sutta » sn » sn6 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 6.6

Brahmalokasutta

The Negligent Divinity A Brahmā World (Negligence)

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
At Sāvatthī.
At Sāvatthī.

Tena kho pana samayena bhagavā divāvihāragato hoti paṭisallīno.
Now at that time the Buddha had gone into retreat for the day’s meditation.
Now on that occasion the Blessed One had gone for his day’s abiding and was in seclusion.

Atha kho subrahmā ca paccekabrahmā suddhāvāso ca paccekabrahmā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā paccekaṁ dvārabāhaṁ upanissāya aṭṭhaṁsu. Atha kho subrahmā paccekabrahmā suddhāvāsaṁ paccekabrahmānaṁ etadavoca:
Then the independent divinities Subrahmā and Suddhāvāsa went to the Buddha and stationed themselves one by each door-post. But Subrahmā said to Suddhāvāsa,
Then the independent brahmās Subrahmā and Suddhāvāsa approached the Blessed One and stood one at each doorpost. Then the independent brahmā Subrahmā said to the independent brahmā Suddhāvāsa:

“akālo kho tāva, mārisa, bhagavantaṁ payirupāsituṁ;
“Good sir, it’s the wrong time to pay homage to the Buddha.
“It is not the right time, dear sir, to visit the Blessed One.

divāvihāragato bhagavā paṭisallīno ca.
He has gone into retreat for the day’s meditation.
The Blessed One has gone for his day’s abiding and is in seclusion.

Asuko ca brahmaloko iddho ceva phīto ca, brahmā ca tatra pamādavihāraṁ viharati.
But such and such realm of divinity is successful and prosperous, while the divinity living there is negligent.
Such and such a brahmā world is rich and prosperous, and the brahmā there is dwelling in negligence.

Āyāma, mārisa, yena so brahmaloko tenupasaṅkamissāma; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ brahmānaṁ saṁvejeyyāmā”ti.
Come, let’s go to that realm of divinity and inspire awe in that Divinity!”
Come, dear sir, let us go to that brahmā world and stir up a sense of urgency in that brahmā. ”

“Evaṁ, mārisā”ti kho suddhāvāso paccekabrahmā subrahmuno paccekabrahmuno paccassosi.
“Yes, good sir,” replied Suddhāvāsa.
“Yes, dear sir, ” the independent brahmā Suddhāvāsa replied.

Atha kho subrahmā ca paccekabrahmā suddhāvāso ca paccekabrahmā—seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso …pe… evameva—bhagavato purato antarahitā tasmiṁ brahmaloke pāturahesuṁ.
Then, as easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, they vanished from in front of the Buddha and appeared in that realm of divinity.
Then, just as quickly as a strong man might extend his drawn-in arm or draw in his extended arm, the independent brahmās Subrahmā and Suddhāvāsa disappeared in front of the Blessed One and reappeared in that brahmā world.

Addasā kho so brahmā te brahmāno dūratova āgacchante. Disvāna te brahmāno etadavoca:
That divinity saw those divinities coming off in the distance and said to them,
That brahmā saw those brahmās coming in the distance and said to them:

“handa kuto nu tumhe, mārisā, āgacchathā”ti?
“Well now, good sirs, where have you come from?”
“Now where are you coming from, dear sirs?”

“Āgatā kho mayaṁ, mārisa, amha tassa bhagavato santikā arahato sammāsambuddhassa.
“Good sir, we’ve come from the presence of the Blessed One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha.
“We have come, dear sir, from the presence of the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One.

Gaccheyyāsi pana tvaṁ, mārisa, tassa bhagavato upaṭṭhānaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassā”ti?
Shouldn’t you go to attend on that Blessed One?”
Dear sir, you should go to attend upon that Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One. ”

Evaṁ vutto, kho so brahmā taṁ vacanaṁ anadhivāsento sahassakkhattuṁ attānaṁ abhinimminitvā subrahmānaṁ paccekabrahmānaṁ etadavoca:
When they had spoken, that divinity refused to accept their advice. He multiplied himself a thousand times and said to Subrahmā,
When this was said, that brahmā refused to accept their advice. Having created a thousand transformations of himself, he said to the independent brahmā Subrahmā:

“passasi me no tvaṁ, mārisa, evarūpaṁ iddhānubhāvan”ti?
“Good sir, can’t you see that I have such psychic power?”
“Do you see, dear sir, how much power and might I have?”

