“Cattārimāni, bhikkhave, tathāgatassa vesārajjāni, yehi vesārajjehi samannāgato tathāgato āsabhaṁ ṭhānaṁ paṭijānāti, parisāsu sīhanādaṁ nadati, brahmacakkaṁ pavatteti. Katamāni cattāri?
“Bhikkhus, these four |assurances::intrepedities, confidences [vesārajja]| are possessed by the |Tathāgata::one who has arrived at the truth, an epithet of a perfectly Awakened One [tathāgata]|, endowed with which, the Tathāgata claims the foremost position, roars the lion’s roar in the assemblies, and sets the wheel of the |Dhamma::teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [dhamma]| in motion. What are these four?
‘“Sammāsambuddhassa te paṭijānato ime dhammā anabhisambuddhā”ti tatra vata maṁ samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā devo vā māro vā brahmā vā koci vā lokasmiṁ sahadhammena paṭicodessatī’ti nimittametaṁ, bhikkhave, na samanupassāmi. Etamahaṁ, bhikkhave, nimittaṁ asamanupassanto khemappatto abhayappatto vesārajjappatto viharāmi.
1) I do not see any ascetic, brahmin, deity, |Māra::the ruler of the sensual realm, often depicted as a tempter who tries to obstruct beings from the path to liberation [māra]|, |Brahmā::God, the first deity to be born at the beginning of a new cosmic cycle and whose lifespan lasts for the entire cycle [brahmā]|, or anyone in the world who could rightly challenge the claim that the realizations of the perfectly Awakened One are not fully realized. Not seeing such a possibility, I dwell securely, fearlessly, and self-assuredly.
‘“Khīṇāsavassa te paṭijānato ime āsavā aparikkhīṇā”ti tatra vata maṁ samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā devo vā māro vā brahmā vā koci vā lokasmiṁ sahadhammena paṭicodessatī’ti nimittametaṁ, bhikkhave, na samanupassāmi. Etamahaṁ, bhikkhave, nimittaṁ asamanupassanto khemappatto abhayappatto vesārajjappatto viharāmi.
2) I do not see any ascetic, brahmin, deity, Māra, Brahmā, or anyone in the world who could rightly challenge the claim that the taints remain in one who is declared to be taintless. Not seeing such a possibility, I dwell securely, fearlessly, and self-assuredly.
‘“Ye kho pana te antarāyikā dhammā vuttā te paṭisevato nālaṁ antarāyāyā”ti tatra vata maṁ samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā devo vā māro vā brahmā vā koci vā lokasmiṁ sahadhammena paṭicodessatī’ti nimittametaṁ, bhikkhave, na samanupassāmi. Etamahaṁ, bhikkhave, nimittaṁ asamanupassanto khemappatto abhayappatto vesārajjappatto viharāmi.
3) I do not see any ascetic, brahmin, deity, Māra, Brahmā, or anyone in the world who could rightly challenge the claim that the things declared obstructive do not actually obstruct when engaged in. Not seeing such a possibility, I dwell securely, fearlessly, and self-assuredly.
‘“Yassa kho pana te atthāya dhammo desito so na niyyāti takkarassa sammā dukkhakkhayāyā”ti tatra vata maṁ samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā devo vā māro vā brahmā vā koci vā lokasmiṁ sahadhammena paṭicodessatī’ti nimittametaṁ, bhikkhave, na samanupassāmi. Etamahaṁ, bhikkhave, nimittaṁ asamanupassanto khemappatto abhayappatto vesārajjappatto viharāmi.
4) I do not see any ascetic, brahmin, deity, Māra, Brahmā, or anyone in the world who could rightly challenge the claim that the realization of Dhamma does not lead to the |end of suffering::ending of discontentment, cessation of distress [dukkhanirodha]| for one who practices rightly. Not seeing such a possibility, I dwell securely, fearlessly, and self-assuredly.
Imāni kho, bhikkhave, cattāri tathāgatassa vesārajjāni, yehi vesārajjehi samannāgato tathāgato āsabhaṁ ṭhānaṁ paṭijānāti, parisāsu sīhanādaṁ nadati, brahmacakkaṁ pavattetīti.
These, bhikkhus, are the four assurances possessed by the Tathāgata, endowed with which, the Tathāgata claims the foremost position, roars the lion’s roar in the assemblies, and sets the wheel of the Dhamma in motion.
Verse
Ye kecime vādapathā puthussitā,
Yaṁnissitā samaṇabrāhmaṇā ca;
Tathāgataṁ patvā na te bhavanti,
Visāradaṁ vādapathātivattaṁ.
Whatever belief systems are adhered to by the many,
and relied upon by ascetics and brahmins;
They cease to be on reaching the |Tathāgata::suchness, being in such a state [tathāgata]|,
the self-assured one who has gone beyond doctrines.
Yo dhammacakkaṁ abhibhuyya kevalī,
Pavattayī sabbabhūtānukampī;
Taṁ tādisaṁ devamanussaseṭṭhaṁ,
Sattā namassanti bhavassa pāragun”ti.
Having mastered the Dhamma, fully perfected,
who set it rolling out of compassion for all beings;
Such a one, the best among gods and humans,
is revered by beings—one gone beyond |existence::continued conditional existence, the karmically conditioned mode of being that leads to future rebirth [bhava]|.”