Aṅguttara Nikāya 7.56

Numbered Discourses 7.56

6. Abyākatavagga

6. The Undeclared Points

Tissabrahmāsutta

Tissa the Brahmā

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati gijjhakūṭe pabbate.

So I have heard. 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: “etā, bhante, bhikkhuniyo vimuttā”ti.

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, “Sir, these nuns are freed!”

Aparā devatā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “etā, bhante, bhikkhuniyo anupādisesā suvimuttā”ti.

The other deity said to him, “Sir, these nuns are well freed without anything left over!”

Idamavocuṁ tā devatā. Samanuñño satthā ahosi. Atha kho tā devatā “samanuñño satthā”ti bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā tatthevantaradhāyiṁsu.

This is what those deities said, and the teacher approved. 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: “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.

Then, when the night had passed, the Buddha told the bhikkhus all that had happened.

Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā mahāmoggallāno bhagavato avidūre nisinno hoti. Atha kho āyasmato mahāmoggallānassa etadahosi: “katamesānaṁ kho devānaṁ evaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti: ‘saupādisese vā saupādisesoti, anupādisese vā anupādiseso’”ti?

Now at that time Venerable Mahāmoggallāna was sitting not far from the Buddha. He thought, “Which gods know whether a person has anything left over or not?”

Tena kho pana samayena tisso nāma bhikkhu adhunākālaṅkato aññataraṁ brahmalokaṁ upapanno hoti. Tatrāpi naṁ evaṁ jānanti: “tisso brahmā mahiddhiko mahānubhāvo”ti.

Now, at that time a monk called Tissa had recently passed away and been reborn in a Brahmā realm. There they knew that 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. Disvā āyasmantaṁ mahāmoggallānaṁ etadavoca: “ehi kho, mārisa moggallāna; svāgataṁ, mārisa moggallāna. Cirassaṁ kho, mārisa moggallāna, imaṁ pariyāyamakāsi, yadidaṁ idhāgamanāya. Nisīda, mārisa moggallāna, idamāsanaṁ paññattan”ti.

Tissa saw Moggallāna coming off in the distance, and said to him, “Come, my good Moggallāna! Welcome, my good Moggallāna! It’s been a long time since you took the opportunity to come here. Sit, my good Moggallāna, this seat is for you.”

Nisīdi kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno paññatte āsane. Tissopi kho brahmā āyasmantaṁ mahāmoggallānaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.

Moggallāna sat down on the seat spread out. Then Tissa bowed to Moggallāna and sat to one side.

Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho tissaṁ brahmānaṁ āyasmā mahāmoggallāno etadavoca: “katamesānaṁ kho, tissa, devānaṁ evaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti: ‘saupādisese vā saupādisesoti, anupādisese vā anupādiseso’”ti?

Moggallāna said to him, “Which gods know whether a person has anything left over or not?”

“Brahmakāyikānaṁ kho, mārisa moggallāna, devānaṁ evaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti: ‘saupādisese vā saupādisesoti, anupādisese vā anupādiseso’”ti.

“The gods of Brahmā’s Host know this.”

“Sabbesaññeva kho, tissa, brahmakāyikānaṁ devānaṁ evaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti: ‘saupādisese vā saupādisesoti, anupādisese vā anupādiseso’”ti?

“But do all of them know this?”

“Na kho, mārisa moggallāna, sabbesaṁ brahmakāyikānaṁ devānaṁ evaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti: ‘saupādisese vā saupādisesoti, anupādisese vā anupādiseso’ti.

“No, my good Moggallāna, not all of them.

Ye kho te, mārisa moggallāna, brahmakāyikā devā brahmena āyunā santuṭṭhā brahmena vaṇṇena brahmena sukhena brahmena yasena brahmena ādhipateyyena santuṭṭhā, te uttari nissaraṇaṁ yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti. Tesaṁ na evaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti: ‘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. Tesaṁ evaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti: ‘saupādisese vā saupādisesoti, anupādisese vā anupādiseso’ti.

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: they don’t know this. 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: they do know this.

Idha, mārisa moggallāna, bhikkhu ubhatobhāgavimutto hoti. Tamenaṁ te devā evaṁ jānanti: ‘ayaṁ kho āyasmā ubhatobhāgavimutto. Yāvassa kāyo ṭhassati tāva naṁ dakkhanti devamanussā. Kāyassa bhedā na naṁ dakkhanti devamanussā’ti. Evampi kho, mārisa moggallāna, tesaṁ devānaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti: ‘saupādisese vā saupādisesoti, anupādisese vā anupādiseso’ti.

