{"collection":"Anguttara Nikaya","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/suttacentral_an4.21/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/suttacentral_an4.21","id":"suttacentral_an4.21","license":"CC0","rights_basis":"suttacentral_bilara_data_cc0","source":"suttacentral","source_url":"https://suttacentral.net/an4.21/en/sujato","summary":null,"tags":["Anguttara Nikaya","Early Buddhist Texts"],"text":"So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near S\u0101vatth\u012b in Jeta\u2019s Grove, An\u0101thapi\u1e47\u1e0dika\u2019s monastery. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants, \u201cMendicants!\u201d \u201cVenerable sir,\u201d they replied. The Buddha said this: \u201cMendicants, this one time, when I was first awakened, I was staying in Uruvel\u0101 at the goatherd\u2019s banyan tree on the bank of the Nera\u00f1jar\u0101 River. As I was in private retreat this thought came to mind: \u2018One without respect and reverence lives in suffering. What ascetic or brahmin should I honor and respect and rely on?\u2019 Then it occurred to me: \u2018I would honor and respect and rely on another ascetic or brahmin so as to complete the entire spectrum of ethics, if it were incomplete. But I don\u2019t see any other ascetic or brahmin in this world\u2014with its gods, M\u0101ras, and divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans\u2014who is more accomplished than myself in ethics, who I should honor and respect and rely on. I would honor and respect and rely on another ascetic or brahmin so as to complete the entire spectrum of immersion, if it were incomplete. But I don\u2019t see any other ascetic or brahmin \u2026 who is more accomplished than myself in immersion \u2026 I would honor and respect and rely on another ascetic or brahmin so as to complete the entire spectrum of wisdom, if it were incomplete. But I don\u2019t see any other ascetic or brahmin in this world \u2026 who is more accomplished than myself in wisdom \u2026 I would honor and respect and rely on another ascetic or brahmin so as to complete the entire spectrum of freedom, if it were incomplete. But I don\u2019t see any other ascetic or brahmin in this world \u2026 who is more accomplished than myself in freedom \u2026\u2019 Then it occurred to me: \u2018Why don\u2019t I honor and respect and rely on the same teaching to which I was awakened?\u2019 And then the divinity Sahampati, knowing my train of thought, vanished from the realm of divinity and appeared in front of me, as easily as a strong man would extend or contract his arm. He arranged his robe over one shoulder, knelt on his right knee, raised his cupped palms toward me, and said: \u2018That\u2019s so true, Blessed One! That\u2019s so true, Holy One! All the perfected ones, the fully awakened Buddhas who lived in the past honored and respected and relied on this same teaching. All the perfected ones, the fully awakened Buddhas who will live in the future will honor and respect and rely on this same teaching. May the Blessed One, who is the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha at present, also honor and respect and rely on this same teaching.\u2019 That is what the divinity Sahampati said. Then he went on to say: \u2018All Buddhas in the past, the Buddhas of the future, and the Buddha at present\u2014 destroyer of the sorrows of many\u2014 respecting the true teaching they did live, they do live, and they also will live. This is the nature of the Buddhas. Therefore someone who desires self-knowledge, and aspires to greatness themselves, should respect the true teaching, remembering the instructions of the Buddhas.\u2019 That is what the divinity Sahampati said. Then he bowed and respectfully circled me, keeping me on his right side, before vanishing right there. Then, knowing the request of the Divinity and what was suitable for myself, I honored and respected and relied on the same teaching to which I was awakened. And since the Sa\u1e45gha has also achieved greatness, I also respect the Sa\u1e45gha.\u201d","title":"At Uruvel\u0101 (1st)","tradition":"Anguttara Nikaya","translated_text":null,"word_count":601}