This is as I heard from the Blessed One. At one time the Buddha was staying in the city of Sāvatthī in Jeta’s garden, at Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time, the Buddha was sitting reflecting on his own giving up of many bad, unwholesome qualities, and on the many wholesome qualities he had fully developed.
Then, knowing the many bad, unwholesome qualities that he had given up and the many wholesome qualities he had fully developed, the Buddha spoke this inspired verse:
“Before, only defilements were found in me.
Those days I did not have
the realization of the noble truths.
With the attainment of enlightenment,
all those defilements were abandoned.
They will neither appear again
nor are they found in me at present.”
