AN 8 The Book of the Eights – Aṭṭhakanipāta > AN 8.64 At Gayā Head

Numbered Discourses 8.64 – Aṅguttara Nikāya 8.64

7. Earthquakes – 7. Bhūmicālavagga

AN 8.64 At Gayā Head – Gayāsīsasutta

1.1

At one time the Buddha was staying near Gayā on Gayā Head.

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā gayāyaṁ viharati gayāsīse.

1.2

There the Buddha addressed the bhikkhū:

Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi …pe…

1.3

“Bhikkhū, before my awakening—when I was still not awake but intent on awakening—I perceived light but did not see visions.

“pubbāhaṁ, bhikkhave, sambodhā anabhisambuddho bodhisattova samāno obhāsaññeva kho sañjānāmi, no ca rūpāni passāmi.

2.1

Then it occurred to me,

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi:

2.2

‘What if I were to both perceive light and see visions?

‘sace kho ahaṁ obhāsañceva sañjāneyyaṁ rūpāni ca passeyyaṁ;

2.3

Then my knowledge and vision would become even more purified.’

evaṁ me idaṁ ñāṇadassanaṁ parisuddhataraṁ assā’ti.

3.1

So after some time, living alone, withdrawn, diligent, keen, and resolute, I perceived light and saw visions.

So kho ahaṁ, bhikkhave, aparena samayena appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto obhāsañceva sañjānāmi, rūpāni ca passāmi;

3.2

But I didn’t associate with those deities, converse, or engage in discussion.

no ca kho tāhi devatāhi saddhiṁ santiṭṭhāmi sallapāmi sākacchaṁ samāpajjāmi.

4.1

Then it occurred to me,

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi:

4.2

‘What if I were to perceive light and see visions; and associate with those deities, converse, and engage in discussion?

‘sace kho ahaṁ obhāsañceva sañjāneyyaṁ, rūpāni ca passeyyaṁ, tāhi ca devatāhi saddhiṁ santiṭṭheyyaṁ sallapeyyaṁ sākacchaṁ samāpajjeyyaṁ;

4.3

Then my knowledge and vision would become even more purified.’

evaṁ me idaṁ ñāṇadassanaṁ parisuddhataraṁ assā’ti.

5.1

So after some time … I perceived light and saw visions. And I associated with those deities, conversed, and engaged in discussion.

So kho ahaṁ, bhikkhave, aparena samayena appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto obhāsañceva sañjānāmi, rūpāni ca passāmi, tāhi ca devatāhi saddhiṁ santiṭṭhāmi sallapāmi sākacchaṁ samāpajjāmi;

5.2

But I didn’t know which

no ca kho tā devatā jānāmi—

5.3

orders of gods those deities came from.

imā devatā amukamhā vā amukamhā vā devanikāyāti.

6.1

Then it occurred to me,

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi:

6.2

‘What if I were to perceive light and see visions; and associate with those deities, converse, and engage in discussion;

‘sace kho ahaṁ obhāsañceva sañjāneyyaṁ, rūpāni ca passeyyaṁ, tāhi ca devatāhi saddhiṁ santiṭṭheyyaṁ sallapeyyaṁ sākacchaṁ samāpajjeyyaṁ, tā ca devatā jāneyyaṁ:

6.3

and find out which orders of gods those deities come from?

“imā devatā amukamhā vā amukamhā vā devanikāyā”ti;

6.4

Then my knowledge and vision would become even more purified.’

evaṁ me idaṁ ñāṇadassanaṁ parisuddhataraṁ assā’ti.

7.1

So after some time … I perceived light and saw visions. And I associated with those deities … And I found out which orders of gods those deities came from.

7.2

‘imā devatā amukamhā vā amukamhā vā devanikāyā’ti;

7.3

But I didn’t know what

no ca kho tā devatā jānāmi:

7.4

deeds caused those deities to be reborn there after passing away from here.

‘imā devatā imassa kammassa vipākena ito cutā tattha upapannā’ti …pe…

7.5

So after some time … I found out what

tā ca devatā jānāmi:

7.6

deeds caused those deities to be reborn there after passing away from here.

‘imā devatā imassa kammassa vipākena ito cutā tattha upapannā’ti;

7.7

But I didn’t know what

no ca kho tā devatā jānāmi:

7.8

deeds caused those deities to have such food and such an experience of pleasure and pain.

‘imā devatā imassa kammassa vipākena evamāhārā evaṁsukhadukkhappaṭisaṁvediniyo’ti …pe…

7.9

So after some time … I found out what

tā ca devatā jānāmi:

7.10

deeds caused those deities to have such food and such an experience of pleasure and pain.