“Passāmi kho tyāhaṁ, mārisa, evarūpaṁ iddhānubhāvan”ti.
“I see that, good sir.”
“I see, dear sir, that you have so much power and might. ”

“So khvāhaṁ, mārisa, evaṁmahiddhiko evaṁmahānubhāvo kassa aññassa samaṇassa vā brāhmaṇassa vā upaṭṭhānaṁ gamissāmī”ti?
“Since I have such psychic power and might, what other ascetic or brahmin should I go to and attend upon?”
“But, dear sir, when I am so powerful and mighty, what other ascetic or brahmin should I go to attend upon?”

Atha kho subrahmā paccekabrahmā dvisahassakkhattuṁ attānaṁ abhinimminitvā taṁ brahmānaṁ etadavoca:
Then Subrahmā multiplied himself two thousand times and said to that Divinity,
Then the independent brahmā Subrahmā, having created two thousand transformations of himself, said to that brahmā:

“passasi me no tvaṁ, mārisa, evarūpaṁ iddhānubhāvan”ti?
“Good sir, can’t you see that I have such psychic power?”
“Do you see, dear sir, how much power and might I have?”

“Passāmi kho tyāhaṁ, mārisa, evarūpaṁ iddhānubhāvan”ti.
“I see that, good sir.”
“I see, dear sir, that you have so much power and might. ”

“Tayā ca kho, mārisa, mayā ca sveva bhagavā mahiddhikataro ceva mahānubhāvataro ca.
“That Buddha has even more psychic power and might than you or me.
“That Blessed One, dear sir, is still more powerful and mighty than both you and I.

Gaccheyyāsi tvaṁ, mārisa, tassa bhagavato upaṭṭhānaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassā”ti?
Shouldn’t you go to attend on that Blessed One?”
You should go, dear sir, to attend upon that Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One. ”

Atha kho so brahmā subrahmānaṁ paccekabrahmānaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:
Then that divinity addressed Subrahmā in verse:
Then that brahmā addressed the independent brahmā Subrahmā in verse:

“Tayo supaṇṇā caturo ca haṁsā,
“There are three hundreds of phoenixes, <j>four of swans, and five of eagles.
“Three [hundred] supaṇṇas, four [hundred] geese,

Byagghīnisā pañcasatā ca jhāyino;
This palace belongs to him who practiced absorption.
And five hundred falcons:

Tayidaṁ vimānaṁ jalate ca brahme,
It shines, Divinity,
This palace, O Brahmā, of the meditator shines

Obhāsayaṁ uttarassaṁ disāyan”ti.
lighting up the northern quarter!”
Illuminating the northern quarter. ”

“Kiñcāpi te taṁ jalate vimānaṁ,
“So what if your palace shines,
[The independent brahmā Subrahmā: ] “Even though that palace of yours shines

Obhāsayaṁ uttarassaṁ disāyaṁ;
lighting up the northern quarter?
Illuminating the northern quarter,

Rūpe raṇaṁ disvā sadā pavedhitaṁ,
A clever person who has seen the deficiency in form,
Having seen form’s flaw, its chronic trembling,

Tasmā na rūpe ramatī sumedho”ti.
its chronic trembling, takes no pleasure in it.”
The wise one takes no delight in form. ”

Atha kho subrahmā ca paccekabrahmā suddhāvāso ca paccekabrahmā taṁ brahmānaṁ saṁvejetvā tatthevantaradhāyiṁsu.
Then after inspiring awe in that divinity, the independent divinities Subrahmā and Suddhāvāsa vanished right there.
Then the independent brahmās Subrahmā and Suddhāvāsa, having stirred up a sense of urgency in that brahmā, disappeared right there.

Agamāsi ca kho so brahmā aparena samayena bhagavato upaṭṭhānaṁ arahato sammāsambuddhassāti.
And after some time that divinity went to attend on the Buddha.
And on a later occasion that brahmā went to attend upon the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One.