1At Sāvatthī.

Then Venerable Ānanda went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him: “Ānanda, do you like Sāriputta?”

2“Sir, who on earth would not like Venerable Sāriputta unless they’re a fool, a hater, delusional, or mentally deranged? Venerable Sāriputta is astute, he has great wisdom, widespread wisdom, laughing wisdom, swift wisdom, sharp wisdom, and penetrating wisdom. He has few wishes, he’s content, secluded, aloof, and energetic. He gives advice and accepts advice; he accuses and criticizes wickedness. Who on earth would not like Venerable Sāriputta unless they’re a fool, a hater, delusional, or mentally deranged?”

3“That’s so true, Ānanda! That’s so true! Who on earth would not like Venerable Sāriputta unless they’re a fool, a hater, delusional, or mentally deranged?” And the Buddha repeated all of Ānanda’s terms of praise.

4While this praise of Sāriputta was being spoken, the god Susīma approached the Buddha, escorted by a large assembly of gods. He bowed, stood to one side, and said to him:

5“That’s so true, Blessed One! That’s so true, Holy One! Who on earth would not like Venerable Sāriputta unless they’re a fool, a hater, delusional, or mentally deranged?” And he too repeated all the terms of praise of Sāriputta, adding: “For I too, sir, whenever I go to an assembly of gods, frequently hear the same terms of praise.”

6–7While this praise of Sāriputta was being spoken, the gods of Susīma’s assembly — uplifted and overjoyed, full of rapture and happiness — generated a rainbow of bright colors.

8Suppose there was a beryl gem that was naturally beautiful, eight-faceted, well-worked. When placed on a cream rug it would shine and glow and radiate. In the same way, the gods of Susīma’s assembly … generated a rainbow of bright colors.

9Suppose there was an ornament of rare gold, fashioned by an expert smith, well wrought in the forge. When placed on a cream rug it would shine and glow and radiate. In the same way, the gods of Susīma’s assembly … generated a rainbow of bright colors.

10Suppose that after the rainy season the sky was clear and cloudless. At the crack of dawn, the Morning Star shines and glows and radiates. In the same way, the gods of Susīma’s assembly … generated a rainbow of bright colors.

11Suppose that after the rainy season the sky was clear and cloudless. As the sun rises, it would dispel all the darkness from the sky as it shines and glows and radiates. In the same way, the gods of Susīma’s assembly … generated a rainbow of bright colors.

12Then the god Susīma recited this verse about Venerable Sāriputta in the Buddha’s presence:

13“He’s considered to be an astute person,
Sāriputta, free of anger.
Few in wishes, sweet, tamed,
the hermit shines in the Teacher’s praise!”

14Then the Buddha replied to Susīma with this verse about Venerable Sāriputta:

15“He’s considered to be an astute person,
Sāriputta, free of anger.
Few in wishes, sweet, tamed;
developed and well-tamed, he bides his time.”

1Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

Atha kho āyasmā ānando yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho āyasmantaṁ Ānandaṁ bhagavā etadavoca: "tuyhampi no, Ānanda, sāriputto ruccatī"ti?

2"Kassa hi nāma, bhante, abālassa aduṭṭhassa amūḷhassa avipallatthacittassa āyasmā sāriputto na rucceyya? Paṇḍito, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto. Mahāpañño, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto. Puthupañño, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto. Hāsapañño, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto. Javanapañño, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto. Tikkhapañño, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto. Nibbedhikapañño, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto. Appiccho, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto. Santuṭṭho, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto. Pavivitto, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto. Asaṁsaṭṭho, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto. Āraddhavīriyo, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto. Vattā, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto. Vacanakkhamo, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto. Codako, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto. Pāpagarahī, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto. Kassa hi nāma, bhante, abālassa aduṭṭhassa amūḷhassa avipallatthacittassa āyasmā sāriputto na rucceyyā"ti?

3"Evametaṁ, Ānanda, evametaṁ, Ānanda. Kassa hi nāma, Ānanda, abālassa aduṭṭhassa amūḷhassa avipallatthacittassa sāriputto na rucceyya? Paṇḍito, Ānanda, sāriputto. Mahāpañño, Ānanda, sāriputto. Puthupañño, Ānanda, sāriputto. Hāsapañño, Ānanda, sāriputto. Javanapañño, Ānanda, sāriputto. Tikkhapañño, Ānanda, sāriputto. Nibbedhikapañño, Ānanda, sāriputto. Appiccho, Ānanda, sāriputto. Santuṭṭho, Ānanda, sāriputto. Pavivitto, Ānanda, sāriputto. Asaṁsaṭṭho, Ānanda, sāriputto. Āraddhavīriyo, Ānanda, sāriputto. Vattā, Ānanda, sāriputto. Vacanakkhamo, Ānanda, sāriputto. Codako, Ānanda, sāriputto. Pāpagarahī, Ānanda, sāriputto. Kassa hi nāma, Ānanda, abālassa aduṭṭhassa amūḷhassa avipallatthacittassa sāriputto na rucceyyā"ti?

