Brahmāyusutta

Majjhima Nikāya 91

With Brahmāyu · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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“Ye te dvattiṁsāti sutā,
mahāpurisalakkhaṇā;
Sabbe te mama kāyasmiṁ,
mā te kaṅkhāhu brāhmaṇa.
Abhiññeyyaṁ abhiññātaṁ,
bhāvetabbañca bhāvitaṁ;
Pahātabbaṁ pahīnaṁ me,
tasmā buddhosmi brāhmaṇa.
Diṭṭhadhammahitatthāya,
samparāyasukhāya ca;
Katāvakāso pucchassu,
yaṁ kiñci abhipatthitan”ti.

“The thirty-two marks of a great man that you have learned are all found on my body: so do not doubt, brahmin. I have known what should be known, and developed what should be developed, and given up what should be given up: and so, brahmin, I am a Buddha. For your welfare and benefit in this life, and happiness in lives to come: I grant you the opportunity to ask whatever you desire.”

Atha kho brahmāyussa brāhmaṇassa etadahosi:
“katāvakāso khomhi samaṇena gotamena.
Kiṁ nu kho ahaṁ samaṇaṁ gotamaṁ puccheyyaṁ:
‘diṭṭhadhammikaṁ vā atthaṁ samparāyikaṁ vā’”ti.
Atha kho brahmāyussa brāhmaṇassa etadahosi:
“kusalo kho ahaṁ diṭṭhadhammikānaṁ atthānaṁ.
Aññepi maṁ diṭṭhadhammikaṁ atthaṁ pucchanti.
Yannūnāhaṁ samaṇaṁ gotamaṁ samparāyikaṁyeva atthaṁ puccheyyan”ti.
Atha kho brahmāyu brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi:
“Kathaṁ kho brāhmaṇo hoti,
kathaṁ bhavati vedagū;
Tevijjo bho kathaṁ hoti,
sotthiyo kinti vuccati.
Arahaṁ bho kathaṁ hoti,
kathaṁ bhavati kevalī;
Muni ca bho kathaṁ hoti,
buddho kinti pavuccatī”ti.

Then Brahmāyu thought: “My request has been granted. Should I ask him about what is beneficial in this life or the next?” Then he thought, “I’m well versed in the benefits that apply to this life, and others ask me about this. Why don’t I ask the ascetic Gotama about the benefit that specifically applies to lives to come?” So Brahmāyu addressed the Buddha in verse: “How do you become a brahmin? And how do you become a knowledge master? How a master of the three knowledges? And how is one called a scholar? How do you become a perfected one? And how a consummate one? How do you become a sage? And how is one declared to be awakened?”

Atha kho bhagavā brahmāyuṁ brāhmaṇaṁ gāthāhi paccabhāsi:
“Pubbenivāsaṁ yo vedi,
saggāpāyañca passati;
Atho jātikkhayaṁ patto,
abhiññā vosito muni.
Cittaṁ visuddhaṁ jānāti,
muttaṁ rāgehi sabbaso;
Pahīnajātimaraṇo,
brahmacariyassa kevalī;
Pāragū sabbadhammānaṁ,
buddho tādī pavuccatī”ti.

Then the Buddha replied to Brahmāyu in verse: “One who knows their past lives, sees heaven and places of loss, and has attained the end of rebirth: such a sage has perfect insight. They know their mind is pure, completely freed from greed; they’ve given up birth and death, and have completed the spiritual journey. Gone beyond all things, such a one is declared to be awakened.”

Evaṁ vutte, brahmāyu brāhmaṇo uṭṭhāyāsanā ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā bhagavato pādesu sirasā nipatitvā bhagavato pādāni mukhena ca paricumbati, pāṇīhi ca parisambāhati, nāmañca sāveti:
“brahmāyu ahaṁ, bho gotama, brāhmaṇo;
brahmāyu ahaṁ, bho gotama, brāhmaṇo”ti.

When he said this, Brahmāyu got up from his seat and arranged his robe over one shoulder. He bowed with his head to the Buddha’s feet, caressing them and covering them with kisses, and pronounced his name: “I am the brahmin Brahmāyu, worthy Gotama! I am the brahmin Brahmāyu!”

Atha kho sā parisā acchariyabbhutacittajātā ahosi:
“acchariyaṁ vata bho, abbhutaṁ vata bho.
Yatra hi nāmāyaṁ brahmāyu brāhmaṇo ñāto yasassī evarūpaṁ paramanipaccakāraṁ karissatī”ti.
Atha kho bhagavā brahmāyuṁ brāhmaṇaṁ etadavoca:
“alaṁ, brāhmaṇa, uṭṭhaha nisīda tvaṁ sake āsane yato te mayi cittaṁ pasannan”ti.
Atha kho brahmāyu brāhmaṇo uṭṭhahitvā sake āsane nisīdi.

Then that assembly, their minds full of wonder and amazement, thought, “Oh lord, how incredible, how amazing, that Brahmāyu, who is so well-known and famous, should show the Buddha such utmost deference.” Then the Buddha said to Brahmāyu, “Enough, brahmin. Get up, and sit in your own seat, since your mind has such confidence in me.” So Brahmāyu got up and sat in his own seat.

