English
7. The Great Assembly Discourse 331. Thus have I heard: At one time the Blessed One was dwelling among the Sakyans, in Kapilavatthu, in the Great Wood, together with a great community of bhikkhus, with five hundred bhikkhus, all of whom were Arahants. And deities from ten world-systems had for the most part gathered to see the Blessed One and the community of bhikkhus. Then it occurred to four deities of the Suddhāvāsa host: “The Blessed One is dwelling among the Sakyans, in Kapilavatthu, in the Great Wood, together with a great community of bhikkhus, with five hundred bhikkhus, all of whom are Arahants. And deities from ten world-systems have for the most part gathered to see the Blessed One and the community of bhikkhus. Let us also go to where the Blessed One is; having gone, let us each recite a verse in the presence of the Blessed One.” 332. Then those deities, just as a strong man might extend his bent arm or bend his extended arm, even so, having vanished from among the Suddhāvāsa deities, appeared before the Blessed One. Then those deities, having saluted the Blessed One, stood to one side. Standing to one side, one deity recited this verse in the presence of the Blessed One: “A great assembly in the forest, Deity hosts are gathered. We have come to this Dhamma-assembly, To see the unconquered Sangha.” Then another deity recited this verse in the presence of the Blessed One: “There the bhikkhus concentrated, They made their minds straight. Like a charioteer holding the reins, The wise guard their faculties.” Then another deity recited this verse in the presence of the Blessed One: “Having cut the stake, having cut the crossbar, Having uprooted the Indra-post, the mind-impulses; They wander pure, stainless, Well-tamed by the One with Vision.” good serpents.” Then another deity, in the presence of the Blessed One, recited this verse: “Whoever have gone for refuge to the Buddha, They will not go to the states of woe; Abandoning the human body, They will fill the divine hosts.” Assembly of Deities 333. Then the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: “For the most part, bhikkhus, deities in ten world-systems are assembled to see the Tathāgata and the assembly of bhikkhus. And those, bhikkhus, who were Arahants, Perfectly Self-Enlightened Ones in the past, for those Blessed Ones too, deities were assembled to this extent, just as they are for me now. And those, bhikkhus, who will be Arahants, Perfectly Self-Enlightened Ones in the future, for those Blessed Ones too, deities will be assembled to this extent, just as they are for me now. I will declare, bhikkhus, the names of the divine hosts; I will recount, bhikkhus, the names of the divine hosts; I will teach, bhikkhus, the names of the divine hosts. Listen to that, attend carefully, I will speak.” “Yes, venerable sir,” those bhikkhus replied to the Blessed One. 334. The Blessed One said this: “I will draw forth the fame, Where the earth-dwelling deities reside; Those who dwell in mountain caves, With resolute minds, well-concentrated. “Like mighty lions, withdrawn, Overcome with awe; With pure minds, clean, Serene and unclouded.” Knowing that there were more than five hundred In the Kapilavatthu forest; Then the Teacher addressed His disciples, devoted to the teaching: “Divine hosts have arrived, Know them, bhikkhus”; And they exerted themselves, Having heard the Buddha’s teaching. For them, knowledge arose, Of seeing non-humans; Some saw a hundred, A thousand, then seventy. Some saw a hundred thousands Of non-humans; Some saw endless numbers, All directions were pervaded. And that Having fully known all, the Seer, having discerned; Then the Teacher addressed, his disciples, devoted to the teaching. "Divine hosts have arrived, know them, O bhikkhus; Whom I shall proclaim, in due order, with words." 335."Seven thousand of those yakkhas, earth-dwelling, from Kapilavatthu. Mighty, radiant, glorious in appearance, renowned; Joyfully they came, to the assembly of bhikkhus in the forest. "Six thousand from Himavā, yakkhas of various hues; Mighty, radiant, glorious in appearance, renowned; Joyfully they came, to the assembly of bhikkhus in the forest. "Three thousand from Sātāgira, yakkhas of various hues; Mighty, radiant, glorious in appearance, renowned; Joyfully they came, to the assembly of bhikkhus in the forest. "Thus these sixteen thousand, yakkhas of various hues; Mighty, radiant, glorious in appearance, renowned; Joyfully they came, to the assembly of bhikkhus in the forest. "Five hundred from Vessāmitta, yakkhas of various hues; Mighty, radiant, glorious in appearance, renowned; Joyfully they came, to the assembly of bhikkhus in the forest. "Kumbhīra from Rājagaha, dwelling in Vepulla (mountain); More than a hundred thousand, of yakkhas attend him; Kumbhīra from Rājagaha, he too came to the assembly in the forest. 