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Brahmayācanakathā: The Discussion of the Brahmā’s Request "line by line"

Brahmayācanakathā

Summary: The Buddha - surveying the world and seeing the entanglement of beings with sensuality - decided not to teach. Brahmā Sahampati asked for the teaching of the Dhamma and could convince the Buddha that their will be those who understand it.

Mv I 5 PTS: Mv I 1.5 | CS: vin.mv.01.05

Brahmayācanakathā

“line by line”

The Discussion of the Brahmā’s Request

by

Ven. Khematto Bhikkhu

Alternate translations/layout: reading layout

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(Mv.I.5.1) [7] athakho bhagavā sattāhassa accayena tamhā samādhimhā vuṭṭhahitvā rājāyatanamūlā yena ajapālanigrodho tenupasaṅkami.Then, with the passing of seven days, after emerging from that concentration, the Blessed One went from the root of the Rājāyatana tree to the Goatherd’s Banyan tree.
Tatra sudaṁ bhagavā ajapālanigrodhamūle viharati.He stayed there at the root of the Goatherd’s Banyan tree.
(Mv.I.5.2) athakho bhagavato rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādiThen, while he was alone and in seclusion, this line of thinking arose in his awareness:
adhigato kho mayāyaṁ dhammo gambhīro duddaso duranubodho santo paṇīto atakkāvacaro nipuṇo paṇḍitavedanīyo“This Dhamma that I have attained is deep, hard to see, hard to realize, peaceful, refined, beyond the scope of conjecture, subtle, to-be-experienced by the wise.
ālayarāmā kho panāyaṁ pajā ālayaratā ālayasammuditā“But this generation delights in attachment, is excited by attachment, enjoys attachment.
ālayarāmāya kho pana pajāya ālayaratāya ālayasammuditāya duddasaṁ idaṁ ṭhānaṁ yadidaṁ idappaccayatāpaṭiccasamuppādo“For a generation delighting in attachment, excited by attachment, enjoying attachment, these things are hard to see: this/that conditionality and dependent co-arising.
idaṁpi kho ṭhānaṁ sududdasaṁ yadidaṁ sabbasaṅkhārasamatho sabbūpadhipaṭinissaggo taṇhakkhayo virāgo nirodho nibbānaṁ“This state, too, is very hard to see: the resolution of all fabrications, the relinquishment of all acquisitions, the ending of craving; dispassion; cessation; Unbinding.
ahañceva kho pana dhammaṁ deseyyaṁ pare ca me na ājāneyyuṁ so mamassa kilamatho sā mamassa vihesāti.“And if I were to teach the Dhamma and if others would not understand me, that would be tiresome for me, troublesome for me.”
(Mv.I.5.3) apissu bhagavantaṁ imā anacchariyā gāthāyo paṭibhaṁsu pubbe assutapubbāJust then these verses, unspoken in the past, unheard before, occurred to the Blessed One:
kicchena me adhigataṁ halandāni pakāsituṁ. rāgadosaparetehi nāyaṁ dhammo susambudho.Enough now with teaching what only with difficulty I reached. This Dhamma is not easily realized by those overcome with aversion & passion.
paṭisotagāmiṁ nipuṇaṁ gambhīraṁ duddasaṁ aṇuṁ rāgarattā na dakkhanti tamokkhandhena āvuṭāti.What is fine, subtle, deep, hard to see, going against the flow — those delighting in passion, cloaked in the mass of darkness, won’t see.