Take a bhikkhu who is freed both ways. The gods know of them: ‘This venerable is freed both ways. As long as their body remains they will be seen by gods and humans. But when their body breaks up gods and humans will see them no more.’ This too is how those gods know whether a person has anything left over or not.

Idha pana, mārisa moggallāna, bhikkhu paññāvimutto hoti. Tamenaṁ te devā evaṁ jānanti: ‘ayaṁ kho āyasmā paññāvimutto. Yāvassa kāyo ṭhassati tāva naṁ dakkhanti devamanussā. Kāyassa bhedā na naṁ dakkhanti devamanussā’ti. Evampi kho, mārisa moggallāna, tesaṁ devānaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti: ‘saupādisese vā saupādisesoti, anupādisese vā anupādiseso’ti.

Take a bhikkhu who is freed by wisdom. The gods know of them: ‘This venerable is freed by wisdom. As long as their body remains they will be seen by gods and humans. But when their body breaks up gods and humans will see them no more.’ This too is how those gods know whether a person has anything left over or not.

Idha pana, mārisa moggallāna, bhikkhu kāyasakkhī hoti. Tamenaṁ devā evaṁ jānanti: ‘ayaṁ kho āyasmā kāyasakkhī. Appeva nāma ayamāyasmā anulomikāni senāsanāni paṭisevamāno kalyāṇamitte bhajamāno indriyāni samannānayamāno—yassatthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṁ—brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihareyyā’ti. Evampi kho, mārisa moggallāna, tesaṁ devānaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti: ‘saupādisese vā saupādisesoti, anupādisese vā anupādiseso’ti.

Take a bhikkhu who is a personal witness. The gods know of them: ‘This venerable is a personal witness. Hopefully this venerable will frequent appropriate lodgings, associate with good friends, and control their faculties. 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.’ This too is how those gods know whether a person has anything left over or not.

Idha pana, mārisa moggallāna, bhikkhu diṭṭhippatto hoti …pe… saddhāvimutto hoti …pe… dhammānusārī hoti. Tamenaṁ te devā evaṁ jānanti: ‘ayaṁ kho āyasmā dhammānusārī. Appeva nāma ayamāyasmā anulomikāni senāsanāni paṭisevamāno kalyāṇamitte bhajamāno indriyāni samannānayamāno—yassatthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṁ—brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihareyyā’ti. Evampi kho, mārisa moggallāna, tesaṁ devānaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti: ‘saupādisese vā saupādisesoti, anupādisese vā anupādiseso’”ti.

Take a bhikkhu who is attained to view. … freed by faith … a follower of the teachings. The gods know of them: ‘This venerable is a follower of the teachings. Hopefully this venerable will frequent appropriate lodgings, associate with good friends, and control their faculties. 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.’ This too is how those gods know whether a person has anything left over or not.”

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. Atha kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā mahāmoggallāno yāvatako ahosi tissena brahmunā saddhiṁ kathāsallāpo taṁ sabbaṁ bhagavato ārocesi.

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. Then Mahāmoggallāna went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, 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. Yaṁ bhagavā sattamaṁ animittavihāriṁ puggalaṁ deseyya. Bhagavato sutvā bhikkhū dhāressantī”ti.

“Now is the time, Blessed One! Now is the time, Holy One! May the Buddha teach the seventh person, the signless meditator. The bhikkhus 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. Bhagavā etadavoca:

“Yes, sir,” Mahāmoggallāna replied. The Buddha said this:

“Idha, moggallāna, bhikkhu sabbanimittānaṁ amanasikārā animittaṁ cetosamādhiṁ upasampajja viharati. Tamenaṁ te devā evaṁ jānanti: ‘ayaṁ kho āyasmā sabbanimittānaṁ amanasikārā animittaṁ cetosamādhiṁ upasampajja viharati. Appeva nāma ayamāyasmā anulomikāni senāsanāni paṭisevamāno kalyāṇamitte bhajamāno indriyāni samannānayamāno—yassatthāya kulaputtā sammadeva agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajanti, tadanuttaraṁ—brahmacariyapariyosānaṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja vihareyyā’ti. Evaṁ kho, moggallāna, tesaṁ devānaṁ ñāṇaṁ hoti: ‘saupādisese vā saupādisesoti, anupādisese vā anupādiseso’”ti.

“Moggallāna, take the case of a bhikkhu who, not focusing on any signs, enters and remains in the signless immersion of the heart. The gods know of them: ‘This venerable, not focusing on any signs, enters and remains in the signless immersion of the heart. Hopefully this venerable will frequent appropriate lodgings, associate with good friends, and control their faculties. 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.’ This too is how those gods know whether a person has anything left over or not.”

Tatiyaṁ.