AN 3 The Book of the Threes – Tikanipāta > AN 3.80 Lesser

Numbered Discourses 3.80 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 3.80

8. Ānanda – 8. Ānandavagga

AN 3.80 Lesser – Cūḷanikāsutta

1.1

Then Venerable Ānanda went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him:

Atha kho āyasmā ānando yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

1.2

“Sir, I have heard and learned this in the presence of the Buddha:

“sammukhā metaṁ, bhante, bhagavato sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ:

1.3

‘Ānanda, the Buddha Sikhi had a disciple called Abhibhū. Standing in the Brahmā realm, he could make his voice heard throughout the galaxy.’

‘bhagavato, ānanda, sikhissa abhibhū nāma sāvako brahmaloke ṭhito sahassilokadhātuṁ sarena viññāpesī’ti.

1.4

I wonder how far a Blessed One, a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha can make their voice heard?”

Bhagavā pana, bhante, arahaṁ sammāsambuddho kīvatakaṁ pahoti sarena viññāpetun”ti?

1.5

“He was a disciple, Ānanda. Realized Ones are immeasurable.”

“Sāvako so, ānanda, appameyyā tathāgatā”ti.

2.1

For a second time …

Dutiyampi kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

2.2

“sammukhā metaṁ, bhante, bhagavato sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ:

2.3

‘bhagavato, ānanda, sikhissa abhibhū nāma sāvako brahmaloke ṭhito sahassilokadhātuṁ sarena viññāpesī’ti.

2.4

Bhagavā pana, bhante, arahaṁ sammāsambuddho kīvatakaṁ pahoti sarena viññāpetun”ti?

2.5

“Sāvako so, ānanda, appameyyā tathāgatā”ti.

3.1

For a third time, Ānanda said to the Buddha:

Tatiyampi kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

3.2

“sammukhā metaṁ, bhante, bhagavato sutaṁ sammukhā paṭiggahitaṁ:

3.3

‘bhagavato, ānanda, sikhissa abhibhū nāma sāvako brahmaloke ṭhito sahassilokadhātuṁ sarena viññāpesī’ti.

3.4

“… I wonder how far a Blessed One, a perfected one, a fully awakened Buddha can make their voice heard?”

Bhagavā pana, bhante, arahaṁ sammāsambuddho kīvatakaṁ pahoti sarena viññāpetun”ti?

3.5

“Ānanda, have you heard of a thousandfold lesser world system, a galaxy?”

“Sutā te, ānanda, sahassī cūḷanikā lokadhātū”ti?

3.6

“Now is the time, Blessed One! Now is the time, Holy One!

“Etassa, bhagavā, kālo; etassa, sugata, kālo,

3.7

Let the Buddha speak. The bhikkhū will listen and remember it.”

yaṁ bhagavā bhāseyya. Bhagavato sutvā bhikkhū dhāressantī”ti.

3.8

“Well then, Ānanda, listen and pay close attention, I will speak.”

“Tenahānanda, suṇāhi sādhukaṁ manasi karohi, bhāsissāmī”ti.

3.9

“Yes, sir,” Ānanda replied.

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā ānando bhagavato paccassosi.

3.10

The Buddha said this:

Bhagavā etadavoca:

4.1

“Ānanda, a galaxy extends a thousand times as far as the moon and sun revolve and the shining ones light up the quarters.

“Yāvatā, ānanda, candimasūriyā pariharanti, disā bhanti virocanā, tāva sahassadhā loko.

4.2

In that galaxy there are a thousand moons, a thousand suns, a thousand Sinerus king of mountains, a thousand Indias, a thousand Western Continents, a thousand Northern Continents, a thousand Eastern Continents, four thousand oceans, four thousand Great Kings, a thousand realms of the Gods of the Four Great Kings, a thousand realms of the Gods of the Thirty-Three, of the Gods of Yama, of the Joyful Gods, of the Gods who Love to Create, of the Gods who Control the Creations of Others, and a thousand Brahmā realms.

