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Majjhima Nikāya 91

Brahmāyusutta

With Brahmāyu · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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heardAssosi indeedkho Brahmā·lifebrahmāyu brahminbrāhmaṇo: ascetic“samaṇo indeedkhalu, sirbho, Gotamagotamo Sakyan·sonsakyaputto Sakyan·clansakyakulā gone forthpabbajito to Mithilāmithilaṁ toward·reachanuppatto, in Mithilāmithilāyaṁ dwellsviharati in the Maghadeva Mango Grovemaghadevaambavane”ti.
thenAtha indeedkho Brahmā·lifebrahmāyu brahminbrāhmaṇo with severalsambahulehi studentssāvakehi together withsaddhiṁ whereyena Maghadeva·mango grovemaghadevaambavanaṁ it·approachtenupasaṅkami.
thenAtha indeedkho of Brahmāyubrahmāyuno of the brahminbrāhmaṇassa not·faravidūre of the mango groveambavanassa this occurred to himetadahosi:
not“na indeedkho for me·thismetaṁ appropriatepatirūpaṁ which·Iyohaṁ beforehandpubbe not·introducedappaṭisaṁvidito the asceticsamaṇaṁ Gotamagotamaṁ to seedassanāya I should approachupasaṅkameyyan”ti.
thenAtha indeedkho Brahmā·lifebrahmāyu brahminbrāhmaṇo a certainaññataraṁ young studentmāṇavakaṁ addressedāmantesi:
come“ehi youtvaṁ, young studentmāṇavaka, whereyena asceticsamaṇo Gotamagotamo him·approachtenupasaṅkama; having approachedupasaṅkamitvā mymama in my namevacanena the asceticsamaṇaṁ Gotamagotamaṁ little·illnessappābādhaṁ little·afflictionappātaṅkaṁ nimblelahuṭṭhānaṁ strongbalaṁ living comfortablyphāsuvihāraṁ askpuccha:
Brahmāyu‘brahmāyu, sirbho Gotamagotama, brahminbrāhmaṇo the venerablebhavantaṁ Gotamagotamaṁ little·illnessappābādhaṁ little·afflictionappātaṅkaṁ nimblelahuṭṭhānaṁ strongbalaṁ living comfortablyphāsuvihāraṁ askspucchatī’ti.
thus·andEvañca you should sayvadehi:

The brahmin Brahmāyu also heard that the Buddha had arrived. So he went to the Maghadeva Mango Grove together with several disciples. Not far from the grove he thought, “It wouldn’t be appropriate for me to go to see the ascetic Gotama without letting him know beforehand.” So he addressed one of his young students: “Here, young student, go to the ascetic Gotama and in my name bow with your head to his feet. Ask him if he is healthy and well, nimble, strong, and living comfortably. And then say:

Brahmāyu,‘brahmāyu, worthy sir,bho Gotama,gotama, a brahminbrāhmaṇo old,jiṇṇo elderly,vuḍḍho senior,mahallako advanced in years,addhagato age·reachedvayoanuppatto, twenty·year·hundredvīsavassasatiko by birth;jātiyā, of the threetiṇṇaṁ Vedasvedānaṁ he has masteredpāragū with·vocabulary·ritualsanighaṇḍukeṭubhānaṁ their phonology and word classification,sākkharappabhedānaṁ testament·fifthitihāsapañcamānaṁ, word-by-word,padako, a grammarian,veyyākaraṇo, cosmology·markslokāyatamahāpurisalakkhaṇesu well versed.anavayo.
Of allYāvatā, worthy sir,bho, brahmin·householderbrāhmaṇagahapatikā in Mithilāmithilāyaṁ in·dwellpaṭivasanti, Brahmāyubrahmāyu theirtesaṁ brahminbrāhmaṇo is said to be the foremost—aggamakkhāyati—
that is,yadidaṁ in wealth;bhogehi;
Brahmāyubrahmāyu theirtesaṁ brahminbrāhmaṇo is said to be the foremost—aggamakkhāyati—
that is,yadidaṁ in hymns;mantehi;
Brahmāyubrahmāyu theirtesaṁ brahminbrāhmaṇo is said to be the foremost—aggamakkhāyati—
that is,yadidaṁ in lifespanāyunā andceva in fameyasasā and.ca.
heSo of the worthybhoto Gotamagotamassa wants to see.'"dassanakāmo’”ti.
"Yes,“Evaṁ, worthy sir,"bho”ti indeedkho thatso young studentmāṇavako of the brahmin Brahmāyubrahmāyussa brahmin'sbrāhmaṇassa back·hearpaṭissutvā whereyena the Blessed Onebhagavā him·approachedtenupasaṅkami; having approached,upasaṅkamitvā with the Blessed Onebhagavatā withsaddhiṁ exchanged greetings.sammodi.
politeSammodanīyaṁ conversationkathaṁ cordialsāraṇīyaṁ having exchanged,vītisāretvā to one sideekamantaṁ stood.aṭṭhāsi. To one sideEkamantaṁ standing,ṭhito indeedkho thatso young studentmāṇavako to the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ said this:etadavoca:
"Brahmāyu,“brahmāyu, worthy sirbho Gotama,gotama, the brahminbrāhmaṇo the worthybhavantaṁ Gotamagotamaṁ free from illness,appābādhaṁ free from affliction,appātaṅkaṁ lightness of body,lahuṭṭhānaṁ strength,balaṁ comfortable livingphāsuvihāraṁ asks about;pucchati;
and thusevañca he says:vadeti:

