AN 8.11

Verañjasutta

Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā verañjāyaṁ viharati naḷerupucimandamūle. Atha kho verañjo brāhmaṇo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho verañjo brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

At Verañjā

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying in Verañjā at the root of a neem tree dedicated to Naḷeru. Then the brahmin Verañja 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 said to the Buddha:

“Sutaṁ metaṁ, bho gotama: ‘na samaṇo gotamo brāhmaṇe jiṇṇe vuḍḍhe mahallake addhagate vayoanuppatte abhivādeti vā paccuṭṭheti vā āsanena vā nimantetī’ti. Tayidaṁ, bho gotama, tatheva. Na hi bhavaṁ gotamo brāhmaṇe jiṇṇe vuḍḍhe mahallake addhagate vayoanuppatte abhivādeti vā paccuṭṭheti vā āsanena vā nimanteti. Tayidaṁ, bho gotama, na sampannamevā”ti. “Nāhaṁ taṁ, brāhmaṇa, passāmi sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya yamahaṁ abhivādeyyaṁ vā paccuṭṭheyyaṁ vā āsanena vā nimanteyyaṁ. Yañhi, brāhmaṇa, tathāgato abhivādeyya vā paccuṭṭheyya vā āsanena vā nimanteyya, muddhāpi tassa vipateyyā”ti.

“Worthy Gotama, I have heard that the ascetic Gotama doesn’t bow to old brahmins, the elderly and senior, who are advanced in years and have reached the final stage of life; nor does he rise in their presence or offer them a seat. And this is indeed the case, for the worthy Gotama does not bow to old brahmins, elderly and senior, who are advanced in years and have reached the final stage of life; nor does he rise in their presence or offer them a seat. This is not appropriate, worthy Gotama.” “Brahmin, I don’t see anyone in this world—with its gods, Māras, and divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans—for whom I should bow down or rise up or offer a seat. If the Realized One bowed down or rose up or offered a seat to anyone, their head would explode!”

“Arasarūpo bhavaṁ gotamo”ti. “Atthi khvesa, brāhmaṇa, pariyāyo, yena maṁ pariyāyena sammā vadamāno vadeyya: ‘arasarūpo samaṇo gotamo’ti. Ye te, brāhmaṇa, rūparasā saddarasā gandharasā rasarasā phoṭṭhabbarasā, te tathāgatassa pahīnā ucchinnamūlā tālāvatthukatā anabhāvaṅkatā āyatiṁ anuppādadhammā. Ayaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa, pariyāyo, yena maṁ pariyāyena sammā vadamāno vadeyya: ‘arasarūpo samaṇo gotamo’ti, no ca kho yaṁ tvaṁ sandhāya vadesī”ti.

“Worthy Gotama lacks taste.” “There is, brahmin, a sense in which you could rightly say that I lack taste. For the Realized One has given up taste for sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and touches. It’s cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated, and unable to arise in the future. In this sense you could rightly say that I lack taste. But that’s not what you’re talking about.”

“Nibbhogo bhavaṁ gotamo”ti. “Atthi khvesa, brāhmaṇa, pariyāyo, yena maṁ pariyāyena sammā vadamāno vadeyya: ‘nibbhogo samaṇo gotamo’ti. Ye te, brāhmaṇa, rūpabhogā saddabhogā gandhabhogā rasabhogā phoṭṭhabbabhogā, te tathāgatassa pahīnā ucchinnamūlā tālāvatthukatā anabhāvaṅkatā āyatiṁ anuppādadhammā. Ayaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa, pariyāyo, yena maṁ pariyāyena sammā vadamāno vadeyya: ‘nibbhogo samaṇo gotamo’ti, no ca kho yaṁ tvaṁ sandhāya vadesī”ti.

“Worthy Gotama is indelicate.” “There is, brahmin, a sense in which you could rightly say that I’m indelicate. For the Realized One has given up delight in sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and touches. It’s cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, obliterated, and unable to arise in the future. In this sense you could rightly say that I’m indelicate. But that’s not what you’re talking about.”

