The Discourse about Bhaddiya the Dwarf

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā lakuṇḍakabhaddiyo sambahulānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ piṭṭhito piṭṭhito yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami.

Addasā kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ lakuṇḍakabhaddiyaṁ dūratova sambahulānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ piṭṭhito piṭṭhito āgacchantaṁ dubbaṇṇaṁ duddasikaṁ okoṭimakaṁ yebhuyyena bhikkhūnaṁ paribhūtarūpaṁ.

Disvāna bhikkhū āmantesi:

“Passatha no tumhe, bhikkhave, etaṁ bhikkhuṁ dūratova sambahulānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ piṭṭhito piṭṭhito āgacchantaṁ dubbaṇṇaṁ duddasikaṁ okoṭimakaṁ yebhuyyena bhikkhūnaṁ paribhūtarūpan”ti?

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti.

“Eso, bhikkhave, bhikkhu mahiddhiko mahānubhāvo. Na ca sā samāpatti sulabharūpā yā tena bhikkhunā asamāpannapubbā.

Yassa catthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṁ—brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharatī”ti.

Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:

“Nelaṅgo setapacchādo,

ekāro vattatī ratho;

Anīghaṁ passa āyantaṁ,

chinnasotaṁ abandhanan”ti.

Pañcamaṁ.

SC 1Thus I heard: At one time the Gracious One was dwelling near Sāvatthī, in Jeta’s Wood, at Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then at that time venerable Bhaddiya the Dwarf close behind many monks went to the Gracious One.

SC 2The Gracious One saw venerable Bhaddiya the Dwarf coming while still far away close behind many monks, ugly, unsightly, and deformed, whom almost all of the monks ignored. Having seen that, he addressed the monks, saying: “Do you see, monks, that monk coming while still far away close behind many monks, ugly, unsightly, and deformed, whom almost all of the monks ignore?”

“Yes, reverend Sir.”

SC 3“That monk, monks, is one of great power and great majesty. There is no well-gained attainment which has not been already attained by that monk, including that good for which sons of good family rightly go forth from the home to the homeless life, that unsurpassed conclusion to the spiritual life, and he dwells having known, directly experienced, and attained it himself in this very life.”

SC 4Then the Gracious One, having understood the significance of it, on that occasion uttered this exalted utterance:

SC 5“With faultless wheel, with a white covering, the one-spoked chariot rolls on,
See the untroubled one coming, who has cut off the stream, who is unbound.”