English
Thus, O Prince, as I reflected, my mind inclined to inaction, not to teaching the Dhamma. 338. Then, O Prince, Brahmā Sahampati, knowing my thought by his own mind, thought: 'Alas, the world is perishing! Alas, the world is being destroyed! For the mind of the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Awakened One, inclines to inaction, not to teaching the Dhamma.' Then, O Prince, Brahmā Sahampati – just as a strong man Just as a strong man might extend his bent arm, or bend his extended arm, even so— he vanished from the Brahma-world and appeared before me. Then, Prince, Brahmā Sahampati, having arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, and having saluted me with joined hands, spoke to me thus: ‘Let the Blessed One teach the Dhamma, Lord, let the Sugata teach the Dhamma. There are beings with little dust in their eyes; they are perishing through not hearing the Dhamma; there will be those who will understand the Dhamma.’ This is what Brahmā Sahampati said, Prince; having said this, he then spoke further: ‘In Magadha, a Dhamma, impure, conceived by the defiled, appeared before. Open this door to the Deathless! Let them hear the Dhamma, understood by the Stainless One. ‘As one standing on a mountain peak, might see the people all around, so too, O wise one, ascend the palace of Dhamma, O all-seeing one. ‘Look down upon the people, overwhelmed by sorrow, O sorrowless one, overcome by birth and old age. Arise, O Hero, victor in battle, O caravan leader, debtless one, wander the world. Let the Blessed One teach the Dhamma, there will be those who will understand.’ 339. ‘‘Then, Prince, knowing the request of Brahmā, and out of compassion for beings, I surveyed the world with the Buddha-eye. As I surveyed the world with the Buddha-eye, Prince, I saw beings with little dust in their eyes, with much dust in their eyes, with sharp faculties, with dull faculties, of good disposition, of bad disposition, easy to teach, difficult to teach, some living seeing fear in blameworthy deeds of the other world, some living not seeing fear in blameworthy deeds of the other world. Just as in a lotus pond, or a water-lily pond, or a white lotus pond, some lotuses, or water-lilies, or white lotuses, born in the water, grown in the water, remain submerged in the water, nourished beneath the surface, Some blue lotuses, or pink lotuses, or white lotuses, born in the water, grown in the water, submerged in the water, staying level with the water. Some blue lotuses, or pink lotuses, or white lotuses, born in the water, grown in the water, rising above the water, standing unsoiled by the water. Even so, prince, surveying the world with the Buddha-eye, I saw beings: with little dust, with much dust, with keen faculties, with dull faculties, with good dispositions, with bad dispositions, easy to teach, difficult to teach, some dwelling, seeing fear in the faults of the other world, some dwelling, not seeing fear in the faults of the other world. Then, prince, I addressed Brahmā Sahampati with a verse: ‘Open are the doors to the Deathless for them, who have ears, let them release their faith. Thinking of vexation, I did not speak the sublime Dhamma among humans, O Brahmā.’ 340. Then, prince, Brahmā Sahampati, thinking, ‘The opportunity has been given by the Blessed One for the teaching of the Dhamma,’ having saluted me and circumambulated me clockwise, vanished right there. Then, prince, this thought occurred to me: ‘To whom now should I teach the Dhamma first? Who will quickly understand this Dhamma?’ Then, prince, this thought occurred to me: ‘Indeed, Āḷāra Kālāma is wise, experienced, intelligent, and has long been of a nature with little dust. What if I were to teach the Dhamma first to Āḷāra Kālāma? He will quickly understand this Dhamma.’ Then, prince, a deity approached me and said: ‘Venerable sir, Āḷāra Kālāma passed away seven days ago.’ And knowledge and vision arose in me: ‘Āḷāra Kālāma passed away seven days ago.’ Then, prince, this thought occurred to me: ‘A great loss indeed is Āḷāra Kālāma. If he had heard this Dhamma, he would have quickly understood it.’ Then, prince, this thought occurred to me: ‘To whom now should I first To whom should I teach the Dhamma? Who will quickly understand this Dhamma? Then, prince, it occurred to me – ‘Indeed, Udaka Rāmaputta is wise, skilled, intelligent, and has had little dust in his eyes for a long time. What if I were to teach the Dhamma first to Udaka Rāmaputta? He would quickly understand this Dhamma.’ Then, prince, a deity approached me and said – ‘Venerable sir, Udaka Rāmaputta passed away last night.’ And knowledge and vision arose in me – ‘Udaka Rāmaputta passed away last night.’ Then, prince, it occurred to me – ‘Great indeed is the loss concerning Udaka Rāmaputta. If he had heard this Dhamma, he would have quickly understood it.’ 341. Then, prince, it occurred to me – ‘To whom now should I first teach the Dhamma? Who will quickly understand this Dhamma?’ Then, prince, it occurred to me – ‘The group of five monks were very helpful to me when I was striving with self-exertion. What if I were to teach the Dhamma first to the group of five monks?’ Then, prince, it occurred to me – ‘Where now are the group of five monks dwelling?’ I saw, prince, with the divine eye, purified and surpassing human sight, the group of five monks dwelling in Bārāṇasī, at Isipatana in the Deer Park. Then, prince, having stayed in Uruvelā as long as I wished, I set out on a journey towards Bārāṇasī. Then, prince, Upaka the Ājīvaka saw me traveling on the road between Gayā and Bodhi. Having seen me, he said this – ‘Friend, your faculties are very clear, your skin color is pure and bright. Friend, for whose sake have you gone forth? Who is your teacher? Whose Dhamma do you approve of?’ When this was said, prince, I addressed Upaka the Ājīvaka with verses. siṃ – ‘All-conquering, all-knowing am I, Untainted by all things; All-renouncing, freed by the destruction of craving, Having known by myself, whom should I point to as teacher? ‘I have no teacher, no one like me is found; In the world with its gods, there is no one who can oppose me. ‘Indeed, I am an Arahant in the world, I am the unsurpassed Teacher; I am the Sole Perfectly Self-Enlightened One, cooled and unbound. ‘To set in motion the Wheel of Dhamma, I go to the city of Kasi; In this world blinded, I shall beat the drum of immortality.’ ‘As you, friend, declare, you are an Arahant, an infinite conqueror.’ ‘Indeed, conquerors are those like me, who have reached the destruction of defilements; Evil things have been conquered by me, therefore, Upaka, I am a conqueror.’ When this was said, Prince, Upaka the Ājīvaka, saying ‘It may be so, friend,’ shook his head, took a different path, and departed. 342. Then, Prince, traveling gradually, I came to Isipatana, the Deer Park, near Bārāṇasī, where the group of five bhikkhus were. The group of five bhikkhus, Prince, saw me approaching from afar. Seeing me, they agreed among themselves – ‘This ascetic Gotama, friends, is coming, he is given to abundance, he has abandoned striving, he has turned to abundance. He should not be greeted, nor should we rise for him, nor should his bowl and robe be received; but a seat should be prepared – if he wishes, he will sit.’ As I, Prince, approached the group of five bhikkhus, the group of five bhikkhus were unable to adhere to their agreement. Some came forward to meet me and received my bowl and robe. Some prepared a seat. Some offered water for the feet. But they addressed me by name and by the address 'friend'. When this was said, I, prince, said to the group of five monks: "Do not, monks, address the Tathāgata by name and by the address 'friend'. The Tathāgata, monks, is an Arahant, a Fully Self-Awakened One. Lend ear, monks. The Deathless has been attained. I instruct, I teach the Dhamma. Practicing as instructed, before long, for the sake of which sons of good families rightly go forth from home to homelessness, that unsurpassed consummation of the holy life, you will, by your own direct knowledge, realize and abide in it in this very life." When this was said, prince, the group of five monks said to me: "Even by that conduct, friend Gotama, by that practice, by that severe asceticism, you did not attain a superhuman state, a distinction of noble knowledge and vision. How then will you now, being abundant, having fallen away from exertion, having reverted to abundance, attain a superhuman state, a distinction of noble knowledge and vision?" When this was said, I, prince, said to the group of five monks: "The Tathāgata, monks, is not abundant, has not fallen away from exertion, has not reverted to abundance. The Tathāgata, monks, is an Arahant, a Fully Self-Awakened One. Lend ear, monks. The Deathless has been attained. I instruct, I teach the Dhamma. Practicing as instructed, before long, for the sake of which sons of good families rightly go forth from home to homelessness, that unsurpassed consummation of the holy life, you will, by your own direct knowledge, realize and abide in it in this very life." A second time, prince, the group of five monks said to me: "Even by that conduct, friend Gotama, by that practice, by that severe asceticism, you did not attain a superhuman state, a distinction of noble knowledge and vision. But how will you now, being given to abundance, having fallen away from exertion, turned to abundance, attain a superhuman state, a distinction of noble knowledge and vision? A second time, O prince, I said to the group of five monks: ‘Monks, the Tathāgata is not given to abundance, not fallen away from exertion, not turned to abundance. Monks, the Tathāgata is an Arahant, a Fully Self-Awakened One. Lend your ear, monks. The Deathless has been attained. I instruct, I teach the Dhamma. By practicing as instructed, before long – for the sake of which young men rightly go forth from home to homelessness,