Aṅguttara Nikāya 7.56
Translators: sujato
Numbered Discourses 7.56
6. Abyākatavagga
6. The Undeclared Points
Tissabrahmāsutta
Tissa the Brahmā
Evaṁ me sutaṁ—
So I have heard.
ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati gijjhakūṭe pabbate.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, on the Vulture’s Peak Mountain.
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:
Then, late at night, two glorious deities, lighting up the entire Vulture’s Peak, went up to the Buddha, bowed, and stood to one side. One deity said to him,
“etā, bhante, bhikkhuniyo vimuttā”ti.
“Sir, these nuns are freed!”
Aparā devatā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
The other deity said to him,
“etā, bhante, bhikkhuniyo anupādisesā suvimuttā”ti.
“Sir, these nuns are well freed without anything left over!”
Idamavocuṁ tā devatā.
This is what those deities said,
Samanuñño satthā ahosi.
and the teacher approved.
Atha kho tā devatā “samanuñño satthā”ti bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā tatthevantaradhāyiṁsu.
Then those deities, knowing that the teacher approved, bowed and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before vanishing right there.
Atha kho bhagavā tassā rattiyā accayena bhikkhū āmantesi:
Then, when the night had passed, the Buddha told the mendicants all that had happened.
“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:
‘etā, bhante, bhikkhuniyo vimuttā’ti.
Aparā devatā maṁ etadavoca:
‘etā, bhante, bhikkhuniyo anupādisesā suvimuttā’ti.
Idamavocuṁ, bhikkhave, tā devatā.
Idaṁ vatvā maṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā tatthevantaradhāyiṁsū”ti.
Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā mahāmoggallāno bhagavato avidūre nisinno hoti.
Now at that time Venerable Mahāmoggallāna was sitting not far from the Buddha.
Atha kho āyasmato mahāmoggallānassa etadahosi:
He thought,
“katamesānaṁ kho devānaṁ evaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti:
“Which gods know whether a person has anything left over or not?”
‘saupādisese vā saupādisesoti, anupādisese vā anupādiseso’”ti?
Tena kho pana samayena tisso nāma bhikkhu adhunākālaṅkato aññataraṁ brahmalokaṁ upapanno hoti.
Now, at that time a monk called Tissa had recently passed away and been reborn in a Brahmā realm.
Tatrāpi naṁ evaṁ jānanti:
There they knew that
“tisso brahmā mahiddhiko mahānubhāvo”ti.
Tissa the Brahmā was very mighty and powerful.
Atha kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno—seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso samiñjitaṁ vā bāhaṁ pasāreyya, pasāritaṁ vā bāhaṁ samiñjeyya; evamevaṁ—gijjhakūṭe pabbate antarahito tasmiṁ brahmaloke pāturahosi.
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.
Addasā kho tisso brahmā āyasmantaṁ mahāmoggallānaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ.
Tissa saw Moggallāna coming off in the distance,
Disvā āyasmantaṁ mahāmoggallānaṁ etadavoca:
and said to him,
“ehi kho, mārisa moggallāna;
“Come, my good Moggallāna!
svāgataṁ, mārisa moggallāna.
Welcome, my good Moggallāna!
Cirassaṁ kho, mārisa moggallāna, imaṁ pariyāyamakāsi, yadidaṁ idhāgamanāya.
It’s been a long time since you took the opportunity to come here.
Nisīda, mārisa moggallāna, idamāsanaṁ paññattan”ti.
Sit, my good Moggallāna, this seat is for you.”
Nisīdi kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno paññatte āsane.
Moggallāna sat down on the seat spread out.
Tissopi kho brahmā āyasmantaṁ mahāmoggallānaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.
Then Tissa bowed to Moggallāna and sat to one side.
Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho tissaṁ brahmānaṁ āyasmā mahāmoggallāno etadavoca:
Moggallāna said to him,
“katamesānaṁ kho, tissa, devānaṁ evaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti:
“Which gods know whether a person has anything left over or not?”
‘saupādisese vā saupādisesoti, anupādisese vā anupādiseso’”ti?
“Brahmakāyikānaṁ kho, mārisa moggallāna, devānaṁ evaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti:
“The gods of Brahmā’s Host know this.”
‘saupādisese vā saupādisesoti, anupādisese vā anupādiseso’”ti.
“Sabbesaññeva kho, tissa, brahmakāyikānaṁ devānaṁ evaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti:
“But do all of them know this?”
‘saupādisese vā saupādisesoti, anupādisese vā anupādiseso’”ti?
“Na kho, mārisa moggallāna, sabbesaṁ brahmakāyikānaṁ devānaṁ evaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti:
“No, my good Moggallāna, not all of them.
‘saupādisese vā saupādisesoti, anupādisese vā anupādiseso’ti.
Ye kho te, mārisa moggallāna, brahmakāyikā devā brahmena āyunā santuṭṭhā brahmena vaṇṇena brahmena sukhena brahmena yasena brahmena ādhipateyyena santuṭṭhā, te uttari nissaraṇaṁ yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti.
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:
Tesaṁ na evaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti:
they don’t know this.
‘saupādisese vā saupādisesoti, anupādisese vā anupādiseso’ti.
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.
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:
Tesaṁ evaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti:
they do know this.
‘saupādisese vā saupādisesoti, anupādisese vā anupādiseso’ti.
Idha, mārisa moggallāna, bhikkhu ubhatobhāgavimutto hoti.
Take a mendicant who is freed both ways.