(Mv.I.5.4) Itiha bhagavato paṭisañcikkhato appossukkatāya cittaṁ namati no dhammadesanāya.As the Blessed One reflected thus, his mind inclined to dwelling at ease, not to teaching the Dhamma.
[8] athakho brahmuno sahampatissa bhagavato cetasā cetoparivitakkamaññāya etadahosiThen Brahmā Sahampati, having known with his own awareness the line of thinking in the Blessed One’s awareness, thought:
nassati vata bho loko vinassati vata bho loko yatra hi nāma tathāgatassa arahato sammāsambuddhassa appossukkatāya cittaṁ namati no dhammadesanāyāti.“The world is lost! The world is destroyed! In that the mind of the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Rightly Self-awakened One inclines to dwelling at ease, not to teaching the Dhamma!”
(Mv.I.5.5) athakho brahmā sahampati seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso sammiñjitaṁ vā bāhaṁ pasāreyya pasāritaṁ vā bāhaṁ sammiñjeyya evameva brahmaloke antarahito bhagavato purato pāturahosi.Then, just as a strong man might extend his flexed arm or flex his extended arm, Brahmā Sahampati disappeared from the Brahmā-world and reappeared in front of the Blessed One.
(Mv.I.5.6) athakho brahmā sahampati ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā dakkhiṇajāṇumaṇḍalaṁ paṭhaviyaṁ nihantvā yena bhagavā tenañjaliṁ paṇāmetvā bhagavantaṁ etadavocaArranging his upper robe over one shoulder, he knelt down with his right knee on the ground, saluted the Blessed One with his hands before his heart, and said to him:
desetu bhante bhagavā dhammaṁ desetu sugato dhammaṁ santi sattā apparajakkhajātikā assavanatā dhammassa parihāyanti bhavissanti dhammassa aññātāroti.“Lord, let the Blessed One teach the Dhamma! Let the One-Well-Gone teach the Dhamma! There are beings with little dust in their eyes who are falling away because they do not hear the Dhamma. There will be those who will understand the Dhamma.”
(Mv.I.5.7) Idamavoca brahmā sahampati idaṁ vatvā athāparaṁ etadavocaThat is what Brahmā Sahampati said. Having said that, he further said this:
pāturahosi magadhesu pubbe dhammo asuddho samalehi cintito.In the past there appeared among the Magadhans an impure Dhamma devised by the stained.
apāpuretaṁ amatassa dvāraṁ suṇantu dhammaṁ vimalenānubuddhaṁ.Throw open the door to the Deathless! Let them hear the Dhamma realized by the Stainless One!
sele yathā pabbatamuddhaniṭṭhito yathāpi passe janataṁ samantatoJust as one standing on a rocky crag might see people all around below,
tathūpamaṁ dhammamayaṁ sumedha pāsādamāruyha samantacakkhuSo, O wise one, with all-around vision, ascend the palace fashioned of the Dhamma.
sokāvatiṇṇaṁ janataṁ apetasoko avekkhassu jātijarābhibhūtaṁ.Free from sorrow, behold the people submerged in sorrow, oppressed by birth & aging.
Uṭṭhehi vīra vijitasaṅgāma satthavāha anaṇa vicara loke.Rise up, hero, victor in battle! O Caravan-leader, wander without debt in the world.
Desassu bhagavā dhammaṁ aññātāro bhavissantīti.

