sutta » sn » sn6 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 6.6

Brahmalokasutta

A Brahmā World (Negligence) The Negligent Brahmā

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
At Sāvatthī.
At Sāvatthī.

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

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 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:
Then the independent brahmās Subrahmā and Suddhāvāsa went to the Buddha and stationed themselves one by each door-post. But Subrahmā said to Suddhāvāsa,

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

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

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

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

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

Atha kho subrahmā ca paccekabrahmā suddhāvāso ca paccekabrahmā—seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso …pe… evameva—bhagavato purato antarahitā tasmiṁ brahmaloke pāturahesuṁ.
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.
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 Brahmā realm.

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

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

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

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

Evaṁ vutto, kho so brahmā taṁ vacanaṁ anadhivāsento sahassakkhattuṁ attānaṁ abhinimminitvā subrahmānaṁ paccekabrahmānaṁ etadavoca:
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:
When they had spoken, that Brahmā refused to accept their advice. He multiplied himself a thousand times and said to Subrahmā,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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