Saṁyutta Nikāya 6.1 1.

The Appeal of the Divinity

Paṭhamavagga Brahmāyācanasutta Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā uruvelāyaṁ viharati najjā nerañjarāya tīre ajapālanigrodhamūle paṭhamābhisambuddho.

Thus have I heard.

At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at Uruvelā, on the bank of the river Nerañjarā, at the foot of the Goatherd's Banyan Tree, shortly after he had attained full enlightenment.

Atha kho bhagavato rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi: “adhigato kho myāyaṁ dhammo gambhīro duddaso duranubodho santo paṇīto atakkāvacaro nipuṇo paṇḍitavedanīyo.

Then, while the Blessed One was alone in seclusion, a thought arose in his mind: This Dhamma that I have attained is profound, hard to see, hard to know, peaceful, sublime, beyond the scope of reasoning, subtle, to be experienced by the wise.

Ālayarāmā kho panāyaṁ pajā ālayaratā ālayasammuditā.

But this generation delights in attachment, takes delight in attachment, rejoices in attachment.

Ālayarāmāya kho pana pajāya ālayaratāya ālayasammuditāya duddasaṁ idaṁ ṭhānaṁ yadidaṁ idappaccayatāpaṭiccasamuppādo.

For a generation delighting in attachment, taking delight in attachment, rejoicing in attachment, this state is hard to see, namely, specific conditionality, dependent origination.

Idampi kho ṭhānaṁ duddasaṁ yadidaṁ sabbasaṅkhārasamatho sabbūpadhipaṭinissaggo taṇhākkhayo virāgo nirodho nibbānaṁ.

And this state too is hard to see, namely, the stilling of all formations, the relinquishment of all attachments, the destruction of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna.

Ahañceva kho pana dhammaṁ deseyyaṁ; pare ca me na ājāneyyuṁ; so mamassa kilamatho, sā mamassa vihesā”ti.

If I were to teach the Dhamma, others would not know me, and that would be wearying and troublesome for me.

Apissu bhagavantaṁ imā anacchariyā gāthāyo paṭibhaṁsu pubbe assutapubbā: “Kicchena me adhigataṁ, halaṁ dāni pakāsituṁ; Rāgadosaparetehi, nāyaṁ dhammo susambudho.

Thereupon, these verses, which had not been heard before, spontaneously occurred to the Blessed One: With difficulty have I attained,

To disclose it now would be a strain;

For those overcome by greed and hate,

This Dhamma is not easily known.

Paṭisotagāmiṁ nipuṇaṁ, gambhīraṁ duddasaṁ aṇuṁ; Rāgarattā na dakkhanti, tamokhandhena āvuṭā”ti.

Going against the stream, subtle,

Profound, hard to see, and fine;

Those enraptured by greed cannot see,

Covered as they are by a mass of darkness.

Itiha bhagavato paṭisañcikkhato appossukkatāya cittaṁ namati, no dhammadesanāya.

Thus, as the Blessed One reflected, his mind inclined to inaction rather than to teaching the Dhamma.

Atha kho brahmuno sahampatissa bhagavato cetasā cetoparivitakkamaññāya etadahosi: “nassati vata bho loko, vinassati vata bho loko, yatra hi nāma tathāgatassa arahato sammāsambuddhassa appossukkatāya cittaṁ namati, no dhammadesanāyā”ti.

Then Brahmā Sahampati, having known with his own mind the thought in the Blessed One's mind, thought: The world will be lost, the world will perish, since the mind of the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One inclines to inaction rather than to teaching the Dhamma.

Atha kho brahmā sahampati—seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso samiñjitaṁ vā bāhaṁ pasāreyya, pasāritaṁ vā bāhaṁ samiñjeyya; evameva—brahmaloke antarahito bhagavato purato pāturahosi.

Then Brahmā Sahampati, as swiftly as a strong man might extend his flexed arm or flex his extended arm, disappeared from the Brahmā world and reappeared before the Blessed One.

Atha kho brahmā sahampati ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā dakkhiṇajāṇumaṇḍalaṁ pathaviyaṁ nihantvā yena bhagavā tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “desetu, bhante, bhagavā dhammaṁ, desetu sugato dhammaṁ.

He arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, knelt down with his right knee on the ground, raised his joined hands in reverence towards the Blessed One, and said: Let the Blessed One teach the Dhamma, let the Sublime One teach the Dhamma.

Santi sattā apparajakkhajātikā, assavanatā dhammassa parihāyanti.

There are beings with little dust in their eyes who are wasting through not hearing the Dhamma.

Bhavissanti dhammassa aññātāro”ti.

There will be those who will know the Dhamma.

