The Buddha visits the hermitage of Sakuludāyi near Rājagaha. Sakuludāyi tells him that the Buddha, unlike other religious teachers, is honoured by his disciples, and gives it as his opinion that this is because the Buddha eats sparingly, is content with any robes, accepts any alms, is satisfied with any lodging, lives in seclusion, and counsels others to do likewise. The Buddha answers that if the esteem shown him depends on these qualities, he has numerous disciples more austere than himself with regard to these practices, and gives five other qualities which have won for him esteem: he has the higher virtues, outstandingly keen vision, super eminent intellect, he teaches his disciples the Noble Truths, and shows them the way in which to develop the four foundations of mindfulness (satipaṭṭhāna).

He has taught them, besides,

the four right efforts (sammappadhāna),

the four bases of success (iddhipāda),

the five controlling faculties (indriya),

the five powers (bala),

the seven factors of enlightenment (bojjhaṅga),

the eightfold path factors, (maggaṅga),

the eight deliverances (vimokkha),

the eight spheres of mastery (abhibhāyatama),

the ten meditation devices (kasiṇāyatana),

the four absorptions (jhāna),

the sixfold higher knowledges (abhiññā).

It is for these reasons that his disciples esteem him. M.ii.1