AN 7 The Book of the Sevens – Sattakanipāta > AN 7.66 The Seven Suns

Numbered Discourses 7.66 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 7.66

7. The Great Chapter – 7. Mahāvagga

AN 7.66 The Seven Suns – Sattasūriyasutta

1.1

So I have heard.

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—

1.2

At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, in Ambapālī’s Wood.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā vesāliyaṁ viharati ambapālivane.

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, conditions are anicca.

“Aniccā, bhikkhave, saṅkhārā;

2.2

Conditions are unstable.

adhuvā, bhikkhave, saṅkhārā;

2.3

Conditions are unreliable.

anassāsikā, bhikkhave, saṅkhārā.

2.4

This is quite enough for you to become disillusioned, dispassionate, and freed regarding all conditions.

Yāvañcidaṁ, bhikkhave, alameva sabbasaṅkhāresu nibbindituṁ alaṁ virajjituṁ alaṁ vimuccituṁ.

3.1

Sineru, the king of mountains, is 84,000 leagues long and 84,000 leagues wide. It sinks 84,000 leagues below the ocean and rises 84,000 leagues above it.

Sineru, bhikkhave, pabbatarājā caturāsītiyojanasahassāni āyāmena, caturāsītiyojanasahassāni vitthārena, caturāsītiyojanasahassāni mahāsamudde ajjhogāḷho, caturāsītiyojanasahassāni mahāsamuddā accuggato.

3.2

There comes a time when, after a very long period has passed, the rain doesn’t fall. For many years, many hundreds, many thousands, many hundreds of thousands of years no rain falls.

Hoti kho so, bhikkhave, samayo yaṁ kadāci karahaci dīghassa addhuno accayena bahūni vassāni bahūni vassasatāni bahūni vassasahassāni bahūni vassasatasahassāni devo na vassati.

3.3

When this happens, the plants and seeds, the herbs, grass, and big trees wither away and dry up, and are no more.

Deve kho pana, bhikkhave, avassante ye kecime bījagāmabhūtagāmā osadhitiṇavanappatayo te ussussanti visussanti, na bhavanti.

3.4

So anicca are conditions,

Evaṁ aniccā, bhikkhave, saṅkhārā;

3.5

so unstable, so unreliable.

evaṁ adhuvā, bhikkhave, saṅkhārā …pe…

3.6

This is quite enough for you to become disillusioned, dispassionate, and freed regarding all conditions.

alaṁ vimuccituṁ.

4.1

There comes a time when, after a very long period has passed, a second sun appears.

Hoti kho so, bhikkhave, samayo yaṁ kadāci karahaci dīghassa addhuno accayena dutiyo sūriyo pātubhavati.

4.2

When this happens, the streams and pools wither away and dry up, and are no more.

Dutiyassa, bhikkhave, sūriyassa pātubhāvā yā kāci kunnadiyo kusobbhā tā ussussanti visussanti, na bhavanti.

4.3

So anicca are conditions …

Evaṁ aniccā, bhikkhave, saṅkhārā …pe…

4.4

alaṁ vimuccituṁ.

5.1

There comes a time when, after a very long period has passed, a third sun appears.

Hoti kho so, bhikkhave, samayo yaṁ kadāci karahaci dīghassa addhuno accayena tatiyo sūriyo pātubhavati.

5.2

When this happens, the great rivers—

Tatiyassa, bhikkhave, sūriyassa pātubhāvā yā kāci mahānadiyo, seyyathidaṁ—

5.3

the Ganges, Yamunā, Aciravatī, Sarabhū, and Mahī—wither away and dry up, and are no more.

gaṅgā, yamunā, aciravatī, sarabhū, mahī, tā ussussanti visussanti, na bhavanti.

5.4

So anicca are conditions …

Evaṁ aniccā, bhikkhave, saṅkhārā …pe…

5.5

alaṁ vimuccituṁ.

6.1

There comes a time when, after a very long period has passed, a fourth sun appears.

Hoti kho so, bhikkhave, samayo yaṁ kadāci karahaci dīghassa addhuno accayena catuttho sūriyo pātubhavati.

6.2

When this happens, the great lakes from which the rivers originate—

Catutthassa, bhikkhave, sūriyassa pātubhāvā ye te mahāsarā yato imā mahānadiyo pavattanti, seyyathidaṁ—

6.3

the Anotattā, Sīhapapātā, Rathakārā, Kaṇṇamuṇḍā, Kuṇālā, Chaddantā, and Mandākinī—wither away and dry up, and are no more.

anotattā, sīhapapātā, rathakārā, kaṇṇamuṇḍā, kuṇālā, chaddantā, mandākiniyā, tā ussussanti visussanti, na bhavanti.

