Sahampatibrahmasutta

Saṁyutta Nikāya 48.57

Linked Discourses 48.57

6. Sūkarakhatavagga

6. The Boar’s Cave

Sahampatibrahmasutta

With the Divinity Sahampati

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā uruvelāyaṁ viharati najjā nerañjarāya tīre ajapālanigrodhe paṭhamābhisambuddho.

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

Atha kho bhagavato rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi:

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

“pañcindriyāni bhāvitāni bahulīkatāni amatogadhāni honti amataparāyaṇāni amatapariyosānāni.

“When these five faculties are developed and cultivated they have freedom from death as their objective, destination, and culmination.

Katamāni pañca?

What five?

Saddhindriyaṁ bhāvitaṁ bahulīkataṁ amatogadhaṁ hoti amataparāyaṇaṁ amatapariyosānaṁ.

The faculties of faith,

Vīriyindriyaṁ …pe…

energy,

satindriyaṁ …pe…

mindfulness,

samādhindriyaṁ …pe…

immersion,

paññindriyaṁ bhāvitaṁ bahulīkataṁ amatogadhaṁ hoti amataparāyaṇaṁ amatapariyosānaṁ.

and wisdom.

Imāni pañcindriyāni bhāvitāni bahulīkatāni amatogadhāni honti amataparāyaṇāni amatapariyosānānī”ti.

When these five faculties are developed and cultivated they have freedom from death as their objective, destination, and culmination.”

Atha kho brahmā sahampati bhagavato cetasā cetoparivitakkamaññāya—seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso samiñjitaṁ vā bāhaṁ pasāreyya, pasāritaṁ vā bāhaṁ samiñjeyya; evameva brahmaloke antarahito bhagavato purato pāturahosi.

Then the divinity Sahampati knew the Buddha’s train of thought. As easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, he vanished from the realm of divinity and reappeared in front of the Buddha.

Atha kho brahmā sahampati ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā yena bhagavā tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

He arranged his robe over one shoulder, raised his cupped palms toward the Buddha, and said:

“evametaṁ, bhagavā, evametaṁ sugata.

“That’s so true, Blessed One! That’s so true, Holy One!

Pañcindriyāni bhāvitāni bahulīkatāni amatogadhāni honti amataparāyaṇāni amatapariyosānāni.

When these five faculties are developed and cultivated they have freedom from death as their objective, destination, and culmination.

Katamāni pañca?

What five?

Saddhindriyaṁ bhāvitaṁ bahulīkataṁ amatogadhaṁ hoti amataparāyaṇaṁ amatapariyosānaṁ …pe… paññindriyaṁ bhāvitaṁ bahulīkataṁ amatogadhaṁ hoti amataparāyaṇaṁ amatapariyosānaṁ.

The faculties of faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom.

Imāni pañcindriyāni bhāvitāni bahulīkatāni amatogadhāni honti amataparāyaṇāni amatapariyosānāni.

When these five faculties are developed and cultivated they have freedom from death as their objective, destination, and culmination.

Bhūtapubbāhaṁ, bhante, kassape sammāsambuddhe brahmacariyaṁ acariṁ.

Once upon a time, sir, I lived the spiritual life under the fully awakened Buddha Kassapa.

Tatrapi maṁ evaṁ jānanti:

There they knew me as

‘sahako bhikkhu, sahako bhikkhū’ti.

the mendicant Sahaka.

So khvāhaṁ, bhante, imesaṁyeva pañcannaṁ indriyānaṁ bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā kāmesu kāmacchandaṁ virājetvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ brahmalokaṁ upapanno.

Because of developing and cultivating these same five faculties I lost desire for sensual pleasures. When my body broke up, after death, I was reborn in a good place, in the realm of divinity.

Tatrapi maṁ evaṁ jānanti:

There they know me as

‘brahmā sahampati, brahmā sahampatī’ti.

the divinity Sahampati.

Evametaṁ, bhagavā, evametaṁ sugata.

That’s so true, Blessed One! That’s so true, Holy One!

Ahametaṁ jānāmi, ahametaṁ passāmi yathā imāni pañcindriyāni bhāvitāni bahulīkatāni amatogadhāni honti amataparāyaṇāni amatapariyosānānī”ti.

I know and see how when these five faculties are developed and cultivated they have freedom from death as their objective, destination, and culmination.”

Sattamaṁ.