Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā vajjīsu viharati hatthigāme.

At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Vajjis at Elephant Village.

Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:

There the Buddha addressed the mendicants:

“aṭṭhahi, bhikkhave, acchariyehi abbhutehi dhammehi samannāgataṁ uggaṁ gahapatiṁ hatthigāmakaṁ dhārethā”ti.

“Mendicants, you should remember the householder Uggata of Elephant Village as someone who has eight amazing and incredible qualities.”

Idamavoca bhagavā.

That is what the Buddha said.

Idaṁ vatvāna sugato uṭṭhāyāsanā vihāraṁ pāvisi.

When he had spoken, the Holy One rose from his seat and entered his dwelling.

Atha kho aññataro bhikkhu pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena uggassa gahapatino hatthigāmakassa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi.

Then a certain mendicant robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, went to the home of the householder Uggata of Elephant Village, where he sat down on the seat spread out.

Atha kho uggo gahapati hatthigāmako yena so bhikkhu tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ bhikkhuṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho uggaṁ gahapatiṁ hatthigāmakaṁ so bhikkhu etadavoca:

Then Uggata of Elephant Village went up to that mendicant, bowed, and sat down to one side. The mendicant said to him:

“aṭṭhahi kho tvaṁ, gahapati, acchariyehi abbhutehi dhammehi samannāgato bhagavatā byākato.

“Householder, the Buddha declared that you have eight amazing and incredible qualities.

Katame te, gahapati, aṭṭha acchariyā abbhutā dhammā, yehi tvaṁ samannāgato bhagavatā byākato”ti?

What are the eight qualities that he spoke of?”

“Na kho ahaṁ, bhante, jānāmi:

“Sir, I don’t know

‘katamehi aṭṭhahi acchariyehi abbhutehi dhammehi samannāgato bhagavatā byākato’ti.

what eight amazing and incredible qualities the Buddha was referring to.

Api ca, bhante, ye me aṭṭha acchariyā abbhutā dhammā saṁvijjanti,

But these eight amazing and incredible qualities are found in me.

taṁ suṇāhi, sādhukaṁ manasi karohi; bhāsissāmī”ti.

Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”

“Evaṁ, gahapatī”ti kho so bhikkhu uggassa gahapatino hatthigāmakassa paccassosi.

“Yes, householder,” replied the mendicant.

Uggo gahapati hatthigāmako etadavoca:

Uggata of Elephant Village said this:

“yadāhaṁ, bhante, nāgavane paricaranto bhagavantaṁ paṭhamaṁ dūratova addasaṁ;

“Sir, when I first saw the Buddha off in the distance I was partying in the Dragon’s Park.

saha dassaneneva me, bhante, bhagavato cittaṁ pasīdi, surāmado ca pahīyi.

My heart was inspired as soon as I saw him, and I sobered up.

Ayaṁ kho me, bhante, paṭhamo acchariyo abbhuto dhammo saṁvijjati.

This is the first incredible and amazing quality found in me.

So kho ahaṁ, bhante, pasannacitto bhagavantaṁ payirupāsiṁ.

With confident heart I paid homage to the Buddha.

Tassa me bhagavā anupubbiṁ kathaṁ kathesi, seyyathidaṁ—

The Buddha taught me step by step, with

dānakathaṁ sīlakathaṁ saggakathaṁ; kāmānaṁ ādīnavaṁ okāraṁ saṅkilesaṁ, nekkhamme ānisaṁsaṁ pakāsesi.

a talk on giving, ethical conduct, and heaven. He revealed the drawbacks of sensual pleasures, so sordid and corrupt, and the benefit of renunciation.

Yadā maṁ bhagavā aññāsi kallacittaṁ muducittaṁ vinīvaraṇacittaṁ udaggacittaṁ pasannacittaṁ, atha yā buddhānaṁ sāmukkaṁsikā dhammadesanā taṁ pakāsesi—

And when he knew that my mind was ready, pliable, rid of hindrances, elated, and confident he revealed the special teaching of the Buddhas:

dukkhaṁ, samudayaṁ, nirodhaṁ, maggaṁ.

suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path.

Seyyathāpi nāma suddhaṁ vatthaṁ apagatakāḷakaṁ sammadeva rajanaṁ paṭiggaṇheyya;

Just as a clean cloth rid of stains would properly absorb dye,

evamevaṁ kho me tasmiṁyeva āsane virajaṁ vītamalaṁ dhammacakkhuṁ udapādi:

in that very seat the stainless, immaculate vision of the Dhamma arose in me:

‘yaṁ kiñci samudayadhammaṁ sabbaṁ taṁ nirodhadhamman’ti.

