Mahāsakuludāyisutta

Majjhima Nikāya 77

The Longer Discourse with Sakuludāyī · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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Atthi kho, udāyi, aññe ca pañca dhammā yehi pañcahi dhammehi mamaṁ sāvakā sakkaronti garuṁ karonti mānenti pūjenti, sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya viharanti.
Katame pañca?
Idhudāyi, mamaṁ sāvakā adhisīle sambhāventi:
‘sīlavā samaṇo gotamo paramena sīlakkhandhena samannāgato’ti.

There are five other qualities because of which my disciples honor, respect, revere, and venerate me; and honoring and respecting me, they remain loyal to me. What five? Firstly, my disciples esteem me for the higher ethics: ‘The ascetic Gotama is ethical. He possesses the entire spectrum of ethical conduct to the highest degree.’

Yampudāyi, mamaṁ sāvakā adhisīle sambhāventi:
‘sīlavā samaṇo gotamo paramena sīlakkhandhena samannāgato’ti, ayaṁ kho, udāyi, paṭhamo dhammo yena mamaṁ sāvakā sakkaronti garuṁ karonti mānenti pūjenti, sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya viharanti.

Since this is so, this is the first quality because of which my disciples are loyal to me.

Puna caparaṁ, udāyi, mamaṁ sāvakā abhikkante ñāṇadassane sambhāventi:
‘jānaṁyevāha samaṇo gotamo—jānāmīti,
passaṁyevāha samaṇo gotamo—passāmīti;
abhiññāya samaṇo gotamo dhammaṁ deseti no anabhiññāya;
sanidānaṁ samaṇo gotamo dhammaṁ deseti no anidānaṁ;
sappāṭihāriyaṁ samaṇo gotamo dhammaṁ deseti no appāṭihāriyan’ti.
Yampudāyi, mamaṁ sāvakā abhikkante ñāṇadassane sambhāventi:
‘jānaṁyevāha samaṇo gotamo—jānāmīti,
passaṁyevāha samaṇo gotamo—passāmīti;
abhiññāya samaṇo gotamo dhammaṁ deseti no anabhiññāya;
sanidānaṁ samaṇo gotamo dhammaṁ deseti no anidānaṁ;
sappāṭihāriyaṁ samaṇo gotamo dhammaṁ deseti no appāṭihāriyan’ti, ayaṁ kho, udāyi, dutiyo dhammo yena mamaṁ sāvakā sakkaronti garuṁ karonti mānenti pūjenti, sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya viharanti.

Furthermore, my disciples esteem me for my excellent knowledge and vision: ‘The ascetic Gotama only claims to know when he does in fact know. He only claims to see when he really does see. He teaches based on direct knowledge, not without direct knowledge. He teaches based on reason, not without reason. He teaches with a demonstrable basis, not without it.’ Since this is so, this is the second quality because of which my disciples are loyal to me.

Puna caparaṁ, udāyi, mamaṁ sāvakā adhipaññāya sambhāventi:
‘paññavā samaṇo gotamo paramena paññākkhandhena samannāgato;
taṁ vata anāgataṁ vādapathaṁ na dakkhati, uppannaṁ vā parappavādaṁ na sahadhammena suniggahitaṁ niggaṇhissatīti—netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati’.
Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, udāyi,
api nu me sāvakā evaṁ jānantā evaṁ passantā antarantarā kathaṁ opāteyyun”ti?
“No hetaṁ, bhante”.
“Na kho panāhaṁ, udāyi, sāvakesu anusāsaniṁ paccāsīsāmi;
aññadatthu mamayeva sāvakā anusāsaniṁ paccāsīsanti.
Yampudāyi, mamaṁ sāvakā adhipaññāya sambhāventi:
‘paññavā samaṇo gotamo paramena paññākkhandhena samannāgato;
taṁ vata anāgataṁ vādapathaṁ na dakkhati, uppannaṁ vā parappavādaṁ na sahadhammena niggahitaṁ niggaṇhissatīti—
netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati’.

Furthermore, my disciples esteem me for my higher wisdom: ‘The ascetic Gotama is wise. He possesses the entire spectrum of wisdom to the highest degree. It’s not possible that he would fail to foresee grounds for future criticism, or to legitimately and completely refute the doctrines of others that come up.’ What do you think, Udāyī? Would my disciples, knowing and seeing this, break in and interrupt me?” “No, sir.” “That’s because I don’t expect to be instructed by my disciples. Invariably, my disciples expect instruction from me. Since this is so,

Ayaṁ kho, udāyi, tatiyo dhammo yena mamaṁ sāvakā sakkaronti garuṁ karonti mānenti pūjenti, sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya viharanti.

this is the third quality because of which my disciples are loyal to me.

Furthermore, my disciples come to me and ask how the noble truth of suffering applies to the suffering in which they are swamped and mired. And I provide them with a satisfying answer to their question. They ask how the noble truths of the origin of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering apply to the suffering in which they are swamped and mired. And I provide them with satisfying answers to their questions. Since this is so,

Ayaṁ kho, udāyi, catuttho dhammo yena mamaṁ sāvakā sakkaronti garuṁ karonti mānenti pūjenti, sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya viharanti.

this is the fourth quality because of which my disciples are loyal to me.

Puna caparaṁ, udāyi, akkhātā mayā sāvakānaṁ paṭipadā, yathāpaṭipannā me sāvakā cattāro satipaṭṭhāne bhāventi.
Idhudāyi, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ;
vedanāsu vedanānupassī viharati …
citte cittānupassī viharati …
dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.
Tatra ca pana me sāvakā bahū abhiññāvosānapāramippattā viharanti.

Furthermore, I have explained to my disciples a practice that they use to develop the four kinds of mindfulness meditation. It’s when a mendicant meditates by observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world. They meditate observing an aspect of feelings … mind … principles—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world. And many of my disciples meditate on that having attained perfection and consummation of insight.

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