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Numbered Discourses 7.56 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 7.56
6. The Undeclared Points – 6. Abyākatavagga
AN 7.56 Tissa the Brahmā – Tissabrahmāsutta
1.1
So I have heard.
Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
1.2
At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, on the Vulture’s Peak Mountain.
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati gijjhakūṭe pabbate.
1.3
Then, late at night, a glorious deity, lighting up the entire Vulture’s Peak, went up to the Buddha, bowed, stood to one side, and said to him,
Atha kho dve devatā abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ gijjhakūṭaṁ obhāsetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhaṁsu. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho ekā devatā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
1.4
“Sir, these nuns are freed!”
“etā, bhante, bhikkhuniyo vimuttā”ti.
1.5
And another deity told the Buddha,
Aparā devatā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
1.6
“Sir, these nuns are well freed without anything left over!”
“etā, bhante, bhikkhuniyo anupādisesā suvimuttā”ti.
1.7
This is what that deity said,
Idamavocuṁ tā devatā.
1.8
and the teacher approved.
Samanuñño satthā ahosi.
1.9
Then that deity, knowing that the teacher approved, bowed and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before vanishing right there.
Atha kho tā devatā “samanuñño satthā”ti bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā tatthevantaradhāyiṁsu.
2.1
Then, when the night had passed, the Buddha told the bhikkhū all that had happened.
Atha kho bhagavā tassā rattiyā accayena bhikkhū āmantesi:
2.2
“imaṁ, bhikkhave, rattiṁ dve devatā abhikkantāya rattiyā abhikkantavaṇṇā kevalakappaṁ gijjhakūṭaṁ obhāsetvā yenāhaṁ tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā maṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhaṁsu. Ekamantaṁ ṭhitā kho, bhikkhave, ekā devatā maṁ etadavoca:
2.3
‘etā, bhante, bhikkhuniyo vimuttā’ti.
2.4
Aparā devatā maṁ etadavoca:
2.5
‘etā, bhante, bhikkhuniyo anupādisesā suvimuttā’ti.
2.6
Idamavocuṁ, bhikkhave, tā devatā.
2.7
Idaṁ vatvā maṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā tatthevantaradhāyiṁsū”ti.
3.1
Now at that time Venerable Mahāmoggallāna was sitting not far from the Buddha.
Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā mahāmoggallāno bhagavato avidūre nisinno hoti.
3.2
He thought,
Atha kho āyasmato mahāmoggallānassa etadahosi:
3.3
“Which gods know whether a person has anything left over or not?”
“katamesānaṁ kho devānaṁ evaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti:
3.4
‘saupādisese vā saupādisesoti, anupādisese vā anupādiseso’”ti?
3.5
Now, at that time a monk called Tissa had recently passed away and been reborn in a Brahmā realm.
Tena kho pana samayena tisso nāma bhikkhu adhunākālaṅkato aññataraṁ brahmalokaṁ upapanno hoti.
3.6
There they knew that
Tatrāpi naṁ evaṁ jānanti:
3.7
Tissa the Brahmā was very mighty and powerful.
“tisso brahmā mahiddhiko mahānubhāvo”ti.
4.1
And then Venerable Mahāmoggallāna, as easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, vanished from the Vulture’s Peak and reappeared in that Brahmā realm.
Atha kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno—seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso samiñjitaṁ vā bāhaṁ pasāreyya, pasāritaṁ vā bāhaṁ samiñjeyya; evamevaṁ—gijjhakūṭe pabbate antarahito tasmiṁ brahmaloke pāturahosi.
4.2
Tissa saw Moggallāna coming off in the distance,
Addasā kho tisso brahmā āyasmantaṁ mahāmoggallānaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ.
4.3
and said to him,
Disvā āyasmantaṁ mahāmoggallānaṁ etadavoca:
4.4
“Come, my good Moggallāna!
“ehi kho, mārisa moggallāna;
4.5
Welcome, my good Moggallāna!
svāgataṁ, mārisa moggallāna.
4.6
It’s been a long time since you took the opportunity to come here.
Cirassaṁ kho, mārisa moggallāna, imaṁ pariyāyamakāsi, yadidaṁ idhāgamanāya.
4.7
Sit, my good Moggallāna, this seat is for you.”
Nisīda, mārisa moggallāna, idamāsanaṁ paññattan”ti.
4.8
Moggallāna sat down on the seat spread out.
Nisīdi kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno paññatte āsane.
4.9
Then Tissa bowed to Moggallāna and sat to one side.
Tissopi kho brahmā āyasmantaṁ mahāmoggallānaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.
4.10
Moggallāna said to him,
Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho tissaṁ brahmānaṁ āyasmā mahāmoggallāno etadavoca:
4.11
“Which gods know whether a person has anything left over or not?”
