Aṅguttara Nikāya 8.69
Translators: sujato
Numbered Discourses 8.69
7. Bhūmicālavagga
7. Earthquakes
Parisāsutta
Assemblies
“Aṭṭhimā, bhikkhave, parisā.
“Mendicants, there are these eight assemblies.
Katamā aṭṭha?
What eight?
Khattiyaparisā, brāhmaṇaparisā, gahapatiparisā, samaṇaparisā, cātumahārājikaparisā, tāvatiṁsaparisā, māraparisā, brahmaparisā.
The assemblies of aristocrats, brahmins, householders, and ascetics. An assembly of the gods under the Four Great Kings. An assembly of the gods under the Thirty-Three. An assembly of Māras. An assembly of Brahmās.
Abhijānāmi kho panāhaṁ, bhikkhave, anekasataṁ khattiyaparisaṁ upasaṅkamitā.
I recall having approached an assembly of hundreds of aristocrats.
Tatrapi mayā sannisinnapubbañceva sallapitapubbañca sākacchā ca samāpannapubbā.
There I used to sit with them, converse, and engage in discussion.
Tattha yādisako tesaṁ vaṇṇo hoti tādisako mayhaṁ vaṇṇo hoti, yādisako tesaṁ saro hoti tādisako mayhaṁ saro hoti.
And my appearance and voice became just like theirs.
Dhammiyā ca kathāya sandassemi samādapemi samuttejemi sampahaṁsemi.
I educated, encouraged, fired up, and inspired them with a Dhamma talk.
Bhāsamānañca maṁ na jānanti:
But when I spoke they didn’t know:
‘ko nu kho ayaṁ bhāsati devo vā manusso vā’ti.
‘Who is this that speaks? Is it a god or a human?’
Dhammiyā kathāya sandassetvā samādapetvā samuttejetvā sampahaṁsetvā antaradhāyāmi.
And when my Dhamma talk was finished I vanished.
Antarahitañca maṁ na jānanti:
But when I vanished they didn’t know:
‘ko nu kho ayaṁ antarahito devo vā manusso vā’ti.
‘Who was that who vanished? Was it a god or a human?’
Abhijānāmi kho panāhaṁ, bhikkhave, anekasataṁ brāhmaṇaparisaṁ …pe…
I recall having approached an assembly of hundreds of brahmins …
gahapatiparisaṁ …
householders …
samaṇaparisaṁ …
ascetics …
cātumahārājikaparisaṁ …
the gods under the Four Great Kings …
tāvatiṁsaparisaṁ …
the gods under the Thirty-Three …
māraparisaṁ …
Māras …
brahmaparisaṁ upasaṅkamitā.
Brahmās.
Tatrapi mayā sannisinnapubbañceva sallapitapubbañca sākacchā ca samāpannapubbā.
There too I used to sit with them, converse, and engage in discussion.
Tattha yādisako tesaṁ vaṇṇo hoti tādisako mayhaṁ vaṇṇo hoti, yādisako tesaṁ saro hoti tādisako mayhaṁ saro hoti.
And my appearance and voice became just like theirs.
Dhammiyā ca kathāya sandassemi samādapemi samuttejemi sampahaṁsemi.
I educated, encouraged, fired up, and inspired them with a Dhamma talk.
Bhāsamānañca maṁ na jānanti:
But when I spoke they didn’t know:
‘ko nu kho ayaṁ bhāsati devo vā manusso vā’ti.
‘Who is this that speaks? Is it a god or a human?’
Dhammiyā kathāya sandassetvā samādapetvā samuttejetvā sampahaṁsetvā antaradhāyāmi.
And when my Dhamma talk was finished I vanished.
Antarahitañca maṁ na jānanti:
But when I vanished they didn’t know:
‘ko nu kho ayaṁ antarahito devo vā manusso vā’ti.
‘Who was that who vanished? Was it a god or a human?’
Imā kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭha parisā”ti.
These are the eight assemblies.”
Navamaṁ.