‘Worthy Gotama, the brahmin Brahmāyu is old, elderly, and senior, advanced in years, having reached the final stage of life; he is a hundred and twenty years old. He has mastered the three Vedas, together with their vocabularies and ritual performance, their phonology and word classification, and the testaments as fifth. He knows them word-by-word, and their grammar. He is well versed in cosmology and the marks of a great man. Of all the brahmins and householders residing in Mithilā, Brahmāyu is said to be the foremost in wealth, hymns, lifespan, and fame. He wants to see the worthy Gotama.’” “Yes, worthy sir,” that young student replied. He did as he was asked, and the Buddha said,

Brahmāyu,‘brahmāyu, sirbho Gotama,gotama, the brahminbrāhmaṇo oldjiṇṇo agedvuḍḍho elderlymahallako path·goneaddhagato age·reachedvayoanuppatto, twenty·year·hundredvīsavassasatiko by birth,jātiyā, of the threetiṇṇaṁ Vedasvedānaṁ far shore·gonepāragū with·glossarysanighaṇḍukeṭubhānaṁ with the analysessākkharappabhedānaṁ with the histories as fifth,itihāsapañcamānaṁ, a philologist,padako, a grammarian,veyyākaraṇo, Lokāyata·great manlokāyatamahāpurisalakkhaṇesu not deficient.anavayo.
As many as,Yāvatā, sir,bho, brahmin·householderbrāhmaṇagahapatikā in Mithilāmithilāyaṁ against·dwellpaṭivasanti, Brahmāyubrahmāyu of themtesaṁ the brahminbrāhmaṇo foremost + declaredaggamakkhāyati—
which + thisyadidaṁ in wealth;bhogehi;
Brahmāyubrahmāyu of themtesaṁ the brahminbrāhmaṇo foremost + declaredaggamakkhāyati—
which + thisyadidaṁ in sacred texts;mantehi;
Brahmāyubrahmāyu of themtesaṁ the brahminbrāhmaṇo foremost + declaredaggamakkhāyati—
which + thisyadidaṁ in ageāyunā andceva fameyasasā and.ca.
HeSo of the good Gotamabhoto desires to seegotamassa desirous of seeing.'"dassanakāmo’”ti.
"Now,“Yassadāni, student,māṇava, Brahmāyubrahmāyu the brahminbrāhmaṇo the timekālaṁ thinks fit."maññatī”ti.

“Please, student, let Brahmāyu come at his convenience.”

thenAtha indeedkho thatso young studentmāṇavako whereyena Brahmāyubrahmāyu brahminbrāhmaṇo there + approachedtenupasaṅkami; having approachedupasaṅkamitvā Brahmāyubrahmāyuṁ brahminbrāhmaṇaṁ this + saidetadavoca:
an opportunity has been made“katāvakāso indeed I amkhomhi by the venerable onebhavatā by the asceticsamaṇena Gotamagotamena.
which + nowYassadāni the venerable onebhavaṁ timekālaṁ thinksmaññatī”ti.

The young student went back to Brahmāyu and said to him, “Your request for an audience with the ascetic Gotama has been granted. Please go at your convenience.”

thenAtha indeedkho Brahmā·lifebrahmāyu brahminbrāhmaṇo whereyena the Blessed Onebhagavā him·approachtenupasaṅkami.
sawAddasā indeedkho thatsā assemblyparisā Brahmāyubrahmāyuṁ brahminbrāhmaṇaṁ afar·justdūratova comingāgacchantaṁ.
having seenDisvāna having withdrawnoramiya space·makeokāsamakāsi asyathā thattaṁ of one well-knownñātassa of one famousyasassino.
thenAtha indeedkho Brahmā·lifebrahmāyu brahminbrāhmaṇo thattaṁ assemblyparisaṁ this·sayetadavoca:
enough“alaṁ, gentlemenbho.
sitNisīdatha youtumhe on your ownsake seatsāsane.
here + IIdhāhaṁ of the asceticsamaṇassa Gotamagotamassa in the presencesantike sit·quotation markernisīdissāmī”ti.

