Saṁyutta Nikāya 47.11
Translators: sujato
Linked Discourses 47.11
2. Nālandavagga
2. At Nāḷandā
Mahāpurisasutta
A Great Man
Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
At Sāvatthī.
Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā sāriputto bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
Then Sāriputta went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to the Buddha:
“‘mahāpuriso, mahāpuriso’ti, bhante, vuccati.
“Sir, they speak of ‘a great man’.
Kittāvatā nu kho, bhante, mahāpuriso hotī”ti?
How is a great man defined?”
“Vimuttacittattā khvāhaṁ, sāriputta, ‘mahāpuriso’ti vadāmi.
“Sāriputta, someone whose mind is free is a great man, I say.
Avimuttacittattā ‘no mahāpuriso’ti vadāmi.
If their mind is not free, I say they’re not a great man.
Kathañca, sāriputta, vimuttacitto hoti?
And how does someone have a free mind?
Idha, sāriputta, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.
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.
Tassa kāye kāyānupassino viharato cittaṁ virajjati, vimuccati anupādāya āsavehi.
As they meditate observing an aspect of the body, their mind becomes dispassionate, and is freed from the defilements by not grasping.
Vedanāsu …pe…
They meditate observing an aspect of feelings …
citte …pe…
mind …
dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.
principles—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.
Tassa dhammesu dhammānupassino viharato cittaṁ virajjati, vimuccati anupādāya āsavehi.
As they meditate observing an aspect of principles, their mind becomes dispassionate, and is freed from the defilements by not grasping.
Evaṁ kho, sāriputta, vimuttacitto hoti.
That’s how someone has a free mind.
Vimuttacittattā khvāhaṁ, sāriputta, ‘mahāpuriso’ti vadāmi.
Someone whose mind is free is a great man, I say.
Avimuttacittattā ‘no mahāpuriso’ti vadāmī”ti.
If their mind is not free, I say they’re not a great man.”
Paṭhamaṁ.