The Buddha's Teaching Beyond Time | Linked Discourse 6.2 Paying Respect

So I have heard. 

At one time, when he was first awakened, the Buddha was staying in Uruvela at the root of the goatherd’s banyan tree on the bank of the Neranjara River.

Then, as he was in private retreat this thought came to his mind, 

    “One without respect and reverence lives in suffering. What ascetic or brahmin should I honor and respect and rely on?”

Then it occurred to him:

It would be for the sake of fulfilling an unfulfilled aspect of virtue that I would honor, respect, and stay following the guidance of another ascetic or brahmin. But, in this world with its gods, Mara, and Brahma, in this generation with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans, I do not see another ascetic or brahmin more accomplished in virtue than myself, whom I could honor, respect, and remain following his guidance.

It would be for the sake of fulfilling an unfulfilled aspect of samadhi that I would honor, respect, and stay following the guidance of another ascetic or brahmin. But, ... I don’t see any other ascetic or brahmin who is more accomplished in samadhi than myself  …

It would be for the sake of fulfilling an unfulfilled aspect of wisdom that I would honor, respect, and stay following the guidance of another ascetic or brahmin. But, ... I don’t see any other ascetic or brahmin who is more accomplished in wisdom than myself  …

It would be for the sake of fulfilling an unfulfilled aspect of freedom that I would honor, respect, and stay following the guidance of another ascetic or brahmin. But, ... I don’t see any other ascetic or brahmin who is more accomplished in freedom than myself  …

It would be for the sake of fulfilling an unfulfilled aspect of the knowledge and vision of freedom that I would honor, respect, and stay following the guidance of another ascetic or brahmin. But, in this world with its gods, Mara, and Brahma, in this generation with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans, I do not see another ascetic or brahmin more accomplished in the knowledge and vision of freedom than myself, whom I could honor, respect, and remain following his guidance.

Then, the Brahma Sahampati knew what the Buddha was thinking. As easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, he vanished from the realm of Brahma and reappeared in front of the Buddha. He arranged his robe over one shoulder, raised his joined palms toward the Buddha, and said:

    “That’s so true, Blessed One! That’s so true, Holy One! All the perfected ones, the fully awakened Buddhas who lived in the past honored and respected and relied on this same teaching. All the perfected ones, the fully awakened Buddhas who will live in the future will honor and respect and rely on this same teaching. May the Blessed One, who is the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha at present, also honor and respect and rely on this same teaching.”

This is what the Brahma Sahampati said. Then he went on to say:

“All Buddhas in the past,

the Buddhas of the future,

and the Buddha at present—

destroyer of the sorrows of many—

    respecting the true teaching

    they did live, they do live,

    and they also will live.

    This is the nature of the Buddhas.

Therefore someone who desires self-knowledge,

and aspires to greatness themselves,

should respect the true teaching,

remembering the instructions of the Buddhas.”

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