Pāli Dictionary

Vekhanassa Sutta

Sutta

A discourse in which the wanderer Vekhanassa argues with the Buddha over the nature of perfection, is shown that his notion is merely refined pleasure, and becomes the Buddha’s follower; the Commentary says he came seeking to understand his pupil Sakuludāyi’s defeat in debate.

Vekhanassa visits the Buddha at Jetavana and argues about perfection. As in the Cūḷasakuludāyi Sutta, the Buddha says that what Vekhanassa defines as perfection is merely a refinement of pleasure, and that only Arahants can grasp the real meaning of perfection. Vekhanassa is annoyed, but the Buddha soothes him, and he becomes the Buddha’s follower (M.ii.40 ff).

In the sutta, Vekhanassa is called Kaccāna. The Commentary (MA.ii.716) says that Vekhanassa visited the Buddha because he wished to discover for himself why his favourite pupil, Sakuludāyi, should have been defeated by the Buddha; he, therefore, travelled all the way from Rājagaha to Sāvatthi, a distance of forty-five leagues, to see the Buddha.

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