[35] On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrels' Feeding Ground. Then the brahmin Vassakāra, the chief minister of Magadha, approached the Blessed One; having approached, he exchanged greetings with the Blessed One, and when the courteous and memorable talk was concluded, he sat down at one side. Sitting at one side, the brahmin Vassakāra, chief minister of Magadha, said this to the Blessed One: "Master Gotama, we declare one who possesses four qualities to be a great man (mahāpurisa) of great wisdom. Which four? Here, Master Gotama, one is of great learning in this or that field of learning; one knows the meaning of this or that statement: 'This is the meaning of this statement; this is the meaning of this statement.' One is mindful (sati), remembering and recollecting even what was done and said long ago. And in whatever tasks are to be done by a householder, one is skilful and not lazy therein, possessed of investigation (vīmaṃsā) into the proper means, able to carry them out, able to arrange them. Master Gotama, we declare one who possesses these four qualities to be a great man of great wisdom. If, Master Gotama, what I have said deserves approval, let Master Gotama approve it for me; but if, Master Gotama, it deserves rejection, let Master Gotama reject it for me."
"Brahmin, I neither approve of your statement nor reject it. Brahmin, I declare one who possesses four qualities to be a great man of great wisdom. Which four? Here, brahmin, one is practising for the welfare of the many, for the happiness of the many; many folk have been established by him in the noble method (ñāya), that is to say, in the possession of beautiful dhamma, the possession of wholesome dhamma. Whatever thought (vitakka) he wishes to think, that thought he thinks; whatever thought he does not wish to think, that thought he does not think. Whatever intention (saṅkappa) he wishes to intend, that intention he intends; whatever intention he does not wish to intend, that intention he does not intend. Thus he has attained mastery of the mind over the pathways of thought. He is one who gains at will, without trouble, without difficulty, the four jhānas that pertain to the higher mind and are pleasant dwellings in this very life. And with the destruction of the taints (āsava), he realizes for himself with direct knowledge (abhiññā), in this very life, the taintless liberation of mind (cetovimutti) and liberation by wisdom (paññāvimutti), and having entered upon it, he dwells therein. Brahmin, I neither approve of your statement nor reject it; but brahmin, I declare one who possesses these four qualities to be a great man of great wisdom."
"It is wonderful, Master Gotama! It is marvellous, Master Gotama! How well this has been spoken by Master Gotama! And I hold Master Gotama himself to be one possessed of these four qualities. For Master Gotama is practising for the welfare of the many, for the happiness of the many; many folk have been established by him in the noble method, that is to say, in the possession of beautiful dhamma, the possession of wholesome dhamma. For whatever thought Master Gotama wishes to think, that thought he thinks; whatever thought he does not wish to think, that thought he does not think. Whatever intention he wishes to intend, that intention he intends; whatever intention he does not wish to intend, that intention he does not intend. For Master Gotama has attained mastery of the mind over the pathways of thought. For Master Gotama is one who gains at will, without trouble, without difficulty, the four jhānas that pertain to the higher mind and are pleasant dwellings in this very life. And with the destruction of the taints, Master Gotama realizes for himself with direct knowledge, in this very life, the taintless liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom, and having entered upon it, he dwells therein."
"Surely, brahmin, your words are confrontational and pressed upon me personally; nevertheless, I shall answer you. For I, brahmin, am practising for the welfare of the many, for the happiness of the many; many folk have been established by me in the noble method, that is to say, in the possession of beautiful dhamma, the possession of wholesome dhamma. For whatever thought I wish to think, that thought I think; whatever thought I do not wish to think, that thought I do not think. Whatever intention I wish to intend, that intention I intend; whatever intention I do not wish to intend, that intention I do not intend. For I, brahmin, have attained mastery of the mind over the pathways of thought. For I, brahmin, am one who gains at will, without trouble, without difficulty, the four jhānas that pertain to the higher mind and are pleasant dwellings in this very life. And with the destruction of the taints, I realize for myself with direct knowledge, in this very life, the taintless liberation of mind and liberation by wisdom, and having entered upon it, I dwell therein."
He who has understood the release of all beings
from the snare of death,
who has made known the Dhamma to be known (ñeyyadhamma),
for the welfare of devas and humans;
he whom, on seeing and on hearing,
many people come to trust;
skilled in what is the path and what is not the path,
his task accomplished, free of taints —
the Awakened One, bearing his final body,
is called "a great man."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.