‘imā devatā imassa kammassa vipākena evamāhārā evaṁsukhadukkhappaṭisaṁvediniyo’ti;

7.11

But I didn’t know that

no ca kho tā devatā jānāmi:

7.12

these deities have a life-span of such a length.

‘imā devatā evaṁdīghāyukā evaṁciraṭṭhitikā’ti …pe…

7.13

So after some time … I found out that

tā ca devatā jānāmi:

7.14

these deities have a life-span of such a length.

‘imā devatā evaṁdīghāyukā evaṁciraṭṭhitikā’ti;

7.15

But I didn’t know whether or not I had previously lived together with those deities.

no ca kho tā devatā jānāmi yadi vā me imāhi devatāhi saddhiṁ sannivutthapubbaṁ yadi vā na sannivutthapubbanti.

8.1

Then it occurred to me,

Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, etadahosi:

8.2

‘What if I were to perceive light and see visions; and associate with those deities, converse, and engage in discussion;

‘sace kho ahaṁ obhāsañceva sañjāneyyaṁ, rūpāni ca passeyyaṁ, tāhi ca devatāhi saddhiṁ santiṭṭheyyaṁ sallapeyyaṁ sākacchaṁ samāpajjeyyaṁ, tā ca devatā jāneyyaṁ:

8.3

and find out which orders of gods those deities come from;

“imā devatā amukamhā vā amukamhā vā devanikāyā”ti, tā ca devatā jāneyyaṁ:

8.4

and what deeds caused those deities to be reborn there after passing away from here;

“imā devatā imassa kammassa vipākena ito cutā tattha upapannā”ti, tā ca devatā jāneyyaṁ:

8.5

and what deeds caused those deities to have such food and such an experience of pleasure and pain;

“imā devatā evamāhārā evaṁsukhadukkhappaṭisaṁvediniyo”ti, tā ca devatā jāneyyaṁ:

8.6

and that these deities have a life-span of such a length; and whether or not I have previously lived together with those deities?

“imā devatā evaṁdīghāyukā evaṁciraṭṭhitikā”ti, tā ca devatā jāneyyaṁ yadi vā me imāhi devatāhi saddhiṁ sannivutthapubbaṁ yadi vā na sannivutthapubbanti;

8.7

Then my knowledge and vision would become even more purified.’

evaṁ me idaṁ ñāṇadassanaṁ parisuddhataraṁ assā’ti.

9.1

So after some time …

9.2

‘imā devatā amukamhā vā amukamhā vā devanikāyā’ti, tā ca devatā jānāmi:

9.3

‘imā devatā imassa kammassa vipākena ito cutā tattha upapannā’ti, tā ca devatā jānāmi:

9.4

‘imā devatā evamāhārā evaṁsukhadukkhappaṭisaṁvediniyo’ti, tā ca devatā jānāmi:

9.5

I found out whether or not I have previously lived together with those deities.

‘imā devatā evaṁdīghāyukā evaṁciraṭṭhitikā’ti, tā ca devatā jānāmi yadi vā me devatāhi saddhiṁ sannivutthapubbaṁ yadi vā na sannivutthapubbanti.

10.1

As long as my knowledge and vision about the deities was not fully purified from these eight perspectives, I didn’t announce my supreme perfect awakening in this world with its gods, Māras, and Brahmās, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans.

Yāvakīvañca me, bhikkhave, evaṁ aṭṭhaparivaṭṭaṁ adhidevañāṇadassanaṁ na suvisuddhaṁ ahosi, neva tāvāhaṁ, bhikkhave, ‘sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya anuttaraṁ sammāsambodhiṁ abhisambuddho’ti paccaññāsiṁ.

10.2

But when my knowledge and vision about the deities was fully purified from these eight perspectives, I announced my supreme perfect awakening in this world with its gods, Māras, and Brahmās, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans.

Yato ca kho me, bhikkhave, evaṁ aṭṭhaparivaṭṭaṁ adhidevañāṇadassanaṁ suvisuddhaṁ ahosi, athāhaṁ, bhikkhave, ‘sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya anuttaraṁ sammāsambodhiṁ abhisambuddho’ti paccaññāsiṁ;

10.3

Knowledge and vision arose in me:

ñāṇañca pana me dassanaṁ udapādi;

10.4

‘My freedom is unshakable; this is my last rebirth; now there’ll be no more future lives.’”

akuppā me cetovimutti; ayamantimā jāti natthi dāni punabbhavo”ti.

10.5

Catutthaṁ.