Aññatarabrahmasutta

Saṁyutta Nikāya 6.5

Linked Discourses 6.5

1. Paṭhamavagga

1. The Appeal

Aññatarabrahmasutta

A Certain Divinity

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

At Sāvatthī.

Tena kho pana samayena aññatarassa brahmuno evarūpaṁ pāpakaṁ diṭṭhigataṁ uppannaṁ hoti:

Now at that time a certain divinity had the following harmful misconception:

“natthi so samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā yo idha āgaccheyyā”ti.

“No ascetic or brahmin can come here!”

Atha kho bhagavā tassa brahmuno cetasā cetoparivitakkamaññāya—seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso …pe… tasmiṁ brahmaloke pāturahosi.

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

Atha kho bhagavā tassa brahmuno upari vehāsaṁ pallaṅkena nisīdi tejodhātuṁ samāpajjitvā.

Then the Buddha sat cross-legged in the air above that divinity, having entered upon the fire element.

Atha kho āyasmato mahāmoggallānassa etadahosi:

Then Venerable Mahāmoggallāna thought,

“kahaṁ nu kho bhagavā etarahi viharatī”ti?

“Where is the Buddha staying at present?”

Addasā kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno bhagavantaṁ dibbena cakkhunā visuddhena atikkantamānusakena tassa brahmuno upari vehāsaṁ pallaṅkena nisinnaṁ tejodhātuṁ samāpannaṁ.

With clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, he saw the Buddha seated cross-legged in the air above that divinity, having entered upon the fire element.

Disvāna—seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso samiñjitaṁ vā bāhaṁ pasāreyya, pasāritaṁ vā bāhaṁ samiñjeyya; evameva—jetavane antarahito tasmiṁ brahmaloke pāturahosi.

Then, as easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, he vanished from Jeta’s Grove and reappeared in that realm of divinity.

Atha kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno puratthimaṁ disaṁ nissāya tassa brahmuno upari vehāsaṁ pallaṅkena nisīdi tejodhātuṁ samāpajjitvā nīcataraṁ bhagavato.

Then Mahāmoggallāna—positioning himself in the east, below the Buddha—sat cross-legged in the air above that divinity, having entered upon the fire element.

Atha kho āyasmato mahākassapassa etadahosi:

Then Venerable Mahākassapa …

“kahaṁ nu kho bhagavā etarahi viharatī”ti?

Addasā kho āyasmā mahākassapo bhagavantaṁ dibbena cakkhunā …pe…

disvāna—seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso …pe… evameva—jetavane antarahito tasmiṁ brahmaloke pāturahosi.

Atha kho āyasmā mahākassapo dakkhiṇaṁ disaṁ nissāya tassa brahmuno upari vehāsaṁ pallaṅkena nisīdi tejodhātuṁ samāpajjitvā nīcataraṁ bhagavato.

positioned himself in the south …

Atha kho āyasmato mahākappinassa etadahosi:

Venerable Mahākappina …

“kahaṁ nu kho bhagavā etarahi viharatī”ti?

Addasā kho āyasmā mahākappino bhagavantaṁ dibbena cakkhunā …pe… tejodhātuṁ samāpannaṁ.

Disvāna—seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso …pe…

evameva—jetavane antarahito tasmiṁ brahmaloke pāturahosi.

Atha kho āyasmā mahākappino pacchimaṁ disaṁ nissāya tassa brahmuno upari vehāsaṁ pallaṅkena nisīdi tejodhātuṁ samāpajjitvā nīcataraṁ bhagavato.

positioned himself in the west …

Atha kho āyasmato anuruddhassa etadahosi:

Venerable Anuruddha …

“kahaṁ nu kho bhagavā etarahi viharatī”ti?

Addasā kho āyasmā anuruddho …pe… tejodhātuṁ samāpannaṁ.

Disvāna—seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso …pe… tasmiṁ brahmaloke pāturahosi.

Atha kho āyasmā anuruddho uttaraṁ disaṁ nissāya tassa brahmuno upari vehāsaṁ pallaṅkena nisīdi tejodhātuṁ samāpajjitvā nīcataraṁ bhagavato.

positioned himself in the north, below the Buddha, sitting cross-legged in the air above that divinity, having entered upon the fire element.

