Acchariyaabbhutasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 123

Incredible and Amazing · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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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 receivedpaṭiggahitaṁ:
when‘yadā, Ānandaānanda, being intent on awakeningbodhisatto from mother's wombmātukucchimhā emergesnikkhamati, twodve of waterudakassa showersdhārā from the skyantalikkhā appear—onepātubhavanti—ekā coolsītassa, oneekā warmuṇhassa; by whichyena of the being intent on awakeningbodhisattassa bathingudakakiccaṁ 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 receivedpaṭiggahitaṁ:
as soon as born‘sampatijāto, Ānandaānanda, being intent on awakeningbodhisatto with his ownsamehi with feetpādehi on the groundpathaviyaṁ having stood firmpatiṭṭhahitvā facing northuttarābhimukho with seven stridessattapadavītihārena goesgacchati, whitesetamhi parasolchatte being held aboveanudhāriyamāne, allsabbā andca quartersdisā surveysviloketi, dramaticāsabhiñca proclamationvācaṁ speaks—foremost am Ibhāsati—aggohamasmi in the worldlokassa, eldest am Ijeṭṭhohamasmi in the worldlokassa, first am Iseṭṭhohamasmi in the worldlokassa. this is lastAyamantimā rebirthjāti, there is notnatthi nowdāni future becomingpunabbhavo’ti.
which tooYampi, venerable sirbhante …pe……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: ‘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, the being intent on awakeningbodhisatto from the mother's wombmātukucchimhā emergesnikkhamati, thenatha with its godssadevake in the worldloke with its Mārassamārake with its divinitiessabrahmake with its ascetics and brahminssassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā for the populationpajāya with its gods and humanssadevamanussāya immeasurableappamāṇo magnificentuḷāro lightobhāso in the worldloke appearspātubhavati surpassing evenatikkammeva of the godsdevānaṁ the glory of the godsdevānubhāvaṁ.
whicheverYāpi thosetā interstellar spaceslokantarikā boundlessaghā unenclosedasaṁvutā darkandhakārā pitch-darkandhakāratimisā where even theseyatthapime moon and suncandimasūriyā so mightyevaṁmahiddhikā so powerfulevaṁmahānubhāvā with their lightābhāya do not shinenānubhonti even theretatthapi immeasurableappamāṇo magnificentuḷāro lightobhāso in the worldloke appearspātubhavati surpassing evenatikkammeva of the godsdevānaṁ the glory of the godsdevānubhāvaṁ.
whichever evenYepi theretattha beingssattā rebornupapannā they tootepi by that lighttenobhāsena one anotheraññamaññaṁ they recognize—othersañjānanti—aññepi indeedkira, sirbho, there aresanti beingssattā reborn hereidhūpapannāti.
and thisAyañca ten-thousandfolddasasahassī world-systemlokadhātu shakessaṅkampati rockssampakampati tremblessampavedhati, immeasurableappamāṇo andca magnificentuḷāro lightobhāso in the worldloke appearspātubhavati 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 amazing 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 you should rememberdhārehī”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 he 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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