“Akiriyavādo bhavaṁ gotamo”ti. “Atthi khvesa, brāhmaṇa, pariyāyo, yena maṁ pariyāyena sammā vadamāno vadeyya: ‘akiriyavādo samaṇo gotamo’ti. Ahañhi, brāhmaṇa, akiriyaṁ vadāmi kāyaduccaritassa vacīduccaritassa manoduccaritassa; anekavihitānaṁ pāpakānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ akiriyaṁ vadāmi. Ayaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa, pariyāyo, yena maṁ pariyāyena sammā vadamāno vadeyya: ‘akiriyavādo samaṇo gotamo’ti, no ca kho yaṁ tvaṁ sandhāya vadesī”ti.

“Worthy Gotama is a teacher of inaction.” “There is, brahmin, a sense in which you could rightly say that I’m a teacher of inaction. For I teach inaction regarding bad bodily, verbal, and mental conduct, and the many kinds of unskillful things. In this sense you could rightly say that I’m a teacher of inaction. But that’s not what you’re talking about.”

“Ucchedavādo bhavaṁ gotamo”ti. “Atthi khvesa, brāhmaṇa, pariyāyo, yena maṁ pariyāyena sammā vadamāno vadeyya: ‘ucchedavādo samaṇo gotamo’ti. Ahañhi, brāhmaṇa, ucchedaṁ vadāmi rāgassa dosassa mohassa; anekavihitānaṁ pāpakānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ ucchedaṁ vadāmi. Ayaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa, pariyāyo, yena maṁ pariyāyena sammā vadamāno vadeyya: ‘ucchedavādo samaṇo gotamo’ti, no ca kho yaṁ tvaṁ sandhāya vadesī”ti.

“Worthy Gotama is a teacher of annihilationism.” “There is, brahmin, a sense in which you could rightly say that I’m a teacher of annihilationism. For I teach the annihilation of greed, hate, and delusion, and the many kinds of unskillful things. In this sense you could rightly say that I’m a teacher of annihilationism. But that’s not what you’re talking about.”

“Jegucchī bhavaṁ gotamo”ti. “Atthi khvesa, brāhmaṇa, pariyāyo, yena maṁ pariyāyena sammā vadamāno vadeyya: ‘jegucchī samaṇo gotamo’ti. Ahañhi, brāhmaṇa, jigucchāmi kāyaduccaritena vacīduccaritena manoduccaritena; jigucchāmi anekavihitānaṁ pāpakānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ samāpattiyā. Ayaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa, pariyāyo, yena maṁ pariyāyena sammā vadamāno vadeyya: ‘jegucchī samaṇo gotamo’ti, no ca kho yaṁ tvaṁ sandhāya vadesī”ti.

“Worthy Gotama is disgusted.” “There is, brahmin, a sense in which you could rightly say that I’m disgusted. For I’m disgusted by bad conduct by way of body, speech, and mind, and by attainment of the many kinds of unskillful things. In this sense you could rightly say that I’m disgusted. But that’s not what you’re talking about.”

“Venayiko bhavaṁ gotamo”ti. “Atthi khvesa, brāhmaṇa, pariyāyo, yena maṁ pariyāyena sammā vadamāno vadeyya: ‘venayiko samaṇo gotamo’ti. Ahañhi, brāhmaṇa, vinayāya dhammaṁ desemi rāgassa dosassa mohassa; anekavihitānaṁ pāpakānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ vinayāya dhammaṁ desemi. Ayaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa, pariyāyo, yena maṁ pariyāyena sammā vadamāno vadeyya: ‘venayiko samaṇo gotamo’ti, no ca kho yaṁ tvaṁ sandhāya vadesī”ti.

“Worthy Gotama is an exterminator.” “There is, brahmin, a sense in which you could rightly say that I’m an exterminator. For I teach the extermination of greed, hate, and delusion, and the many kinds of unskillful things. In this sense you could rightly say that I’m an exterminator. But that’s not what you’re talking about.”

