Acchariyaabbhutasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 123

Incredible and Amazing · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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in the presenceSammukhā thismetaṁ, venerable sirbhante, of the Blessed Onebhagavato heardsutaṁ, in the presencesammukhā acceptedpaṭiggahitaṁ:
when‘yadā, Ānandaānanda, awakening·beingbodhisatto from the mother’s wombmātukucchimhā emergesnikkhamati, clean·alreadyvisadova emergesnikkhamati not·soilamakkhito by waterudena not·soilamakkhito by mucussemhena not·soilamakkhito by bloodruhirena not·soilamakkhito by anykenaci not·pureasucinā puresuddho cleanvisado.
supposeSeyyathāpi, Ānandaānanda, jewel·treasuremaṇiratanaṁ on a cloth from Kāsikāsike on a clothvatthe placednikkhittaṁ notneva jewel·treasuremaṇiratanaṁ the cloth from Kāsikāsikaṁ clothvatthaṁ would soilmakkheti nornāpi the cloth from Kāsikāsikaṁ clothvatthaṁ jewel·treasuremaṇiratanaṁ would soilmakkheti.
thatTaṁ whatkissa reasonhetu?
of bothUbhinnaṁ because of the cleanlinesssuddhattā.
in the same wayEvameva indeedkho, Ānandaānanda, whenyadā awakening·beingbodhisatto from the mother’s wombmātukucchimhā emergesnikkhamati, clean·alreadyvisadova emergesnikkhamati not·soilamakkhito by waterudena not·soilamakkhito by mucussemhena not·soilamakkhito by bloodruhirena not·soilamakkhito by anykenaci not·pureasucinā puresuddho cleanvisado’ti.
this tooYampi, venerable sirbhante ……pe… this too Iidampāhaṁ, venerable sirbhante, of the Blessed Onebhagavato an incredibleacchariyaṁ qualityabbhutadhammaṁ I rememberdhāremi.

I have learned this in the presence of the Buddha: ‘When the being intent on awakening emerges from his mother’s womb, he emerges already clean, unsoiled by waters, mucus, blood, or any other kind of impurity, pure and clean. Suppose a jewel-treasure was placed on a cloth from Kāsi. The jewel would not soil the cloth, nor would the cloth soil the jewel. Why is that? Because of the cleanliness of them both. In the same way, when the being intent on awakening emerges from his mother’s womb, he emerges already clean, unsoiled by waters, mucus, blood, or any other kind of impurity, pure and clean.’ This too I remember as an incredible quality of the Buddha.

in the presenceSammukhā thismetaṁ, venerable sirbhante, of the Blessed Onebhagavato heardsutaṁ, in the presencesammukhā back·grasppaṭiggahitaṁ:
when‘yadā, Ānandaānanda, awakening·beingbodhisatto mother·wombmātukucchimhā emergesnikkhamati, twodve of waterudakassa showersdhārā from the skyantalikkhā forth·become + onepātubhavanti—ekā coolsītassa, oneekā warmuṇhassa; by whichyena awakening·beingbodhisattassa water·dutyudakakiccaṁ they dokaronti of mothermātu andcā’ti.
which·tooYampi, venerable sirbhante ……pe… this + too + Iidampāhaṁ, venerable sirbhante, of the Blessed Onebhagavato incredibleacchariyaṁ amazing·qualityabbhutadhammaṁ I rememberdhāremi.

I have learned this in the presence of the Buddha: ‘When the being intent on awakening emerges from his mother’s womb, two showers of water appear from the sky, one cool, one warm, for bathing the being intent on awakening and his mother.’ This too I remember as an incredible quality of the Buddha.

in the presenceSammukhā thismetaṁ, venerable sirbhante, of the Blessed Onebhagavato heardsutaṁ, in the presencesammukhā against·grasppaṭiggahitaṁ:
as soon as born‘sampatijāto, Ānandaānanda, awakening·beingbodhisatto with his ownsamehi with feetpādehi on the groundpathaviyaṁ against·standpatiṭṭhahitvā facing northuttarābhimukho seven·stride·takingsattapadavītihārena goesgacchati, whitesetamhi parasolchatte along·heldanudhāriyamāne, allsabbā andca quartersdisā apart·lookviloketi, dramaticāsabhiñca proclamationvācaṁ speak + foremost·I·ambhāsati—aggohamasmi in the worldlokassa, eldest·I·amjeṭṭhohamasmi in the worldlokassa, first·I·amseṭṭhohamasmi in the worldlokassa. this + lastAyamantimā rebirthjāti, not·isnatthi nowdāni future becomingpunabbhavo’ti.
which tooYampi, venerable sirbhante …pe……pe… this too Iidampāhaṁ, venerable sirbhante, of the Blessed Onebhagavato incredibleacchariyaṁ wondrous·qualityabbhutadhammaṁ I rememberdhāremi.

