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← Aṅguttara Nikāya

Terms for the Realized One

AN 8.85 · Samaṇasutta

A single dew drop hangs beneath a slender blade of grass.

“‘Ascetic’ is a term for the Realized One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha. ‘Brahmin’, ‘Knowledge Master’, ‘Healer’, ‘Unstained’, ‘Immaculate’, ‘Knower’, and ‘Freed’ are terms for the Realized One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha.

The supreme should be attained by an ascetic, a brahmin who has lived the life; it should be attained by a knowledge master, a healer.

The supreme should be attained by the unstained, stainless and pure; it should be attained by a knower, who is free.

I am victorious in battle! Released, I release others from their chains. I am a giant completely tamed, an adept, I am quenched.”

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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.