[148] **"I deem you a master of knowledge (vedagū), one of developed self (bhāvitatta)"**: "A master of knowledge" — thus I deem you; "one of developed self" — thus I deem you; thus I deem, thus I know, thus I understand, thus I discern, thus I recognize, thus I penetrate: "a master of knowledge, one of developed self."
And how is the Blessed One a master of knowledge? "Veda" is a designation for the knowledge (ñāṇa) in the four paths — wisdom, the faculty of wisdom, the power of wisdom, the awakening factor of investigation of dhammas, scrutiny, insight, right view. By those vedas the Blessed One has gone to the end of birth, aging, and death, attained the end; gone to the terminus, attained the terminus; gone to the utmost limit, attained the utmost limit; gone to the conclusion, attained the conclusion; gone to the shelter, attained the shelter; gone to the refuge-cave, attained the refuge-cave; gone to the refuge, attained the refuge; gone to fearlessness, attained fearlessness; gone to the unfalling, attained the unfalling; gone to the deathless, attained the deathless; gone to Nibbāna, attained Nibbāna. Or, he has gone to the end of feelings (vedanā): thus he is a master of knowledge. Or, he has gone to the end by means of the vedas: thus he is a master of knowledge. Or, he is a master of knowledge because seven things are known: personality-view is known, doubt is known, adherence to rules and rituals is known, lust is known, hatred, delusion, and conceit are known. Known to him are the evil, unwholesome states that defile, that lead to renewed existence, that are accompanied by distress, that ripen in suffering (dukkha), that make for future birth, aging, and death.
Having examined the vedas in their entirety, (Sabhiya, said the Blessed One,)
whatever exist among ascetics and brahmins,
devoid of lust for all feelings,
having passed beyond all veda — he is a master of knowledge.
How is the Blessed One one of developed self? The Blessed One is one of developed body, developed virtue, developed mind (citta), developed wisdom; he has developed the establishments of mindfulness (satipaṭṭhāna), developed the right exertions, developed the bases for success, developed the faculties, developed the powers, developed the factors of awakening (bojjhaṅga), developed the path; he has abandoned the defilements, penetrated the unshakable, realized cessation. Suffering has been fully understood by him, the origin abandoned, the path developed, cessation realized; what is to be directly known has been directly known, what is to be fully understood has been fully understood, what is to be abandoned has been abandoned, what is to be developed has been developed, what is to be realized has been realized. He is not limited but great, deep, immeasurable, hard to fathom, rich in treasures, like the ocean; he possesses the six-factored equanimity (chaḷaṅgupekkhā). Having seen a form with the eye, he is neither elated nor dejected; he dwells equanimous, with mindfulness and clearly comprehending. Having heard a sound with the ear, having smelt an odor with the nose, having tasted a flavor with the tongue, having touched a tangible with the body, having cognized a dhamma with the mind, he is neither elated nor dejected; he dwells equanimous, with mindfulness and clearly comprehending.
Having seen an agreeable form with the eye, he does not hanker after it, does not long for it, does not generate lust. His body remains steady, his mind steady, well composed within, well liberated. And having seen a disagreeable form with the eye, he is not disconcerted; his mind is not stuck, his mind is not dejected, his mind is without ill will. His body remains steady, his mind steady, well composed within, well liberated. Having heard a sound with the ear, having smelt an odor with the nose, having tasted a flavor with the tongue, having touched a tangible with the body, having cognized an agreeable dhamma with the mind, he does not hanker after it, does not long for it, does not generate lust. His body remains steady, his mind steady, well composed within, well liberated. And having cognized a disagreeable dhamma with the mind, he is not disconcerted; his mind is not stuck, his mind is not dejected, his mind is without ill will. His body remains steady, his mind steady, well composed within, well liberated.
Having seen a form with the eye, amid forms agreeable and disagreeable his body remains steady, his mind steady, well composed within, well liberated. Having heard a sound with the ear, having smelt an odor with the nose, having tasted a flavor with the tongue, having touched a tangible with the body, having cognized a dhamma with the mind, amid dhammas agreeable and disagreeable his body remains steady, his mind steady, well composed within, well liberated.
Having seen a form with the eye, he is not inflamed by what inflames, not corrupted by what corrupts, not deluded by what deludes, not angered by what angers, not intoxicated by what intoxicates, not defiled by what defiles. Having heard a sound with the ear, having smelt an odor with the nose, having tasted a flavor with the tongue, having touched a tangible with the body, having cognized a dhamma with the mind, he is not inflamed by what inflames, not corrupted by what corrupts, not deluded by what deludes, not angered by what angers, not intoxicated by what intoxicates, not defiled by what defiles.
In the seen there is for him merely the seen, in the heard merely the heard, in the sensed merely the sensed, in the cognized merely the cognized. He is not smeared by the seen, not smeared by the heard, not smeared by the sensed, not smeared by the cognized. With regard to the seen he is without approach, independent, unbound, released, detached; he dwells with a mind rid of boundaries. With regard to the heard, the sensed, and the cognized he is without approach, independent, unbound, released, detached; he dwells with a mind rid of boundaries.
The eye exists for the Blessed One; the Blessed One sees a form with the eye; but there is no desire and lust in the Blessed One; the Blessed One's mind is well liberated. The ear exists for the Blessed One; the Blessed One hears a sound with the ear; but there is no desire and lust in the Blessed One; the Blessed One's mind is well liberated. The nose exists for the Blessed One; the Blessed One smells an odor with the nose; but there is no desire and lust in the Blessed One; the Blessed One's mind is well liberated. The tongue exists for the Blessed One; the Blessed One tastes a flavor with the tongue; but there is no desire and lust in the Blessed One; the Blessed One's mind is well liberated. The body exists for the Blessed One; the Blessed One touches a tangible with the body; but there is no desire and lust in the Blessed One; the Blessed One's mind is well liberated. The mind exists for the Blessed One; the Blessed One cognizes a dhamma with the mind; but there is no desire and lust in the Blessed One; the Blessed One's mind is well liberated.
The eye, which delights in forms, is fond of forms, rejoices in forms, has been tamed by the Blessed One, guarded, protected, restrained; and he teaches the Dhamma for its restraint. The ear, which delights in sounds, is fond of sounds; the nose, which delights in odors, is fond of odors; the tongue, which delights in flavors, is fond of flavors, rejoices in flavors — these have been tamed by the Blessed One, guarded, protected, restrained; and he teaches the Dhamma for their restraint. The body, which delights in tangibles; the mind, which delights in dhammas, is fond of dhammas, rejoices in dhammas — these have been tamed by the Blessed One, guarded, protected, restrained; and he teaches the Dhamma for their restraint.
The tamed they lead into the assembly; the tamed the king mounts;
the tamed one is best among humans — the one who endures abusive speech.
Excellent are tamed mules, and thoroughbred horses of Sindh,
and great tusker elephants; but one self-tamed is more excellent still.
For not by these vehicles could one go to the region not gone to,
as, by a self well tamed, the tamed one goes there by taming.
Amid the modes of conceit they waver not; released from renewed existence,
having arrived at the stage of the tamed, they are the victors in the world.
He whose faculties are developed,
internally and externally, in all the world,
having penetrated this world and the world beyond,
developed and well tamed, he awaits his time.
Thus the Blessed One is one of developed self. Hence: "I deem you a master of knowledge, one of developed self."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.