23. The Four Confidences (ARV23)

Herein, monastics, what are the four confidences of a Realised One?

‘Here while claiming he is the Gracious One, the Realised One, the Worthy One, the Perfect Sambuddha, he doesn’t have knowledge of these things.’ In whatever respect this is being said, in the world with its gods, Māra, and Brahmā, in this generation, with its ascetics and brahmins, princes, men and demons, there is no ground for it to be regarded in this way.

Not seeing any ground (for that) the Realised One dwells, having attained safety, having attained fearlessness, he knows the leader’s position, and having rightly gone to the assembly he roars the lion’s roar, he has set rolling the supreme (Dharma) wheel, and it cannot be rolled back by an ascetic or by a brahmin, or by anyone in the world, in accordance with the Dharma.

‘These things which you declare to be an obstacle they are surely not obstacles for one who practices them.’ In whatever respect… and the elaboration (as before).

‘That that practice declared by me to my disciples, which is noble, leading to emancipation, when practiced doesn’t lead out for that one who practices it, and to the destruction of suffering.’ In whatever respect… as before.

‘Here while claiming to be without pollutants himself, these pollutants are not fully destroyed.’ In whatever respect this is being said, in the world with its gods, Māra, and Brahmā, in this generation, with its ascetics and brahmins, princes, men and demons, there is no ground for it to be regarded in this way.

Not seeing any ground (for that) the Realised One dwells, having attained safety, having attained fearlessness, he knows the leader’s position, and having rightly gone to the assembly he roars the lion’s roar, he has set rolling the supreme (Dharma) wheel, and it cannot be rolled back by an ascetic or by a brahmin, or by anyone in the world, in accordance with the Dharma.

These are the four confidences of a Realised One.

Translated by Ānandajoti Bhikkhu, 2016

Based on the edition by Prof. N. H. Samtani in The Arthaviniścaya-sūtra & its commentary (Nibandhana) (Patna, 1971), updated to include the corrections he printed in that work on pp. 180–181, most of which were also printed in his translation of the same, Gathering the Meanings (Berkeley, 2002), on pp. 309–310.

Original translation with comments to be found at http://www.ancient-buddhist-texts.net/.

Prepared for SuttaCentral by Ayya Vimala.