6.4

So anicca are conditions …

Evaṁ aniccā, bhikkhave, saṅkhārā …pe…

6.5

alaṁ vimuccituṁ.

7.1

There comes a time when, after a very long period has passed, a fifth sun appears.

Hoti kho so, bhikkhave, samayo yaṁ kadāci karahaci dīghassa addhuno accayena pañcamo sūriyo pātubhavati.

7.2

When this happens, the water in the ocean sinks by a hundred leagues. It sinks by two, three, four, five, six, or even seven hundred leagues.

Pañcamassa, bhikkhave, sūriyassa pātubhāvā yojanasatikānipi mahāsamudde udakāni ogacchanti, dviyojanasatikānipi mahāsamudde udakāni ogacchanti, tiyojanasatikānipi, catuyojanasatikānipi, pañcayojanasatikānipi, chayojanasatikānipi, sattayojanasatikānipi mahāsamudde udakāni ogacchanti;

7.3

The water that remains in the ocean is only seven palm trees deep. It’s six, five, four, three, two, or even one palm tree deep.

sattatālampi mahāsamudde udakaṁ saṇṭhāti, chatālampi, pañcatālampi, catutālampi, titālampi, dvitālampi, tālamattampi mahāsamudde udakaṁ saṇṭhāti;

7.4

The water that remains in the ocean is only seven fathoms deep. It’s six, five, four, three, two, one or even half a fathom deep. It’s waist high, knee high, or even ankle high.

sattaporisampi mahāsamudde udakaṁ saṇṭhāti, chaporisampi, pañcaporisampi, catuporisampi, tiporisampi, dviporisampi, porisampi, aḍḍhaporisampi, kaṭimattampi, jaṇṇukāmattampi, gopphakamattampi mahāsamudde udakaṁ saṇṭhāti.

7.5

It’s like the time after the rainy season, when the rain falls heavily and water remains here and there in the cows’ hoofprints.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, saradasamaye thullaphusitake deve vassante tattha tattha gopadesu udakāni ṭhitāni honti;

7.6

In the same way, water in the ocean remains here and there in puddles like cows’ hoofprints.

evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, tattha tattha gopphakamattāni mahāsamudde udakāni ṭhitāni honti.

7.7

When the fifth sun appears there’s not even enough water in the great ocean to wet a toe-joint.

Pañcamassa, bhikkhave, sūriyassa pātubhāvā aṅgulipabbamattampi mahāsamudde udakaṁ na hoti.

7.8

So anicca are conditions …

Evaṁ aniccā, bhikkhave, saṅkhārā …pe…

7.9

alaṁ vimuccituṁ.

8.1

There comes a time when, after a very long period has passed, a sixth sun appears.

Hoti kho so, bhikkhave, samayo yaṁ kadāci karahaci dīghassa addhuno accayena chaṭṭho sūriyo pātubhavati.

8.2

When this happens, this great earth and Sineru the king of mountains smoke and smolder and give off fumes.

Chaṭṭhassa, bhikkhave, sūriyassa pātubhāvā ayañca mahāpathavī sineru ca pabbatarājā dhūmāyanti sandhūmāyanti sampadhūmāyanti.

8.3

It’s like when a potter’s kiln is first kindled, and it smokes and smolders and gives off fumes.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, kumbhakārapāko ālepito paṭhamaṁ dhūmeti sandhūmeti sampadhūmeti;

8.4

In the same way, this great earth and Sineru the king of mountains smoke and smolder and give off fumes.

evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, chaṭṭhassa sūriyassa pātubhāvā ayañca mahāpathavī sineru ca pabbatarājā dhūmāyanti sandhūmāyanti sampadhūmāyanti.

8.5

So anicca are conditions …

Evaṁ aniccā, bhikkhave, saṅkhārā …pe…

8.6

alaṁ vimuccituṁ.

9.1

There comes a time when, after a very long period has passed, a seventh sun appears.

Hoti kho so, bhikkhave, samayo yaṁ kadāci karahaci dīghassa addhuno accayena sattamo sūriyo pātubhavati.

9.2

When this happens, this great earth and Sineru the king of mountains erupt in one burning mass of fire.

Sattamassa, bhikkhave, sūriyassa pātubhāvā ayañca mahāpathavī sineru ca pabbatarājā ādippanti pajjalanti ekajālā bhavanti.

9.3

And as they blaze and burn the flames are swept by the wind as far as the Brahmā realm.