“Tapassī bhavaṁ gotamo”ti. “Atthi khvesa, brāhmaṇa, pariyāyo, yena maṁ pariyāyena sammā vadamāno vadeyya: ‘tapassī samaṇo gotamo’ti. Tapanīyāhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, pāpake akusale dhamme vadāmi kāyaduccaritaṁ vacīduccaritaṁ manoduccaritaṁ. Yassa kho, brāhmaṇa, tapanīyā pāpakā akusalā dhammā pahīnā ucchinnamūlā tālāvatthukatā anabhāvaṅkatā āyatiṁ anuppādadhammā, tamahaṁ ‘tapassī’ti vadāmi. Tathāgatassa kho, brāhmaṇa, tapanīyā pāpakā akusalā dhammā pahīnā ucchinnamūlā tālāvatthukatā anabhāvaṅkatā āyatiṁ anuppādadhammā. Ayaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa, pariyāyo, yena maṁ pariyāyena sammā vadamāno vadeyya: ‘tapassī samaṇo gotamo’ti, no ca kho yaṁ tvaṁ sandhāya vadesī”ti.

“Worthy Gotama is a mortifier.” “There is, brahmin, a sense in which you could rightly say that I’m a mortifier. For I say that bad conduct by way of body, speech, and mind should be mortified. I say that a mortifier is someone who has given up unskillful qualities that should be mortified. They’ve cut them off at the root, made them like a palm stump, obliterated them, so that they’re unable to arise in the future. The Realized One is someone who has given up unskillful qualities that should be mortified. He has cut them off at the root, made them like a palm stump, obliterated them, so that they’re unable to arise in the future. In this sense you could rightly say that I’m a mortifier. But that’s not what you’re talking about.”

“Apagabbho bhavaṁ gotamo”ti. “Atthi khvesa, brāhmaṇa, pariyāyo, yena maṁ pariyāyena sammā vadamāno vadeyya: ‘apagabbho samaṇo gotamo’ti. Yassa kho, brāhmaṇa, āyatiṁ gabbhaseyyā punabbhavābhinibbatti pahīnā ucchinnamūlā tālāvatthukatā anabhāvaṅkatā āyatiṁ anuppādadhammā, tamahaṁ ‘apagabbho’ti vadāmi. Tathāgatassa kho, brāhmaṇa, āyatiṁ gabbhaseyyā punabbhavābhinibbatti pahīnā ucchinnamūlā tālāvatthukatā anabhāvaṅkatā āyatiṁ anuppādadhammā. Ayaṁ kho, brāhmaṇa, pariyāyo, yena maṁ pariyāyena sammā vadamāno vadeyya: ‘apagabbho samaṇo gotamo’ti, no ca kho yaṁ tvaṁ sandhāya vadesi.

“Worthy Gotama is gutless.” “There is, brahmin, a sense in which you could rightly say that I am gutless. I say that a gutless person is someone who has given up future wombs and regeneration into a new state of existence. They’ve cut them off at the root, made them like a palm stump, obliterated them, so that they’re unable to arise in the future. The Realized One has given up future wombs and regeneration into a new state of existence. He has cut them off at the root, made them like a palm stump, obliterated them, so that they’re unable to arise in the future. In this sense you could rightly say that I am gutless. But that’s not what you’re talking about.

Seyyathāpi, brāhmaṇa, kukkuṭiyā aṇḍāni aṭṭha vā dasa vā dvādasa vā. Tānāssu kukkuṭiyā sammā adhisayitāni sammā pariseditāni sammā paribhāvitāni. Yo nu kho tesaṁ kukkuṭacchāpakānaṁ paṭhamataraṁ pādanakhasikhāya vā mukhatuṇḍakena vā aṇḍakosaṁ padāletvā sotthinā abhinibbhijjeyya, kinti svāssa vacanīyo: ‘jeṭṭho vā kaniṭṭho vā’”ti? “Jeṭṭho tissa, bho gotama, vacanīyo. So hi nesaṁ, bho gotama, jeṭṭho hotī”ti.