4Atha kho susimo devaputto āyasmato sāriputtassa vaṇṇe bhaññamāne mahatiyā devaputtaparisāya parivuto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhito kho susimo devaputto bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: 

5"Evametaṁ, bhagavā, evametaṁ, sugata. Kassa hi nāma, bhante, abālassa aduṭṭhassa amūḷhassa avipallatthacittassa āyasmā sāriputto na rucceyya? Paṇḍito, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto. Mahāpañño, bhante, puthupañño, bhante, hāsapañño, bhante, javanapañño, bhante, tikkhapañño, bhante, nibbedhikapañño, bhante, appiccho, bhante, santuṭṭho, bhante, pavivitto, bhante, asaṁsaṭṭho, bhante, āraddhavīriyo, bhante, vattā, bhante, vacanakkhamo, bhante, codako, bhante, pāpagarahī, bhante, āyasmā sāriputto. Kassa hi nāma, bhante, abālassa aduṭṭhassa amūḷhassa avipallatthacittassa āyasmā sāriputto na rucceyya?

6Ahampi hi, bhante, yaññadeva devaputtaparisaṁ upasaṅkamiṁ, etadeva bahulaṁ saddaṁ suṇāmi: ‘paṇḍito āyasmā sāriputto; mahāpañño āyasmā, puthupañño āyasmā, hāsapañño āyasmā, javanapañño āyasmā, tikkhapañño āyasmā, nibbedhikapañño āyasmā, appiccho āyasmā, santuṭṭho āyasmā, pavivitto āyasmā, asaṁsaṭṭho āyasmā, āraddhavīriyo āyasmā, vattā āyasmā, vacanakkhamo āyasmā, codako āyasmā, pāpagarahī āyasmā sāriputto’ti. Kassa hi nāma, bhante, abālassa aduṭṭhassa amūḷhassa avipallatthacittassa āyasmā sāriputto na rucceyyā"ti?

7Atha kho susimassa devaputtassa devaputtaparisā āyasmato sāriputtassa vaṇṇe bhaññamāne attamanā pamuditā pītisomanassajātā uccāvacā vaṇṇanibhā upadaṁseti.

8Seyyathāpi nāma maṇi veḷuriyo subho jātimā aṭṭhaṁso suparikammakato paṇḍukambale nikkhitto bhāsate ca tapate ca virocati ca; evamevaṁ susimassa devaputtassa devaputtaparisā āyasmato sāriputtassa vaṇṇe bhaññamāne attamanā pamuditā pītisomanassajātā uccāvacā vaṇṇanibhā upadaṁseti.

9Seyyathāpi nāma nikkhaṁ jambonadaṁ dakkhakammāraputtaukkāmukhasukusalasampahaṭṭhaṁ paṇḍukambale nikkhittaṁ bhāsate ca tapate ca virocati ca; evamevaṁ susimassa devaputtassa devaputtaparisā āyasmato sāriputtassa vaṇṇe bhaññamāne attamanā pamuditā pītisomanassajātā uccāvacā vaṇṇanibhā upadaṁseti.

10Seyyathāpi nāma saradasamaye viddhe vigatavalāhake deve rattiyā paccūsasamayaṁ osadhitārakā bhāsate ca tapate ca virocati ca; evamevaṁ susimassa devaputtassa devaputtaparisā āyasmato sāriputtassa vaṇṇe bhaññamāne attamanā pamuditā pītisomanassajātā uccāvacā vaṇṇanibhā upadaṁseti.

11Seyyathāpi nāma saradasamaye viddhe vigatavalāhake deve ādicco nabhaṁ abbhussakkamāno sabbaṁ ākāsagataṁ tamagataṁ abhivihacca bhāsate ca tapate ca virocati ca; evamevaṁ susimassa devaputtassa devaputtaparisā āyasmato sāriputtassa vaṇṇe bhaññamāne attamanā pamuditā pītisomanassajātā uccāvacā vaṇṇanibhā upadaṁseti.

12Atha kho susimo devaputto āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ ārabbha bhagavato santike imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi: 

13"Paṇḍitoti samaññāto,
sāriputto akodhano;
Appiccho sorato danto,
satthuvaṇṇābhato isī"ti.

14Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ ārabbha susimaṁ devaputtaṁ gāthāya paccabhāsi: 

15"Paṇḍitoti samaññāto,
sāriputto akodhano;
Appiccho sorato danto,
kālaṁ kaṅkhati sudanto"ti.