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

AN 4.130 Incredible Things About the Wheel-Turning Monarch -

“Cattārome, bhikkhave, acchariyā abbhutā dhammā raññe cakkavattimhi. Katame cattāro?

Sace, bhikkhave, khattiyaparisā rājānaṁ cakkavattiṁ dassanāya upasaṅkamati, dassanenapi attamanā hoti. Tatra ce rājā cakkavattī bhāsati, bhāsitenapi attamanā hoti. Atittāva, bhikkhave, khattiyaparisā hoti, atha rājā cakkavattī tuṇhī bhavati.

Sace, bhikkhave, brāhmaṇaparisā rājānaṁ cakkavattiṁ dassanāya upasaṅkamati, dassanenapi attamanā hoti. Tatra ce rājā cakkavattī bhāsati, bhāsitenapi attamanā hoti. Atittāva, bhikkhave, brāhmaṇaparisā hoti, atha rājā cakkavattī tuṇhī bhavati. Sace, bhikkhave, gahapatiparisā rājānaṁ cakkavattiṁ dassanāya upasaṅkamati, dassanenapi attamanā hoti. Tatra ce rājā cakkavattī bhāsati, bhāsitenapi attamanā hoti. Atittāva, bhikkhave, gahapatiparisā hoti, atha rājā cakkavattī tuṇhī bhavati. Sace, bhikkhave, samaṇaparisā rājānaṁ cakkavattiṁ dassanāya upasaṅkamati, dassanenapi attamanā hoti. Tatra ce rājā cakkavattī bhāsati, bhāsitenapi attamanā hoti. Atittāva, bhikkhave, samaṇaparisā hoti, atha rājā cakkavattī tuṇhī bhavati.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro acchariyā abbhutā dhammā raññe cakkavattimhi.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, cattāro 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 …pe… sace, bhikkhave, upāsakaparisā …pe… 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.

Dasamaṁ.

Bhayavaggo tatiyo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Attānuvādaūmi ca,
dve ca nānā dve ca honti;
Mettā dve ca acchariyā,
aparā ca tathā duveti.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Cattārome, bhikkhave, acchariyā abbhutā dhammā raññe cakkavattimhi.

“Mendicants, there are these four incredible and amazing things about a wheel-turning monarch.

Katame cattāro?

What four?

Sace, bhikkhave, khattiyaparisā rājānaṁ cakkavattiṁ dassanāya upasaṅkamati, dassanenapi attamanā hoti.

If an assembly of aristocrats goes to see a wheel-turning monarch, they’re uplifted by seeing him

Tatra ce rājā cakkavattī bhāsati, bhāsitenapi attamanā hoti.

and uplifted by hearing him speak.

Atittāva, bhikkhave, khattiyaparisā hoti, atha rājā cakkavattī tuṇhī bhavati.

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

Sace, bhikkhave, brāhmaṇaparisā rājānaṁ cakkavattiṁ dassanāya upasaṅkamati, dassanenapi attamanā hoti.

If an assembly of brahmins …

Tatra ce rājā cakkavattī bhāsati, bhāsitenapi attamanā hoti.

Atittāva, bhikkhave, brāhmaṇaparisā hoti, atha rājā cakkavattī tuṇhī bhavati.

Sace, bhikkhave, gahapatiparisā rājānaṁ cakkavattiṁ dassanāya upasaṅkamati, dassanenapi attamanā hoti.

householders …

Tatra ce rājā cakkavattī bhāsati, bhāsitenapi attamanā hoti.

Atittāva, bhikkhave, gahapatiparisā hoti, atha rājā cakkavattī tuṇhī bhavati.

Sace, bhikkhave, samaṇaparisā rājānaṁ cakkavattiṁ dassanāya upasaṅkamati, dassanenapi attamanā hoti.

or ascetics goes to see a wheel-turning monarch, they’re uplifted by seeing him

Tatra ce rājā cakkavattī bhāsati, bhāsitenapi attamanā hoti.

and uplifted by hearing him speak.

Atittāva, bhikkhave, samaṇaparisā hoti, atha rājā cakkavattī tuṇhī bhavati.

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

Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro acchariyā abbhutā dhammā raññe cakkavattimhi.

These are the four incredible and amazing things about a wheel-turning monarch.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, cattāro acchariyā abbhutā dhammā ānande.

In the same way, 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 …pe… sace, bhikkhave, upāsakaparisā …pe… sace, bhikkhave, upāsikāparisā ānandaṁ dassanāya upasaṅkamati, dassanenapi attamanā hoti.

If an assembly of nuns … laymen … 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.”

Dasamaṁ.

Bhayavaggo tatiyo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Attānuvādaūmi ca,

dve ca nānā dve ca honti;

Mettā dve ca acchariyā,

aparā ca tathā duveti.

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