Sīhanādasutta — Reader

The Lion’s Roar

Sīhanādasutta

“Mendicants, the Realized One possesses six powers of a Realized One. With these he claims the bull’s place, roars his lion’s roar in the assemblies, and turns the divine wheel. What six? Firstly, the Realized One truly understands the possible as possible and the impossible as impossible. Since he truly understands this, this is a power of the Realized One. Relying on this he claims the bull’s place, roars his lion’s roar in the assemblies, and turns the divine wheel.

“Chayimāni, bhikkhave, tathāgatassa tathāgatabalāni, yehi balehi samannāgato tathāgato āsabhaṁ ṭhānaṁ paṭijānāti, parisāsu sīhanādaṁ nadati, brahmacakkaṁ pavatteti. Katamāni cha? Idha, bhikkhave, tathāgato ṭhānañca ṭhānato aṭṭhānañca aṭṭhānato yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti. Yampi, bhikkhave, tathāgato ṭhānañca ṭhānato aṭṭhānañca aṭṭhānato yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, idampi, bhikkhave, tathāgatassa tathāgatabalaṁ hoti, yaṁ balaṁ āgamma tathāgato āsabhaṁ ṭhānaṁ paṭijānāti, parisāsu sīhanādaṁ nadati, brahmacakkaṁ pavatteti.

Furthermore, the Realized One truly understands the result of deeds undertaken in the past, future, and present in terms of grounds and causes. Since he truly understands this, this is a power of the Realized One. …

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, tathāgato atītānāgatapaccuppannānaṁ kammasamādānānaṁ ṭhānaso hetuso vipākaṁ yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti. Yampi, bhikkhave, tathāgato atītānāgatapaccuppannānaṁ kammasamādānānaṁ ṭhānaso hetuso vipākaṁ yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, idampi, bhikkhave, tathāgatassa tathāgatabalaṁ hoti, yaṁ balaṁ āgamma tathāgato āsabhaṁ ṭhānaṁ paṭijānāti, parisāsu sīhanādaṁ nadati, brahmacakkaṁ pavatteti.

Furthermore, the Realized One truly understands corruption, cleansing, and emergence regarding the absorptions, liberations, immersions, and attainments. Since he truly understands this, this is a power of the Realized One. …

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, tathāgato jhānavimokkhasamādhisamāpattīnaṁ saṅkilesaṁ vodānaṁ vuṭṭhānaṁ yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti. Yampi, bhikkhave, tathāgato …pe… idampi, bhikkhave, tathāgatassa tathāgatabalaṁ hoti, yaṁ balaṁ āgamma tathāgato āsabhaṁ ṭhānaṁ paṭijānāti, parisāsu sīhanādaṁ nadati, brahmacakkaṁ pavatteti.

Furthermore, the Realized One recollects many kinds of past lives. That is: one, two, three, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, a hundred, a thousand, a hundred thousand rebirths; many eons of the world contracting, many eons of the world expanding, many eons of the world contracting and expanding. He remembers: ‘There, I was named this, my clan was that, I looked like this, and that was my food. This was how I felt pleasure and pain, and that was how my life ended. When I passed away from that place I was reborn somewhere else. There, too, I was named this, my clan was that, I looked like this, and that was my food. This was how I felt pleasure and pain, and that was how my life ended. When I passed away from that place I was reborn here.’ And so he recollects his many kinds of past lives, with features and details. Since he truly understands this, this is a power of the Realized One. …

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, tathāgato anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarati, seyyathidaṁ—ekampi jātiṁ, dvepi jātiyo …pe… iti sākāraṁ sauddesaṁ anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarati. Yampi, bhikkhave, tathāgato anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarati, seyyathidaṁ—ekampi jātiṁ, dvepi jātiyo …pe… iti sākāraṁ sauddesaṁ anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarati, idampi, bhikkhave, tathāgatassa tathāgatabalaṁ hoti, yaṁ balaṁ āgamma tathāgato āsabhaṁ ṭhānaṁ paṭijānāti, parisāsu sīhanādaṁ nadati, brahmacakkaṁ pavatteti.

