1. Mahapurisa Sutta
Discourse on What Constitutes a Great Man
377. The Bhagava was staying
at Savatthi. At that time the Venerable Sariputta approached the Bhagava, made
his obeisance and sat at a certain place. Having thus taken his seat, the
Venerable Sariputta said to the Bhagava: "Venerable Sir. it is said: 'A
great man!' 'A great man!'. Venerable Sir, what constitues a great man?
Sariputta, I say a person is a great man only when his mind is free from
defilements; I say a person is not a great man when his mind is not free from
defilements.
And Sariputta, how does one
get his mind free from defilements? In this Teaching, Sariputta, the bhikkhu
keeps his mind steadfastly on the body with diligence, comprehension and
mindfulness, thus keeping away covetousness and distress in the five khandhas.
When the bhikkhu keeps his mind steadfastly on the body, it becomes free from
attachment? and liberated from asavas, without any clinging, When the bhikkhu
keeps his mind steadfastly on Sensation ...p... on Mind ...p... on Mind-Objects
with diligence, comprehension and mindfulness, thus keeping away covetousness
and distress in the five khandhas. When the bhikkhu keeps his mind steadfastly
on Mind-Objects, it becomes free from attachment, and liberated from asavas,
without any clinging. In this manner, Sariputta, his mind is free from
defilements. Sariputta, I say a person is a great man only when his mind is
free from defilements; I say a person is not a great man when his mind is not
free from defilements.
End of the Mahapurisa Sutta,
the first in this Vagga.
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