Translating Classical Buddhism to Modern English

The Medium Discourses

Chapter 11: The Greats

（一三七） 中阿含 大品 世間經 第二十一 (第三念誦) 137. The World
我聞如是： 一時，佛遊舍衛國，在勝林、給孤獨園。 1. Thus I have heard:1 One time, the Buddha traveled to the country of Śrāvastī and stayed at Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park in Jeta’s Grove.
爾時，世尊告諸比丘： 「如來自覺世間，亦為他說。 如來知世間。 如來自覺世間習，亦為他說。 如來斷世間習。 如來自覺世間滅，亦為他說。 如來世間滅作證。 如來自覺世間道跡，亦為他說。 如來修世間道跡。 若有一切盡普正，有彼一切如來知、見、覺、得。 所以者何？ 2. It was then that the Bhagavān addressed the monks, “The Tathāgata himself has discovered the world and teaches it for others. The Tathāgata knows the world. The Tathāgata himself has discovered the formation of the world and teaches it for others. The Tathāgata has ended the formation of the world. The Tathāgata himself has discovered the cessation of the world and teaches it for others. The Tathāgata has realized the cessation of the world. The Tathāgata himself has discovered the way of the world and teaches it for others. The Tathāgata has cultivated the way of the world.2 Whatever there is that’s entirely correct, the Tathāgata has known, seen, realized, and obtained it all. Why is that?
「如來從昔夜覺無上、正、盡之覺，至于今日夜，於無餘涅槃界，當取滅訖，於其中間，若如來口有所言說，有所應對者，彼一切是真諦。 不虛、不離於如、亦非顛倒。 真諦、審、實。 若說師子者，當如說如來。 所以者何？ 3. “During the time between the night that he realized the unsurpassed, correct, and complete awakening until the day that he will choose to completely cease in the realm of remainderless nirvāṇa, the Tathāgata has spoken words and given responses that are all the truth. They aren’t false, don’t depart from what is, and aren’t mistaken. They’re true, they bear out, and they’re genuine. If anyone is described as a lion, they are being described like the Tathāgata. Why is that?
「如來在眾有所講說，謂師子吼。 一切世間，天及魔、梵、沙門、梵志，從人至天，如來是梵有。 如來至冷有。 無煩亦無熱。 真諦、不虛有。」 4. “The lectures that the Tathāgata gives to the assembly are called a lion’s roar. Of the whole world with its gods, Māra, and Brahmā, ascetics and priests from humans to the heavens, the Tathāgata is the one who is sacred.3 The Tathāgata is cooled. He has no affliction and no fever. He is genuine and not false.”4
於是，世尊說此頌曰： 5. Thereupon, the Bhagavān spoke these verses:
  • 「知一切世間
    出一切世間，
    說一切世間，
    一切世如真。
  • “Knowing the whole world
    And leaving the whole world,
    The Buddha explains the whole world,
    All the world as it really is.5
  • 彼最上尊雄
    能解一切縛。
    得盡一切業
    生死悉解脫。
  • He is the supreme hero sage
    Who has been freed from all fetters.6
    He has brought all deeds to an end7
    And is freed from all birth and death.
  • 是天亦是人
    若有歸命佛
    稽首禮如來，
    甚深極大海。
  • The gods and also the human beings
    Who have taken refuge in the Buddha8
    Bow their heads down to the Tathāgata,
    Who is the deepest and greatest of seas.
  • 知已亦修敬，
    諸天香音神
    彼亦稽首禮
    謂隨於死者。
  • Having known him and cultivated respect,
    There are gods and gandharva spirits
    Who also bowed their heads to the Buddha
    And continue to follow him in death.
  • 稽首禮智士，
    歸命人之上。
    無憂離塵安，
    無礙諸解脫。
  • Bowing their heads down before that wise man,
    They take refuge in the best of humans.
    Without sorrow or dust and at peace,
    Nothing obstructs their liberations.
  • 是故當樂禪，
    住遠離極定。
    當自作燈明。
    無我必失時。
    失時有憂慼，
    謂墮地獄中。」
  • Thus, they always enjoy meditation,
    While living aloof and fully settled.
    They themselves have realized insight.
    Without me, they would’ve missed their chance.
    Those who missed it are aggrieved,
    When they fall down into Hell.”
佛說如是。 彼諸比丘聞佛所說歡喜，奉行。 6. This is what the Buddha said. Those monks who heard what the Buddha taught rejoiced and approved.