Atha kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno taṁ brahmānaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

Then Mahāmoggallāna addressed that divinity in verse:

“Ajjāpi te āvuso sā diṭṭhi,

“Reverend, do you still have the same view

Yā te diṭṭhi pure ahu;

that you had in the past?

Passasi vītivattantaṁ,

Or do you see the radiance

Brahmaloke pabhassaran”ti.

surpassing the realm of divinity?”

“Na me mārisa sā diṭṭhi,

“Good fellow, I don’t have that view

yā me diṭṭhi pure ahu;

that I had in the past.

Passāmi vītivattantaṁ,

I see the radiance

brahmaloke pabhassaraṁ;

surpassing the realm of divinity.

Svāhaṁ ajja kathaṁ vajjaṁ,

So how could I say today

ahaṁ niccomhi sassato”ti.

that I am permanent and eternal?”

Atha kho bhagavā taṁ brahmānaṁ saṁvejetvā—seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso samiñjitaṁ vā bāhaṁ pasāreyya, pasāritaṁ vā bāhaṁ samiñjeyya; evameva—tasmiṁ brahmaloke antarahito jetavane pāturahosi.

Having inspired a sense of awe in the Divinity, as easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, the Buddha vanished from the realm of divinity and reappeared in Jeta’s Grove.

Atha kho so brahmā aññataraṁ brahmapārisajjaṁ āmantesi:

Then that divinity addressed a member of his retinue,

“ehi tvaṁ, mārisa, yenāyasmā mahāmoggallāno tenupasaṅkama; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ mahāmoggallānaṁ evaṁ vadehi:

“Please, good fellow, go up to Venerable Mahāmoggallāna and say to him:

‘atthi nu kho, mārisa moggallāna, aññepi tassa bhagavato sāvakā evaṁmahiddhikā evaṁmahānubhāvā;

‘Moggallāna my good fellow, are there any other disciples of the Buddha who have power and might

seyyathāpi bhavaṁ moggallāno kassapo kappino anuruddho’”ti?

comparable to the worthies Moggallāna, Kassapa, Kappina, and Anuruddha?’”

“Evaṁ, mārisā”ti kho so brahmapārisajjo tassa brahmuno paṭissutvā yenāyasmā mahāmoggallāno tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ mahāmoggallānaṁ etadavoca:

“Yes, good fellow,” replied that retinue member. He went to Moggallāna and asked as instructed.

“atthi nu kho, mārisa moggallāna, aññepi tassa bhagavato sāvakā evaṁmahiddhikā evaṁmahānubhāvā;

seyyathāpi bhavaṁ moggallāno kassapo kappino anuruddho”ti?

Atha kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno taṁ brahmapārisajjaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:

Then Mahāmoggallāna addressed that member of the retinue of Divinity in verse:

“Tevijjā iddhipattā ca,

“There are many disciples of the Buddha

cetopariyāyakovidā;

who have the three knowledges,

Khīṇāsavā arahanto,

and have attained psychic power,
expert in encompassing minds,

bahū buddhassa sāvakā”ti.

they’re perfected ones with defilements ended.”

Atha kho so brahmapārisajjo āyasmato mahāmoggallānassa bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā yena so brahmā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ brahmānaṁ etadavoca:

Then that member of the retinue of Divinity, having approved and agreed with what Mahāmoggallāna said, went to that divinity and said to him,

“āyasmā, mārisa, mahāmoggallāno evamāha:

“Good fellow, Venerable Mahāmoggallāna said this:

‘Tevijjā iddhipattā ca,

‘There are many disciples of the Buddha

cetopariyāyakovidā;

who have the three knowledges,

Khīṇāsavā arahanto,

and have attained psychic power,
expert in encompassing minds,

bahū buddhassa sāvakā’”ti.

they’re perfected ones with defilements ended.’”

Idamavoca so brahmapārisajjo.

That is what that member of the retinue of Divinity said.

Attamano ca so brahmā tassa brahmapārisajjassa bhāsitaṁ abhinandīti.

Satisfied, that divinity approved what the member of his retinue said.