AN 4 The Book of the Fours – Catukkanipāta > AN 4.21 At Uruvelā (1st)

Numbered Discourses 4.21 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.21

3. At Uruvelā – 3. Uruvelavagga

AN 4.21 At Uruvelā (1st) – Paṭhamauruvelasutta

1.1

So I have heard.

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—

1.2

At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

1.3

There the Buddha addressed the bhikkhū,

Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:

1.4

“Bhikkhū!”

“bhikkhavo”ti.

1.5

“Venerable sir,” they replied.

“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ.

1.6

The Buddha said this:

Bhagavā etadavoca:

2.1

“Bhikkhū, this one time, when I was first awakened, I was staying near Uruvelā at the goatherd’s banyan tree on the bank of the Nerañjarā River.

“Ekamidāhaṁ, bhikkhave, samayaṁ uruvelāyaṁ viharāmi najjā nerañjarāya tīre ajapālanigrodhe paṭhamābhisambuddho.

2.2

As I was in private retreat this thought came to mind:

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi:

2.3

‘One without respect and reverence lives in suffering.

‘dukkhaṁ kho agāravo viharati appatisso.

2.4

What ascetic or brahmin should I honor and respect and rely on?’

Kiṁ nu kho ahaṁ samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya vihareyyan’ti?

3.1

Then it occurred to me:

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi:

3.2

‘I would honor and respect and rely on another ascetic or brahmin so as to complete the entire spectrum of ethics, if it were incomplete.

‘aparipūrassa kho ahaṁ sīlakkhandhassa pāripūriyā aññaṁ samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya vihareyyaṁ.

3.3

But I don’t see any other ascetic or brahmin in this world—with its gods, Māras, and Brahmās, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans—who is more accomplished than myself in ethics, who I should honor and respect and rely on.

Na kho panāhaṁ passāmi sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya aññaṁ samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā attanā sīlasampannataraṁ, yamahaṁ sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya vihareyyaṁ.

4.1

I would honor and respect and rely on another ascetic or brahmin so as to complete the entire spectrum of samādhi, if it were incomplete.

Aparipūrassa kho ahaṁ samādhikkhandhassa pāripūriyā aññaṁ samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya vihareyyaṁ.

4.2

But I don’t see any other ascetic or brahmin … who is more accomplished than myself in samādhi …

Na kho panāhaṁ passāmi sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya aññaṁ samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā attanā samādhisampannataraṁ, yamahaṁ sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya vihareyyaṁ.

5.1

I would honor and respect and rely on another ascetic or brahmin so as to complete the entrie spectrum of wisdom, if it were incomplete.

Aparipūrassa kho ahaṁ paññākkhandhassa pāripūriyā aññaṁ samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya vihareyyaṁ.

5.2

But I don’t see any other ascetic or brahmin in this world … who is more accomplished than myself in wisdom …

Na kho panāhaṁ passāmi sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya aññaṁ samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā attanā paññāsampannataraṁ, yamahaṁ sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya vihareyyaṁ.

6.1

I would honor and respect and rely on another ascetic or brahmin so as to complete the entire spectrum of freedom, if it were incomplete.

Aparipūrassa kho ahaṁ vimuttikkhandhassa pāripūriyā aññaṁ samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya vihareyyaṁ.

6.2

But I don’t see any other ascetic or brahmin in this world … who is more accomplished than myself in freedom …’

Na kho panāhaṁ passāmi sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya aññaṁ samaṇaṁ vā brāhmaṇaṁ vā attanā vimuttisampannataraṁ, yamahaṁ sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya vihareyyan’ti.

7.1

Then it occurred to me:

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi:

7.2

‘Why don’t I honor and respect and rely on the same teaching to which I was awakened?’

‘yannūnāhaṁ yvāyaṁ dhammo mayā abhisambuddho tameva dhammaṁ sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya vihareyyan’ti.

8.1

And then Brahmā Sahampati, knowing what I was thinking, vanished from the Brahmā realm and appeared in front of me, as easily as a strong man would extend or contract his arm.

Atha kho, bhikkhave, brahmā sahampati mama cetasā cetoparivitakkamaññāya—seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso samiñjitaṁ vā bāhaṁ pasāreyya, pasāritaṁ vā bāhaṁ samiñjeyya; evamevaṁ—brahmaloke antarahito mama purato pāturahosi.

8.2

He arranged his robe over one shoulder, raised his joined palms toward me, and said:

Atha kho, bhikkhave, brahmā sahampati ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā dakkhiṇaṁ jāṇumaṇḍalaṁ pathaviyaṁ nihantvā yenāhaṁ tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā maṁ etadavoca:

8.3

‘That’s so true, Blessed One! That’s so true, Holy One!

‘evametaṁ, bhagavā, evametaṁ, sugata.

8.4

All the perfected ones, the fully awakened Buddhas who lived in the past honored and respected and relied on this same teaching.

Yepi te, bhante, ahesuṁ atītamaddhānaṁ arahanto sammāsambuddhā tepi bhagavanto dhammaṁyeva sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya vihariṁsu;

8.5

All the perfected ones, the fully awakened Buddhas who will live in the future will honor and respect and rely on this same teaching.

yepi te, bhante, bhavissanti anāgatamaddhānaṁ arahanto sammāsambuddhā tepi bhagavanto dhammaṁyeva sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya viharissanti;

8.6

May the Blessed One, who is the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha at present, also honor and respect and rely on this same teaching.’

bhagavāpi, bhante, etarahi arahaṁ sammāsambuddho dhammaṁyeva sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya viharatū’ti.

8.7

That’s what Brahmā Sahampati said.

Idamavoca brahmā sahampati.

8.8

Then he went on to say:

Idaṁ vatvā athāparaṁ etadavoca:

9.1

‘All Buddhas, whether in the past,

‘Ye ca atītā sambuddhā,

9.2

the Buddhas of the future,

ye ca buddhā anāgatā;

9.3

and the Buddha at present—

Yo cetarahi sambuddho,

9.4

destroyer of the sorrows of many—

bahūnaṁ sokanāsano.

10.1

respecting the true teaching

Sabbe saddhammagaruno,

10.2

they did live, they do live,

vihaṁsu viharanti ca;

10.3

and they also will live.

Athopi viharissanti,

10.4

This is the nature of the Buddhas.

esā buddhāna dhammatā.

11.1

Therefore someone who cares for their own welfare,

Tasmā hi attakāmena,

11.2

and wants to become the very best they can be,

mahattamabhikaṅkhatā;

11.3

should respect the true teaching,

Saddhammo garukātabbo,

11.4

remembering the instructions of the Buddhas.’

saraṁ buddhāna sāsanan’ti.

12.1

That’s what Brahmā Sahampati said.

Idamavoca, bhikkhave, brahmā sahampati.

12.2

Then he bowed and respectfully circled me, keeping me on his right side, before vanishing right there.

Idaṁ vatvā maṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā tatthevantaradhāyi.

12.3

Then, knowing the request of Brahmā and what was suitable for myself, I honored and respected and relied on the same teaching to which I was awakened.

Atha khvāhaṁ, bhikkhave, brahmuno ca ajjhesanaṁ viditvā attano ca patirūpaṁ yvāyaṁ dhammo mayā abhisambuddho tameva dhammaṁ sakkatvā garuṁ katvā upanissāya vihāsiṁ.

12.4

And since the Saṅgha has also achieved greatness, I also respect the Saṅgha.”

Yato ca kho, bhikkhave, saṅghopi mahattena samannāgato, atha me saṅghepi gāravo”ti.

12.5

Paṭhamaṁ.