336."And the eastern direction, the king, Dhataraṭṭha, rules. Lord of the Gandharvas, a great, renowned king. "Many are his sons, named Indra, greatly powerful; Mighty, radiant, glorious in appearance, renowned; Joyfully they came, to the assembly of bhikkhus in the forest. "And the southern direction, the king, Virūḷha, rules it; Lord of the Kumbhaṇḍas, a great, renowned king. "Many are his sons, named Indra, greatly powerful; Mighty, radiant, glorious in appearance, renowned; Joyfully they came, to the assembly of bhikkhus in the forest. "And the western The king of the west, Virūpakkha, rules; Lord of the Nāgas, The great king, glorious. Many sons he has, Named Indra, of great power; Possessing psychic power, Radiant, beautiful, glorious; Joyfully they came forth, To the assembly of monks in the forest. And the northern direction, King Kuvera rules it; Lord of the Yakkhas, The great king, glorious. Many sons he has, Named Indra, of great power; Possessing psychic power, Radiant, beautiful, glorious; Joyfully they came forth, To the assembly of monks in the forest. The eastern direction, Dhataraṭṭha, In the south, Virūḷhaka; In the west, Virūpakkha, Kuvera in the northern direction. These four great kings, From all four directions; Shining brightly they stood, In the forest of Kapilavatthu. Their deceptive, cunning servants, Came, full of trickery. Māyā, Kuṭeṇḍu, Viṭeṇḍu, And Viṭucca, along with Viṭuṭo. Candana, and Kāmaseṭṭha, Kinnighaṇḍu, and Nighaṇḍu; Panāda, and Opamañña, And the divine charioteer Mātali. And Cittasena, the Gandhabba, King Naḷa, the bull among men; Pañcasikha also came, And Timbarū, and Sūriyavaccasā. These and other kings, Gandhabbas with their kings; Joyfully they came forth, To the assembly of monks in the forest. Then came the Nāgas, The Nāgas of Vesālī, with Tacchaka. Kambala and Assatara came, And Pāyāga with his relatives. And the Yāmunā and Dhataraṭṭha, Glorious Nāgas came; Erāvaṇa, the great Nāga, He too came to the assembly in the forest. Those who swiftly seize the Nāga kings, Divine birds, pure-eyed; Flying high, they reached the midst of the forest, "Citra Supaṇṇas" is their name. Then there was safety for the Nāga kings, The Buddha made them secure from the Supaṇṇas; Inviting them with gentle words, The Nāgas... They took refuge in the Buddha. 339. "Conquered by the Vajra-wielder, the Asuras, dwelling in the sea, These brothers of Vasava, mighty and glorious. "Kalakañcas, greatly fearsome, Asuras, devourers of Danavas; Vepacitti and Sucitti, Paharada together with Namuci. "And a hundred sons of Bali, all named Verocana; Having arrayed the army of Bali, they approached Rahu-bhadda; Now is the time, good sirs, for the assembly of monks in the forest. 340. "The gods of water and earth, fire and wind then came. Varunas, Vāranas, gods, Soma too, with glory. "Gods of loving-kindness and compassion, bodily, came, glorious gods; These ten, in ten groups, all of varied colors. "Mighty, radiant, splendid, glorious; Rejoicing, they advanced, to the assembly of monks in the forest. "Veṇḍu gods and Sahali, Asamas and the two Yamas; Gods near the Moon, came, with the Moon in front. "Gods near the Sun, came, with the Sun in front; With the constellations in front, came the Mandavalāhakas. "Among the Vasus, Vasava is chief, Sakko, the giver of cities, came; These ten, in ten groups, all of varied colors. "Mighty, radiant, splendid, glorious; Rejoicing, they advanced, to the assembly of monks in the forest. "Then came the Sahabhū gods, like flames of fire; Ariṭṭhakas and Rojas, shining like Uma flowers. "Varunas, Sahadhammas, Accutas and Anejakas; Sūleyyaruciras came, Vāsavanesis came; These ten, in ten groups, all of varied colors. "Mighty, radiant, splendid, glorious; Rejoicing, they advanced, to the assembly of monks in the forest. "Samanas, Mahāsamanas, Manusas, Manussuttamas; Khiḍḍāpadosikas came, Manopadosikas came. "Then came the Haraya gods, and those dwelling in red; Pāragas, Mahāpāragas, gods came. of great fame; These ten groups, in ten ways, all of varied hues. "Powerful, radiant, beautiful, of great fame; Rejoicing, they came forth, to the assembly of monks in the forest. "White, brown, reddish, came with the Veghanasas; The bright-bodied, chief ones, the discerning devas came. "Always intoxicated, the Hāragajas, and the mixed ones of great fame; Thundering, Pajjunna came, who rains upon the directions. "These ten groups, in ten ways, all of varied hues; Powerful, radiant, beautiful, of great fame; Rejoicing, they came forth, to the assembly of monks in the forest. "The Khemiyas, Tusitas, Yāmas, and Kaṭṭhakas of great fame; The Lambītakas, Lāmaseṭṭhas, and the Jotināmas, the āsavas; The Nimmānaratīs came, and then the Paranimmitas came. "These ten groups, in ten ways, all of varied hues; Powerful, radiant, beautiful, of great fame; Rejoicing, they came forth, to the assembly of monks in the forest. "These sixty groups of devas, all of varied hues; Came by name, and others like them too.