Venerable Vaṅgīsa, inspired by a Dhamma talk, rises to extol Venerable the in verse—praising his wisdom, clarity of teaching, and benefit to the Saṅgha.

SN 8.10 With Moggallāna

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati isigilipasse kāḷasilāyaṁ mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ pañcamattehi bhikkhusatehi sabbeheva arahantehi. Tesaṁ sudaṁ āyasmā mahāmoggallāno cetasā cittaṁ samannesati vippamuttaṁ nirupadhiṁ.

Atha kho āyasmato vaṅgīsassa etadahosi: “ayaṁ kho bhagavā rājagahe viharati isigilipasse kāḷasilāyaṁ mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ pañcamattehi bhikkhusatehi sabbeheva arahantehi. Tesaṁ sudaṁ āyasmā mahāmoggallāno cetasā cittaṁ samannesati vippamuttaṁ nirupadhiṁ. Yannūnāhaṁ āyasmantaṁ mahāmoggallānaṁ bhagavato sammukhā sāruppāhi gāthāhi abhitthaveyyan”ti.

Atha kho āyasmā vaṅgīso uṭṭhāyāsanā ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā yena bhagavā tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “paṭibhāti maṁ, bhagavā, paṭibhāti maṁ, sugatā”ti.

“Paṭibhātu taṁ, vaṅgīsā”ti bhagavā avoca.

Atha kho āyasmā vaṅgīso āyasmantaṁ mahāmoggallānaṁ bhagavato sammukhā sāruppāhi gāthāhi abhitthavi:

“Nagassa passe āsīnaṁ,
muniṁ dukkhassa pāraguṁ;
Sāvakā payirupāsanti,
tevijjā maccuhāyino.

Te cetasā anupariyeti,
Moggallāno mahiddhiko;
Cittaṁ nesaṁ samannesaṁ,
Vippamuttaṁ nirūpadhiṁ.

Evaṁ sabbaṅgasampannaṁ,
Muniṁ dukkhassa pāraguṁ;
Anekākārasampannaṁ,
Payirupāsanti gotaman”ti.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati isigilipasse kāḷasilāyaṁ mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ pañcamattehi bhikkhusatehi sabbeheva arahantehi.

At one time the Buddha was staying on the slopes of Isigili at the Black Rock, together with a large Saṅgha of five hundred mendicants, all of whom were perfected ones.

Tesaṁ sudaṁ āyasmā mahāmoggallāno cetasā cittaṁ samannesati vippamuttaṁ nirupadhiṁ.

Thereupon, with his mind, Venerable Mahāmoggallāna checked to see whose mind was liberated and free of attachments.

Atha kho āyasmato vaṅgīsassa etadahosi:

Then Venerable Vaṅgīsa thought,

“ayaṁ kho bhagavā rājagahe viharati isigilipasse kāḷasilāyaṁ mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ pañcamattehi bhikkhusatehi sabbeheva arahantehi.

“The Buddha is staying on the slopes of Isigili … with five hundred perfected ones.

Tesaṁ sudaṁ āyasmā mahāmoggallāno cetasā cittaṁ samannesati vippamuttaṁ nirupadhiṁ.

Mahāmoggallāna is checking to see whose mind is liberated and free of attachments.

Yannūnāhaṁ āyasmantaṁ mahāmoggallānaṁ bhagavato sammukhā sāruppāhi gāthāhi abhitthaveyyan”ti.

Why don’t I extoll him in the Buddha’s presence with fitting verses?”

Atha kho āyasmā vaṅgīso uṭṭhāyāsanā ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā yena bhagavā tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

Then Venerable Vaṅgīsa rose from his seat, arranged his robe over one shoulder, raised his cupped palms toward the Buddha, and said,

“paṭibhāti maṁ, bhagavā, paṭibhāti maṁ, sugatā”ti.

“I feel inspired to speak, Blessed One! I feel inspired to speak, Holy One!”

“Paṭibhātu taṁ, vaṅgīsā”ti bhagavā avoca.

“Then speak as you feel inspired,” said the Buddha.

Atha kho āyasmā vaṅgīso āyasmantaṁ mahāmoggallānaṁ bhagavato sammukhā sāruppāhi gāthāhi abhitthavi:

Then Vaṅgīsa extolled Mahāmoggallāna in his presence with fitting verses:

“Nagassa passe āsīnaṁ,

“As the sage, who has gone beyond suffering,

muniṁ dukkhassa pāraguṁ;

sits upon the mountain slope,

Sāvakā payirupāsanti,

he is revered by disciples with the three knowledges,

tevijjā maccuhāyino.

conquerors of death.

Te cetasā anupariyeti,

Moggallāna, of great psychic power,

Moggallāno mahiddhiko;

encompasses with his mind,

Cittaṁ nesaṁ samannesaṁ,

scrutinizing their minds,

Vippamuttaṁ nirūpadhiṁ.

liberated, free of attachments.

Evaṁ sabbaṅgasampannaṁ,

That is how those endowed with many fine qualities

Muniṁ dukkhassa pāraguṁ;

revere Gotama,

Anekākārasampannaṁ,

the sage gone beyond suffering,

Payirupāsanti gotaman”ti.

perfect in every respect.”

Qualities:

Craving

Craving

A driving ‘thirst’ that reaches out toward experiences, identities, or outcomes as the place to find satisfaction—“if only I had that.” It spins stories of lack, binds the mind to becoming, and invariably leads to suffering.

Also known as: wanting, yearning, longing, lit. thirst
Pāli: taṇha, abhijjhā
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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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Psychic power

Psychic power

Supernormal capacities resulting from a practice of collectedness rooted in aspiration, determination, purification of mind, and investigation of phenomena.

Also known as: supernormal abilities, psychic ability, spiritual power
Pāli: iddhi, iddhimant
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Respect

Respect

A mental attitude of reverent attentiveness that values goodness and wisdom in oneself and others. It steadies conduct and opens the mind to learning and humility.

Also known as: reverence, veneration, regard, admiration, appreciation, deference, honour, attentiveness
Pāli: gārava, pūjā, sakkāra
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Suffering

Suffering

Unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering that is inherent in conditioned existence.

Also known as: discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentedness, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, distress, affliction
Pāli: dukkha
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Last updated on July 27, 2026