English
‘With what kind of strength a person endowed with right view is endowed, I too am endowed with that kind of strength.’ This is his sixth knowledge attained, noble, supramundane, not shared with ordinary people. 499. Furthermore, bhikkhus, the noble disciple reflects thus – ‘With such strength is the person endowed who is accomplished in view, and I too am endowed with such strength.’ And with what kind of strength, monks, is the person endowed who is accomplished in view? This, monks, is the strength of a person accomplished in view: that when the Dhamma and Discipline proclaimed by the Tathāgata is being taught, he gains understanding of the meaning, he gains understanding of the Dhamma, he gains joy connected with the Dhamma. He thus understands: ‘With such strength is the person endowed who is accomplished in view, and I too am endowed with such strength.’ This is his seventh knowledge attained, noble, supramundane, not shared with ordinary people. 500. Thus, monks, for a noble disciple endowed with seven factors, it is natural to realize the fruit of stream-entry. Thus, monks, a noble disciple endowed with seven factors is endowed with the fruit of stream-entry. The Blessed One said this. The monks, delighted, rejoiced in the Blessed One's words. The Discourse on Kosambī, the eighth, is finished. 9. The Discourse on the Invitation of Brahmā 501. Thus have I heard: On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī, in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park. There the Blessed One addressed the monks, saying, "Monks!" "Venerable sir," those monks replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One spoke thus: "On one occasion, monks, I was dwelling at Ukkaṭṭhā, in the Subhaga Grove, at the root of a royal sal tree. Now at that time, monks, a wicked wrong view had arisen in Brahmā Baka: 'This is permanent, this is stable, this is eternal, this is complete, this is of an unmoving nature. Indeed, this is not born, does not age, does not die, does not pass away, does not reappear. And there is no other escape beyond this.' Then, monks, having understood with my mind the mental reflection of Brahmā Baka— just as a strong man might flex Or one might extend an arm, or draw back an extended arm, just so – having vanished from the Subhaga forest at Ukkaṭṭhā, at the foot of the royal sala tree, I appeared in that Brahma-world. Friends, Baka Brahmā saw me coming from afar; having seen me, he said this: ‘Come, dear sir, welcome, dear sir! It has been a long time, dear sir, since you made this journey, this coming here. For this, dear sir, is permanent, this is stable, this is eternal, this is whole, this is of an unchanging nature, for this is not born, does not age, does not die, does not pass away, does not reappear. And there is no other escape beyond this.’’ When this was said, friends, I said to Baka Brahmā: ‘‘Indeed, sir, Baka Brahmā is deluded by ignorance; indeed, sir, Baka Brahmā is deluded by ignorance; in that he calls what is impermanent, permanent, what is unstable, stable, what is not eternal, eternal, what is not whole, whole, what is of a changing nature, of an unchanging nature; and where there is birth, aging, death, passing away, and reappearance, he says – ‘this is not born, does not age, does not die, does not pass away, does not reappear’; and though there is another escape beyond, he says, ‘there is no other escape beyond.’’ 502. Then, friends, Māra the Evil One, having entered into a certain member of Brahmā’s retinue, said to me: ‘Monk, monk, do not approach this, do not approach this, for this, monk, is Brahmā, the Great Brahmā, the Conqueror, the Unconquered, the All-seeing, the Wielder of Power, the Lord, the Maker, the Creator, the Best, the Arranger, the Master, the Father of all that has been and will be. There were, monk, ascetics and brahmins before you in the world who reviled earth, who loathed earth, who reviled water, who loathed water, who reviled fire, who loathed fire, who reviled wind, who loathed wind… those who revile, those who despise, those who revile beings, those who despise beings, those who revile devas, those who despise devas, those who revile Prajāpati, those who despise Prajāpati, those who revile Brahmā, those who despise Brahmā – they, at the breaking up of the body, at the cutting off of life, were established in a lower body. But those ascetics and brahmins, monk, who previously in the world praised earth, delighted in earth, praised water, delighted in water, praised fire, delighted in fire, praised air, delighted in air, praised beings, delighted in beings, praised devas, delighted in devas, praised Prajāpati, delighted in Prajāpati, praised Brahmā, delighted in Brahmā – they, at the breaking up of the body, at the cutting off of life, were established in a superior body. Therefore, monk, I tell you this: ‘Come now, good sir, whatever Brahmā told you, that you should do, do not transgress the word of Brahmā.’ If indeed you, monk, transgress the word of Brahmā, just as a man might push away approaching fortune with a stick, or just as, monk, a man falling into a chasm of hell might miss the ground with his hands and feet, so will this happen to you, monk. ‘Come now, good sir, whatever Brahmā told you, that you should do, do not transgress the word of Brahmā. Do you not see, monk, the assembly of Brahmā gathered?’ Thus, monks, Māra the Evil One led me to the assembly of Brahmā. When this was said, I, monks, told Māra the Evil One this: ‘I know you, Evil One; do not think that I do not know you.’ You are Māra, Evil One. And that Brahmā, Evil One, and that assembly of Brahmā, and those attendants of Brahmā, all are in your power, all are under your sway. For you, Evil One, it is thus: ‘May this one also be in my power, may this one also be under my sway.’ But I, Evil One, am neither in your power nor under your is not under my control.” 503. “When this was said, monks, Baka Brahmā said to me: ‘Indeed, venerable one, I declare as permanent that which is permanent, as stable that which is stable, as eternal that which is eternal, as whole that which is whole, as unmoving that which is unmoving. And where there is no birth, no aging, no death, no passing away, no reappearing, that alone I declare: “Indeed, this is not born, does not age, does not die, does not pass away, does not reappear.” And as there is no other higher escape, I declare: “There is no other higher escape.” Indeed, monk, there were ascetics and brahmins in the world before you, whose ascetic practice was as long as your entire lifespan. They would know thus: “There is another higher escape” or “There is no other higher escape.” Therefore, monk, I tell you this: “You will not see any other higher escape, and you will only be a partaker of weariness and vexation.” If, monk, you settle on earth, you will be my dependent, my subject, to be done with as I please, my outcast. If on water… fire… wind… beings… gods… Prajāpati… Brahmā you settle, you will be my dependent, my subject, to be done with as I please, my outcast.’ “And I, Brahmā, know this: if I settle on earth, I will be your dependent, your subject, to be done with as you please, your outcast. ‘If on water… fire… wind… beings… gods… Prajāpati… Brahmā I settle, I will be your dependent, your subject, to be done with as you please, your outcast.’ But I, Brahmā, know your destination and I know your radiance—thus mighty is Baka Brahmā, thus powerful is Baka Brahmā, thus m Mighty is Baka Brahmā. But how, dear sir, do you know my destiny and my radiance – that 'Baka Brahmā is so mighty in power, Baka Brahmā is so great in might, Baka Brahmā is so mighty in influence'? As far as suns and moons Revolve, illuminating the directions, shining forth; So far, a thousandfold world, Therein your power prevails. You know the higher and the lower, And those with passion and without passion; The state of being thus and otherwise, The coming and going of beings. Thus, indeed, O Brahmā, I know your destiny and your radiance – that 'Baka Brahmā is so mighty in power, Baka Brahmā is so great in might, Baka Brahmā is so mighty in influence'. There is, O Brahmā, another body, which you do not know, do not see; but I know it, I see it. There is, O Brahmā, a body called Ābhassarā, from which you fell and came to be here. Due to your excessively long stay, that memory has been lost to you, therefore you do not know it, do not see it; but I know it, I see it. Even so, O Brahmā, I am not merely your equal in direct knowledge, how much less inferior? Rather, I am superior to you. There is, O Brahmā, a body called Subhakiṇha, a body called Vehapphala, a body called Abhibhū, which you do not know, do not see; but I know it, I see it. Even so, O Brahmā, I am not merely your equal in direct knowledge, how much less inferior? Rather, I am superior to you. I, O Brahmā, having directly known earth as earth, having directly known that which is unexperienced by earth as earth, I did not identify with earth, I did not identify with earth's, I did not identify with earth as from, I did not identify with earth as mine, I did not praise earth. Even so, O Brahmā, I am not merely your equal in direct knowledge, how much less inferior? Rather, I am superior to you. I, O Brahmā, having known water... I, O Brahmā, having known fire... I, O Brahmā, having known wind... I, O Brahmā, having known beings... Yes, Brahma, I know the devas... I know Prajapati... I know Brahma... I know the Ābhassaras... I know the Subhakiṇhas... I know the Vehapphalas... I know Abhibhū... Brahma, having fully understood everything, in all its aspects, to the extent that it is not experienced by all as all, having understood that, I was not overcome by all, I was not overcome in all, I was not overcome from all, I did not think 'all is mine,' I did not speak of all. Even so, Brahma, I am not your equal in understanding, how much less inferior? Indeed, I am superior to you. "If, friend,