Then the brahmin Brahmāyu went up to the Buddha. The assembly saw him coming off in the distance, and made way for him, as he was well-known and famous. Brahmāyu said to that retinue, “Enough, gentlemen. Please sit on your own seats. I shall sit here by the ascetic Gotama.”

thenAtha indeedkho Brahmāyubrahmāyu brahminbrāhmaṇo whereyena the Blessed Onebhagavā that·approachtenupasaṅkami; having approachedupasaṅkamitvā with the Blessed Onebhagavatā togethersaddhiṁ together·rejoicesammodi.
greetingSammodanīyaṁ conversationkathaṁ politesāraṇīyaṁ having concludedvītisāretvā one·sideekamantaṁ down·sitnisīdi.
one·sideEkamantaṁ seatednisinno indeedkho Brahmāyubrahmāyu brahminbrāhmaṇo of the Blessed Onebhagavato on the bodykāye two·thirty·great man·markdvattiṁsamahāpurisalakkhaṇāni scrutinizedsamannesi.
he sawAddasā indeedkho Brahmāyubrahmāyu brahminbrāhmaṇo of the Blessed Onebhagavato on the bodykāye two·thirty·great man·markdvattiṁsamahāpurisalakkhaṇāni, for the most partyebhuyyena having exceptedṭhapetvā twodve.
in regard to twoDvīsu great man·markmahāpurisalakkhaṇesu he doubtskaṅkhati he is uncertainvicikicchati not·resolvenādhimuccati notna together·be pleasedsampasīdati—
in the sheathedkosohite andca in the private partsvatthaguyhe large·tonguepahūtajivhatāya andca.
thenAtha indeedkho Brahmāyubrahmāyu brahminbrāhmaṇo the Blessed Onebhagavantaṁ with versesgāthāhi addressedajjhabhāsi:
which“Ye by meme two·thirty·quotedvattiṁsāti heardsutā,
great man·markmahāpurisalakkhaṇā;
twoDuve of themtesaṁ notna I seepassāmi,
of the worthy onebhoto on the bodykāyasmiṁ Gotamagotama.
is it?Kacci sheathedkosohitaṁ of the worthy onebhoto,
the private partsvatthaguyhaṁ man·supremenaruttama;
woman·being·calledNārīsamānasavhayā,
is it?kacci tonguejivhā notna manlydassakā.
is it?Kacci large·tonguepahūtajivhosi,
asyathā thattaṁ we may knowjāniyāmase;
stretch out·thisNinnāmayetaṁ largepahūtaṁ,
doubtkaṅkhaṁ away·leadvinaya ourno O seerise.
seen·dhamma·benefit·welfareDiṭṭhadhammahitatthāya,
next world·happinesssamparāyasukhāya andca;
made·opportunityKatāvakāsā we askpucchāma,
whateveryaṁ anythingkiñci desiredabhipatthitan”ti.

Then the brahmin Brahmāyu went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side, and scrutinized the Buddha’s body for the thirty-two marks of a great man. He saw all of them except two, which he had doubts about: whether the private parts are sheathed in a foreskin, and the largeness of the tongue. Then Brahmāyu addressed the Buddha in verse: “I have learned of the thirty-two marks of a great man. There are two that I don’t see on the body of the worthy Gotama. Are the private parts sheathed in a foreskin, O supreme man? Though called by a word of the feminine gender, perhaps your tongue is a manly one? Perhaps your tongue is large, as we have been informed. Please stick it out in its full extent, and so, O seer, dispel my doubt. For my welfare and benefit in this life, and happiness in lives to come. And I ask you to grant the opportunity to ask whatever I desire.”

thenAtha indeedkho to the Blessed Onebhagavato this occurred to himetadahosi:
he sees“passati indeedkho myme thisayaṁ Brahmāyubrahmāyu brahminbrāhmaṇo the thirty-two marks of a great mandvattiṁsamahāpurisalakkhaṇāni, for the most partyebhuyyena having exceptedṭhapetvā twodve.
regarding twoDvīsu marks of a great manmahāpurisalakkhaṇesu he doubtskaṅkhati he is uncertainvicikicchati he does not settlenādhimuccati notna he is not confidentsampasīdati—
in the sheathedkosohite andca in the private partsvatthaguyhe in the largeness of the tonguepahūtajivhatāya and"cā”ti.
thenAtha indeedkho the Blessed Onebhagavā such atathārūpaṁ psychic poweriddhābhisaṅkhāraṁ he exertedabhisaṅkhāsi so thatyathā he sawaddasa Brahmāyubrahmāyu brahminbrāhmaṇo of the Blessed Onebhagavato sheathedkosohitaṁ private partsvatthaguyhaṁ.
thenAtha indeedkho the Blessed Onebhagavā tonguejivhaṁ having extendedninnāmetvā bothubhopi ear holeskaṇṇasotāni he strokedanumasi he stroked backpaṭimasi; bothubhopi nostrilsnāsikasotāni he strokedanumasi he stroked backpaṭimasi; the wholekevalampi foreheadnalāṭamaṇḍalaṁ with the tonguejivhāya he coveredchādesi.
thenAtha indeedkho the Blessed Onebhagavā Brahmāyubrahmāyuṁ brahminbrāhmaṇaṁ with versesgāthāhi he replied topaccabhāsi:

Then it occurred to the Buddha, “Brahmāyu sees all the marks except two, which he has doubts about: whether the private parts are sheathed in a foreskin, and the largeness of the tongue.” So the Buddha used his psychic power to will that Brahmāyu would see his private parts sheathed in a foreskin. And he stuck out his tongue and stroked back and forth on his ear holes and nostrils, and covered his entire forehead with his tongue. Then the Buddha replied to Brahmāyu in verse:

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