Idamavoca brahmā sahampati, idaṁ vatvā athāparaṁ etadavoca: “Pāturahosi magadhesu pubbe, Dhammo asuddho samalehi cintito; Apāpuretaṁ amatassa dvāraṁ, Suṇantu dhammaṁ vimalenānubuddhaṁ.

Having said this, Brahmā Sahampati further spoke: In the past, there appeared in Magadha

A Dhamma impure, thought out by the impure. Open now the door to the Deathless;

Let them hear the Dhamma realized by the Stainless One.

Sele yathā pabbatamuddhaniṭṭhito, Yathāpi passe janataṁ samantato; Tathūpamaṁ dhammamayaṁ sumedha, Pāsādamāruyha samantacakkhu; Sokāvatiṇṇaṁ janatamapetasoko, Avekkhassu jātijarābhibhūtaṁ.

Just as one standing on a mountain peak

Can see the people all around.

Thus, O wise one, having ascended the palace of the Dhamma, with eyes that see all around, look upon the people overwhelmed by sorrow, free from sorrow, and observe those overcome by birth and aging.

Uṭṭhehi vīra vijitasaṅgāma, Satthavāha anaṇa vicara loke; Desassu bhagavā dhammaṁ, Aññātāro bhavissantī”ti.

Arise, O hero, victorious in battle, leader of the caravan, free from debt, wander the world; teach the Dhamma, O Blessed One, and there will be those who know.

Atha kho bhagavā brahmuno ca ajjhesanaṁ viditvā sattesu ca kāruññataṁ paṭicca buddhacakkhunā lokaṁ volokesi.

Then the Blessed One, having known the request of Brahmā and out of compassion for beings, surveyed the world with the Tathāgata-eye.

Addasā kho bhagavā buddhacakkhunā lokaṁ volokento satte apparajakkhe mahārajakkhe tikkhindriye mudindriye svākāre dvākāre suviññāpaye duviññāpaye, appekacce paralokavajjabhayadassāvine viharante, appekacce na paralokavajjabhayadassāvine viharante.

The Blessed One, surveying the world with the Tathāgata-eye, saw beings with little dust and much dust in their eyes, with keen faculties and dull faculties, with good qualities and bad qualities, easy to instruct and difficult to instruct, some seeing fear in the next world, and some not seeing fear in the next world.

Seyyathāpi nāma uppaliniyaṁ vā paduminiyaṁ vā puṇḍarīkiniyaṁ vā appekaccāni uppalāni vā padumāni vā puṇḍarīkāni vā udake jātāni udake saṁvaḍḍhāni udakānuggatāni anto nimuggaposīni, appekaccāni uppalāni vā padumāni vā puṇḍarīkāni vā udake jātāni udake saṁvaḍḍhāni samodakaṁ ṭhitāni, appekaccāni uppalāni vā padumāni vā puṇḍarīkāni vā udake jātāni udake saṁvaḍḍhāni udakā accuggamma ṭhitāni anupalittāni udakena; evameva bhagavā buddhacakkhunā lokaṁ volokento addasa satte apparajakkhe mahārajakkhe tikkhindriye mudindriye svākāre dvākāre suviññāpaye duviññāpaye, appekacce paralokavajjabhayadassāvine viharante, appekacce na paralokavajjabhayadassāvine viharante.

Just as in a pond of blue lotuses, red lotuses, or white lotuses, some lotuses are born in the water, grow in the water, and remain submerged, nourished by the water; some lotuses are born in the water, grow in the water, and stand at the level of the water; some lotuses are born in the water, grow in the water, and rise above the water, untouched by the water.

In the same way, the Blessed One, surveying the world with the Tathāgata-eye, saw beings with little dust and much dust in their eyes, with keen faculties and dull faculties, with good qualities and bad qualities, easy to instruct and difficult to instruct, some seeing fear in the next world, and some not seeing fear in the next world.

Disvāna brahmānaṁ sahampatiṁ gāthāya paccabhāsi: “Apārutā tesaṁ amatassa dvārā, Ye sotavanto pamuñcantu saddhaṁ; Vihiṁsasaññī paguṇaṁ na bhāsiṁ, Dhammaṁ paṇītaṁ manujesu brahme”ti.

Having seen this, Brahmā Sahampati spoke in verse: The doors to the Deathless are open for those with ears; let them release their faith. I did not speak of the refined Dhamma to those who delight in harm, O Brahmā, among humans.

Atha kho brahmā sahampati “katāvakāso khomhi bhagavatā dhammadesanāyā”ti bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā tatthevantaradhāyīti.

Then Brahmā Sahampati, having been given the opportunity by the Blessed One for the teaching of the Dhamma, paid homage to the Blessed One, circumambulated him, and disappeared right there.