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Teach the Dhamma, O Blessed One:

There will be those who will understand.(1)

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(Mv.I.5.8) ME: [evaṃ vutte bhagavā brahmānaṃ sahampatiṃ etadavoca — “mayhampi kho, brahme, etadahosi — ‘adhigato kho myāyaṃ dhammo gambhīro …When that was said, the Blessed One said to Brahmā Sahampati, “To me, Brahmā, this thought occurred, ‘This Dhamma that I have attained is deep …’
itiha me, brahme, paṭisañcikkhato appossukkatāya cittaṃ namati no dhammadesanāyā”ti.“As I reflected thus, Brahmā, my mind inclined to dwelling at ease, not to teaching the Dhamma.”
dutiyampi kho brahmā sahampati bhagavantaṃ etadavoca — “desetu, bhante, bhagavā dhammaṃ …A second time, Brahmā Sahampati said to the Blessed One, “Lord, let the Blessed One teach the Dhamma! …”
dutiyampi kho bhagavā brahmānaṃ sahampatiṃ etadavoca — “mayhampi kho, brahme, etadahosi — ‘adhigato kho myāyaṃ dhammo gambhīro …A second time, the Blessed One said to Brahmā Sahampati, “Brahmā, this thought occurred to me, ‘This Dhamma that I have attained is deep …’
itiha me, brahme, paṭisañcikkhato appossukkatāya cittaṃ namati, no dhammadesanāyā”ti.“As I reflected thus, Brahmā, my mind inclined to dwelling at ease, not to teaching the Dhamma.”
tatiyampi kho brahmā sahampati bhagavantaṃ etadavoca — “desetu, bhante, bhagavā dhammaṃ …A third time, Brahmā Sahampati said to the Blessed One, “Lord, let the Blessed One teach the Dhamma! …
desassu bhagavā dhammaṃ. aññātāro bhavissantī”ti.]Teach the Dhamma, O Blessed One: There will be those who will understand.”
(Mv.I.5.10) [9] athakho bhagavā brahmuno ca ajjhesanaṁ viditvā sattesu ca kāruññataṁ paṭicca buddhacakkhunā lokaṁ volokesi.Then the Blessed One, having understood Brahmā’s invitation, out of compassion for beings, surveyed the world with the eye of an Awakened One.
Addasā kho bhagavā buddhacakkhunā lokaṁ volokento satte apparajakkhe mahārajakkhe tikkhindriye mudindriye svākāre dvākāre suviññāpaye duviññāpaye appekacce paralokavajjabhayadassāvino viharante.As he surveyed the world with the eye of an Awakened One, he saw beings with little dust in their eyes and those with much, those with keen faculties and those with dull, those with good attributes and those with bad, those easy to teach and those hard, some of them seeing disgrace and danger in the other world.
6(Mv.I.5.11) Seyyathāpi nāma uppaliniyaṁ vā paduminiyaṁ vā puṇḍarīkiniyaṁ vā appekaccāni uppalāni vā padumāni vā puṇḍarīkāni vā udake jātāni udake saṁvaḍḍhāni udakānuggatāni antonimuggaposīni 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 tiṭṭhanti anupalittāni udakenaJust as in a pond of blue or red or white lotuses, some blue or red or white lotuses — born and growing in the water — might flourish while immersed in the water, without rising up from the water; some might stand at an even level with the water; while some might rise up from the water and stand without being smeared by the water —
(Mv.I.5.12) evameva bhagavā buddhacakkhunā lokaṁ volokento addasa satte apparajakkhe mahārajakkhe tikkhindriye mudindriye svākāre dvākāre suviññāpaye duviññāpaye appekacce paralokavajjabhayadassāvino viharanteso too, surveying the world with the eye of an Awakened One, the Blessed One saw beings with little dust in their eyes and those with much, those with keen faculties and those with dull, those with good attributes and those with bad, those easy to teach and those hard, some of them seeing disgrace and danger in the other world.
disvāna brahmānaṁ sahampatiṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsiHaving seen this, he answered Brahmā Sahampati in verse:
apārutā te amatassa dvārā ye sotavanto pamuñcantu saddhaṁ.Open are the doors to the Deathless. Let those with ears unleash their conviction.
vihiṁsasaññī paguṇaṁ na bhāsiṁ dhammaṁ paṇītaṁ manujesu brahmeti.Perceiving trouble, O Brahmā, I did not tell people the refined, sublime Dhamma.”
(Mv.I.5.13) athakho brahmā sahampati katāvakāso khomhi bhagavatā dhammadesanāyāti bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā tatthevantaradhāyi.Then Brahmā Sahampati, thinking, “I’m the one who created the opportunity for the teaching of the Dhamma by the Blessed One,” bowed down to the Blessed One, circumambulated him, keeping him to his right, and disappeared right there.
Brahmayācanakathā niṭṭhitāThe Discussion of the Brahmā’s Request is finished.

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Notes

1.

In the Thai and JBE recension, the request only occurs once; in the Burmese and PTS, three times.

go back to MV I 4 go to MV I 6


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en/tipitaka/vin/mv/mv01/mv.01.05.khem_enpi.txt · Last modified: 2022/03/24 13:48 by Johann