Imissā ca, bhikkhave, mahāpathaviyā sinerussa ca pabbatarājassa jhāyamānānaṁ dayhamānānaṁ acci vātena khittā yāva brahmalokāpi gacchati.

9.4

Sineru the king of mountains blazes and burns, crumbling as it’s overcome by the great fire. And meanwhile, mountain peaks a hundred leagues high, or two, three, four, or five hundred leagues high disintegrate as they burn.

Sinerussa, bhikkhave, pabbatarājassa jhāyamānassa dayhamānassa vinassamānassa mahatā tejokhandhena abhibhūtassa yojanasatikānipi kūṭāni palujjanti dviyojanasatikānipi, tiyojanasatikānipi, catuyojanasatikānipi, pañcayojanasatikānipi kūṭāni palujjanti.

9.5

And when the great earth and Sineru the king of mountains blaze and burn, no soot or ash is found.

Imissā ca, bhikkhave, mahāpathaviyā sinerussa ca pabbatarājassa jhāyamānānaṁ dayhamānānaṁ neva chārikā paññāyati na masi.

9.6

It’s like when ghee or oil blaze and burn, and neither ashes nor soot are found.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, sappissa vā telassa vā jhāyamānassa dayhamānassa neva chārikā paññāyati na masi;

9.7

In the same way, when the great earth and Sineru the king of mountains blaze and burn, no soot or ash is found.

evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, imissā ca mahāpathaviyā sinerussa ca pabbatarājassa jhāyamānānaṁ dayhamānānaṁ neva chārikā paññāyati na masi.

9.8

So anicca are conditions,

Evaṁ aniccā, bhikkhave, saṅkhārā;

9.9

so unstable are conditions,

evaṁ adhuvā, bhikkhave, saṅkhārā;

9.10

so unreliable are conditions.

evaṁ anassāsikā, bhikkhave, saṅkhārā.

9.11

This is quite enough for you to become disillusioned, dispassionate, and freed regarding all conditions.

Yāvañcidaṁ, bhikkhave, alameva sabbasaṅkhāresu nibbindituṁ alaṁ virajjituṁ alaṁ vimuccituṁ.

10.1

Bhikkhū, who would ever think or believe that

Tatra, bhikkhave, ko mantā ko saddhātā:

10.2

this earth and Sineru, king of mountains, will burn and crumble and be no more, except for one who has seen the truth?

‘ayañca pathavī sineru ca pabbatarājā dayhissanti vinassissanti, na bhavissantī’ti aññatra diṭṭhapadehi?

11.1

Once upon a time, there was a teacher called Sunetta. He was a religious founder and was free of sensual desire.

Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, sunetto nāma satthā ahosi titthakaro kāmesu vītarāgo.

11.2

He had many hundreds of disciples.

Sunettassa kho pana, bhikkhave, satthuno anekāni sāvakasatāni ahesuṁ.

11.3

He taught them the path to rebirth in the company of Brahmā.

Sunetto, bhikkhave, satthā sāvakānaṁ brahmalokasahabyatāya dhammaṁ desesi.

11.4

Those who totally understood Sunetta’s teachings were—when their body broke up, after death—reborn in a good place, the company of Brahmā.

Ye kho pana, bhikkhave, sunettassa satthuno brahmalokasahabyatāya dhammaṁ desentassa sabbena sabbaṁ sāsanaṁ ājāniṁsu te kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ brahmalokaṁ upapajjiṁsu.

11.5

Of those who didn’t totally understand Sunetta’s teachings, some—when their body broke up, after death—were reborn in the company of the Gods Who Control the Creations of Others. Some were reborn in the company of the Gods Who Love to Create, some with the Joyful Gods, some with the Gods of Yama, some with the Gods of the Thirty-Three, and some with the Gods of the Four Great Kings. Some were reborn in the company of well-to-do aristocrats or brahmins or householders.

Ye na sabbena sabbaṁ sāsanaṁ ājāniṁsu te kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā appekacce paranimmitavasavattīnaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjiṁsu, appekacce nimmānaratīnaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjiṁsu, appekacce tusitānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjiṁsu, appekacce yāmānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjiṁsu, appekacce tāvatiṁsānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjiṁsu, appekacce cātumahārājikānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjiṁsu, appekacce khattiyamahāsālānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjiṁsu, appekacce brāhmaṇamahāsālānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjiṁsu, appekacce gahapatimahāsālānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjiṁsu.

12.1

Then the teacher Sunetta thought:

Atha kho, bhikkhave, sunettassa satthuno etadahosi:

12.2

‘It’s not proper for me to be reborn in the next life in exactly the same place as my disciples. Why don’t I further develop love?’