I have learned this in the presence of the Buddha: ‘As soon as he’s born, the being intent on awakening stands firm with his own feet on the ground. Facing north, he takes seven strides with a white parasol held above him, surveys all quarters, and makes this dramatic proclamation: “I am the foremost in the world! I am the eldest in the world! I am the first in the world! This is my last rebirth; now there’ll be no more future lives.”’ This too I remember as an incredible quality of the Buddha.

in the presenceSammukhā thismetaṁ, venerable sirbhante, of the Blessed Onebhagavato heardsutaṁ, in the presencesammukhā acceptedpaṭiggahitaṁ:
when‘yadā, Ānandaānanda, awakening·beingbodhisatto mother·wombmātukucchimhā emergesnikkhamati, thenatha with·godsadevake in the worldloke with·Mārasamārake with·divinitysabrahmake with its ascetics and brahminssassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā for the populationpajāya with·god·humansadevamanussāya not·measureappamāṇo magnificentuḷāro lightobhāso in the worldloke manifest·bepātubhavati surpassing evenatikkammeva of the godsdevānaṁ the glory of the godsdevānubhāvaṁ.
whicheverYāpi thosetā world·interstitiallokantarikā boundlessaghā not·enclosedasaṁvutā darkandhakārā darkness·gloomandhakāratimisā where even theseyatthapime moon·suncandimasūriyā thus·powerfulevaṁmahiddhikā thus·splendidevaṁmahānubhāvā with their lightābhāya do not shinenānubhonti even theretatthapi not·measureappamāṇo magnificentuḷāro lightobhāso in the worldloke manifest·bepātubhavati surpassing evenatikkammeva of the godsdevānaṁ the glory of the godsdevānubhāvaṁ.
whichever evenYepi theretattha beingssattā near·fallenupapannā they tootepi by that lighttenobhāsena one anotheraññamaññaṁ they recognize—othersañjānanti—aññepi indeedkira, sirbho, there aresanti beingssattā reborn hereidhūpapannāti.
and thisAyañca ten·thousanddasasahassī world·elementlokadhātu together·shakesaṅkampati together·forth·shakesampakampati tremblessampavedhati, not·measureappamāṇo andca magnificentuḷāro lightobhāso in the worldloke manifest·bepātubhavati surpassing evenatikkammeva of the godsdevānaṁ the glory of the godsdevānubhāvan’ti.
which tooYampi, venerable sirbhante …pe……pe… this too Iidampāhaṁ, venerable sirbhante, of the Blessed Onebhagavato incredibleacchariyaṁ marvelous·qualityabbhutadhammaṁ I rememberdhāremī”ti.

I have learned this in the presence of the Buddha: ‘When the being intent on awakening emerges from his mother’s womb, then—in this world with its gods, Māras, and divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, gods and humans—an immeasurable, magnificent light appears, surpassing the glory of the gods. Even in the boundless gloom of interstellar space—so utterly dark that even the luminosity of the moon and the sun, so mighty and powerful, makes no impression—an immeasurable, magnificent light appears, surpassing the glory of the gods. And the sentient beings reborn there recognize each other by that light: “So, it seems other sentient beings have been reborn here!” And this ten-thousandfold galaxy shakes and rocks and trembles. And an immeasurable, magnificent light appears in the world, surpassing the glory of the gods.’ This too I remember as an incredible and amazing quality of the Buddha.”

therefore here“Tasmātiha youtvaṁ, Ānandaānanda, this·tooidampi of the Realized Onetathāgatassa incredibleacchariyaṁ amazing·qualityabbhutadhammaṁ you should rememberdhārehi.
here, ĀnandaIdhānanda, of the Realized Onetathāgatassa knownviditā feelingsvedanā ariseuppajjanti, knownviditā remainupaṭṭhahanti, knownviditā to going awayabbhatthaṁ gogacchanti;
knownviditā perceptionssaññā ariseuppajjanti …pe……pe…
knownviditā thoughtsvitakkā ariseuppajjanti, knownviditā remainupaṭṭhahanti, knownviditā to going awayabbhatthaṁ gogacchanti.
this·tooIdampi indeedkho youtvaṁ, Ānandaānanda, of the Realized Onetathāgatassa incredibleacchariyaṁ amazing·qualityabbhutadhammaṁ remember·quotation markerdhārehī”ti.

“Well then, Ānanda, you should also remember this as an incredible and amazing quality of the Realized One. It’s that the Realized One knows feelings as they arise, as they remain, and as they go away. He knows perceptions as they arise, as they remain, and as they go away. He knows thoughts as they arise, as they remain, and as they go away. This too you should remember as an incredible and amazing quality of the Realized One.”

that·too“Yampi, sirbhante, of the Buddhabhagavato knownviditā feelingsvedanā ariseuppajjanti, knownviditā remainupaṭṭhahanti, knownviditā to going awayabbhatthaṁ they gogacchanti;
knownviditā perceptionssaññā ……
knownviditā thoughtsvitakkā ariseuppajjanti, knownviditā remainupaṭṭhahanti, knownviditā to going awayabbhatthaṁ they gogacchanti.
this too IIdampāhaṁ, sirbhante, of the Buddhabhagavato incredibleacchariyaṁ amazing·qualityabbhutadhammaṁ I rememberdhāremī”ti.
this·saidIdamavoca venerableāyasmā Ānandaānando.
concurredSamanuñño the Teachersatthā wasahosi;
satisfiedattamanā andca thosete mendicantsbhikkhū of venerableāyasmato Ānandaānandassa speechbhāsitaṁ they approvedabhinandunti.
discourse on the incredible and amazingAcchariyaabbhutasuttaṁ finishedniṭṭhitaṁ thirdtatiyaṁ.

“Sir, the Buddha knows feelings as they arise, as they remain, and as they go away. He knows perceptions as they arise, as they remain, and as they go away. He knows thoughts as they arise, as they remain, and as they go away. This too I remember as an incredible and amazing quality of the Buddha.” That is what Venerable Ānanda said, and the Teacher concurred. Satisfied, those mendicants approved what Venerable Ānanda said.

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