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Majjhima Nikāya 92

Selasutta

With Sela · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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“the Awakened One,” sir“Buddhoti—bho Keṇiya,keṇiya, did you say?”vadesi”?
“the Awakened One,” sir“Buddhoti—bho Sela,sela, I said.”vadāmi”.
“the Awakened One,” sir“Buddhoti—bho Keṇiya,keṇiya, did you say?”vadesi”?
“the Awakened One,” sir“Buddhoti—bho Sela,sela, I said.”vadāmī”ti.

“Did you say ‘the awakened one’?” “I said ‘the awakened one’.” “Did you say ‘the awakened one’?” “I said ‘the awakened one’.”

thenAtha indeedkho to Selaselassa to the brahminbrāhmaṇassa this occurredetadahosi:
even the sound“ghosopi indeedkho thiseso hard to finddullabho in the world—that islokasmiṁ—yadidaṁ 'awakened one'‘buddho’ti.
have come downĀgatāni indeedkho to uspanamhākaṁ in the hymnsmantesu the thirty-two marks of a great mandvattiṁsamahāpurisalakkhaṇāni, whichyehi endowed withsamannāgatassa great manmahāpurisassa only twodveyeva destiniesgatiyo there arebhavanti no otheranaññā.
ifSace at homeagāraṁ he dwellsajjhāvasati, a kingrājā he ishoti a wheel-turning monarchcakkavattī justdhammiko a principled kingdhammarājā to all four sidescāturanto victoriousvijitāvī achieved stability in the countryjanapadatthāvariyappatto possessing the seven treasuressattaratanasamannāgato.
for him, theseTassimāni sevensatta treasuresratanāni there arebhavanti, that isseyyathidaṁ—
the wheel treasurecakkaratanaṁ, the elephant treasurehatthiratanaṁ, the horse treasureassaratanaṁ, the jewel treasuremaṇiratanaṁ, the woman treasureitthiratanaṁ, the householder treasuregahapatiratanaṁ, the commander treasure, as seventhpariṇāyakaratanameva seventhsattamaṁ.
over a thousandParosahassaṁ indeedkho for himpanassa sonsputtā there arebhavanti valiantsūrā of heroic formvīraṅgarūpā crushing enemy armiesparasenappamaddanā.
heSo thisimaṁ earthpathaviṁ girt by the seasāgarapariyantaṁ without rodadaṇḍena without swordasatthena by principledhammena having conqueredabhivijiya he reignsajjhāvasati.
ifSace butpana from homeagārasmā to homelessnessanagāriyaṁ he goes forthpabbajati, a perfected onearahaṁ he becomeshoti a fully awakened Buddhasammāsambuddho in the worldloke who casts off the veilvivaṭṭacchado”.

Then Sela thought: “It’s hard to even find the word ‘awakened one’ in the world. The thirty-two marks of a great man have been handed down in our hymns. A great man who possesses these has only two possible destinies, no other. If he stays at home he becomes a king, a wheel-turning monarch, a just and principled king. His dominion extends to all four sides, he achieves stability in the country, and he possesses the seven treasures. He has the following seven treasures: the wheel, the elephant, the horse, the jewel, the woman, the householder, and the commander as the seventh treasure. He has over a thousand sons who are valiant and heroic, crushing the armies of his enemies. After conquering this land girt by sea, he reigns by principle, without rod or sword. But if he goes forth from the lay life to homelessness, he becomes a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha, who casts off the veil from the world.”

where“Kahaṁ butpana, worthybho Keṇiyakeṇiya, at presentetarahi heso the blessed onebhavaṁ Gotamagotamo dwellsviharati the perfected onearahaṁ the fully awakened Buddhasammāsambuddho”ti?
thusEvaṁ when saidvutte, Keṇiyakeṇiyo the matted-hair asceticjaṭilo rightdakkhiṇaṁ armbāhuṁ having raisedpaggahetvā Selaselaṁ the brahminbrāhmaṇaṁ said thisetadavoca:
there“yenesā, worthybho Selasela, at that line of blue forestnīlavanarājī”ti.

He said, “But Keṇiya, where is the Blessed One at present, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha?” When he said this, Keṇiya pointed with his right arm and said, “There, worthy Sela, at that line of blue forest.”

thenAtha indeedkho Selaselo the brahminbrāhmaṇo with threetīhi with three hundred young studentsmāṇavakasatehi together withsaddhiṁ towardsyena the Blessed Onebhagavā he approached himtenupasaṅkami.
thenAtha indeedkho Selaselo the brahminbrāhmaṇo thosete the young studentsmāṇavake he addressed:āmantesi:
being quiet“appasaddā sirsbhonto let them comeāgacchantu steppade by steppadaṁ placingnikkhipantā;
intimidatingdurāsadā forhi theyte the Buddhasbhagavanto like a lionsīhāva living aloneekacarā.
whenYadā and Icāhaṁ, sirbho, with the asceticsamaṇena Gotamagotamena together withsaddhiṁ I should consultmanteyyaṁ, notmā myme sirsbhonto in betweenantarantarā talkkathaṁ interruptopātetha.
the end of the talkKathāpariyosānaṁ myme good sirsbhavanto let them waitāgamentū”ti.

