The Buddha praises two companion mendicants, protégés of Venerable Mahākappina, declaring that they are mighty, have realized the supreme end of the spiritual path, and bear their final bodies having vanquished Māra.

SN 21.12 Companions

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

Atha kho dve bhikkhū sahāyakā āyasmato mahākappinassa saddhivihārino yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu.

Addasā kho bhagavā te bhikkhū dūratova āgacchante. Disvāna bhikkhū āmantesi: “passatha no tumhe, bhikkhave, ete bhikkhū sahāyake āgacchante kappinassa saddhivihārino”ti?

“Evaṁ, bhante”.

“Ete kho te bhikkhū mahiddhikā mahānubhāvā. Na ca samāpatti sulabharūpā, tehi bhikkhūhi asamāpannapubbā. Yassa catthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti tadanuttaraṁ brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharantī”ti.

Idamavoca bhagavā. Idaṁ vatvāna sugato athāparaṁ etadavoca satthā:

“Sahāyāvatime bhikkhū,
cirarattaṁ sametikā;
Sameti nesaṁ saddhammo,
dhamme buddhappavedite.

Suvinītā kappinena,
dhamme ariyappavedite;
Dhārenti antimaṁ dehaṁ,
jetvā māraṁ savāhinin”ti.

Dvādasamaṁ.

Bhikkhuvaggo paṭhamo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Kolito upatisso ca,
ghaṭo cāpi pavuccati;
Navo sujāto bhaddi ca,
visākho nando tisso ca;
Theranāmo ca kappino,
sahāyena ca dvādasāti.

Bhikkhusaṁyuttaṁ samattaṁ.

Nidānavaggo dutiyo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Nidānābhisamayadhātu,
anamataggena kassapaṁ;
Sakkārarāhulalakkhaṇo,
opammabhikkhunā vaggo.
Dutiyo tena pavuccatīti.

Nidānavaggasaṁyuttapāḷi niṭṭhitā.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

At Sāvatthī.

Atha kho dve bhikkhū sahāyakā āyasmato mahākappinassa saddhivihārino yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu.

Then two mendicants who were companions, protégés of Venerable Mahākappina, went to see the Buddha.

Addasā kho bhagavā te bhikkhū dūratova āgacchante.

The Buddha saw them coming off in the distance,

Disvāna bhikkhū āmantesi:

and addressed the mendicants:

“passatha no tumhe, bhikkhave, ete bhikkhū sahāyake āgacchante kappinassa saddhivihārino”ti?

“Mendicants, do you see those monks coming who are companions, protégés of Venerable Mahākappina?”

“Evaṁ, bhante”.

“Yes, sir.”

“Ete kho te bhikkhū mahiddhikā mahānubhāvā.

“Those mendicants are very mighty and powerful.

Na ca samāpatti sulabharūpā, tehi bhikkhūhi asamāpannapubbā.

It’s not easy to find an attainment that they have not already attained.

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

And they’ve realized the supreme end of the spiritual path in this very life. They live having achieved with their own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness.”

Idamavoca bhagavā.

That is what the Buddha said.

Idaṁ vatvāna sugato athāparaṁ etadavoca satthā:

Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:

“Sahāyāvatime bhikkhū,

“These companion mendicants

cirarattaṁ sametikā;

have been together for a long time.

Sameti nesaṁ saddhammo,

The true teaching has brought them together,

dhamme buddhappavedite.

the teaching proclaimed by the Buddha.

Suvinītā kappinena,

They’ve been well trained by Kappina

dhamme ariyappavedite;

in the teaching proclaimed by the Noble One.

Dhārenti antimaṁ dehaṁ,

They bear their final body,

jetvā māraṁ savāhinin”ti.

having vanquished Māra with his legions.”

Dvādasamaṁ.

Bhikkhuvaggo paṭhamo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Kolito upatisso ca,

ghaṭo cāpi pavuccati;

Navo sujāto bhaddi ca,

visākho nando tisso ca;

Theranāmo ca kappino,

sahāyena ca dvādasāti.

Bhikkhusaṁyuttaṁ samattaṁ.

The Linked Discourses on monks are complete.

Nidānavaggo dutiyo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Nidānābhisamayadhātu,

anamataggena kassapaṁ;

Sakkārarāhulalakkhaṇo,

opammabhikkhunā vaggo.

Dutiyo tena pavuccatīti.

Nidānavaggasaṁyuttapāḷi niṭṭhitā.

The Book of Causality is finished.

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Also known as: having insight, with understanding, right knowledge
Pāli: ñāṇa, sammāñāṇa
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Last updated on July 27, 2026