Tamenaṁ te devā evaṁ jānanti:
The gods know of them:
‘ayaṁ kho āyasmā ubhatobhāgavimutto.
‘This venerable is freed both ways.
Yāvassa kāyo ṭhassati tāva naṁ dakkhanti devamanussā.
As long as their body remains they will be seen by gods and humans.
Kāyassa bhedā na naṁ dakkhanti devamanussā’ti.
But when their body breaks up gods and humans will see them no more.’
Evampi kho, mārisa moggallāna, tesaṁ devānaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti:
This too is how those gods know whether a person has anything left over or not.
‘saupādisese vā saupādisesoti, anupādisese vā anupādiseso’ti.
Idha pana, mārisa moggallāna, bhikkhu paññāvimutto hoti.
Take a mendicant who is freed by wisdom.
Tamenaṁ te devā evaṁ jānanti:
The gods know of them:
‘ayaṁ kho āyasmā paññāvimutto.
‘This venerable is freed by wisdom.
Yāvassa kāyo ṭhassati tāva naṁ dakkhanti devamanussā.
As long as their body remains they will be seen by gods and humans.
Kāyassa bhedā na naṁ dakkhanti devamanussā’ti.
But when their body breaks up gods and humans will see them no more.’
Evampi kho, mārisa moggallāna, tesaṁ devānaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti:
This too is how those gods know whether a person has anything left over or not.
‘saupādisese vā saupādisesoti, anupādisese vā anupādiseso’ti.
Idha pana, mārisa moggallāna, bhikkhu kāyasakkhī hoti.
Take a mendicant who is a direct witness.
Tamenaṁ devā evaṁ jānanti:
The gods know of them:
‘ayaṁ kho āyasmā kāyasakkhī.
‘This venerable is a direct witness.
Appeva nāma ayamāyasmā anulomikāni senāsanāni paṭisevamāno kalyāṇamitte bhajamāno indriyāni samannānayamāno—
Hopefully this venerable will frequent appropriate lodgings, associate with good friends, and control their faculties.
yassatthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṁ—brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihareyyā’ti.
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.’
Evampi kho, mārisa moggallāna, tesaṁ devānaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti:
This too is how those gods know whether a person has anything left over or not.
‘saupādisese vā saupādisesoti, anupādisese vā anupādiseso’ti.
Idha pana, mārisa moggallāna, bhikkhu diṭṭhippatto hoti …pe…
Take a mendicant who is attained to view. …
saddhāvimutto hoti …pe…
freed by faith …
dhammānusārī hoti.
a follower of teachings.
Tamenaṁ te devā evaṁ jānanti:
The gods know of them:
‘ayaṁ kho āyasmā dhammānusārī.
‘This venerable is a follower of teachings.
Appeva nāma ayamāyasmā anulomikāni senāsanāni paṭisevamāno kalyāṇamitte bhajamāno indriyāni samannānayamāno—
Hopefully this venerable will frequent appropriate lodgings, associate with good friends, and control their faculties.
yassatthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṁ—brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihareyyā’ti.
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.’
Evampi kho, mārisa moggallāna, tesaṁ devānaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti:
This too is how those gods know whether a person has anything left over or not.”
‘saupādisese vā saupādisesoti, anupādisese vā anupādiseso’”ti.
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.
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 yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.
Then Mahāmoggallāna went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side,
Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno yāvatako ahosi tissena brahmunā saddhiṁ kathāsallāpo taṁ sabbaṁ bhagavato ārocesi.
and told him what had happened.
“Na hi pana te, moggallāna, tisso brahmā sattamaṁ animittavihāriṁ puggalaṁ deseti”.
“But Moggallāna, Tissa the Brahmā didn’t teach the seventh person, the signless meditator.”
“Etassa, bhagavā, kālo, etassa, sugata, kālo.
“Now is the time, Blessed One! Now is the time, Holy One!
Yaṁ bhagavā sattamaṁ animittavihāriṁ puggalaṁ deseyya. Bhagavato sutvā bhikkhū dhāressantī”ti.
May the Buddha teach the seventh person, the signless meditator. The mendicants will listen and remember it.”
“Tena hi, moggallāna, suṇāhi, sādhukaṁ manasi karohi; bhāsissāmī”ti.
“Well then, Moggallāna, listen and apply your mind well, I will speak.”
“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno bhagavato paccassosi.
“Yes, sir,” Mahāmoggallāna replied.
Bhagavā etadavoca:
The Buddha said this:
“Idha, moggallāna, bhikkhu sabbanimittānaṁ amanasikārā animittaṁ cetosamādhiṁ upasampajja viharati.
“Moggallāna, take the case of a mendicant who, not focusing on any signs, enters and remains in the signless immersion of the heart.
Tamenaṁ te devā evaṁ jānanti:
The gods know of them:
‘ayaṁ kho āyasmā sabbanimittānaṁ amanasikārā animittaṁ cetosamādhiṁ upasampajja viharati.
‘This venerable, not focusing on any signs, enters and remains in the signless immersion of the heart.
Appeva nāma ayamāyasmā anulomikāni senāsanāni paṭisevamāno kalyāṇamitte bhajamāno indriyāni samannānayamāno—
Hopefully this venerable will frequent appropriate lodgings, associate with good friends, and control their faculties.
yassatthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṁ—brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihareyyā’ti.
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.’
Evaṁ kho, moggallāna, tesaṁ devānaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti:
This too is how those gods know whether a person has anything left over or not.”
‘saupādisese vā saupādisesoti, anupādisese vā anupādiseso’”ti.
Tatiyaṁ.