Incredible Things About the Realized One (2nd)

AN 4.128 · Dutiyatathāgataacchariyasutta

Dandelion seeds catching soft light above a meadow.

“Mendicants, with the appearance of a Realized One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha, four incredible and amazing things appear. What four?

People like clinging, they love it and enjoy it. Yet when a Realized One is teaching the Dhamma of non-clinging, they want to listen, they actively listen, and they try to understand. This is the first incredible and amazing thing that appears with the appearance of a Realized One.

People like conceit, they love it and enjoy it. Yet when a Realized One is teaching the Dhamma of removing conceit, they want to listen, they actively listen, and they try to understand. This is the second incredible and amazing thing that appears with the appearance of a Realized One.

People like excitement, they love it and enjoy it. Yet when a Realized One is teaching the Dhamma of peace, they want to listen, they actively listen, and they try to understand. This is the third incredible and amazing thing that appears with the appearance of a Realized One.

This population is lost in ignorance, swaddled in their shells. Yet when a Realized One is teaching the Dhamma of removing ignorance, they want to listen, they actively listen, and they try to understand. This is the fourth incredible and amazing thing that appears with the appearance of a Realized One.

With the appearance of a Realized One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha, four incredible and amazing things appear.”

Connections

Collection & context

Aṅguttara NikāyaThe collection containing this text
The Pāli canonCanonical collection in which this edition is preserved
Theravāda traditionsTransmission and study context
The early Buddhist communityHistorical and traditional setting

Books

The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Aṅguttara NikāyaBhikkhu Bodhi; Bhikkhu Bodhi (translator) · Complete collection edition

About this edition

Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato · SuttaCentral · CC0

This translation is an expression of an ancient spiritual text that has been passed down by the Buddhist tradition for the benefit of all sentient beings. It is dedicated to the public domain via Creative Commons Zero (CC0). You are encouraged to copy, reproduce, adapt, alter, or otherwise make use of this translation. The translator respectfully requests that any use be in accordance with the values and principles of the Buddhist community. In particular, please do not use this work in AI training datasets, for the development of any AI model or algorithm, or in any AI-derived technologies.

Published source. Translation wording and order are preserved; source headings and notes are retained, with navigation and formatting adapted for this reader.

The opening image is AI-generated nature artwork for Buddhist Atlas, an evocative companion rather than a historical depiction.