“katamesānaṁ kho, tissa, devānaṁ evaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti:
4.12
‘saupādisese vā saupādisesoti, anupādisese vā anupādiseso’”ti?
4.13
“The gods of Brahmā’s Host know this.”
“Brahmakāyikānaṁ kho, mārisa moggallāna, devānaṁ evaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti:
4.14
‘saupādisese vā saupādisesoti, anupādisese vā anupādiseso’”ti.
5.1
“But do all of them know this?”
“Sabbesaññeva kho, tissa, brahmakāyikānaṁ devānaṁ evaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti:
5.2
‘saupādisese vā saupādisesoti, anupādisese vā anupādiseso’”ti?
5.3
“No, my good Moggallāna, not all of them.
“Na kho, mārisa moggallāna, sabbesaṁ brahmakāyikānaṁ devānaṁ evaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti:
5.4
‘saupādisese vā saupādisesoti, anupādisese vā anupādiseso’ti.
6.1
Those gods of Brahmā’s Host who are content with the lifespan of Brahmā, with the beauty, happiness, fame, and sovereignty of Brahmā, and who don’t truly understand any higher escape:
Ye kho te, mārisa moggallāna, brahmakāyikā devā brahmena āyunā santuṭṭhā brahmena vaṇṇena brahmena sukhena brahmena yasena brahmena ādhipateyyena santuṭṭhā, te uttari nissaraṇaṁ yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti.
6.2
they don’t know this.
Tesaṁ na evaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti:
6.3
‘saupādisese vā saupādisesoti, anupādisese vā anupādiseso’ti.
6.4
But those gods of Brahmā’s Host who are not content with the lifespan of Brahmā, with the beauty, happiness, fame, and sovereignty of Brahmā, and who do truly understand a higher escape:
Ye ca kho te, mārisa moggallāna, brahmakāyikā devā brahmena āyunā asantuṭṭhā, brahmena vaṇṇena brahmena sukhena brahmena yasena brahmena ādhipateyyena asantuṭṭhā, te ca uttari nissaraṇaṁ yathābhūtaṁ pajānanti.
6.5
they do know this.
Tesaṁ evaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti:
6.6
‘saupādisese vā saupādisesoti, anupādisese vā anupādiseso’ti.
7.1
Take a bhikkhu who is freed both ways.
Idha, mārisa moggallāna, bhikkhu ubhatobhāgavimutto hoti.
7.2
The gods know of them:
Tamenaṁ te devā evaṁ jānanti:
7.3
‘This venerable is freed both ways.
‘ayaṁ kho āyasmā ubhatobhāgavimutto.
7.4
As long as their body remains they will be seen by gods and humans.
Yāvassa kāyo ṭhassati tāva naṁ dakkhanti devamanussā.
7.5
But when their body breaks up gods and humans will see them no more.’
Kāyassa bhedā na naṁ dakkhanti devamanussā’ti.
7.6
This too is how those gods know whether a person has anything left over or not.
Evampi kho, mārisa moggallāna, tesaṁ devānaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti:
7.7
‘saupādisese vā saupādisesoti, anupādisese vā anupādiseso’ti.
8.1
Take a bhikkhu who is freed by wisdom.
Idha pana, mārisa moggallāna, bhikkhu paññāvimutto hoti.
8.2
The gods know of them:
Tamenaṁ te devā evaṁ jānanti:
8.3
‘This venerable is freed by wisdom.
‘ayaṁ kho āyasmā paññāvimutto.
8.4
As long as their body remains they will be seen by gods and humans.
Yāvassa kāyo ṭhassati tāva naṁ dakkhanti devamanussā.
8.5
But when their body breaks up gods and humans will see them no more.’
Kāyassa bhedā na naṁ dakkhanti devamanussā’ti.
8.6
This too is how those gods know whether a person has anything left over or not.
Evampi kho, mārisa moggallāna, tesaṁ devānaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti:
8.7
‘saupādisese vā saupādisesoti, anupādisese vā anupādiseso’ti.
9.1
Take a bhikkhu who is a personal witness.
Idha pana, mārisa moggallāna, bhikkhu kāyasakkhī hoti.
9.2
The gods know of them:
Tamenaṁ devā evaṁ jānanti:
9.3
‘This venerable is a personal witness.
‘ayaṁ kho āyasmā kāyasakkhī.
9.4
Hopefully this venerable will frequent appropriate lodgings, associate with good friends, and control their faculties.
Appeva nāma ayamāyasmā anulomikāni senāsanāni paṭisevamāno kalyāṇamitte bhajamāno indriyāni samannānayamāno—
9.5
Then they might realize the supreme culmination of the spiritual path in this very life, and live having achieved with their own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness.’
yassatthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṁ—brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihareyyā’ti.