Then Sela, together with his young students, approached the Buddha. He said to his young students, “Come quietly, gentlemen, tread gently. For the Buddhas are intimidating, like a lion living alone. When I’m consulting with the ascetic Gotama, don’t interrupt. Wait until I’ve finished speaking.”

thenAtha indeedkho Selaselo brahminbrāhmaṇo whereyena the Blessed Onebhagavā approached him theretenupasaṅkami; having approachedupasaṅkamitvā with the Blessed Onebhagavatā together withsaddhiṁ exchanged greetingssammodi.
greetingSammodanīyaṁ talkkathaṁ politesāraṇīyaṁ having exchangedvītisāretvā to one sideekamantaṁ sat downnisīdi.
to one sideEkamantaṁ seatednisinno indeedkho Selaselo brahminbrāhmaṇo of the Blessed Onebhagavato on the bodykāye the thirty-two marks of a great mandvattiṁsamahāpurisalakkhaṇāni scrutinizedsamannesi.
he sawAddasā indeedkho Selaselo brahminbrāhmaṇo of the Blessed Onebhagavato on the bodykāye the thirty-two marks of a great mandvattiṁsamahāpurisalakkhaṇāni, mostlyyebhuyyena exceptṭhapetvā twodve.
about twoDvīsu marks of a great manmahāpurisalakkhaṇesu doubtskaṅkhati is uncertainvicikicchati is not convincednādhimuccati notna has confidencesampasīdati—
sheathedkosohite andca of the private partsvatthaguyhe of the largeness of the tonguepahūtajivhatāya andca.
thenAtha indeedkho to the Blessed Onebhagavato this occurredetadahosi:
sees“passati indeedkho myme thisayaṁ Selaselo brahminbrāhmaṇo the thirty-two marks of a great mandvattiṁsamahāpurisalakkhaṇāni, mostlyyebhuyyena exceptṭhapetvā twodve.
about twoDvīsu marks of a great manmahāpurisalakkhaṇesu doubtskaṅkhati is uncertainvicikicchati is not convincednādhimuccati notna has confidencesampasīdati—
sheathedkosohite andca of the private partsvatthaguyhe of the largeness of the tonguepahūtajivhatāya andcā”ti.

Then Sela went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side, and scrutinized the Buddha’s body for the thirty-two marks of a great man. He saw all of them except two, which he had doubts about: whether the private parts were sheathed in a foreskin, and the largeness of the tongue. Then it occurred to the Buddha, “Sela sees all the marks except two, which he has doubts about: whether the private parts are sheathed in a foreskin, and the largeness of the tongue.”

thenAtha indeedkho the Blessed Onebhagavā such a formtathārūpaṁ a feat of psychic poweriddhābhisaṅkhāraṁ willedabhisaṅkhāsi, so thatyathā sawaddasa Selaselo the brahminbrāhmaṇo of the Blessed Onebhagavato sheathedkosohitaṁ private partsvatthaguyhaṁ.
thenAtha indeedkho the Blessed Onebhagavā tonguejivhaṁ having stuck outninnāmetvā bothubhopi ear holeskaṇṇasotāni stroked alonganumasi stroked backpaṭimasi; bothubhopi nostrilsnāsikasotāni stroked alonganumasi stroked backpaṭimasi; the entirekevalampi foreheadnalāṭamaṇḍalaṁ with his tonguejivhāya coveredchādesi.

The Buddha used his psychic power to will that Sela would see his private parts sheathed in a foreskin. And he stuck out his tongue and stroked back and forth on his ear holes and nostrils, and covered his entire forehead with his tongue.

