Piṅgiyānīsutta

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā vesāliyaṁ viharati mahāvane kūṭāgārasālāyaṁ. Tena kho pana samayena pañcamattāni licchavisatāni bhagavantaṁ payirupāsanti. Appekacce licchavī nīlā honti nīlavaṇṇā nīlavatthā nīlālaṅkārā, appekacce licchavī pītā honti pītavaṇṇā pītavatthā pītālaṅkārā, appekacce licchavī lohitakā honti lohitakavaṇṇā lohitakavatthā lohitakālaṅkārā, appekacce licchavī odātā honti odātavaṇṇā odātavatthā odātālaṅkārā. Tyassudaṁ bhagavā atirocati vaṇṇena ceva yasasā ca.

At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof. Now at that time around five hundred Licchavis were visiting the Buddha. Some of the Licchavis were in blue, of blue color, clad in blue, adorned with blue. And some were similarly colored in yellow, red, or white. But the Buddha outshone them all in beauty and glory.

Atha kho piṅgiyānī brāhmaṇo uṭṭhāyāsanā ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā yena bhagavā tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “paṭibhāti maṁ, bhagavā, paṭibhāti maṁ, sugatā”ti. “Paṭibhātu taṁ piṅgiyānī”ti bhagavā avoca. Atha kho piṅgiyānī brāhmaṇo bhagavato sammukhā sāruppāya gāthāya abhitthavi:

Then the brahmin Piṅgīyānī rose from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, raised his cupped palms toward the Buddha, and said, “I feel inspired to speak, Blessed One! I feel inspired to speak, Holy One!” “Then speak as you feel inspired,” said the Buddha. So the brahmin Piṅgīyānī extolled the Buddha in his presence with a fitting verse.

“Padmaṁ yathā kokanadaṁ sugandhaṁ, Pāto siyā phullamavītagandhaṁ; Aṅgīrasaṁ passa virocamānaṁ, Tapantamādiccamivantalikkhe”ti.

“Like a fragrant pink lotus that blooms at daybreak, its fragrance unfaded— see Aṅgīrasa dazzle, bright as the sun in the sky!”

Atha kho te licchavī pañcahi uttarāsaṅgasatehi piṅgiyāniṁ brāhmaṇaṁ acchādesuṁ. Atha kho piṅgiyānī brāhmaṇo tehi pañcahi uttarāsaṅgasatehi bhagavantaṁ acchādesi.

Then those Licchavis clothed Piṅgiyānī with five hundred upper robes. And Piṅgiyānī clothed the Buddha with them.

Atha kho bhagavā te licchavī etadavoca: “pañcannaṁ, licchavī, ratanānaṁ pātubhāvo dullabho lokasmiṁ. Katamesaṁ pañcannaṁ? Tathāgatassa arahato sammāsambuddhassa pātubhāvo dullabho lokasmiṁ. Tathāgatappaveditassa dhammavinayassa desetā puggalo dullabho lokasmiṁ. Tathāgatappaveditassa dhammavinayassa desitassa viññātā puggalo dullabho lokasmiṁ. Tathāgatappaveditassa dhammavinayassa desitassa viññātā dhammānudhammappaṭipanno puggalo dullabho lokasmiṁ. Kataññū katavedī puggalo dullabho lokasmiṁ. Imesaṁ kho, licchavī, pañcannaṁ ratanānaṁ pātubhāvo dullabho lokasmin”ti. Pañcamaṁ.

Then the Buddha said to the Licchavis: “Licchavis, the appearance of five treasures is rare in the world. What five? A Realized One, a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha. A teacher of the teaching and training proclaimed by a Realized One. An individual who understands the teaching and training proclaimed by a Realized One. An individual who practices in line with the teaching. An individual who is grateful and thankful. The appearance of these five treasures is rare in the world.”