9.6
This too is how those gods know whether a person has anything left over or not.
Evampi kho, mārisa moggallāna, tesaṁ devānaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti:
9.7
‘saupādisese vā saupādisesoti, anupādisese vā anupādiseso’ti.
10.1
Take a bhikkhu who is attained to view. …
Idha pana, mārisa moggallāna, bhikkhu diṭṭhippatto hoti …pe…
10.2
freed by faith …
saddhāvimutto hoti …pe…
10.3
a follower of the teachings.
dhammānusārī hoti.
10.4
The gods know of them:
Tamenaṁ te devā evaṁ jānanti:
10.5
‘This venerable is a follower of the teachings.
‘ayaṁ kho āyasmā dhammānusārī.
10.6
Hopefully this venerable will frequent appropriate lodgings, associate with good friends, and control their faculties.
Appeva nāma ayamāyasmā anulomikāni senāsanāni paṭisevamāno kalyāṇamitte bhajamāno indriyāni samannānayamāno—
10.7
Then they might realize the supreme culmination of the spiritual path in this very life, and live having achieved with their own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness.’
yassatthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṁ—brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihareyyā’ti.
10.8
This too is how those gods know whether a person has anything left over or not.”
Evampi kho, mārisa moggallāna, tesaṁ devānaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti:
10.9
‘saupādisese vā saupādisesoti, anupādisese vā anupādiseso’”ti.
11.1
Moggallāna approved and agreed with what Tissa the Brahmā said. Then, as easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, he vanished from the Brahmā realm and reappeared on the Vulture’s Peak.
Atha kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno tissassa brahmuno bhāsitaṁ abhinanditvā anumoditvā—seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso samiñjitaṁ vā bāhaṁ pasāreyya, pasāritaṁ vā bāhaṁ samiñjeyya; evamevaṁ—brahmaloke antarahito gijjhakūṭe pabbate pāturahosi.
11.2
Then Mahāmoggallāna went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side,
Atha kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.
11.3
and told him what had happened.
Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno yāvatako ahosi tissena brahmunā saddhiṁ kathāsallāpo taṁ sabbaṁ bhagavato ārocesi.
12.1
“But Moggallāna, Tissa the Brahmā didn’t teach the seventh person, the signless meditator.”
“Na hi pana te, moggallāna, tisso brahmā sattamaṁ animittavihāriṁ puggalaṁ deseti”.
12.2
“Now is the time, Blessed One! Now is the time, Holy One!
“Etassa, bhagavā, kālo, etassa, sugata, kālo.
12.3
May the Buddha teach the seventh person, the signless meditator. The bhikkhū will listen and remember it.”
Yaṁ bhagavā sattamaṁ animittavihāriṁ puggalaṁ deseyya. Bhagavato sutvā bhikkhū dhāressantī”ti.
12.4
“Well then, Moggallāna, listen and pay close attention, I will speak.”
“Tena hi, moggallāna, suṇāhi, sādhukaṁ manasi karohi; bhāsissāmī”ti.
12.5
“Yes, sir,” Mahāmoggallāna replied.
“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno bhagavato paccassosi.
12.6
The Buddha said this:
Bhagavā etadavoca:
13.1
“Moggallāna, take the case of a bhikkhu who, not focusing on any signs, enters and remains in the signless samādhi of the heart.
“Idha, moggallāna, bhikkhu sabbanimittānaṁ amanasikārā animittaṁ cetosamādhiṁ upasampajja viharati.
13.2
The gods know of them:
Tamenaṁ te devā evaṁ jānanti:
13.3
‘This venerable, not focusing on any signs, enters and remains in the signless samādhi of the heart.
‘ayaṁ kho āyasmā sabbanimittānaṁ amanasikārā animittaṁ cetosamādhiṁ upasampajja viharati.
13.4
Hopefully this venerable will frequent appropriate lodgings, associate with good friends, and control their faculties.
Appeva nāma ayamāyasmā anulomikāni senāsanāni paṭisevamāno kalyāṇamitte bhajamāno indriyāni samannānayamāno—
13.5
Then they might realize the supreme culmination of the spiritual path in this very life, and live having achieved with their own insight the goal for which gentlemen rightly go forth from the lay life to homelessness.’
yassatthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṁ—brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihareyyā’ti.
13.6
This too is how those gods know whether a person has anything left over or not.”
Evaṁ kho, moggallāna, tesaṁ devānaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti:
13.7
‘saupādisese vā saupādisesoti, anupādisese vā anupādiseso’”ti.
13.8
Tatiyaṁ.