Suppose, brahmin, there was a chicken with eight or ten or twelve eggs. And she properly sat on them to keep them warm and incubated. Now, the chick that is first to break out of the eggshell with its claws and beak and hatch safely: should that be called the eldest or the youngest?” “Worthy Gotama, that should be called the eldest. For it is the eldest among them.”

“Evamevaṁ kho ahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, avijjāgatāya pajāya aṇḍabhūtāya pariyonaddhāya avijjaṇḍakosaṁ padāletvā ekova loke anuttaraṁ sammāsambodhiṁ abhisambuddho. Ahañhi, brāhmaṇa, jeṭṭho seṭṭho lokassa.

“In the same way, in this population lost in ignorance, swaddled in their shells, I alone have broken open the egg of ignorance and realized the supreme perfect awakening. So, brahmin, I am the eldest and the first in the world.

Āraddhaṁ kho pana me, brāhmaṇa, vīriyaṁ ahosi asallīnaṁ, upaṭṭhitā sati asammuṭṭhā, passaddho kāyo asāraddho, samāhitaṁ cittaṁ ekaggaṁ. So kho ahaṁ, brāhmaṇa, vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharāmi; vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā ajjhattaṁ sampasādanaṁ cetaso ekodibhāvaṁ avitakkaṁ avicāraṁ samādhijaṁ pītisukhaṁ dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharāmi; pītiyā ca virāgā upekkhako ca viharāmi sato ca sampajāno sukhañca kāyena paṭisaṁvedemi yaṁ taṁ ariyā ācikkhanti: ‘upekkhako satimā sukhavihārī’ti tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharāmi; sukhassa ca pahānā dukkhassa ca pahānā pubbeva somanassadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamā adukkhamasukhaṁ upekkhāsatipārisuddhiṁ catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharāmi.

My energy was roused up and unflagging, my mindfulness was established and lucid, my body was tranquil and undisturbed, and my mind was immersed and unified in samādhi. Quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, I entered and remained in the first absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, while placing the mind and keeping it connected. As the placing of the mind and keeping it connected were stilled, I entered and remained in the second absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of immersion, with internal clarity and mind at one, without placing the mind and keeping it connected. And with the fading away of rapture, I entered and remained in the third absorption, where I meditated with equanimity, mindful and aware, experiencing for themselves the bliss of which the noble ones declare, ‘Equanimous and mindful, one meditates in bliss.’ With the giving up of pleasure and pain, and the disappearance of former happiness and sadness, I entered and remained in the fourth absorption, without pleasure or pain, with pure equanimity and mindfulness.

So evaṁ samāhite citte parisuddhe pariyodāte anaṅgaṇe vigatūpakkilese mudubhūte kammaniye ṭhite āneñjappatte pubbenivāsānussatiñāṇāya cittaṁ abhininnāmesiṁ. So anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarāmi, seyyathidaṁ—ekampi jātiṁ dvepi jātiyo tissopi jātiyo catassopi jātiyo pañcapi jātiyo dasapi jātiyo vīsampi jātiyo tiṁsampi jātiyo cattālīsampi jātiyo paññāsampi jātiyo jātisatampi jātisahassampi jātisatasahassampi anekepi saṁvaṭṭakappe anekepi vivaṭṭakappe anekepi saṁvaṭṭavivaṭṭakappe: ‘amutrāsiṁ evaṁnāmo evaṅgotto evaṁvaṇṇo evamāhāro evaṁsukhadukkhappaṭisaṁvedī evamāyupariyanto. So tato cuto amutra udapādiṁ; tatrāpāsiṁ evaṁnāmo evaṅgotto evaṁvaṇṇo evamāhāro evaṁsukhadukkhappaṭisaṁvedī evamāyupariyanto. So tato cuto idhūpapanno’ti. Iti sākāraṁ sauddesaṁ anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarāmi.

