sutta » sn » sn6 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 6.2

Gāravasutta

Respect Reverence

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
So I have heard.
Thus have I heard.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā uruvelāyaṁ viharati najjā nerañjarāya tīre ajapālanigrodhamūle paṭhamābhisambuddho.
At one time, when he was first awakened, the Buddha was staying in Uruvelā at the root of the goatherd’s banyan tree on the bank of the Nerañjarā River.
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Uruvelā on the bank of the river Nerañjarā at the foot of the Goatherd’s Banyan Tree just after he had become fully enlightened.

Atha kho bhagavato rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi:
Then as he was in private retreat this thought came to his mind,
Then, while the Blessed One was alone in seclusion, a reflection arose in his mind thus:

“dukkhaṁ kho agāravo viharati appatisso, kaṁ nu khvāhaṁ samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya vihareyyan”ti?
“It’s unpleasant to live without respect and reverence. What ascetic or brahmin should I honor and respect and rely on?”
“One dwells in suffering if one is without reverence and deference. Now what ascetic or brahmin can I honour and respect and dwell in dependence on?”

Atha kho bhagavato etadahosi:
Then it occurred to him:
Then it occurred to the Blessed One:

“aparipuṇṇassa kho sīlakkhandhassa pāripūriyā aññaṁ samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya vihareyyaṁ.
“I’d honor and respect and rely on another ascetic or brahmin so as to complete the entire spectrum of ethics, if it were incomplete.
“It would be for the sake of fulfilling an unfulfilled aggregate of virtue that I would honour, respect, and dwell in dependence on another ascetic or brahmin.

Na kho panāhaṁ passāmi sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya attanā sīlasampannataraṁ aññaṁ samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā, yamahaṁ sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya vihareyyaṁ.
But I don’t see any other ascetic or brahmin in this world—with its gods, Māras, and Divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans—who is more accomplished than myself in ethics, who I should honor and respect and rely on.
However, in this world with its devas, Māra, and Brahmā, in this generation with its ascetics and brahmins, its devas and humans, I do not see another ascetic or brahmin more perfect in virtue than myself, whom I could honour and respect and dwell in dependence on.

Aparipuṇṇassa kho samādhikkhandhassa pāripūriyā aññaṁ samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya vihareyyaṁ.
I’d honor and respect and rely on another ascetic or brahmin so as to complete the entire spectrum of immersion, if it were incomplete.
“It would be for the sake of fulfilling an unfulfilled aggregate of concentration that I would honour, respect, and dwell in dependence on another ascetic or brahmin.

Na kho panāhaṁ passāmi sadevake loke …pe… attanā samādhisampannataraṁ aññaṁ samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā, yamahaṁ sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya vihareyyaṁ.
But I don’t see any other ascetic or brahmin … who is more accomplished than myself in immersion …
However… I do not see another ascetic or brahmin more perfect in concentration than myself… .

Aparipuṇṇassa paññākkhandhassa pāripūriyā aññaṁ samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya vihareyyaṁ.
I’d honor and respect and rely on another ascetic or brahmin so as to complete the entire spectrum of wisdom, if it were incomplete.
“It would be for the sake of fulfilling an unfulfilled aggregate of wisdom that I would honour, respect, and dwell in dependence on another ascetic or brahmin.

Na kho panāhaṁ passāmi sadevake …pe… attanā paññāsampannataraṁ aññaṁ samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā, yamahaṁ sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya vihareyyaṁ.
But I don’t see any other ascetic or brahmin … who is more accomplished than myself in wisdom …
However… I do not see another ascetic or brahmin more perfect in wisdom than myself… .

Aparipuṇṇassa kho vimuttikkhandhassa pāripūriyā aññaṁ samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya vihareyyaṁ.
I’d honor and respect and rely on another ascetic or brahmin so as to complete the entire spectrum of freedom, if it were incomplete.
“It would be for the sake of fulfilling an unfulfilled aggregate of liberation that I would honour, respect, and dwell in dependence on another ascetic or brahmin.

Na kho panāhaṁ passāmi sadevake …pe… attanā vimuttisampannataraṁ aññaṁ samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā, yamahaṁ sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya vihareyyaṁ.
But I don’t see any other ascetic or brahmin … who is more accomplished than myself in freedom …
However… I do not see another ascetic or brahmin more perfect in liberation than myself… .

Aparipuṇṇassa kho vimuttiñāṇadassanakkhandhassa pāripūriyā aññaṁ samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya vihareyyaṁ.
I’d honor and respect and rely on another ascetic or brahmin so as to complete the entire spectrum of the knowledge and vision of freedom, if it were incomplete.
“It would be for the sake of fulfilling an unfulfilled aggregate of the knowledge and vision of liberation that I would honour, respect, and dwell in dependence on another ascetic or brahmin.

