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where these four great elements cease without remainder, namely – the earth element, the water element, the fire element, the air element.’ 491. Then, Kevatta, that bhikkhu approached Sakka, king of the gods; Having approached Sakka, king of the gods, he said this: ‘Where, friend, do these four great elements cease without remainder, namely – the earth element, the water element, the fire element, the air element?’ When this was said, Kevatta, Sakka, king of the gods, said to that bhikkhu: ‘I too, bhikkhu, do not know where these four great elements cease without remainder, namely – the earth element, the water element, the fire element, the air element. There are, bhikkhu, gods called Yāmā, and so on, Suyāma by name, son of the gods, gods called Tusitā, Santussita by name, son of the gods, gods called Nimmānaratī, Sunimmita by name, son of the gods, gods called Paranimmitavasavattī, Vasavattī by name, son of the gods, who are more excellent and more distinguished than us. He would know this, where these four great elements cease without remainder, namely – the earth element, the water element, the fire element, the air element.’ 492. Then, Kevatta, that bhikkhu approached Vasavattī, son of the gods; Having approached Vasavattī, son of the gods, he said this: ‘Where, friend, these four great elements cease without remainder, that is to say, the earth element, the water element, the fire element, the wind element?’ When this was said, Kevaṭṭa, the Vasavattī devaputta said to that bhikkhu: ‘I too, bhikkhu, do not know where these four great elements cease without remainder, that is to say, the earth element, the water element, the fire element, the wind element. There are, bhikkhu, the Brahmakāyika devas, who are more excellent and more sublime than us. They would know this, where these four great elements cease without remainder, that is to say, the earth element, the water element, the fire element, the wind element.’ 493. Then, Kevaṭṭa, that bhikkhu entered such a concentration that when his mind was thus concentrated, the path to Brahmā appeared. Then, Kevaṭṭa, that bhikkhu approached the Brahmakāyika devas; having approached, he said to the Brahmakāyika devas: ‘Where, friends, do these four great elements cease without remainder, that is to say, the earth element, the water element, the fire element, the wind element?’ When this was said, Kevaṭṭa, the Brahmakāyika devas said to that bhikkhu: ‘We too, bhikkhu, do not know where these four great elements cease without remainder, that is to say, the earth element, the water element, the fire element, the wind element. There is, bhikkhu, Brahmā, the Great Brahmā, the Overlord, the Unoverlorded, the All-seeing, the Wielder of power, the Lord, the Creator, the Maker, the Best, the Arranger, the Master, the Father of all that has been and will be, who is more excellent and more sublime than us. He would know this, where these four great elements cease without remainder, that is to say, the earth element, the water element, the fire element, the wind element.’ ‘Where, friends, is that Great Brahmā now?’ ‘We too, bhikkhu, do not know where Brahmā is, or in what direction Brahmā is, or in what place Brahmā is; but, bhikkhu, as signs appear, as light arises, A radiance appears, Brahmā will appear, this is the prior sign of Brahmā's appearance, namely, light arises, a radiance appears. Then, Kevatta, that Great Brahmā appeared not long after. 494. Then, Kevatta, that monk approached where that Great Brahmā was; having approached, he said to that Great Brahmā: ‘Where, friend, do these four great elements cease without remainder, namely – the earth element, the water element, the fire element, the air element?’ When this was said, Kevatta, that Great Brahmā said to that monk: ‘I am, monk, Brahmā, Great Brahmā, the conqueror, the unconquered, the all-seeing, the wielder of power, the lord, the maker, the creator, the best, the ordainer, the master, the father of all that has been and will be.’ A second time, Kevatta, that monk said to that Great Brahmā: ‘Friend, I do not ask you thus: ‘‘You are Brahmā, Great Brahmā, the conqueror, the unconquered, the all-seeing, the wielder of power, the lord, the maker, the creator, the best, the ordainer, the master, the father of all that has been and will be.’’ But I do ask you thus, friend: ‘‘Where, friend, do these four great elements cease without remainder, namely – the earth element, the water element, the fire element, the air element?’’’ A second time, Kevatta, that Great Brahmā said to that monk: ‘I am, monk, Brahmā, Great Brahmā, the conqueror, the unconquered, the all-seeing, the wielder of power, the lord, the maker, the creator, the best, the ordainer, the master, the father of all that has been and will be.’ A third time, Kevatta, that monk said to that Great Brahmā: ‘Friend, I do not ask you thus: ‘‘You are Brahmā, Great Brahmā, the conqueror, the unconquered, the all-seeing, the wielder of power, the lord, the maker, the creator, the best, the ordainer, the master, the father of all that has been and will be.’’ But I do ask you thus, friend: ‘‘Where, friend, do these four great elements cease without remainder...’’’ without remainder cease, that is, the earth element, the water element, the fire element, and the air element?” 495. “Then, Kevaṭṭa, that Great Brahmā took that monk by the arm, led him aside, and said to that monk: ‘These Brahmā-bodied devas, monk, know me thus: “There is nothing unknown to Brahmā, there is nothing unseen by Brahmā, there is nothing unperceived by Brahmā, there is nothing unverified by Brahmā.” Therefore, I did not answer in their presence. I too, monk, do not know where these four great elements without remainder cease, that is, the earth element, the water element, the fire element, and the air element. Therefore, monk, this was your fault, this was your transgression, that you bypassed that Blessed One and went seeking outside for the explanation of this question. Go, monk, approach that Blessed One himself and ask him this question. As the Blessed One explains it to you, so you should remember it.’ 496. “Then, Kevaṭṭa, that monk— just as a strong man might extend his bent arm, or bend his extended arm— even so, he vanished from the Brahmā-world and appeared before me. Then, Kevaṭṭa, that monk bowed to me and sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, Kevaṭṭa, that monk said to me: ‘Where, venerable sir, do these four great elements without remainder cease, that is, the earth element, the water element, the fire element, and the air element?’ The Simile of the Shore-Sighting Bird 497. “When this was said, Kevaṭṭa, I said to that monk: ‘Formerly, monk, sea-faring merchants would take a shore-sighting bird and set out into the ocean in a ship. When the ship was out of sight of land, they would release the shore-sighting bird. It would go to the eastern direction, it would go to the southern direction, it would go to the western direction, to the western direction, to the northern direction, to the upward direction, to the intermediate directions. If he sees the shore all around, then he is like a Tathāgata. But if he does not see the shore all around, he returns to that very boat. Even so, bhikkhu, you, searching from here to the Brahma-world, did not find an answer to this question, and then returned to me. This question, bhikkhu, should not be asked in this way: ‘Where, venerable sir, do these four great elements —the earth element, the water element, the fire element, the air element— cease without remainder?’ 498. “But this is how, bhikkhu, this question should be asked: ‘Where do water and earth, fire and air find no footing? Where do long and short, fine and coarse, beautiful and ugly; Where do name and form cease without remainder?’ 499. “The answer to that is: ‘Consciousness, invisible, infinite, radiant all around; Here water and earth, fire and air find no footing. Here long and short, fine and coarse, beautiful and ugly; Here name and form cease without remainder; With the cessation of consciousness, here this ceases.’ 500. This is what the Blessed One said. Delighted, Kevaṭṭa the householder's son rejoiced in the Blessed One’s words. The Kevaṭṭa Sutta, the eleventh, is finished.