‘na kho metaṁ patirūpaṁ yohaṁ sāvakānaṁ samasamagatiyo assaṁ abhisamparāyaṁ, yannūnāhaṁ uttari mettaṁ bhāveyyan’ti.

13.1

Then Sunetta developed love for seven years.

Atha kho, bhikkhave, sunetto satthā satta vassāni mettaṁ cittaṁ bhāvesi.

13.2

Having done so he did not return to this world for seven eons of cosmic expansion and contraction.

Satta vassāni mettaṁ cittaṁ bhāvetvā satta saṁvaṭṭavivaṭṭakappe nayimaṁ lokaṁ punarāgamāsi.

13.3

As the cosmos contracted he went to the realm of streaming radiance.

Saṁvaṭṭamāne sudaṁ, bhikkhave, loke ābhassarūpago hoti.

13.4

As it expanded he was reborn in an empty mansion of Brahmā.

Vivaṭṭamāne loke suññaṁ brahmavimānaṁ upapajjati.

13.5

There he was Brahmā, the Great Brahmā, the undefeated, the champion, the universal seer, the wielder of power.

Tatra sudaṁ, bhikkhave, brahmā hoti mahābrahmā abhibhū anabhibhūto aññadatthudaso vasavattī.

13.6

He was Sakka, lord of gods, thirty-six times.

Chattiṁsakkhattuṁ kho pana, bhikkhave, sakko ahosi devānamindo.

13.7

Many hundreds of times he was a king, a wheel-turning monarch, a just and principled king. His dominion extended to all four sides, he achieved stability in the country, and he possessed the seven treasures.

Anekasatakkhattuṁ rājā ahosi cakkavattī dhammiko dhammarājā cāturanto vijitāvī janapadatthāvariyappatto sattaratanasamannāgato.

13.8

He had over a thousand sons who were valiant and heroic, crushing the armies of his enemies.

Parosahassaṁ kho panassa puttā ahesuṁ sūrā vīraṅgarūpā parasenappamaddanā.

13.9

After conquering this land girt by sea, he reigned by principle, without rod or sword.

So imaṁ pathaviṁ sāgarapariyantaṁ adaṇḍena asatthena dhammena abhivijiya ajjhāvasi.

13.10

Yet even though Sunetta lived so long, he was not exempt from

So hi nāma, bhikkhave, sunetto satthā evaṁ dīghāyuko samāno evaṁ ciraṭṭhitiko aparimutto ahosi:

13.11

rebirth, old age, and death. He was not exempt from sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress, I say.

‘jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi, aparimutto dukkhasmā’ti vadāmi.

14.1

Why is that?

Taṁ kissa hetu?

14.2

Because of not understanding and not penetrating four things.

Catunnaṁ dhammānaṁ ananubodhā appaṭivedhā.

14.3

What four?

Katamesaṁ catunnaṁ?

14.4

Noble ethics, samādhi, wisdom, and freedom.

Ariyassa, bhikkhave, sīlassa ananubodhā appaṭivedhā, ariyassa samādhissa ananubodhā appaṭivedhā, ariyāya paññāya ananubodhā appaṭivedhā, ariyāya vimuttiyā ananubodhā appaṭivedhā.

14.5

These noble ethics, samādhi, wisdom, and freedom have been understood and comprehended. Craving for continued existence has been cut off; the conduit to rebirth is ended; now there’ll be no more future lives.”

Tayidaṁ, bhikkhave, ariyaṁ sīlaṁ anubuddhaṁ paṭividdhaṁ, ariyo samādhi anubodho paṭividdho, ariyā paññā anubodhā paṭividdhā, ariyā vimutti anubodhā paṭividdhā, ucchinnā bhavataṇhā, khīṇā bhavanetti, natthi dāni punabbhavo”ti.

14.6

That is what the Buddha said.

Idamavoca bhagavā.

14.7

Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:

Idaṁ vatvāna sugato athāparaṁ etadavoca satthā:

15.1

“Ethics, samādhi, and wisdom,

“Sīlaṁ samādhi paññā ca,

15.2

and the supreme freedom:

vimutti ca anuttarā;

15.3

these things have been understood

Anubuddhā ime dhammā,

15.4

by Gotama the renowned.

gotamena yasassinā.

16.1

And so the Buddha, having insight,

Iti buddho abhiññāya,

16.2

explained this teaching to the bhikkhū.

dhammamakkhāsi bhikkhunaṁ;

16.3

The Teacher has made an end of suffering;

Dukkhassantakaro satthā,

16.4

seeing clearly, he is extinguished.”

cakkhumā parinibbuto”ti.

16.5

Dutiyaṁ.