Na kho panāhaṁ passāmi sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya attanā vimuttiñāṇadassanasampannataraṁ aññaṁ samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā, yamahaṁ sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya vihareyyaṁ.
But I don’t see any other ascetic or brahmin in this world—with its gods, Māras, and Divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans—who is more accomplished than myself in the knowledge and vision of freedom, who I should honor and respect and rely on.
I do not see another ascetic or brahmin more perfect in the knowledge and vision of liberation than myself, whom I could honour and respect, and on whom I could dwell in dependence. “Let me then honour, respect, and dwell in dependence on this very Dhamma to which I have fully awakened. ”

Yannūnāhaṁ yvāyaṁ dhammo mayā abhisambuddho tameva dhammaṁ sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya vihareyyan”ti.
Why don’t I honor and respect and rely on the same Dhamma to which I was awakened?”

Atha kho brahmā sahampati bhagavato cetasā cetoparivitakkamaññāya—seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso samiñjitaṁ vā bāhaṁ pasāreyya pasāritaṁ vā bāhaṁ samiñjeyya; evameva—brahmaloke antarahito bhagavato purato pāturahosi.
Then the divinity Sahampati knew what the Buddha was thinking. As easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, he vanished from the realm of divinity and reappeared in front of the Buddha.
Then, having known with his own mind the reflection in the Blessed One’s mind, just as quickly as a strong man might extend his drawn-in arm or draw in his extended arm, Brahmā Sahampati disappeared from the brahmā world and reappeared before the Blessed One.

Atha kho brahmā sahampati ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā yena bhagavā tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
He arranged his robe over one shoulder, raised his joined palms toward the Buddha, and said:
He arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, raised his joined hands in reverential salutation towards the Blessed One, and said to him:

“evametaṁ, bhagavā, evametaṁ, sugata.
“That’s so true, Blessed One! That’s so true, Holy One!
“So it is, Blessed One! So it is, Fortunate One!

Yepi te, bhante, ahesuṁ atītamaddhānaṁ arahanto sammāsambuddhā, tepi bhagavanto dhammaññeva sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya vihariṁsu;
All the perfected ones, the fully awakened Buddhas who lived in the past honored and respected and relied on this same teaching.
Venerable sir, those who were the Arahants, the Perfectly Enlightened Ones in the past—those Blessed Ones too honoured, respected, and dwelt in dependence just on the Dhamma itself.

yepi te, bhante, bhavissanti anāgatamaddhānaṁ arahanto sammāsambuddhā tepi bhagavanto dhammaññeva sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya viharissanti.
All the perfected ones, the fully awakened Buddhas who will live in the future will honor and respect and rely on this same teaching.
Those who will be the Arahants, the Perfectly Enlightened Ones in the future—those Blessed Ones too will honour, respect, and dwell in dependence just on the Dhamma itself.

Bhagavāpi, bhante, etarahi arahaṁ sammāsambuddho dhammaññeva sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya viharatū”ti.
May the Blessed One, who is the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha at present, also honor and respect and rely on this same teaching.”
Let the Blessed One too, who is at present the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One, honour, respect, and dwell in dependence just on the Dhamma itself. ”

Idamavoca brahmā sahampati, idaṁ vatvā athāparaṁ etadavoca:
This is what the divinity Sahampati said. Then he went on to say:
This is what Brahmā Sahampati said. Having said this, he further said this:

“Ye ca atītā sambuddhā,
“All Buddhas in the past,
“The Buddhas of the past,

ye ca buddhā anāgatā;
the Buddhas of the future,
The future Buddhas,

Yo cetarahi sambuddho,
and the Buddha at present—
And he who is the Buddha now,

bahūnaṁ sokanāsano.
destroyer of the sorrows of many—
Removing the sorrow of many,

Sabbe saddhammagaruno,
respecting the true teaching
“All have dwelt, will dwell,

vihaṁsu viharanti ca;
they did live, they do live,
and dwell,

Tathāpi viharissanti,
and they also will live.

esā buddhāna dhammatā.
This is the nature of the Buddhas.
Deeply revering the true Dhamma:

Tasmā hi attakāmena,
Therefore someone who cares for their own welfare,
“Therefore one desiring his own good,

mahattamabhikaṅkhatā;
and wants to become the very best they can be,
Aspiring for spiritual greatness,

Saddhammo garukātabbo,
should respect the true teaching,
Should deeply revere the true Dhamma,

saraṁ buddhāna sāsanan”ti.
remembering the instructions of the Buddhas.”
Recollecting the Buddhas’ Teaching. ”