The Buddha describes the four incredible and amazing things about ānanda—if an assembly of monks goes to see ānanda, they’re uplifted by seeing him, and uplifted by hearing him speak, and when he falls silent, and they’ve never had enough.

AN 4.129 Incredible Things About Ānanda

“Cattārome, bhikkhave, acchariyā abbhutā dhammā ānande. Katame cattāro?

Sace, bhikkhave, bhikkhuparisā ānandaṁ dassanāya upasaṅkamati, dassanenapi attamanā hoti. Tatra ce ānando dhammaṁ bhāsati, bhāsitenapi attamanā hoti. Atittāva, bhikkhave, bhikkhuparisā hoti, atha ānando tuṇhī bhavati.

Sace, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniparisā ānandaṁ dassanāya upasaṅkamati, dassanenapi attamanā hoti. Tattha ce ānando dhammaṁ bhāsati, bhāsitenapi attamanā hoti. Atittāva, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniparisā hoti, atha ānando tuṇhī bhavati. Sace, bhikkhave, upāsakaparisā ānandaṁ dassanāya upasaṅkamati, dassanenapi attamanā hoti. Tatra ce ānando dhammaṁ bhāsati, bhāsitenapi attamanā hoti. Atittāva, bhikkhave, upāsakaparisā hoti, atha ānando tuṇhī bhavati. Sace, bhikkhave, upāsikāparisā ānandaṁ dassanāya upasaṅkamati, dassanenapi attamanā hoti. Tatra ce ānando dhammaṁ bhāsati, bhāsitenapi attamanā hoti. Atittāva, bhikkhave, upāsikāparisā hoti, atha ānando tuṇhī bhavati.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro acchariyā abbhutā dhammā ānande”ti.

Navamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Cattārome, bhikkhave, acchariyā abbhutā dhammā ānande.

“Mendicants, there are these four incredible and amazing things about Ānanda.

Katame cattāro?

What four?

Sace, bhikkhave, bhikkhuparisā ānandaṁ dassanāya upasaṅkamati, dassanenapi attamanā hoti.

If an assembly of monks goes to see Ānanda, they’re uplifted by seeing him

Tatra ce ānando dhammaṁ bhāsati, bhāsitenapi attamanā hoti.

and uplifted by hearing him speak.

Atittāva, bhikkhave, bhikkhuparisā hoti, atha ānando tuṇhī bhavati.

And when he falls silent, they’ve never had enough.

Sace, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniparisā ānandaṁ dassanāya upasaṅkamati, dassanenapi attamanā hoti.

If an assembly of nuns …

Tattha ce ānando dhammaṁ bhāsati, bhāsitenapi attamanā hoti.

Atittāva, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniparisā hoti, atha ānando tuṇhī bhavati.

Sace, bhikkhave, upāsakaparisā ānandaṁ dassanāya upasaṅkamati, dassanenapi attamanā hoti.

laymen …

Tatra ce ānando dhammaṁ bhāsati, bhāsitenapi attamanā hoti.

Atittāva, bhikkhave, upāsakaparisā hoti, atha ānando tuṇhī bhavati.

Sace, bhikkhave, upāsikāparisā ānandaṁ dassanāya upasaṅkamati, dassanenapi attamanā hoti.

or laywomen goes to see Ānanda, they’re uplifted by seeing him

Tatra ce ānando dhammaṁ bhāsati, bhāsitenapi attamanā hoti.

and uplifted by hearing him speak.

Atittāva, bhikkhave, upāsikāparisā hoti, atha ānando tuṇhī bhavati.

And when he falls silent, they’ve never had enough.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro acchariyā abbhutā dhammā ānande”ti.

These are the four incredible and amazing things about Ānanda.”

Navamaṁ.

Qualities:

Wisdom

Wisdom

Lived understanding and sound judgment that steers the mind away from suffering, distinct from mere accumulation of facts.

Also known as: (of a person) wise, astute, intelligent, learned, skilled, firm, stable, steadfast, an experiential understanding of the four noble truths
Pāli: paññā, medhā, dhīra, paṇḍita, asammūḷha
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Last updated on July 27, 2026