When my mind had immersed in samādhi like this—purified, bright, flawless, rid of corruptions, pliable, workable, steady, and imperturbable—I extended it toward recollection of past lives. I recollected many kinds of past lives. That is: one, two, three, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, a hundred, a thousand, a hundred thousand rebirths; many eons of the world contracting, many eons of the world expanding, many eons of the world contracting and expanding. I remembered: ‘There, I was named this, my clan was that, I looked like this, and that was my food. This was how I felt pleasure and pain, and that was how my life ended. When I passed away from that place I was reborn somewhere else. There, too, I was named this, my clan was that, I looked like this, and that was my food. This was how I felt pleasure and pain, and that was how my life ended. When I passed away from that place I was reborn here.’ And so I recollected my many kinds of past lives, with features and details.

Ayaṁ kho me, brāhmaṇa, rattiyā paṭhame yāme paṭhamā vijjā adhigatā; avijjā vihatā vijjā uppannā; tamo vihato āloko uppanno, yathā taṁ appamattassa ātāpino pahitattassa viharato. Ayaṁ kho me, brāhmaṇa, paṭhamā abhinibbhidā ahosi kukkuṭacchāpakasseva aṇḍakosamhā.

This was the first knowledge, which I achieved in the first watch of the night. Ignorance was banished and knowledge arose; darkness was banished and light arose, as happens for a meditator who is diligent, keen, and resolute. This was my first breaking out, like a chick breaking out of the eggshell.

So evaṁ samāhite citte parisuddhe pariyodāte anaṅgaṇe vigatūpakkilese mudubhūte kammaniye ṭhite āneñjappatte sattānaṁ cutūpapātañāṇāya cittaṁ abhininnāmesiṁ. So dibbena cakkhunā visuddhena atikkantamānusakena satte passāmi cavamāne upapajjamāne hīne paṇīte suvaṇṇe dubbaṇṇe, sugate duggate yathākammūpage satte pajānāmi: ‘ime vata bhonto sattā kāyaduccaritena samannāgatā, vacīduccaritena samannāgatā, manoduccaritena samannāgatā, ariyānaṁ upavādakā, micchādiṭṭhikā, micchādiṭṭhikammasamādānā. Te kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapannāti. Ime vā pana bhonto sattā kāyasucaritena samannāgatā, vacīsucaritena samannāgatā, manosucaritena samannāgatā, ariyānaṁ anupavādakā, sammādiṭṭhikā, sammādiṭṭhikammasamādānā. Te kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ saggaṁ lokaṁ upapannā’ti. Iti dibbena cakkhunā visuddhena atikkantamānusakena satte passāmi cavamāne upapajjamāne hīne paṇīte suvaṇṇe dubbaṇṇe, sugate duggate yathākammūpage satte pajānāmi.

When my mind had immersed in samādhi like this—purified, bright, flawless, rid of corruptions, pliable, workable, steady, and imperturbable—I extended it toward knowledge of the death and rebirth of sentient beings. With clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, I saw sentient beings passing away and being reborn—inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in a good place or a bad place. I understood how sentient beings pass on according to their deeds: ‘These dear beings did bad things by way of body, speech, and mind. They denounced the noble ones; they had wrong view; and they chose to act out of that wrong view. When their body broke up, after death, they were reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell. These dear beings, however, did good things by way of body, speech, and mind. They never denounced the noble ones; they had right view; and they chose to act out of that right view. When their body broke up, after death, they were reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.’ And so, with clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, I saw sentient beings passing away and being reborn—inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in a good place or a bad place. I understood how sentient beings pass on according to their deeds.

Ayaṁ kho me, brāhmaṇa, rattiyā majjhime yāme dutiyā vijjā adhigatā; avijjā vihatā vijjā uppannā; tamo vihato āloko uppanno, yathā taṁ appamattassa ātāpino pahitattassa viharato. Ayaṁ kho me, brāhmaṇa, dutiyā abhinibbhidā ahosi kukkuṭacchāpakasseva aṇḍakosamhā.

