Visākhasutta

Saṁyutta Nikāya 21.7

Linked Discourses 21.7

1. Bhikkhuvagga

1. Monks

Visākhasutta

With Visākha, Pañcāli’s Son

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—

So I have heard.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā vesāliyaṁ viharati mahāvane kūṭāgārasālāyaṁ.

At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof.

Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā visākho pañcālaputto upaṭṭhānasālāyaṁ bhikkhū dhammiyā kathāya sandasseti samādapeti samuttejeti sampahaṁseti, poriyā vācāya vissaṭṭhāya anelagalāya atthassa viññāpaniyā pariyāpannāya anissitāya.

Now at that time Venerable Visākha, Pañcāli’s son, was educating, encouraging, firing up, and inspiring the mendicants in the assembly hall with a Dhamma talk. His words were polished, clear, articulate, expressing the meaning, comprehensive, and independent.

Atha kho bhagavā sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yena upaṭṭhānasālā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi.

Then in the late afternoon, the Buddha came out of retreat and went to the assembly hall. He sat down on the seat spread out,

Nisajja kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:

and addressed the mendicants:

“ko nu kho, bhikkhave, upaṭṭhānasālāyaṁ bhikkhū dhammiyā kathāya sandasseti samādapeti samuttejeti sampahaṁseti poriyā vācāya vissaṭṭhāya anelagalāya atthassa viññāpaniyā pariyāpannāya anissitāyā”ti?

“Mendicants, who was educating, encouraging, firing up, and inspiring the mendicants in the assembly hall with a Dhamma talk?”

“Āyasmā, bhante, visākho pañcālaputto upaṭṭhānasālāyaṁ bhikkhū dhammiyā kathāya sandasseti samādapeti samuttejeti sampahaṁseti, poriyā vācāya vissaṭṭhāya anelagalāya atthassa viññāpaniyā pariyāpannāya anissitāyā”ti.

“Sir, it was Venerable Visākha, Pañcāli’s son.”

Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ visākhaṁ pañcālaputtaṁ āmantesi:

Then the Buddha said to Visākha:

“sādhu sādhu, visākha,

“Good, good, Visākha!

sādhu kho tvaṁ, visākha, bhikkhū dhammiyā kathāya sandassesi …pe… atthassa viññāpaniyā pariyāpannāya anissitāyā”ti.

It’s good that you educate, encourage, fire up, and inspire the mendicants in the assembly hall with a Dhamma talk, with words that are polished, clear, articulate, expressing the meaning, comprehensive, and independent.”

Idamavoca bhagavā.

That is what the Buddha said.

Idaṁ vatvāna sugato athāparaṁ etadavoca satthā:

Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:

“Nābhāsamānaṁ jānanti,

“Though an astute person is mixed up with fools,

missaṁ bālehi paṇḍitaṁ;

they don’t know unless he speaks.

Bhāsamānañca jānanti,

But when he speaks they know,

desentaṁ amataṁ padaṁ.

he’s teaching the state free of death.

Bhāsaye jotaye dhammaṁ,

He should speak and illustrate the teaching,

paggaṇhe isinaṁ dhajaṁ;

holding up the banner of the seers.

Subhāsitadhajā isayo,

Words well spoken are the seers’ banner,

dhammo hi isinaṁ dhajo”ti.

for the teaching is the banner of the seers.”

Sattamaṁ.