{"collection":"Anguttara Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_an3.38/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_an3.38","id":"suttacentral_an3.38","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/an3.38/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Anguttara Nikaya","Early Buddhist Texts"],"text":"\u201cOnce upon a time, mendicants, Sakka, lord of gods, guiding the gods of the thirty-three, spoke this verse: \u2018Whoever wants to be like me would observe the sabbath complete in all eight factors, on the fourteenth and the fifteenth days, and the eighth day of the fortnight, as well as on the fortnightly special displays.\u2019 But that verse was poorly sung by Sakka, lord of gods, not well sung; poorly spoken, not well spoken. Why is that? Because Sakka, lord of gods, is not exempt from rebirth, old age, and death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. He is not exempt from suffering, I say. But for a mendicant who is perfected\u2014with defilements ended, who has completed the spiritual journey, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, achieved their heart\u2019s goal, utterly ended the fetter of continued existence, and is rightly freed through enlightenment\u2014it is appropriate to say: \u2018Whoever wants to be like me would observe the sabbath, complete in all eight factors, on the fourteenth and the fifteenth days, and the eighth day of the fortnight, as well as on the fortnightly special displays.\u2019 Why is that? Because that mendicant is exempt from rebirth, old age, and death, from sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. He is exempt from suffering, I say.\u201d","title":"The Four Great Kings (2nd)","tradition":"Anguttara Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":217}