Furthermore, with clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, the Realized One sees sentient beings passing away and being reborn—inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in a good place or a bad place. He understands how sentient beings pass on according to their deeds. Since he truly understands this, this is a power of the Realized One. …

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, tathāgato dibbena cakkhunā visuddhena atikkantamānusakena …pe… yathākammūpage satte pajānāti. Yampi, bhikkhave, tathāgato dibbena cakkhunā visuddhena atikkantamānusakena …pe… yathākammūpage satte pajānāti, idampi, bhikkhave, tathāgatassa tathāgatabalaṁ hoti, yaṁ balaṁ āgamma tathāgato āsabhaṁ ṭhānaṁ paṭijānāti, parisāsu sīhanādaṁ nadati, brahmacakkaṁ pavatteti.

Furthermore, the Realized One has realized the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom. And he lives having realized it with his own insight in this very life due to the ending of defilements. Since he truly understands this, this is a power of the Realized One. Relying on this he claims the bull’s place, roars his lion’s roar in the assemblies, and turns the divine wheel.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, tathāgato āsavānaṁ khayā …pe… sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati. Yampi, bhikkhave, tathāgato āsavānaṁ khayā …pe… sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati, idampi, bhikkhave, tathāgatassa tathāgatabalaṁ hoti, yaṁ balaṁ āgamma tathāgato āsabhaṁ ṭhānaṁ paṭijānāti, parisāsu sīhanādaṁ nadati, brahmacakkaṁ pavatteti.

These are the six powers of a Realized One that the Realized One possesses. With these he claims the bull’s place, roars his lion’s roar in the assemblies, and turns the divine wheel. If others come to the Realized One and ask questions about his true knowledge of the possible as possible and the impossible as impossible,

Imāni kho, bhikkhave, cha tathāgatassa tathāgatabalāni, yehi balehi samannāgato tathāgato āsabhaṁ ṭhānaṁ paṭijānāti, parisāsu sīhanādaṁ nadati, brahmacakkaṁ pavatteti. Tatra ce, bhikkhave, pare tathāgataṁ ṭhānañca ṭhānato aṭṭhānañca aṭṭhānato yathābhūtaṁ ñāṇena upasaṅkamitvā pañhaṁ pucchanti.

the Realized One answers them in whatever manner he has truly known it. If others come to the Realized One and ask questions about his true knowledge of the result of deeds undertaken in the past, future, and present in terms of grounds and causes,

Yathā yathā, bhikkhave, tathāgatassa ṭhānañca ṭhānato aṭṭhānañca aṭṭhānato yathābhūtaṁ ñāṇaṁ viditaṁ tathā tathā tesaṁ tathāgato ṭhānañca ṭhānato aṭṭhānañca aṭṭhānato yathābhūtaṁ ñāṇena pañhaṁ puṭṭho byākaroti. Tatra ce, bhikkhave, pare tathāgataṁ atītānāgatapaccuppannānaṁ kammasamādānānaṁ ṭhānaso hetuso vipākaṁ yathābhūtaṁ ñāṇena upasaṅkamitvā pañhaṁ pucchanti.

the Realized One answers them in whatever manner he has truly known it. If others come to the Realized One and ask questions about his true knowledge of corruption, cleansing, and emergence regarding the absorptions, liberations, immersions, and attainments,

Yathā yathā, bhikkhave, tathāgatassa atītānāgatapaccuppannānaṁ kammasamādānānaṁ ṭhānaso hetuso vipākaṁ yathābhūtaṁ ñāṇaṁ viditaṁ tathā tathā tesaṁ tathāgato atītānāgatapaccuppannānaṁ kammasamādānānaṁ ṭhānaso hetuso vipākaṁ yathābhūtaṁ ñāṇena pañhaṁ puṭṭho byākaroti. Tatra ce, bhikkhave, pare tathāgataṁ jhānavimokkhasamādhisamāpattīnaṁ saṅkilesaṁ vodānaṁ vuṭṭhānaṁ yathābhūtaṁ ñāṇena upasaṅkamitvā pañhaṁ pucchanti.

the Realized One answers them in whatever manner he has truly known it. If others come to the Realized One and ask questions about his true knowledge of recollection of past lives,

Yathā yathā, bhikkhave, tathāgatassa jhānavimokkhasamādhisamāpattīnaṁ saṅkilesaṁ vodānaṁ vuṭṭhānaṁ yathābhūtaṁ ñāṇaṁ viditaṁ tathā tathā tesaṁ tathāgato jhānavimokkhasamādhisamāpattīnaṁ saṅkilesaṁ vodānaṁ vuṭṭhānaṁ yathābhūtaṁ ñāṇena pañhaṁ puṭṭho byākaroti. Tatra ce, bhikkhave, pare tathāgataṁ pubbenivāsānussatiṁ yathābhūtaṁ ñāṇena upasaṅkamitvā pañhaṁ pucchanti.