‘Everything that is liable to arise is liable to cease.’

So kho ahaṁ, bhante, diṭṭhadhammo pattadhammo viditadhammo pariyogāḷhadhammo tiṇṇavicikiccho vigatakathaṅkatho vesārajjappatto aparappaccayo satthusāsane tattheva buddhañca dhammañca saṅghañca saraṇaṁ agamāsiṁ, brahmacariyapañcamāni ca sikkhāpadāni samādiyiṁ.

I saw, attained, understood, and fathomed the Dhamma. I went beyond doubt, got rid of indecision, and became self-assured and independent of others regarding the Teacher’s instructions. Right there I went for refuge to the Buddha, his teaching, and the Saṅgha. And I undertook the five training rules with chastity as the fifth.

Ayaṁ kho me, bhante, dutiyo acchariyo abbhuto dhammo saṁvijjati.

This is the second incredible and amazing quality found in me.

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhante, catasso komāriyo pajāpatiyo ahesuṁ.

I had four teenage wives.

Atha khvāhaṁ, bhante, yena tā pajāpatiyo tenupasaṅkamiṁ; upasaṅkamitvā tā pajāpatiyo etadavacaṁ:

And I went to them and said:

‘mayā kho, bhaginiyo, brahmacariyapañcamāni sikkhāpadāni samādinnāni.

‘Sisters, I’ve undertaken the five training rules with chastity as fifth.

Yā icchati sā idheva bhoge ca bhuñjatu puññāni ca karotu, sakāni vā ñātikulāni gacchatu.

If you wish, you may stay here, enjoy my wealth, and do good deeds. Or you can return to your own families.

Hoti vā pana purisādhippāyo, kassa vo dammī’ti?

Or would you prefer if I gave you to another man?’

Evaṁ vutte, sā, bhante, jeṭṭhā pajāpati maṁ etadavoca:

When I said this, my eldest wife said to me:

‘itthannāmassa maṁ, ayyaputta, purisassa dehī’ti.

‘Master, please give me to the man named so-and-so.’

Atha kho ahaṁ, bhante, taṁ purisaṁ pakkosāpetvā vāmena hatthena pajāpatiṁ gahetvā dakkhiṇena hatthena bhiṅgāraṁ gahetvā tassa purisassa oṇojesiṁ.

Then I summoned that man. Taking my wife with my left hand and a ceremonial vase with my right, I presented her to that man with the pouring of water.

Komāriṁ kho panāhaṁ, bhante, dāraṁ pariccajanto nābhijānāmi cittassa aññathattaṁ.

But I can’t recall getting upset while giving away my teenage wife.

Ayaṁ kho me, bhante, tatiyo acchariyo abbhuto dhammo saṁvijjati.

This is the third incredible and amazing quality found in me.

Saṁvijjanti kho pana me, bhante, kule bhogā.

And though my family has wealth,

Te ca kho appaṭivibhattā sīlavantehi kalyāṇadhammehi.

it’s shared without reserve with ethical people of good character.

Ayaṁ kho me, bhante, catuttho acchariyo abbhuto dhammo saṁvijjati.

This is the fourth incredible and amazing quality found in me.

Yaṁ kho panāhaṁ, bhante, bhikkhuṁ payirupāsāmi;

When I pay homage to a mendicant,

sakkaccaṁyeva payirupāsāmi, no asakkaccaṁ.

I do so carefully, not carelessly.

So ce me āyasmā dhammaṁ deseti;

If that venerable teaches me the Dhamma,

sakkaccaṁyeva suṇomi, no asakkaccaṁ.

I listen carefully, not carelessly.

No ce me so āyasmā dhammaṁ deseti, ahamassa dhammaṁ desemi.

But if they don’t teach me the Dhamma, I teach them.

Ayaṁ kho me, bhante, pañcamo acchariyo abbhuto dhammo saṁvijjati.

This is the fifth incredible and amazing quality found in me.

Anacchariyaṁ kho pana, bhante, saṅghe nimantite devatā upasaṅkamitvā ārocenti:

It’s not unusual for deities to come to me when the Saṅgha has been invited and announce:

‘asuko, gahapati, bhikkhu ubhatobhāgavimutto asuko paññāvimutto asuko kāyasakkhī asuko diṭṭhippatto asuko saddhāvimutto asuko dhammānusārī asuko saddhānusārī asuko sīlavā kalyāṇadhammo asuko dussīlo pāpadhammo’ti.

