I was only seven years old and had just gone forth when I overcame the mighty serpent king with my psychic powers.
I brought water for my mentor from the great lake Anotatta. When he saw me, my teacher declared:
“Sāriputta, see this young boy coming, carrying a water pot, serene inside himself.
His conduct inspires confidence, he is of lovely deportment: he is Anuruddha’s novice, self-assured in psychic powers.
Made a thoroughbred by a thoroughbred, made good by the good, educated and trained by Anuruddha, who has completed his task.
Having attained ultimate peace and witnessed the unshakable, that novice Sumana has the wish: ‘May no one find me out!’”
Sumana (2nd)
Thag 6.10 · Sumanattheragāthā
Connections
Collection & context
- TheragāthāThe 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
- Handful of Leaves: an Anthology from the Sutta PiṭakaEarly Buddhist discourses; Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu (translator and compiler) · Included in anthology
About this edition
Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato and Jessica Walton · 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.