Reading guide
The teaching in one sentence
Ugga of Vesālī's eight amazing qualities — inspired at first sight, converted through the graduated teaching, giving away a beloved wife without regret, unreserved generosity, careful homage and listening, composure before visiting deities, and freedom from the five lower fetters — turn out to be exactly what Ugga himself lists, unprompted, when asked what the Buddha might have meant.
A relay, not a direct teaching
The Buddha names Ugga's praiseworthy qualities but withholds their content and immediately withdraws. It falls to an unnamed mendicant, and then to Ugga himself, to fill in what the Buddha left unsaid — a structure this chapter will repeat with other named householders.
Freedom that doesn't announce itself
The eighth and final quality Ugga names is striking for its confidence: of the five lower fetters, he says, he doesn't see any that he hasn't given up — a direct claim to the attainment of non-return, stated plainly by a layperson still living a full householder's life.
Composure before both people and deities
Two of Ugga's eight qualities describe emotional evenness under circumstances that might unsettle most people: giving away a cherished young wife without any recorded upset, and receiving visits from deities who confirm the Buddha's teaching without being swept up in the excitement of the visit itself.
Key terms
The text
The Buddha's unexplained praise
§1At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants: “Mendicants, you should remember the householder Ugga of Vesālī as someone who has eight amazing and incredible qualities.” That is what the Buddha said. When he had spoken, the Holy One got up from his seat and entered his dwelling. Then a certain mendicant robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, went to the home of the householder Ugga of Vesālī, where he sat on the seat spread out. Then Ugga of Vesālī went up to that mendicant, bowed, and sat down to one side. The mendicant said to him:
Ugga names his own eight qualities
§2“Householder, the Buddha declared that you have eight amazing and incredible qualities. What are the eight qualities that he spoke of?” “Sir, I don’t know what eight amazing and incredible qualities the Buddha was referring to. But these eight amazing and incredible qualities are found in me. Listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.” “Yes, householder,” replied the mendicant. Ugga of Vesālī said this: “Sir, when I first saw the Buddha off in the distance, my heart was inspired as soon as I saw him. This is the first incredible and amazing quality found in me. With confident heart I paid homage to the Buddha. The Buddha taught me step by step, with a talk on giving, ethical conduct, and heaven. He explained the drawbacks of sensual pleasures, so sordid and corrupt, and the benefit of renunciation. And when he knew that my mind was ready, pliable, rid of hindrances, elated, and confident he explained the special teaching of the Buddhas: suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path. Just as a clean cloth rid of stains would properly absorb dye, in that very seat the stainless, immaculate vision of the Dhamma arose in me: ‘Everything that is liable to arise is liable to cease.’ I saw, attained, understood, and fathomed the Dhamma. I went beyond doubt, got rid of indecision, and became self-assured and independent of others regarding the Teacher’s instructions. Right there I went for refuge to the Buddha, his teaching, and the Saṅgha. And I undertook the five training rules with chastity as the fifth. This is the second incredible and amazing quality found in me. I had four teenage wives. And I went to them and said: ‘Sisters, I’ve undertaken the five training rules with chastity as fifth. If you wish, you may stay here, enjoy my wealth, and do good deeds. Or you can return to your own families. Or would you prefer if I gave you to another man?’ When I said this, my eldest wife said to me: ‘Master, please give me to such-and-such a man.’ Then I summoned that man. Taking my wife with my left hand and a ceremonial vase with my right, I presented her to that man with the pouring of water. But I can’t recall getting upset while giving away my teenage wife. This is the third incredible and amazing quality found in me. And though my family has wealth, it’s shared without reserve with ethical people of good character. This is the fourth incredible and amazing quality found in me. When I pay homage to a mendicant, I do so carefully, not carelessly. This is the fifth incredible and amazing quality found in me. If that venerable teaches me the Dhamma, I listen carefully, not carelessly. But if they don’t teach me the Dhamma, I teach them. This is the sixth incredible and amazing quality found in me. It’s not unusual for deities to come to me and announce: ‘Householder, the Buddha’s teaching is well explained!’ When they say this I say to them: ‘The Buddha’s teaching is well explained, regardless of whether or not you deities say so!’ But I don’t recall getting too excited by the fact that the deities come to me, and I have a conversation with them. This is the seventh incredible and amazing quality found in me. Of the five lower fetters taught by the Buddha, I don’t see any that I haven’t given up. This is the eighth incredible and amazing quality found in me.
The Buddha confirms Ugga's own account
§3These eight amazing and incredible qualities are found in me. But I don’t know what eight amazing and incredible qualities the Buddha was referring to.” Then that mendicant, after taking almsfood in Ugga of Vesālī’s home, got up from his seat and left. Then after the meal, on his return from almsround, he went to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. He informed the Buddha of all he had discussed with the householder Ugga of Vesālī. The Buddha said: “Good, good, mendicant! When I declared that the householder Ugga of Vesālī was someone who has eight amazing and incredible qualities, I was referring to the same eight qualities that he rightly explained to you. You should remember the householder Ugga of Vesālī as someone who possesses these eight amazing and incredible qualities.”
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