The Buddha praises Venerable Bhaddiya the Dwarf before the Saṅgha, teaching that though his body is despised, a little person who is wise is truly great—and that he has realized the supreme end of the spiritual path.

SN 21.6 With Bhaddiya the Dwarf

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

Atha kho āyasmā lakuṇḍakabhaddiyo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami.

Addasā kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ lakuṇḍakabhaddiyaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ. Disvāna bhikkhū āmantesi: “passatha no tumhe, bhikkhave, etaṁ bhikkhuṁ āgacchantaṁ dubbaṇṇaṁ duddasikaṁ okoṭimakaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ paribhūtarūpan”ti?

“Evaṁ, bhante”.

“Eso kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu mahiddhiko mahānubhāvo, na ca samāpatti sulabharūpā tena bhikkhunā asamāpannapubbā. Yassa catthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṁ brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharatī”ti.

Idamavoca bhagavā …pe… satthā:

“Haṁsā koñcā mayūrā ca,
hatthayo pasadā migā;
Sabbe sīhassa bhāyanti,
natthi kāyasmiṁ tulyatā.

Evameva manussesu,
daharo cepi paññavā;
So hi tattha mahā hoti,
neva bālo sarīravā”ti.

Chaṭṭhaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.

At Sāvatthī.

Atha kho āyasmā lakuṇḍakabhaddiyo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami.

Then Venerable Bhaddiya the Dwarf went to see the Buddha.

Addasā kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ lakuṇḍakabhaddiyaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ.

The Buddha saw him coming off in the distance,

Disvāna bhikkhū āmantesi:

and addressed the mendicants:

“passatha no tumhe, bhikkhave, etaṁ bhikkhuṁ āgacchantaṁ dubbaṇṇaṁ duddasikaṁ okoṭimakaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ paribhūtarūpan”ti?

“Mendicants, do you see this monk coming—ugly, unsightly, deformed, and despised by the mendicants?”

“Evaṁ, bhante”.

“Yes, sir.”

“Eso kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu mahiddhiko mahānubhāvo, na ca samāpatti sulabharūpā tena bhikkhunā asamāpannapubbā.

“That mendicant is very mighty and powerful. It’s not easy to find an attainment that he has not already attained.

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

And he has realized the supreme end of the spiritual path in this very life. He lives having achieved with his own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness.”

Idamavoca bhagavā …pe…

That is what the Buddha said.

satthā:

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

“Haṁsā koñcā mayūrā ca,

“Geese, herons, and peacocks,

hatthayo pasadā migā;

elephants and spotted deer—

Sabbe sīhassa bhāyanti,

though their bodies are not equal,

natthi kāyasmiṁ tulyatā.

they all fear the lion.

Evameva manussesu,

So it is for humans—

daharo cepi paññavā;

if a little person is wise,

So hi tattha mahā hoti,

they’re the truly great one,

neva bālo sarīravā”ti.

not the fool with a good body.”

Chaṭṭhaṁ.

Qualities:

Fear

Fear

A constricting mental state that arises when the mind perceives threat or danger. It agitates and destabilizes, driving the mind toward avoidance, paralysis, or desperate action.

Also known as: feeling afraid, timid, dread, fright, horror, panic, terror
Pāli: bhaya, dara
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Immaturity

Immaturity

A childish lack of discernment that fails to see the results of actions clearly. It delights in surface pleasure and ignores consequence. Immaturity leads to poor choices and association with unwise companions.

Also known as: lacking in discernment, lacking in good sense, child-like in understanding, lack of wisdom, lack of experience, foolishness
Pāli: bāla
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Insight

Insight

Insight is deep, intuitive realization that transforms understanding and guides practice.

Also known as: having insight, with understanding, right knowledge
Pāli: ñāṇa, sammāñāṇa
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Wholesome

Wholesome

Conducive to or suggestive of good health and mental well-being.

Also known as: blameless, skillful, beneficial, good, useful, healthy, nourishing, sustaining
Pāli: kusala
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Last updated on July 27, 2026