SN8:10 Moggallana
- DG BB TBW © Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi. (More copyright information)
1On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha on the Black Rock on the Isigili Slope, together with a great Saṅgha of bhikkhus, with five hundred bhikkhus all of whom were arahants. Thereupon the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna searched their minds with his own mind (and saw that they were) released, without acquisitions.
Then it occurred to the Venerable Vangisa: "The Blessed One is dwelling at Rājagaha on the Black Rock on the Isigili Slope … . Thereupon the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna has searched their minds with his own mind (and seen that they are) released, without acquisitions. Let me extol the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna in the Blessed One's presence with suitable verses." sn.i.195
2Then the Venerable Vangisa rose from his seat, arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, and, raising his joined hands in reverential salutation towards the Blessed One, said to him: "An inspiration has come to me, Blessed One! An inspiration has come to me, Fortunate One!"
"Then express your inspiration, Vangisa."
Then the Venerable Vangisa extolled the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna in the Blessed One's presence with suitable verses:
3v.749 "While the sage is seated on the mountain slope,
Gone to the far shore of suffering,
His disciples sit in attendance on him,
Triple-knowledge men who have left Death behind.
4v.750 "Moggallana, great in spiritual power,
Encompassed their minds with his own,
And searching (he came to see) their minds:
Fully released, without acquisitions!
5v.751 "Thus those perfect in many qualities
Attend upon Gotama,
The sage perfect in all respects,
Gone to the far shore of suffering."
[n.527] In all eds. of SN and Th 1251 the text here reads sabbaṅgasampannaṁ in pāda a and anekakarasampannaṁ in pāda c, both accusative singulars set in apposition to the Buddha. This reading is doubtlessly ancient, for it is commented on as such by both Spk and Th-a. It is puzzling, however, that after having been described as "perfect in all respects" the Buddha should then be described as "perfect in many qualities"—almost as if his excellence is being diminished. I have accepted VĀT's ingenious solution to this problem: amending the compound in pāda c to a nominative plural, anekakarasampanna, which then becomes a description, altogether apt, of the triple-knowledge arahants attending on the Buddha. These are the subject of payirūpasanti, while Gotamaṁ remains the object, still qualified as sabbaṅgasampannaṁ. Note that at Th 1158c anekakarasampanne is used with reference to Sāriputta on the occasion of his parinibbāna; significantly, that verse mirrors v. 610 (SN I 158 = DN II 157), recited at the Buddha’s parinibbāna, extolling the Master as sabbakaravarūpete, "perfect in all excellent qualities."
1Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe vihārati isigilipasse kāḷasilāyaṁ mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ pañcamattehi bhikkhusatehi sabbeheva arahantehi. Tesaṁ sudaṁ āyasmā mahāmoggallāno cetasā cittaṁ samannesati vippamuttaṁ nirupadhiṁ.
Atha kho āyasmato vaṅgīsassa etadahosi: "Ayaṁ kho bhagavā rājagahe vihārati isigilipasse kāḷasilāyaṁ mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ pañcamattehi bhikkhusatehi sabbeheva arahantehi. Tesaṁ sudaṁ āyasmā mahāmoggallāno cetasā cittaṁ samannesati vippamuttaṁ nirupadhiṁ. Yannūnāhaṁ āyasmantaṁ mahāmoggallānaṁ bhagavato sammukhā sāruppāhi gāthāhi abhitthaveyyan"ti.
2Atha kho āyasmā vaṅgīso uṭṭhāyāsanā ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā yena bhagavā tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: "paṭibhāti maṁ, bhagavā, paṭibhāti maṁ, sugatā"ti.
"Paṭibhātu taṁ, vaṅgīsā"ti bhagavā avoca.
Atha kho āyasmā vaṅgīso āyasmantaṁ mahāmoggallānaṁ bhagavato sammukhā sāruppāhi gāthāhi abhitthavi:
3"Nagassa passe āsīnaṁ,
muniṁ dukkhassa pāraguṁ;
Sāvakā payirupāsanti,
tevijjā maccuhāyino.
4Te cetasā anupariyeti,
Moggallāno mahiddhiko;
Cittaṁ nesaṁ samannesaṁ,
Vippamuttaṁ nirūpadhiṁ.
5Evaṁ sabbaṅgasampannaṁ,
Muniṁ dukkhassa pāraguṁ;
Anekākārasampannaṁ,
Payirupāsanti gotaman"ti.