AN 4 The Book of the Fours – Catukkanipāta > AN 4.45 With Rohitassa

Numbered Discourses 4.45 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.45

5. With Rohitassa – 5. Rohitassavagga

AN 4.45 With Rohitassa – Rohitassasutta

1.1

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

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

1.2

Then, late at night, the glorious god Rohitassa, lighting up the entire Jeta’s Grove, went up to the Buddha, bowed, stood to one side, and said to him:

Atha kho rohitasso devaputto abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇo kevalakappaṁ jetavanaṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. Ekamantaṁ ṭhito kho rohitasso devaputto bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

2.1

“Sir, is it possible to know or see or reach the end of the world by traveling to a place where there’s no being born, growing old, dying, passing away, or being reborn?”

“Yattha nu kho, bhante, na jāyati na jīyati na mīyati na cavati na upapajjati, sakkā nu kho so, bhante, gamanena lokassa anto ñātuṁ vā daṭṭhuṁ vā pāpuṇituṁ vā”ti?

2.2

“Reverend, I say it’s not possible to know or see or reach the end of the world by traveling to a place where there’s no being born, growing old, dying, passing away, or being reborn.”

“Yattha kho, āvuso, na jāyati na jīyati na mīyati na cavati na upapajjati, nāhaṁ taṁ gamanena lokassa antaṁ ñāteyyaṁ daṭṭheyyaṁ patteyyanti vadāmī”ti.

3.1

“It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing,

“Acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ, bhante.

3.2

how well said this was by the Buddha.

Yāva subhāsitamidaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā:

3.3

‘yattha kho, āvuso, na jāyati na jīyati na mīyati na cavati na upapajjati, nāhaṁ taṁ gamanena lokassa antaṁ ñāteyyaṁ daṭṭheyyaṁ patteyyanti vadāmī’”ti.

4.1

Once upon a time, I was a hermit called Rohitassa, son of Bhoja. I was a sky-walker with psychic powers.

“Bhūtapubbāhaṁ, bhante, rohitasso nāma isi ahosiṁ bhojaputto iddhimā vehāsaṅgamo.

4.2

I was as fast as a light arrow easily shot across the shadow of a palm tree by a well-trained expert archer with a strong bow.

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhante, evarūpo javo ahosi, seyyathāpi nāma daḷhadhammā dhanuggaho sikkhito katahattho katūpāsano lahukena asanena appakasirena tiriyaṁ tālacchāyaṁ atipāteyya.

4.3

My stride was such that it could span from the eastern ocean to the western ocean.

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhante, evarūpo padavītihāro ahosi, seyyathāpi nāma puratthimā samuddā pacchimo samuddo.

4.4

Having such speed and stride, this wish came to me:

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhante, evarūpena javena samannāgatassa evarūpena ca padavītihārena evarūpaṁ icchāgataṁ uppajji:

4.5

‘I will reach the end of the world by traveling.’

‘ahaṁ gamanena lokassa antaṁ pāpuṇissāmī’ti.

4.6

I traveled for my whole lifespan of a hundred years—pausing only to eat and drink, go to the toilet, and sleep to dispel weariness—and I passed away along the way, never reaching the end of the world.

So kho ahaṁ, bhante, aññatreva asitapītakhāyitasāyitā aññatra uccārapassāvakammā aññatra niddākilamathapaṭivinodanā vassasatāyuko vassasatajīvī vassasataṁ gantvā appatvāva lokassa antaṁ antarāyeva kālaṅkato.

5.1

It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing,

Acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ, bhante.

5.2

how well said this was by the Buddha.”

Yāva subhāsitamidaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā:

5.3

‘yattha kho, āvuso, na jāyati na jīyati na mīyati na cavati na upapajjati, nāhaṁ taṁ gamanena lokassa antaṁ ñāteyyaṁ daṭṭheyyaṁ patteyyanti vadāmī’”ti.

6.1

“Reverend, I say it’s not possible to know or see or reach the end of the world by traveling to a place where there’s no being born, growing old, dying, passing away, or being reborn.

“‘Yattha kho, āvuso, na jāyati na jīyati na mīyati na cavati na upapajjati, nāhaṁ taṁ gamanena lokassa antaṁ ñāteyyaṁ daṭṭheyyaṁ patteyyan’ti vadāmi.

6.2

But I also say there’s no making an end of suffering without reaching the end of the world.

Na cāhaṁ, āvuso, appatvāva lokassa antaṁ dukkhassa antakiriyaṁ vadāmi.

6.3

For it is in this fathom-long carcass with its perception and mind that I describe the world, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation.

Api cāhaṁ, āvuso, imasmiṁyeva byāmamatte kaḷevare sasaññimhi samanake lokañca paññāpemi lokasamudayañca lokanirodhañca lokanirodhagāminiñca paṭipadanti.

7.1

The end of the world can never

Gamanena na pattabbo,

7.2

be reached by traveling.

lokassanto kudācanaṁ;

7.3

But without reaching the end of the world,

Na ca appatvā lokantaṁ,

7.4

there’s no release from suffering.

dukkhā atthi pamocanaṁ.

8.1

So a clever person, understanding the world,

Tasmā have lokavidū sumedho,

8.2

has completed the spiritual journey, and gone to the end of the world.

Lokantagū vusitabrahmacariyo;

8.3

A peaceful one, knowing the end of the world,

Lokassa antaṁ samitāvi ñatvā,

8.4

does not long for this world or the next.”

Nāsīsatī lokamimaṁ parañcā”ti.

8.5

Pañcamaṁ.