the Realized One answers them in whatever manner he has truly known it. If others come to the Realized One and ask questions about his true knowledge of passing away and rebirth of sentient beings,

Yathā yathā, bhikkhave, tathāgatassa pubbenivāsānussatiṁ yathābhūtaṁ ñāṇaṁ viditaṁ tathā tathā tesaṁ tathāgato pubbenivāsānussatiṁ yathābhūtaṁ ñāṇena pañhaṁ puṭṭho byākaroti. Tatra ce, bhikkhave, pare tathāgataṁ sattānaṁ cutūpapātaṁ yathābhūtaṁ ñāṇena upasaṅkamitvā pañhaṁ pucchanti.

the Realized One answers them in whatever manner he has truly known it. If others come to the Realized One and ask questions about his true knowledge of the ending of defilements,

Yathā yathā, bhikkhave, tathāgatassa sattānaṁ cutūpapātaṁ yathābhūtaṁ ñāṇaṁ viditaṁ tathā tathā tesaṁ tathāgato sattānaṁ cutūpapātaṁ yathābhūtaṁ ñāṇena pañhaṁ puṭṭho byākaroti. Tatra ce, bhikkhave, pare tathāgataṁ āsavānaṁ khayā …pe… yathābhūtaṁ ñāṇena upasaṅkamitvā pañhaṁ pucchanti.

the Realized One answers them in whatever manner he has truly known it. And I say that true knowledge of the possible as possible and the impossible as impossible is for those with immersion, not for those without immersion.

Yathā yathā, bhikkhave, tathāgatassa āsavānaṁ khayā …pe… yathābhūtaṁ ñāṇaṁ viditaṁ tathā tathā tesaṁ tathāgato āsavānaṁ khayā …pe… yathābhūtaṁ ñāṇena pañhaṁ puṭṭho byākaroti. Tatra, bhikkhave, yampidaṁ ṭhānañca ṭhānato aṭṭhānañca aṭṭhānato yathābhūtaṁ ñāṇaṁ tampi samāhitassa vadāmi no asamāhitassa.

And true knowledge of the result of deeds undertaken in the past, future, and present in terms of grounds and causes is for those with immersion, not for those without immersion. And true knowledge of corruption, cleansing, and emergence regarding the absorptions, liberations, immersions, and attainments is for those with immersion, not for those without immersion. And true knowledge of the recollection of past lives is for those with immersion, not for those without immersion.

Yampidaṁ atītānāgatapaccuppannānaṁ kammasamādānānaṁ ṭhānaso hetuso vipākaṁ yathābhūtaṁ ñāṇaṁ tampi samāhitassa vadāmi no asamāhitassa. Yampidaṁ jhānavimokkhasamādhisamāpattīnaṁ saṅkilesaṁ vodānaṁ vuṭṭhānaṁ yathābhūtaṁ ñāṇaṁ tampi samāhitassa vadāmi no asamāhitassa. Yampidaṁ pubbenivāsānussatiṁ yathābhūtaṁ ñāṇaṁ tampi samāhitassa vadāmi no asamāhitassa.

And true knowledge of the passing away and rebirth of sentient beings is for those with immersion, not for those without immersion. And true knowledge of the ending of defilements is for those with immersion, not for those without immersion. And so, mendicants, immersion is the path. No immersion is the wrong path.”

Yampidaṁ sattānaṁ cutūpapātaṁ yathābhūtaṁ ñāṇaṁ tampi samāhitassa vadāmi no asamāhitassa. Yampidaṁ āsavānaṁ khayā …pe… yathābhūtaṁ ñāṇaṁ tampi samāhitassa vadāmi no asamāhitassa. Iti kho, bhikkhave, samādhi maggo, asamādhi kummaggo”ti. Dasamaṁ.

Mahāvaggo chaṭṭho. Tassuddānaṁ Soṇo phagguno bhijāti, āsavā dāruhatthi ca;

Majjhe ñāṇaṁ nibbedhikaṁ, sīhanādoti te dasāti.