Venerable Sāriputta is sitting in meditation posture, aligning his body upright, having set up mindfulness at the fore. The Blessed One sees this and expresses an inspired utterance.

UD 3.4  Sāriputta sutta - Sāriputta

Evaṁ me sutaṁ ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā sāriputto bhagavato avidūre nisinno hoti pallaṅkaṁ ābhujitvā ujuṁ kāyaṁ paṇidhāya parimukhaṁ satiṁ upaṭṭhapetvā.

Thus have I heard—At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthi, in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. Now, at that time, the venerable Sāriputta was sitting not far from the Blessed One, having folded his legs in a |cross-legged sitting position::meditation posture [pallaṅka]|, aligning his body upright, and having set up |mindfulness::sustained active awareness regarding the body, felt experience, mind, and mental qualities, observing them clearly without craving or distress [sati]| |at the fore::as first priority, at the tip of the nose or on the upper lip [parimukhaṃ]|.

Addasā kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ avidūre nisinnaṁ pallaṅkaṁ ābhujitvā ujuṁ kāyaṁ paṇidhāya parimukhaṁ satiṁ upaṭṭhapetvā.

The Blessed One saw the venerable Sāriputta sitting not far away, having folded his legs in a cross-legged sitting position, aligning his body upright, and having set up mindfulness at the fore.

Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:

Then, understanding the significance of this, the Blessed One at that time expressed this inspired utterance:

“Yathāpi pabbato selo,
acalo suppatiṭṭhito;
Evaṁ mohakkhayā bhikkhu,
pabbatova na vedhatī”ti.

“Just as a rocky mountain
is |unshakeable::immovable [acala]| and |firmly grounded::fully centered [suppatiṭṭhita]|;
in the same way, with the |complete ending of delusion::exhaustion of delusion, illusion, hallucination, misapprehension, distorted view; that which fuels not knowing of things as they have come to be [mohakkhaya]|,
a bhikkhu does not |shake::tremble, agitate [vedhatī]| like the mountain.”

Qualities:

Delusion

Delusion

A fundamental distortion of reality that sustains confusion, clouds discernment, and fuels further doubt.

Also known as: illusion, hallucination, misapprehension, distorted view
Pāli: moha, micchāñāṇa
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Imperturbable

Imperturbable

A stable clarity of mind that does not react strongly to changing circumstances, remaining even and composed in both pleasant and difficult conditions.

Also known as: unagitated, unmoved, unruffled, unshaken, untroubled, unwavering, without mental unease
Pāli: aparitassa, anigha, aneja, avihaññamāna
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Last updated on June 10, 2026