SN 47.11

Mahāpurisasutta

Sāvatthinidānaṁ. Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā sāriputto bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “‘mahāpuriso, mahāpuriso’ti, bhante, vuccati. Kittāvatā nu kho, bhante, mahāpuriso hotī”ti? “Vimuttacittattā khvāhaṁ, sāriputta, ‘mahāpuriso’ti vadāmi. Avimuttacittattā ‘no mahāpuriso’ti vadāmi.

A Great Man

At Sāvatthī. Then Sāriputta went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him: “Sir, they speak of ‘a great man’. How is a great man defined?” “Sāriputta, someone whose mind is free is a great man, I say. If their mind is not free, I say they’re not a great man.

Kathañca, sāriputta, vimuttacitto hoti? Idha, sāriputta, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ. Tassa kāye kāyānupassino viharato cittaṁ virajjati, vimuccati anupādāya āsavehi. Vedanāsu …pe… citte …pe… dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ. Tassa dhammesu dhammānupassino viharato cittaṁ virajjati, vimuccati anupādāya āsavehi. Evaṁ kho, sāriputta, vimuttacitto hoti. Vimuttacittattā khvāhaṁ, sāriputta, ‘mahāpuriso’ti vadāmi. Avimuttacittattā ‘no mahāpuriso’ti vadāmī”ti.

And how does someone have a free mind? 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. As they meditate observing an aspect of the body, their mind becomes dispassionate, and is freed from the defilements by not grasping. They meditate observing an aspect of feelings … mind … principles—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world. As they meditate observing an aspect of principles, their mind becomes dispassionate, and is freed from the defilements by not grasping. That’s how someone has a free mind. Someone whose mind is free is a great man, I say. If their mind is not free, I say they’re not a great man.”