Atha kho bhagavā brahmāyussa brāhmaṇassa anupubbiṁ kathaṁ kathesi, seyyathidaṁ—
dānakathaṁ, sīlakathaṁ, saggakathaṁ;
kāmānaṁ ādīnavaṁ okāraṁ saṅkilesaṁ nekkhamme ānisaṁsaṁ pakāsesi.
Yadā bhagavā aññāsi brahmāyuṁ brāhmaṇaṁ kallacittaṁ muducittaṁ vinīvaraṇacittaṁ udaggacittaṁ pasannacittaṁ, atha yā buddhānaṁ sāmukkaṁsikā dhammadesanā taṁ pakāsesi—
dukkhaṁ, samudayaṁ, nirodhaṁ, maggaṁ.
Seyyathāpi nāma suddhaṁ vatthaṁ apagatakāḷakaṁ sammadeva rajanaṁ paṭiggaṇheyya;
evameva brahmāyussa brāhmaṇassa tasmiṁyeva āsane virajaṁ vītamalaṁ dhammacakkhuṁ udapādi:
“yaṁ kiñci samudayadhammaṁ sabbaṁ taṁ nirodhadhamman”ti.
Atha kho brahmāyu brāhmaṇo diṭṭhadhammo pattadhammo viditadhammo pariyogāḷhadhammo tiṇṇavicikiccho vigatakathaṅkatho vesārajjappatto aparappaccayo satthusāsane bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

Then the Buddha taught him step by step, with a talk on giving, ethical conduct, and heaven. He revealed the drawbacks of sensual pleasures, so sordid and corrupt, and the benefit of renunciation. And when the Buddha knew that Brahmāyu’s mind was ready, pliable, rid of hindrances, elated, and confident he revealed the special teaching of the Buddhas: suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path. Just as a clean cloth rid of stains would properly absorb dye, in that very seat the stainless, immaculate vision of the Dhamma arose in the brahmin Brahmāyu: “Everything that is liable to arise is liable to cease.” Then Brahmāyu saw, attained, understood, and fathomed the Dhamma. He went beyond doubt, got rid of indecision, and became self-assured and independent of others regarding the Teacher’s instructions. He said to the Buddha:

“abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama, abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama.
Seyyathāpi, bho gotama, nikkujjitaṁ vā ukkujjeyya, paṭicchannaṁ vā vivareyya, mūḷhassa vā maggaṁ ācikkheyya, andhakāre vā telapajjotaṁ dhāreyya ‘cakkhumanto rūpāni dakkhantī’ti; evamevaṁ bhotā gotamena anekapariyāyena dhammo pakāsito.
Esāhaṁ bhavantaṁ gotamaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi dhammañca bhikkhusaṅghañca.
Upāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gataṁ.
Adhivāsetu ca me bhavaṁ gotamo svātanāya bhattaṁ saddhiṁ bhikkhusaṅghenā”ti.
Adhivāsesi bhagavā tuṇhībhāvena.
Atha kho brahmāyu brāhmaṇo bhagavato adhivāsanaṁ viditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkāmi.

“Excellent, worthy Gotama! Excellent! As if he were righting the overturned, or revealing the hidden, or pointing out the path to the lost, or lighting a lamp in the dark so people with clear eyes can see what’s there, worthy Gotama has made the teaching clear in many ways. I go for refuge to the worthy Gotama, to the teaching, and to the mendicant Saṅgha. From this day forth, may the worthy Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life. Would you and the mendicant Saṅgha please accept tomorrow’s meal from me?” The Buddha consented with silence. Then, knowing that the Buddha had consented, Brahmāyu rose from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before leaving.

Atha kho brahmāyu brāhmaṇo tassā rattiyā accayena sake nivesane paṇītaṁ khādanīyaṁ bhojanīyaṁ paṭiyādāpetvā bhagavato kālaṁ ārocāpesi:
“kālo, bho gotama, niṭṭhitaṁ bhattan”ti.
Atha kho bhagavā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena brahmāyussa brāhmaṇassa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi saddhiṁ bhikkhusaṅghena.
Atha kho brahmāyu brāhmaṇo sattāhaṁ buddhappamukhaṁ bhikkhusaṅghaṁ paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena sahatthā santappesi sampavāresi.

And when the night had passed Brahmāyu had delicious fresh and cooked foods prepared in his own home. Then he had the Buddha informed of the time, saying, “It’s time, worthy Gotama, the meal is ready.” Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, went to the home of the brahmin Brahmāyu, where he sat down on the seat spread out together with the Saṅgha of mendicants. For seven days, Brahmāyu served and satisfied the mendicant Saṅgha headed by the Buddha with his own hands with delicious fresh and cooked foods.

Atha kho bhagavā tassa sattāhassa accayena videhesu cārikaṁ pakkāmi.
Atha kho brahmāyu brāhmaṇo acirapakkantassa bhagavato kālamakāsi.
Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:
“brahmāyu, bhante, brāhmaṇo kālaṅkato.
Tassa kā gati, ko abhisamparāyo”ti?
“Paṇḍito, bhikkhave, brahmāyu brāhmaṇo paccapādi dhammassānudhammaṁ, na ca maṁ dhammādhikaraṇaṁ vihesesi.
Brahmāyu, bhikkhave, brāhmaṇo pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā opapātiko hoti, tattha parinibbāyī, anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā”ti.
Idamavoca bhagavā.
Attamanā te bhikkhū bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandunti.
Brahmāyusuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ paṭhamaṁ.

When the seven days had passed, the Buddha left to wander in the Videhan lands. Not long after the Buddha left, Brahmāyu passed away. Then several mendicants went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him, “Sir, Brahmāyu has passed away. Where has he been reborn in his next life?” “Mendicants, the brahmin Brahmāyu was astute. He practiced in line with the teaching, and did not trouble me about the teachings. With the ending of the five lower fetters, he’s been reborn spontaneously and will become extinguished there, not liable to return from that world.” That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, the mendicants approved what the Buddha said.

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