Tasmiṁ sahassadhā loke sahassaṁ candānaṁ, sahassaṁ sūriyānaṁ, sahassaṁ sinerupabbatarājānaṁ, sahassaṁ jambudīpānaṁ, sahassaṁ aparagoyānānaṁ, sahassaṁ uttarakurūnaṁ, sahassaṁ pubbavidehānaṁ, cattāri mahāsamuddasahassāni, cattāri mahārājasahassāni, sahassaṁ cātumahārājikānaṁ, sahassaṁ tāvatiṁsānaṁ, sahassaṁ yāmānaṁ, sahassaṁ tusitānaṁ, sahassaṁ nimmānaratīnaṁ, sahassaṁ paranimmitavasavattīnaṁ, sahassaṁ brahmalokānaṁ—

4.3

This is called a thousandfold lesser world system, a ‘galaxy’.

ayaṁ vuccatānanda, sahassī cūḷanikā lokadhātu.

5.1

A world system that extends for a thousand galaxies

Yāvatānanda, sahassī cūḷanikā lokadhātu tāva sahassadhā loko.

5.2

is called a millionfold middling world system, a ‘galactic cluster’.

Ayaṁ vuccatānanda, dvisahassī majjhimikā lokadhātu.

6.1

A world system that extends for a thousand galactic clusters

Yāvatānanda, dvisahassī majjhimikā lokadhātu tāva sahassadhā loko.

6.2

is called a billionfold great world system, a ‘galactic supercluster’.

Ayaṁ vuccatānanda, tisahassī mahāsahassī lokadhātu.

7.1

If he wished, Ānanda, a Realized One could make his voice heard throughout a galactic supercluster, or as far as he wants.”

Ākaṅkhamāno, ānanda, tathāgato tisahassimahāsahassilokadhātuṁ sarena viññāpeyya, yāvatā pana ākaṅkheyyā”ti.

8.1

“But how would the Buddha make his voice heard so far?”

“Yathā kathaṁ pana, bhante, bhagavā tisahassimahāsahassilokadhātuṁ sarena viññāpeyya, yāvatā pana ākaṅkheyyā”ti?

8.2

“First, Ānanda, a Realized One would fill the galactic supercluster with light.

“Idhānanda, tathāgato tisahassimahāsahassilokadhātuṁ obhāsena phareyya.

8.3

When sentient beings saw the light, the Realized One would project his call so that they’d hear the sound.

Yadā te sattā taṁ ālokaṁ sañjāneyyuṁ, atha tathāgato ghosaṁ kareyya saddamanussāveyya.

8.4

That’s how a Realized One could make his voice heard throughout a galactic supercluster, or as far as he wants.”

Evaṁ kho, ānanda, tathāgato tisahassimahāsahassilokadhātuṁ sarena viññāpeyya, yāvatā pana ākaṅkheyyā”ti.

9.1

When he said this, Venerable Ānanda said,

Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā ānando āyasmantaṁ udāyiṁ etadavoca:

9.2

“I’m so fortunate, so very fortunate,

“lābhā vata me, suladdhaṁ vata me,

9.3

to have a teacher with such power and might!”

yassa me satthā evaṁmahiddhiko evaṁmahānubhāvo”ti.

9.4

When he said this, Venerable Udāyī said to Venerable Ānanda,

Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā udāyī āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ etadavoca:

9.5

“What is it to you, Reverend Ānanda, if your teacher has such power and might?”

“kiṁ tuyhettha, āvuso ānanda, yadi te satthā evaṁmahiddhiko evaṁmahānubhāvo”ti?

9.6

When he said this, the Buddha said to Venerable Udāyī,

Evaṁ vutte, bhagavā āyasmantaṁ udāyiṁ etadavoca:

9.7

“Not so, Udāyī, not so!

“mā hevaṁ, udāyi, mā hevaṁ, udāyi.

9.8

If Ānanda were to die while still not free of greed, he would rule as king of the gods for seven lifetimes, and as king of all India for seven lifetimes, because of the confidence of his heart.

Sace, udāyi, ānando avītarāgo kālaṁ kareyya, tena cittappasādena sattakkhattuṁ devesu devarajjaṁ kāreyya, sattakkhattuṁ imasmiṁyeva jambudīpe mahārajjaṁ kāreyya.

9.9

However, Ānanda will be extinguished in the present life.”

Api ca, udāyi, ānando diṭṭheva dhamme parinibbāyissatī”ti.

9.10

Dasamaṁ.

9.11

Ānandavaggo tatiyo.

10.0

Tassuddānaṁ

10.1

Channo ājīvako sakko,

10.2

nigaṇṭho ca nivesako;

10.3

Duve bhavā sīlabbataṁ,

10.4

gandhajātañca cūḷanīti.