanto khemappatto abhayappatto vesārajjappatto viharāmi.

I see no reason for anyone—whether ascetic, brahmin, god, Māra, or the Divinity, or anyone else in the world—to legitimately scold me, saying: ‘You claim to be a fully awakened Buddha, but you don’t understand these things.’ Since I see no such reason, I live secure, fearless, and self-assured.

‘Khīṇāsavassa te paṭijānato ime āsavā aparikkhīṇā’ti. Tatra vata maṁ samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā devo vā māro vā brahmā vā koci vā lokasmiṁ sahadhammena paṭicodessatīti nimittametaṁ, sāriputta, na samanupassāmi.
Etamahaṁ, sāriputta, nimittaṁ asamanupassanto khemappatto abhayappatto vesārajjappatto viharāmi.

I see no reason for anyone—whether ascetic, brahmin, god, Māra, or the Divinity, or anyone else in the world—to legitimately scold me, saying: ‘You claim to have ended all defilements, but you still have these defilements.’ Since I see no such reason, I live secure, fearless, and self-assured.

‘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 paṭicodessatīti nimittametaṁ, sāriputta, na samanupassāmi.
Etamahaṁ, sāriputta, nimittaṁ asamanupassanto khemappatto abhayappatto vesārajjappatto viharāmi.

I see no reason for anyone—whether ascetic, brahmin, god, Māra, or the Divinity, 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.’ Since I see no such reason, I live secure, fearless, and self-assured.

‘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 paṭicodessatīti nimittametaṁ, sāriputta, na samanupassāmi.
Etamahaṁ, sāriputta, nimittaṁ asamanupassanto khemappatto abhayappatto vesārajjappatto viharāmi.

I see no reason for anyone—whether ascetic, brahmin, god, Māra, or the Divinity, or anyone else in the world—to legitimately scold me, saying: ‘Regardless of your goal in teaching the Dhamma, it does not deliver one who applies it to the complete ending of suffering.’ Since I see no such reason, I live secure, fearless, and self-assured.

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

A Realized One possesses 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 divine wheel.

Yo kho maṁ, sāriputta, evaṁ jānantaṁ evaṁ passantaṁ evaṁ vadeyya:
‘natthi samaṇassa gotamassa uttari manussadhammā alamariyañāṇadassanaviseso, takkapariyāhataṁ samaṇo gotamo dhammaṁ deseti vīmaṁsānucaritaṁ sayampaṭibhānan’ti,
taṁ, sāriputta, vācaṁ appahāya taṁ cittaṁ appahāya taṁ diṭṭhiṁ appaṭinissajjitvā yathābhataṁ nikkhitto evaṁ niraye.
Seyyathāpi, sāriputta, bhikkhu sīlasampanno samādhisampanno paññāsampanno diṭṭheva dhamme aññaṁ ārādheyya, evaṁ sampadamidaṁ, sāriputta, vadāmi.
Taṁ vācaṁ appahāya taṁ cittaṁ appahāya taṁ diṭṭhiṁ appaṭinissajjitvā yathābhataṁ nikkhitto evaṁ niraye.

When I know and see in this way, suppose someone were to say this: ‘The ascetic Gotama has no superhuman distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones …’ Unless they give up that speech and that thought, and let go of that view, they will be placed in hell as if delivered there.

Aṭṭha kho imā, sāriputta, parisā.
Katamā aṭṭha?
Khattiyaparisā, brāhmaṇaparisā, gahapatiparisā, samaṇaparisā, cātumahārājikaparisā, tāvatiṁsaparisā, māraparisā, brahmaparisā—
imā kho, sāriputta, aṭṭha parisā.
Imehi kho, sāriputta, catūhi vesārajjehi samannāgato tathāgato imā aṭṭha parisā upasaṅkamati ajjhogāhati.
Abhijānāmi kho panāhaṁ, sāriputta, anekasataṁ khattiyaparisaṁ upasaṅkamitā.
Tatrapi mayā sannisinnapubbañceva, sallapitapubbañca, sākacchā ca samāpajjitapubbā.
Tatra vata maṁ bhayaṁ vā sārajjaṁ vā okkamissatīti nimittametaṁ, sāriputta, na samanupassāmi.
Etamahaṁ, sāriputta, nimittaṁ asamanupassanto khemappatto abhayappatto vesārajjappatto viharāmi.

Sāriputta, there are these eight assemblies. What eight? The assemblies of aristocrats, brahmins, householders, and ascetics. An assembly of the gods of the four great kings. An assembly of the gods of the thirty-three. An assembly of Māras. An assembly of divinities. These are the eight assemblies. Possessing these four kinds of self-assurance, the Realized One approaches and enters right into these eight assemblies. I recall having approached an assembly of hundreds of aristocrats. There I used to sit with them, converse, and engage in discussion. But I don’t see any reason to feel afraid or insecure. Since I see no such reason, I live secure, fearless, and self-assured.

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