A single bare opening clause, followed by an explicit instruction to expand it as an already-published parallel set elsewhere in this project's own translation of SN 45
Length
<1 minute to read
Northern parallel
No individual parallel confirmed by this project's own check
Significance
★★★☆☆ — the deepest compression met so far in this saṃyutta, pointing outward to another saṃyutta's own already-translated vagga rather than repeating any content here
Why this discourse
This merged file gives only the OPENING CLAUSE of a single simile — the Realized One said to be “the best of all sentient beings” — before its own instruction, “(tell in full as in SN 45.139–148),” points directly to this project's own already-published Appamādapeyyālavagga in the Book V (Mahāvagga) module, confirming these ten discourses (the Realized One, footprint, roof peak, root, heartwood, jasmine, monarch, moon, sun, and cloth) share the IDENTICAL fourfold formula already translated in full at SN 45.139.
Reading guide
An explicit cross-reference, not a self-contained formula
Confirmed by direct reading, this discourse does NOT give even one worked example in full within its own file — unlike SN 47.51-62's own single Ganges example — it instead names another discourse elsewhere by number, “SN 45.139–148,” as the exact model to expand from.
The identical fourfold structure this project already translated
This project's own SN 45.139 (“The Realized One”), already published in this same module, gives the SAME simile — the Buddha as best of all sentient beings — stated four times, closing each time with one of four different formulas: the base “seclusion, fading away, cessation, letting go” formula; the removal of greed, hate, and delusion; freedom from death; and self-referential extinguishment (the “sloping toward extinguishment” formula met at SN 47.51-62).
Ten similes named by the closing uddāna, not spelled out here
Confirmed by direct reading, this merged file's own closing verse names all ten similes covered by SN 47.63-72 — the Realized One, footprint, roof peak, root, heartwood, jasmine, monarch, moon, sun, and cloth as the tenth — matching, item for item, the ten discourses (SN 45.139-148) already found in this project's own Book V module, without repeating any of their content here.
Key terms
tathāgato arahaṁ sammāsambuddho — “the Realized One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha” — the subject of the one clause genuinely given in this merged file
vitthāretabbaṁ — “should be expanded in full” — the same instruction met at SN 47.51-62, here paired with an explicit cross-reference rather than left to be inferred
(Tell in full as in SN 45.139–148) — the discourse's own explicit pointer to this project's own already-published Appamādapeyyālavagga as the genuine expansion model
Appamādavaggo sattamo — “the seventh vagga, Appamādavagga” — the Pāli root's own closing colophon, left untranslated in the English source
tathāgataṁ padaṁ kūṭaṁ, mūlaṁ sāro ca vassikaṁ, rājā candimasūriyā, vatthena dasamaṁ — “the Realized One, footprint, roof peak, roots, heartwood, jasmine, monarch, sun and moon, and cloth is the tenth” — the closing uddāna, genuinely translated, naming all ten similes by item
The text
The genuinely translated content of this merged file: the one opening clause, and the closing summary verse naming all ten similes. The Pāli root's own colophon (“Appamādavaggo sattamo”) is left untranslated in the source and is described, not quoted, above. Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0, SuttaCentral).
§1 — the opening clause and cross-reference“Mendicants, the Realized One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha, is said to be the best of all sentient beings—be they footless, with two feet, four feet, or many feet …” (Tell in full as in SN 45.139–148.)
§2 — the closing summary verseThe Realized One, footprint, roof peak, roots, heartwood, jasmine, monarch, sun and moon, and cloth is the tenth.
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Self-check quiz
3 questions. Click an answer to see immediate feedback. No score is recorded — this is for your own checking.
Question 1 of 3
What does this merged file's own instruction, "tell in full as in SN 45.139–148," point to?
Correct: A. Confirming these ten discourses share the identical fourfold formula already translated in full at SN 45.139.
Question 2 of 3
How many times is the "best of all beings" simile stated in the already-published SN 45.139, and with what variation?
Correct: A. The base formula, then greed/hate/delusion, then freedom from death, then self-referential extinguishment.
Question 3 of 3
What does this merged file's own closing uddāna list?
Correct: A. Matching, item for item, the ten discourses already found in this project's own Book V module.