This was the second knowledge, which I achieved in the middle watch of the night. Ignorance was banished and knowledge arose; darkness was banished and light arose, as happens for a meditator who is diligent, keen, and resolute. This was my second breaking out, like a chick breaking out of the eggshell.

So evaṁ samāhite citte parisuddhe pariyodāte anaṅgaṇe vigatūpakkilese mudubhūte kammaniye ṭhite āneñjappatte āsavānaṁ khayañāṇāya cittaṁ abhininnāmesiṁ. So ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ, ‘ayaṁ dukkhasamudayo’ti yathābhūtaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ, ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodho’ti yathābhūtaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ, ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ; ‘ime āsavā’ti yathābhūtaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ, ‘ayaṁ āsavasamudayo’ti yathābhūtaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ, ‘ayaṁ āsavanirodho’ti yathābhūtaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ, ‘ayaṁ āsavanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ abbhaññāsiṁ. Tassa me evaṁ jānato evaṁ passato kāmāsavāpi cittaṁ vimuccittha, bhavāsavāpi cittaṁ vimuccittha, avijjāsavāpi cittaṁ vimuccittha. Vimuttasmiṁ vimuttamiti ñāṇaṁ ahosi. ‘Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti abbhaññāsiṁ.

When my mind had immersed in samādhi like this—purified, bright, flawless, rid of corruptions, pliable, workable, steady, and imperturbable—I extended it toward knowledge of the ending of defilements. I truly understood: ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the origin of suffering’ … ‘This is the cessation of suffering’ … ‘This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering’. I truly understood: ‘These are defilements’ … ‘This is the origin of defilements’ … ‘This is the cessation of defilements’ … ‘This is the practice that leads to the cessation of defilements’. Knowing and seeing like this, my mind was freed from the defilements of sensuality, desire to be reborn, and ignorance. When it was freed, I knew it was freed. I understood: ‘Rebirth is ended; the spiritual journey has been completed; what had to be done has been done; there is nothing further for this place.’

Ayaṁ kho me, brāhmaṇa, rattiyā pacchime yāme tatiyā vijjā adhigatā; avijjā vihatā vijjā uppannā; tamo vihato āloko uppanno, yathā taṁ appamattassa ātāpino pahitattassa viharato. Ayaṁ kho me, brāhmaṇa, tatiyā abhinibbhidā ahosi kukkuṭacchāpakasseva aṇḍakosamhā”ti.

This was the third knowledge, which I achieved in the last watch of the night. Ignorance was banished and knowledge arose; darkness was banished and light arose, as happens for a meditator who is diligent, keen, and resolute. This was my third breaking out, like a chick breaking out of the eggshell.”

Evaṁ vutte, verañjo brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “jeṭṭho bhavaṁ gotamo, seṭṭho bhavaṁ gotamo. Abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama, abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama. Seyyathāpi, bho gotama, nikkujjitaṁ vā ukkujjeyya, paṭicchannaṁ vā vivareyya, mūḷhassa vā maggaṁ ācikkheyya, andhakāre vā telapajjotaṁ dhāreyya: ‘cakkhumanto rūpāni dakkhantī’ti; evamevaṁ bhotā gotamena anekapariyāyena dhammo pakāsito. Esāhaṁ bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi dhammañca bhikkhusaṅghañca. Upāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.

When he said this, the brahmin Verañja said to the Buddha: “The worthy Gotama is the eldest! The worthy Gotama is the best! Excellent, worthy Gotama! Excellent! As if he were righting the overturned, or revealing the hidden, or pointing out the path to the lost, or lighting a lamp in the dark so people with clear eyes can see what’s there, worthy Gotama has made the teaching clear in many ways. I go for refuge to the worthy Gotama, to the teaching, and to the mendicant Saṅgha. From this day forth, may the worthy Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”