Notes

  1. For the source text, cf. T26.1.645b9-c13. It’s parallel with AN 4.23 and Iti 112. Both of the Pali parallels are identical with each other aside from a couple formatting differences.
    The beginning of this sūtra is essentially the same as the Pali version. It applies an analysis very similar to that applied to suffering in the Turning the Dharma Wheel Sūtra (cf. SN 56.11 and SĀ 4.1). After that introduction, there is more variation between this text and the P. parallels, but the basic points are the same. Both this and the Pali version end with seven stanzas of verse, and they overlap strikingly in about two or three verses of this material. Overall, however, the degree of divergence suggests that both versions have had verses added to expand an originally shorter summary in different ways. [back]
  2. The Tathagata himself has discovered the world … way of the world. C. 如來自覺世間，亦為他說。如來知世間。如來自覺世間習，亦為他說。如來斷世間習。如來自覺世間滅，亦為他說。如來世間滅作證。如來自覺世間道跡，亦為他說。如來修世間道跡. P. Loko, bhikkhave, tathāgatena abhisambuddho. Lokasmā tathāgato visaṁyutto. Lokasamudayo, bhikkhave, tathāgatena abhisambuddho. Lokasamudayo tathāgatassa pahīno. Lokanirodho, bhikkhave, tathāgatena abhisambuddho. Lokanirodho tathāgatassa sacchikato. Lokanirodhagāminī paṭipadā, bhikkhave, tathāgatena abhisambuddhā. Lokanirodhagāminī paṭipadā tathāgatassa bhāvitā.
    These passages both present something very similar to what is found in SN 56.11 and SĀ 4.1, but here the format is more succinct. There are a few differences to note:
    • Here in MĀ 137, the Buddha describes these four insights as “self discovered” (自覺 ≈ abhisambuddha) and “taught for others” (missing from P.).
    • AN 4.23 says that the Tathāgata is “detached” from the world instead of “knows” it (visaṁyutta ≠ 知).
    • MĀ 137 doesn’t specify that the “way of the world” (世間道跡) leads to its cessation, but the P. version does (lokanirodhagāminī paṭipadā).
    Thus, both versions depart from the templates of SN 56.11 and SĀ 4.1 in a couple minor ways. [back]
  3. the Tathāgata is the one who is sacred … not false. C. 如來是梵有。如來至冷有。無煩亦無熱。真諦、不虛有. I’ve chosen to translate 梵 (S. brāhma) as an adj. here since it would make little sense for the Buddha to call himself the god Brahmā. The verb 有 (“to exist, possess”) appended to the end of this and the following phrases appears to be a lit. trans. of Indic grammar. It likely translated S. bhavati (G. bhodi, P. hoti), which functioned as a copular verb here. [back]
  4. This prose section generally agrees with AN 4.23 in its content, but it isn’t organized as a list of reasons why the Buddha is called a Tathāgata. Instead, it simply praises his teaching as true and beyond the ken of other teachers. [back]
  5. Compare this with verse 1 in AN 4.23: Sabbaṁ lokaṁ abhiññāya, sabbaṁ loke yathātathaṁ; Sabbaṁ lokaṁ visaṁyutto, sabbaloke anūpayo. [back]
  6. Compare this first couplet with the first couplet of verse 2 in AN 4.23: Sa ve sabbābhibhū dhīro, sabbaganthappamocano. [back]
  7. Compare this third line with the third line of verse 3 in AN 4.23: Sabbakammakkhayaṁ patto. [back]
  8. Compare this couplet with the first couplet of verse 5 in AN 4.23: Iti devā manussā ca, ye buddhaṁ saraṇaṁ gatā. [back]

Translator: Charles Patton

Last Revised: 14 October 2024

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