Catukkanipāta
The Book of the Fours
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Vuttañhetaṁ bhagavatā vuttamarahatāti me sutaṁ:
This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.
“Ye te, bhikkhave, bhikkhū sīlasampannā samādhisampannā paññāsampannā vimuttisampannā vimuttiñāṇadassanasampannā ovādakā viññāpakā sandassakā samādapakā samuttejakā sampahaṁsakā alaṁsamakkhātāro saddhammassa dassanampahaṁ, bhikkhave, tesaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ bahūpakāraṁ vadāmi;
“Mendicants, take a mendicant who is accomplished in ethics, immersion, wisdom, freedom, and the knowledge and vision of freedom. They advise and instruct. They educate, encourage, fire up, and inspire, and can rightly explain the true teaching. Even the sight of those mendicants is very helpful, I say.
anupabbajjampahaṁ, bhikkhave, tesaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ bahūpakāraṁ vadāmi.
or go forth after them is very helpful, I say.
Tathārūpe, bhikkhave, bhikkhū sevato bhajato payirupāsato aparipūropi sīlakkhandho bhāvanāpāripūriṁ gacchati, aparipūropi samādhikkhandho bhāvanāpāripūriṁ gacchati, aparipūropi paññākkhandho bhāvanāpāripūriṁ gacchati, aparipūropi vimuttikkhandho bhāvanāpāripūriṁ gacchati, aparipūropi vimuttiñāṇadassanakkhandho bhāvanāpāripūriṁ gacchati.
For one who frequents and associates with such mendicants, their incomplete spectrum of ethics is completed. Their incomplete spectrum of immersion … wisdom … freedom … knowledge and vision of freedom is completed.
Evarūpā ca te, bhikkhave, bhikkhū satthārotipi vuccanti, satthavāhātipi vuccanti, raṇañjahātipi vuccanti, tamonudātipi vuccanti, ālokakarātipi vuccanti, obhāsakarātipi vuccanti, pajjotakarātipi vuccanti, ukkādhārātipi vuccanti, pabhaṅkarātipi vuccanti, ariyātipi vuccanti, cakkhumantotipi vuccantī”ti.
Such mendicants are called ‘teachers’, ‘caravan leaders’, ‘strife-discarders’, ‘dispellers of darkness’, ‘bringers of light’, ‘luminaries’, ‘lamps’, ‘candlebearers’, ‘beacons’, ‘noble ones’, and ‘clear-eyed ones’.”
Ayampi attho vutto bhagavatā, iti me sutanti.
This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.
Pañcamaṁ.