The Buddha teaches on the four establishments of mindfulness regarding a great man, urging mendicants to meditate keen, aware, and mindful on body, feelings, mind, and principles, rid of covetousness and displeasure.

SN 47.11 A Great Man

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā sāriputto bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“‘mahāpuriso, mahāpuriso’ti, bhante, vuccati. Kittāvatā nu kho, bhante, mahāpuriso hotī”ti?

“Vimuttacittattā khvāhaṁ, sāriputta, ‘mahāpuriso’ti vadāmi. Avimuttacittattā ‘no mahāpuriso’ti vadāmi.

Kathañca, sāriputta, vimuttacitto hoti? Idha, sāriputta, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ. Tassa kāye kāyānupassino viharato cittaṁ virajjati, vimuccati anupādāya āsavehi. Vedanāsu …pe… citte …pe… dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ. Tassa dhammesu dhammānupassino viharato cittaṁ virajjati, vimuccati anupādāya āsavehi. Evaṁ kho, sāriputta, vimuttacitto hoti.

Vimuttacittattā khvāhaṁ, sāriputta, ‘mahāpuriso’ti vadāmi. Avimuttacittattā ‘no mahāpuriso’ti vadāmī”ti.

Paṭhamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

At Sāvatthī.

Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā sāriputto bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

Then Sāriputta went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to the Buddha:

“‘mahāpuriso, mahāpuriso’ti, bhante, vuccati.

“Sir, they speak of ‘a great man’.

Kittāvatā nu kho, bhante, mahāpuriso hotī”ti?

How is a great man defined?”

“Vimuttacittattā khvāhaṁ, sāriputta, ‘mahāpuriso’ti vadāmi.

“Sāriputta, someone whose mind is free is a great man, I say.

Avimuttacittattā ‘no mahāpuriso’ti vadāmi.

If their mind is not free, I say they’re not a great man.

Kathañca, sāriputta, vimuttacitto hoti?

And how does someone have a free mind?

Idha, sāriputta, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

It’s when a mendicant meditates by observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.

Tassa kāye kāyānupassino viharato cittaṁ virajjati, vimuccati anupādāya āsavehi.

As they meditate observing an aspect of the body, their mind becomes dispassionate, and is freed from the defilements by not grasping.

Vedanāsu …pe…

They meditate observing an aspect of feelings …

citte …pe…

mind …

dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

principles—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of covetousness and displeasure for the world.

Tassa dhammesu dhammānupassino viharato cittaṁ virajjati, vimuccati anupādāya āsavehi.

As they meditate observing an aspect of principles, their mind becomes dispassionate, and is freed from the defilements by not grasping.

Evaṁ kho, sāriputta, vimuttacitto hoti.

That’s how someone has a free mind.

Vimuttacittattā khvāhaṁ, sāriputta, ‘mahāpuriso’ti vadāmi.

Someone whose mind is free is a great man, I say.

Avimuttacittattā ‘no mahāpuriso’ti vadāmī”ti.

If their mind is not free, I say they’re not a great man.”

Paṭhamaṁ.

Qualities:

Attachment

Attachment

A mental fastening onto people, things, views, or states as “me” or “mine,” unwilling to release them. This clinging can give a sense of security and sweetness.

Also known as: acquisition, bond, clinging, grasping, holding on, possession, entanglement, bound, connected, taking as mine
Pāli: upadhi, upādāna, sakiñcana, mamatta
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Displeasure

Displeasure

A feeling of mental pain or a disagreeable feeling or unease born of mental contact.

Also known as: mental pain, mental distress, melancholy, sadness
Pāli: domanassa
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Free from attachment

Free from attachment

Release from grasping, not taking anything as “me” or “mine,” ceasing to appropriate or identify with people, things, views, or experiences.

Also known as: free from grasping, not appropriating, not taking as mine, without acquisitions, not clinging, not grasping, not holding onto
Pāli: nirūpadhi, nānupādāya, asita, anuggaha
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Greed

Greed

A grasping mental quality of craving, possessiveness, or lustful wanting that clings to objects or experiences; it fuels attachment and obstructs renunciation and contentment

Also known as: acquisitiveness, avarice, covetousness, rapacity, money grabbing, grabbiness
Pāli: lobha, gedha
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Jealousy

Jealousy

A painful mental state that arises when seeing the good fortune or qualities of others. It begrudges what others have and resents their happiness, closing the heart to appreciative joy.

Also known as: covetousness, envy, possessiveness, protective of, unwilling to part with
Pāli: issā
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Mindfulness

Mindfulness

Active presence of mind and lucid retention; the faculty that remembers the Dhamma, anchors attention to the chosen object or present experience, and guards the mind against unwholesome states.

Also known as: recollecting, remembering, keeping in mind, presence, awareness
Pāli: sati, anussati
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Last updated on July 27, 2026