‘Householder, that mendicant is freed both ways. That one is freed by wisdom. That one is a direct witness. That one is attained to view. That one is freed by faith. That one is a follower of teachings. That one is a follower by faith. That one is ethical, of good character. That one is unethical, of bad character.’

Saṅghaṁ kho panāhaṁ, bhante, parivisanto nābhijānāmi evaṁ cittaṁ uppādento:

But while I’m serving the Saṅgha I don’t recall thinking:

‘imassa vā thokaṁ demi imassa vā bahukan’ti.

‘Let me give this one just a little, and that one a lot.’

Atha khvāhaṁ, bhante, samacittova demi.

Rather, I give impartially.

Ayaṁ kho me, bhante, chaṭṭho acchariyo abbhuto dhammo saṁvijjati.

This is the sixth incredible and amazing quality found in me.

Anacchariyaṁ kho pana maṁ, bhante, devatā upasaṅkamitvā ārocenti:

It’s not unusual for deities to come to me and announce:

‘svākkhāto, gahapati, bhagavatā dhammo’ti.

‘Householder, the Buddha’s teaching is well explained!’

Evaṁ vutte, ahaṁ, bhante, tā devatā evaṁ vademi:

When they say this I say to them:

‘vadeyyātha vā evaṁ kho tumhe devatā no vā vadeyyātha, atha kho svākkhāto bhagavatā dhammo’ti.

‘The Buddha’s teaching is well explained, regardless of whether or not you deities say so!’

Na kho panāhaṁ, bhante, abhijānāmi tatonidānaṁ cittassa unnatiṁ:

But I don’t recall getting too excited by the fact that

‘maṁ tā devatā upasaṅkamanti, ahaṁ vā devatāhi saddhiṁ sallapāmī’ti.

the deities come to me, and I have a conversation with them.

Ayaṁ kho me, bhante, sattamo acchariyo abbhuto dhammo saṁvijjati.

This is the seventh incredible and amazing quality found in me.

Sace kho panāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavato paṭhamataraṁ kālaṁ kareyyaṁ, anacchariyaṁ kho panetaṁ yaṁ maṁ bhagavā evaṁ byākareyya:

If I pass away before the Buddha, it would be no wonder if the Buddha declares of me:

‘natthi taṁ saṁyojanaṁ yena saṁyutto uggo gahapati hatthigāmako puna imaṁ lokaṁ āgaccheyyā’ti.

‘The householder Uggata of Elephant Village is bound by no fetter that might return him to this world.’

Ayaṁ kho me, bhante, aṭṭhamo acchariyo abbhuto dhammo saṁvijjati.

This is the eighth incredible and amazing quality found in me.

Ime kho me, bhante, aṭṭha acchariyā abbhutā dhammā saṁvijjanti.

These eight amazing and incredible qualities are found in me.

Na ca kho ahaṁ jānāmi:

But I don’t know

‘katamehi cāhaṁ aṭṭhahi acchariyehi abbhutehi dhammehi samannāgato bhagavatā byākato’”ti.

what eight amazing and incredible qualities the Buddha was referring to.”

Atha kho so bhikkhu uggassa gahapatino hatthigāmakassa nivesane piṇḍapātaṁ gahetvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkāmi.

Then that mendicant, after taking almsfood in Uggata of Elephant Village’s home, rose from his seat and left.

Atha kho so bhikkhu pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.

Then after the meal, on his return from almsround, he went to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side.

Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so bhikkhu yāvatako ahosi uggena gahapatinā hatthigāmakena saddhiṁ kathāsallāpo, taṁ sabbaṁ bhagavato ārocesi.

He informed the Buddha of all he had discussed with the householder Uggata of Elephant Village. The Buddha said:

“Sādhu sādhu, bhikkhu.

“Good, good, mendicant!

Yathā taṁ uggo gahapati hatthigāmako sammā byākaramāno byākareyya, imeheva kho, bhikkhu, aṭṭhahi acchariyehi abbhutehi dhammehi samannāgato uggo gahapati hatthigāmako mayā byākato.

When I declared that the householder Uggata of Elephant Village was someone who has eight amazing and incredible qualities, I was referring to the same eight qualities that he rightly explained to you.

Imehi ca pana, bhikkhu, aṭṭhahi acchariyehi abbhutehi dhammehi samannāgataṁ uggaṁ gahapatiṁ hatthigāmakaṁ dhārehī”ti.

You should remember the householder Uggata of Elephant Village as someone who has these eight amazing and incredible qualities.”

Dutiyaṁ.