The Buddha alone, addressing the assembled mendicants as Sujāta approaches
Form
A brief scene of recognition, without dialogue or narrative complication
Length
under 1 minute to read
Northern parallel
A rough counterpart may exist in the Chinese Saṃyukta-āgama (T99), though this reading guide does not assert a specific matching sutra number
Difficulty
★★☆☆☆ — a rare instance in this saṃyutta where outward appearance and inward attainment align rather than diverge
Why this discourse
This discourse describes a simple scene: the Buddha sees Venerable Sujāta approaching from a distance and remarks to the mendicants that this gentleman shines in both ways at once — he's attractive, good-looking, of surpassing beauty, and he has also realized the supreme end of the spiritual path in this very life. Unlike SN 21.4's junior monk, whose outward appearance actively misled onlookers, Sujāta's physical beauty and his genuine attainment are both immediately visible and both entirely true.
Reading guide
Alignment, not divergence, between the visible and the real
This discourse forms a deliberate contrast with SN 21.4's junior monk: where that monk's appearance actively concealed his real attainment, Sujāta's outward beauty and inward achievement are both plainly visible and both genuinely accurate, showing this saṃyutta doesn't treat appearance as inherently unreliable in every case.
Two distinct qualities named as equally worth remarking on
The Buddha doesn't treat Sujāta's physical beauty as irrelevant or as a mere prelude to the more important spiritual point; he names both qualities together, ubhayeneva, “in both ways,” as genuinely worth commenting on side by side.
A discourse built on observation, not conversation
Unlike most discourses in this saṃyutta, which involve dialogue, correction, or explanation, this discourse is purely a moment of observation and declaration — no one questions the Buddha, and Sujāta himself doesn't speak.
A verse locating the actual source of the shining
The closing verse doesn't attribute Sujāta's radiance to his physical features at all; it specifies an upright heart, being unfettered and detached, and being quenched by not grasping as what genuinely constitutes his shining, subtly redirecting the emphasis even while the prose praised both qualities together.
The same closing declaration used across this saṃyutta
This discourse closes with the identical formula used in SN 21.4 and several other discourses — bearing the final body, having vanquished Māra with his legions — confirming this phrase functions as this saṃyutta's standard closing declaration of complete attainment.
Key terms
sujāta — “Sujāta” — the mendicant whose approach prompts this discourse, named directly rather than by clan name as with Kolita and Upatissa.
ubhayenevāyaṁ … sobhati — “this gentleman shines in both ways” — the Buddha's opening observation, naming physical beauty and spiritual attainment together.
paramāya vaṇṇapokkharatāya samannāgato — “of surpassing beauty” — the specific description of Sujāta's physical appearance.
vippayutto visaṁyutto anupādāya nibbuto — “unfettered, detached, quenched by not grasping” — the closing verse's actual location of Sujāta's radiance, redirecting emphasis from appearance to inner freedom.
dhāreti antimaṁ dehaṁ, jetvā māraṁ savāhinin — “bears his final body, having vanquished Māra with his legions” — the same closing declaration used in SN 21.4 and elsewhere in this saṃyutta.
The text
The discourse in full. Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0, SuttaCentral).
§1At Sāvatthī. Then Venerable Sujāta went to see the Buddha. The Buddha saw him coming off in the distance, and addressed the mendicants: “This gentleman shines in both ways. He’s attractive, good-looking, lovely, of surpassing beauty. And he has realized the supreme end of the spiritual path in this very life. He lives having achieved with his own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness.” That is what the Buddha said. Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:
§2“This mendicant truly shines. His heart is upright, he’s unfettered, detached, quenched by not grasping. He bears his final body, having vanquished Māra with his legions.”
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Self-check quiz
Ten questions. Click an answer to see immediate feedback. No score is recorded — this is for your own checking.
Question 1 of 10
What does the Buddha say about Sujāta when he sees him approaching?
Correct: A. Naming both qualities together, worth remarking on side by side.
Question 2 of 10
How does this discourse contrast with SN 21.4's junior monk?
Correct: A. Showing this saṃyutta doesn't treat appearance as inherently unreliable in every case.
Question 3 of 10
Does the Buddha treat Sujāta's physical beauty as irrelevant compared to his spiritual attainment?
Correct: A. Both qualities named side by side, not one dismissed in favor of the other.
Question 4 of 10
What form does this discourse take, compared to most others in this saṃyutta?
Correct: A. No one questions the Buddha, and Sujāta himself doesn't speak.
Question 5 of 10
What does the closing verse identify as the actual source of Sujāta's shining?
Correct: A. Subtly redirecting emphasis from appearance to inner freedom, even after both were praised together.
Question 6 of 10
What closing declaration does this discourse share with SN 21.4?
Correct: A. Confirming this phrase as this saṃyutta's standard closing declaration of complete attainment.
Question 7 of 10
How is Sujāta identified in this discourse's title, compared to Kolita and Upatissa in SN 21.1-2?
Correct: A. A direct personal name, unlike the clan-name titles of the saṃyutta's first two discourses.
Question 8 of 10
Where is this discourse set?
Correct: A. The setting shared with several discourses in this saṃyutta.
Question 9 of 10
Who is the sole speaker in this discourse?
Correct: A. No interlocutor appears; Sujāta himself never speaks in this discourse.
