Saṁyutta Nikāya 48.57

The Related Suttas Collection 48.57

6. Sūkarakhatavagga

6. The Boar’s Cave

Sahampatibrahmasutta

With Brahmā Sahampati

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā uruvelāyaṁ viharati najjā nerañjarāya tīre ajapālanigrodhe paṭhamābhisambuddho.

At one time, when he was first awakened, the Buddha was staying near Uruvelā at the goatherd’s banyan tree on the bank of the Nerañjarā River.

Atha kho bhagavato rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi: “pañcindriyāni bhāvitāni bahulīkatāni amatogadhāni honti amataparāyaṇāni amatapariyosānāni. Katamāni pañca? Saddhindriyaṁ bhāvitaṁ bahulīkataṁ amatogadhaṁ hoti amataparāyaṇaṁ amatapariyosānaṁ. Vīriyindriyaṁ …pe… satindriyaṁ …pe… samādhindriyaṁ …pe… paññindriyaṁ bhāvitaṁ bahulīkataṁ amatogadhaṁ hoti amataparāyaṇaṁ amatapariyosānaṁ. Imāni pañcindriyāni bhāvitāni bahulīkatāni amatogadhāni honti amataparāyaṇāni amatapariyosānānī”ti.

Then as he was in private retreat this thought came to his mind, “When these five faculties are developed and cultivated they culminate, finish, and end in the deathless. What five? The faculties of faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom. When these five faculties are developed and cultivated they culminate, finish, and end in the deathless.”

Atha kho brahmā sahampati bhagavato cetasā cetoparivitakkamaññāya—seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso samiñjitaṁ vā bāhaṁ pasāreyya, pasāritaṁ vā bāhaṁ samiñjeyya; evameva brahmaloke antarahito bhagavato purato pāturahosi. Atha kho brahmā sahampati ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā yena bhagavā tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

Then Brahmā Sahampati knew what the Buddha was thinking. As easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, he vanished from the Brahmā realm and reappeared in front of the Buddha. He arranged his robe over one shoulder, raised his joined palms toward the Buddha, and said:

“evametaṁ, bhagavā, evametaṁ sugata. Pañcindriyāni bhāvitāni bahulīkatāni amatogadhāni honti amataparāyaṇāni amatapariyosānāni. Katamāni pañca? Saddhindriyaṁ bhāvitaṁ bahulīkataṁ amatogadhaṁ hoti amataparāyaṇaṁ amatapariyosānaṁ …pe… paññindriyaṁ bhāvitaṁ bahulīkataṁ amatogadhaṁ hoti amataparāyaṇaṁ amatapariyosānaṁ. Imāni pañcindriyāni bhāvitāni bahulīkatāni amatogadhāni honti amataparāyaṇāni amatapariyosānāni.

“That’s so true, Blessed One! That’s so true, Holy One! When these five faculties are developed and cultivated they culminate, finish, and end in the deathless. What five? The faculties of faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom. When these five faculties are developed and cultivated they culminate, finish, and end in the deathless.

Bhūtapubbāhaṁ, bhante, kassape sammāsambuddhe brahmacariyaṁ acariṁ. Tatrapi maṁ evaṁ jānanti: ‘sahako bhikkhu, sahako bhikkhū’ti. So khvāhaṁ, bhante, imesaṁyeva pañcannaṁ indriyānaṁ bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā kāmesu kāmacchandaṁ virājetvā kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā sugatiṁ brahmalokaṁ upapanno. Tatrapi maṁ evaṁ jānanti: ‘brahmā sahampati, brahmā sahampatī’ti.

Once upon a time, sir, I lived the spiritual life under the fully awakened Buddha Kassapa. There they knew me as the bhikkhu Sahaka. Because of developing and cultivating these same five faculties I lost desire for sensual pleasures. When my body broke up, after death, I was reborn in a good place, in the Brahmā realm. There they know me as Brahmā Sahampati.

Evametaṁ, bhagavā, evametaṁ sugata. Ahametaṁ jānāmi, ahametaṁ passāmi yathā imāni pañcindriyāni bhāvitāni bahulīkatāni amatogadhāni honti amataparāyaṇāni amatapariyosānānī”ti.

That’s so true, Blessed One! That’s so true, Holy One! I know and see how when these five faculties are developed and cultivated they culminate, finish, and end in the deathless.”

Sattamaṁ.