thenAtha indeedkho to Selaselassa to the brahminbrāhmaṇassa this occurred to himetadahosi:
endowed“samannāgato indeedkho the asceticsamaṇo Gotamagotamo with the thirty-two marks of a great mandvattiṁsamahāpurisalakkhaṇehi completeparipuṇṇehi, notno incompleteaparipuṇṇehi;
notno andca indeedkho himnaṁ I knowjānāmi an awakened onebuddho orvā notno orvā.
heardSutaṁ indeedkho nowpana thismetaṁ of the brahminsbrāhmaṇānaṁ of oldvuddhānaṁ elderlymahallakānaṁ of the tutors of tutorsācariyapācariyānaṁ speakingbhāsamānānaṁ:
those who‘ye thosete arebhavanti perfected onesarahanto fully awakened Buddhassammāsambuddhā theyte in their ownsake praisevaṇṇe being spokenbhaññamāne themselvesattānaṁ they revealpātukarontī’ti.
why don't IYannūnāhaṁ the asceticsamaṇaṁ Gotamagotamaṁ in his presencesammukhā with fittingsāruppāhi versesgāthāhi I should extollabhitthaveyyan”ti.
thenAtha indeedkho Selaselo the brahminbrāhmaṇo the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ in his presencesammukhā with fittingsāruppāhi versesgāthāhi extolledabhitthavi:

Then Sela thought, “The ascetic Gotama possesses the thirty-two marks completely, lacking none. But I don’t know whether or not he is an awakened one. I have heard that brahmins of the past who were elderly and senior, the tutors of tutors, said, ‘Those who are perfected ones, fully awakened Buddhas reveal themselves when praised.’ Why don’t I extoll him in his presence with fitting verses?” Then Sela extolled the Buddha in his presence with fitting verses:

with perfect body“Paripuṇṇakāyo radiantsuruci,
well-bornSujāto lovely to beholdcārudassano;
you are golden-coloredSuvaṇṇavaṇṇosi Blessed Onebhagavā,
you have very white teethSusukkadāṭhosi strongvīriyavā.
of a manNarassa indeedhi well-bornsujātassa,
whichye there arebhavanti characteristicsviyañjanā;
allSabbe thesete yourtava on bodykāyasmiṁ,
marks of a great manmahāpurisalakkhaṇā.
clear-eyedPasannanetto fair-facedsumukho,
formidablebrahā uprightuju majesticpatāpavā;
in the midstMajjhe of the Saṅgha of asceticssamaṇasaṅghassa,
like the sunādiccova you dazzlevirocasi.
fine to seeKalyāṇadassano mendicantbhikkhu,
with skin like goldkañcanasannibhattaco;
whatKiṁ to youte with the ascetic lifesamaṇabhāvena,
thusevaṁ of excellent appearanceuttamavaṇṇino.
a kingRājā you are fitarahasi to becomebhavituṁ,
a wheel-turning monarchcakkavattī chief of charioteersrathesabho;
victorious in the four quartersCāturanto victoriousvijitāvī,
of the Black Plum Tree Landjambusaṇḍassa lordissaro.
aristocratsKhattiyā nobles and kingsbhogirājāno,
followersanuyantā let them bebhavantu yourte;
king of kingsRājābhirājā lord of mankindmanujindo,
rulerajjaṁ may you reignkārehi Gotamagotama”.

“O Blessed One, your body’s perfect, you’re radiant, handsome, lovely to behold; golden colored, with teeth so white; you’re strong. The characteristics of a handsome man, the marks of a great man, are all found on your body. Your eyes are clear, your face is fair, you’re formidable, upright, majestic. In the midst of the Saṅgha of ascetics, you dazzle like the sun. You’re a mendicant fine to see, with skin that shines like lustrous gold. But with such excellent appearance, what do you want with the ascetic life? You’re fit to be a king, a wheel-turning monarch, chief of charioteers, victorious in the four quarters, lord of the Black Plum Tree Land. Aristocrats, nobles, and kings ought follow your rule. Gotama, may you reign as king of kings, lord of mankind!”

I am a king“Rājāhamasmi O Selaselāti,
king of the teachingdhammarājā supremeanuttaro;
by the teachingDhammena the wheelcakkaṁ I roll forthvattemi,
the wheelcakkaṁ which cannot be rolled backappaṭivattiyaṁ”.

“I am a king, Sela, the supreme king of the teaching. By the teaching I roll forth the wheel which cannot be rolled back.”

fully awakened one“Sambuddho you claimpaṭijānāsi,
king of the teachingdhammarājā supremeanuttaro;
with the teaching‘Dhammena wheelcakkaṁ I roll forthvattemi’,
thusiti you saybhāsasi Gotamagotama.
whoKo thennu generalsenāpati of you, sirbhoto,
disciplesāvako following the Teachersatthuranvayo;
whoKo keeps it rolling for youtetamanuvatteti,
wheel of the teachingdhammacakkaṁ rolled forthpavattitaṁ”.

“You claim to be awakened, the supreme king of the teaching. ‘I roll forth the teaching’: so you say, Gotama. Then who is your general, the disciple who follows the Teacher’s way? Who keeps rolling the wheel of the teaching you rolled forth?”

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